I Wish I Hadn't Said That ...
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Why Oops?
A long row of WW2 campaign medals in Europe....... topped by the Knights Iron Cross with Diamonds etc.
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There was an ex-Luftwaffe member of the Exmouth RAFA club twenty-five or so years back.
Reminds me of being present when a Captain RN, who was a former SSN CO, met a fairly elderly FGN Captain at Kiel in the 1980s, and comment on the fact that the Herr Kapitan had no medal ribbons.
The Herr Kapitan was quiet for a few moments and, on being asked why he had made no response, replied that he had been quickly counting the number of U-boats he had served in, or commanded, prior to VE-Day. He must have been very fortunate indeed since the answer was six and, no, the Captain RN asked no more questhtions.
On a more prosaic level, I believe I am correct in saying that serving personnel in the FGR forces were banned from wearing medals or campaign stars awarded by the Nazis.
Jack
The Herr Kapitan was quiet for a few moments and, on being asked why he had made no response, replied that he had been quickly counting the number of U-boats he had served in, or commanded, prior to VE-Day. He must have been very fortunate indeed since the answer was six and, no, the Captain RN asked no more questhtions.
On a more prosaic level, I believe I am correct in saying that serving personnel in the FGR forces were banned from wearing medals or campaign stars awarded by the Nazis.
Jack
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There was a lovely morning brief at C.........by in the mid 70's one Sep 15.
Station Commander went into a monologue about the BoB along the lines of dastardly enemy, forces of evil, vile opponents greatly outnumbering glorious few ....triumph of British spirit etc. etc.
As we trooped out the GAF exchange pilot ( HZ) called across to the GAF rear seater (RJ)
" Makes you wonder how we bloody lost doesn't it"
Station Commander went into a monologue about the BoB along the lines of dastardly enemy, forces of evil, vile opponents greatly outnumbering glorious few ....triumph of British spirit etc. etc.
As we trooped out the GAF exchange pilot ( HZ) called across to the GAF rear seater (RJ)
" Makes you wonder how we bloody lost doesn't it"
Yes, Him
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I think Mighty Gem was refering to post 816 and his subsequent query of it.
In the BoB 50th Anniversary Flypast practice, there was a brief snatch (no sniggering at the back) of "Wir faren gegen Engerland" on the run in. The Luftwaffe exchange mate swore it wasn't him.
In the BoB 50th Anniversary Flypast practice, there was a brief snatch (no sniggering at the back) of "Wir faren gegen Engerland" on the run in. The Luftwaffe exchange mate swore it wasn't him.
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The Scene - 25m Barrack Range RAF Stn on Welsh Island. I'm Range Conducting Officer for several details of ATC Cdts on their Summer Camp - v wet day and firing the jam-prone cdt version of the SA-80, which some numpty had left just under where the rain runs off the firing point shelter....
Standing at the firing point and noticing that some of the cadets were struggling (and not having registered that a young female instructor was with us on the range)
"Is anyone experiencing any stiffness with their weapons?"
3 safety supervisors promptly double up, and I still get stick for it to this day....
Standing at the firing point and noticing that some of the cadets were struggling (and not having registered that a young female instructor was with us on the range)
"Is anyone experiencing any stiffness with their weapons?"
3 safety supervisors promptly double up, and I still get stick for it to this day....
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Marathon Completed!!
After many sessions, I've read the lot! I'm not military but keen on aviation etc. What a great collection - many thanks. Found a few of the abbreviations a mystery, but got the gist of most of it.
Hopefully more will appear, and I won't need to spend days reading to catch up!
Hopefully more will appear, and I won't need to spend days reading to catch up!
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There was an ex-Luftwaffe member of the Exmouth RAFA club twenty-five or so years back.
At my previous local we had a German fellow called Walter who had served in the Luftwaffe in WWII. He would join us ex Service types in the corner of the bar on a Friday evening. He insisted that he only came over on a day trip in 1942 and never went back.
'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'
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Stand by for broadcast...
RAF Abingdon, 1983 (I think), during a station exercise...
Young airwoman pipes up on the station tannoy: 'Exercise, exercise, exercise! An IUD has been discovered in the Bulk Fuel Installation!
Her credibility probably never recovered, poor girl...
Gadget
Young airwoman pipes up on the station tannoy: 'Exercise, exercise, exercise! An IUD has been discovered in the Bulk Fuel Installation!
Her credibility probably never recovered, poor girl...
Gadget
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Not a personal experience - but I think this youtube fits the bill.....
Sir I can't reach the map...
Sir I can't reach the map...
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I wish HE hadn´t said that.
Slight modification of title of thread.
I wish HE hadn´t said that !!
R.A.F. Odiham, Mid August, 1954.
I was on an exercise, flying a Meteor F.R.9. which had just been refuelled. I was not based at Odiham & was waiting for the Form 700 to be signed by a WRAF airwoman refueller. She was not exactly looking her best wearing drab overalls, but I´m sure she was a nice person.
Behind us, overseeing events, stood a young, smooth mustachioed Squadron Leader, (i/c Station Flight ?).
Sqdn. Ldr:-
" Aircraftwoman (?Robinson?) - If you can´t grow a better moustache than that, you had better shave it off !!"
ACW:- "Yes Sir".
I wish HE hadn´t said that !!
R.A.F. Odiham, Mid August, 1954.
I was on an exercise, flying a Meteor F.R.9. which had just been refuelled. I was not based at Odiham & was waiting for the Form 700 to be signed by a WRAF airwoman refueller. She was not exactly looking her best wearing drab overalls, but I´m sure she was a nice person.
Behind us, overseeing events, stood a young, smooth mustachioed Squadron Leader, (i/c Station Flight ?).
Sqdn. Ldr:-
" Aircraftwoman (?Robinson?) - If you can´t grow a better moustache than that, you had better shave it off !!"
ACW:- "Yes Sir".
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I wish I hadn't done that....
My first posting after training was to Stafford in 1981 - and my first boss was Chief Tech Ken Savage. He used to discuss his first posting on Lincolns. I was in the Gun Bay and every 6 weeks or so we used to take a batch of renovated Aden Guns to Cold Meece to test fire them. It was a good day out - and on the way back we would have lunch in the pub, before returning to base to clean the guns and leave early for the weekend.
As well as the guns and ammo we used to take an urn of sugared and an urn of un-sugared tea. On one early occasion some individual poured me a cup of the sugared variety. I hate sweet tea and as we weren’t shooting at that time I opened the back door to the shooting box and threw my tea away. As I reached the point of no return I realised that Ken was having a p*55 against the wall and I soaked him from head to toe in hot sticky tea.
Possibly not the best way for the new lad to make an impression with the boss. We exchanged Christmas cards for many years until I lost touch in the 90s, what a gent.
My first posting after training was to Stafford in 1981 - and my first boss was Chief Tech Ken Savage. He used to discuss his first posting on Lincolns. I was in the Gun Bay and every 6 weeks or so we used to take a batch of renovated Aden Guns to Cold Meece to test fire them. It was a good day out - and on the way back we would have lunch in the pub, before returning to base to clean the guns and leave early for the weekend.
As well as the guns and ammo we used to take an urn of sugared and an urn of un-sugared tea. On one early occasion some individual poured me a cup of the sugared variety. I hate sweet tea and as we weren’t shooting at that time I opened the back door to the shooting box and threw my tea away. As I reached the point of no return I realised that Ken was having a p*55 against the wall and I soaked him from head to toe in hot sticky tea.
Possibly not the best way for the new lad to make an impression with the boss. We exchanged Christmas cards for many years until I lost touch in the 90s, what a gent.
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A story my old man told me that he swears is true from his National Service days.
Having been ‘asked’ to paint a tiddly picket fence around the flagpole in best white gloss, the evening light begins to fade and our two heroes are looking forward to finishing off and getting some rest, when, one of then knocks paint tin over, at least ˝ pint of dulux’s finest spreads across parade ground.
Nightmare – four hours of scrubbing and peeling off paint with turps? Sod that - quick as a flash other one grabs paintbrush and forms paint puddle into a perfect circle so it looks like it should be there.
Nobody notices and 25 years later, on visiting the station for an open day, it is noticed that the circle is still there – having been repainted over and over and over again!
Having been ‘asked’ to paint a tiddly picket fence around the flagpole in best white gloss, the evening light begins to fade and our two heroes are looking forward to finishing off and getting some rest, when, one of then knocks paint tin over, at least ˝ pint of dulux’s finest spreads across parade ground.
Nightmare – four hours of scrubbing and peeling off paint with turps? Sod that - quick as a flash other one grabs paintbrush and forms paint puddle into a perfect circle so it looks like it should be there.
Nobody notices and 25 years later, on visiting the station for an open day, it is noticed that the circle is still there – having been repainted over and over and over again!
Thought police antagonist
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Waddington....very recently. Asked to assist some very nice and very clever people from L'borough who wanted some scrap items, valves and suchlike for their test rigs. They duly arrive with pristine tool kit, get a very quick " intro to engineering" course and are let loose under a discreet eye on the a/c. Watched with bemused interest as the "how many scientists does it take" etc is played out for real...three to remove one bolt...one watching... in this case....but all ends in success.
Start a de brief chat along the lines of "engineering is easy, any fool can do it" as a light hearted intro....and get an interesting and serious reply along the lines of "we don't design aircraft for access do we"....yours truly duly concurs here..."with some feeling " ....and your man duly says "I / we have really learnt a lot today"....which was a very positive outcome I feel...however... I then proceed to comment along the lines of they have, but it will take another 50 yrs before the
etc, etc in senior management do so...offer further opinions of senior "management " to support past views etc.
Little voice from the team in front of me...."Actually, I am senior management".....
All ended happily though....fascinating guys doing some equally fascinating work which may ultimately benefit a lot of people on here... both air and ground
Start a de brief chat along the lines of "engineering is easy, any fool can do it" as a light hearted intro....and get an interesting and serious reply along the lines of "we don't design aircraft for access do we"....yours truly duly concurs here..."with some feeling " ....and your man duly says "I / we have really learnt a lot today"....which was a very positive outcome I feel...however... I then proceed to comment along the lines of they have, but it will take another 50 yrs before the
etc, etc in senior management do so...offer further opinions of senior "management " to support past views etc. Little voice from the team in front of me...."Actually, I am senior management".....
All ended happily though....fascinating guys doing some equally fascinating work which may ultimately benefit a lot of people on here... both air and ground
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Wish I had'nt said that
At No 2 BFTS at Burnaston early 50s, now the Toyota factory, we beginners on Chipmunks shared civilian batmen. Ours was in trouble, we asked him why. Apparently the SWO had reproached him for not addressing him correctly and and said "what is your name. He had replied "cohen" , cohen what said the SWO, cohen get fcuked said he.
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I've tried to read everything to date but almost wet myself half way through, so if this has been on before you have my apologies. I was in the vicinity at the time but not actually present, so I hope I got it right.
Once upon a time, the kipper fleet got a navigator of the female persuasion. She was the routine Nav for one sortie, and the crew were setting up before the flight when they got an intercomm snag. Duty fairy was called for, and after a bit of investigation deduced that the fault was probably a circuit breaker popped on the main intercom junction box, which is located under the routine Navs desk. Said fairy then fought his way passed the rest of the crew until he got to the rountine Navs desk, and in a hassled voice said "Excuse me Ma'am, I just need to get between your legs....."
P.S. on another subject, when I worked for a certain British defence contractor, I used to know a bloke who said his one claim to fame was having a father who was a Battle of Britain ace. Anyone who hadn't heard the story would ask for more information, to which he would spin a yarn or two before admitting his dad had been in the Luftwaffe!
Once upon a time, the kipper fleet got a navigator of the female persuasion. She was the routine Nav for one sortie, and the crew were setting up before the flight when they got an intercomm snag. Duty fairy was called for, and after a bit of investigation deduced that the fault was probably a circuit breaker popped on the main intercom junction box, which is located under the routine Navs desk. Said fairy then fought his way passed the rest of the crew until he got to the rountine Navs desk, and in a hassled voice said "Excuse me Ma'am, I just need to get between your legs....."
P.S. on another subject, when I worked for a certain British defence contractor, I used to know a bloke who said his one claim to fame was having a father who was a Battle of Britain ace. Anyone who hadn't heard the story would ask for more information, to which he would spin a yarn or two before admitting his dad had been in the Luftwaffe!
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Apologies if this one has been told before - I heard it on Capital Radio in London. The presenter (Mike Osmond?) was an ex RN Stoker and he was relating how he came in to work early one morning, still dark, cold and very wet outside. There, outside the capital radio building, crashed out on a sheet of corrugated cardboard for a bed was a one armed beggar, obviously in dire need of a bath and some clean clothes. Next to him was a sign that read, 'Please spare some change for an old soldier who lost an arm in the South Atlantic in 1982.'
Well, feeling sorry for this hero of the South Atlantic, our presenter fishes out a brand new 20 pound note and puts it into the little begging bowl at the side of our down and out hero - who then grabs it very quickly and announces "Muchos gracias Senor."
Well, feeling sorry for this hero of the South Atlantic, our presenter fishes out a brand new 20 pound note and puts it into the little begging bowl at the side of our down and out hero - who then grabs it very quickly and announces "Muchos gracias Senor."
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I used to know a bloke who said his one claim to fame was having a father who was a Battle of Britain ace. Anyone who hadn't heard the story would ask for more information, to which he would spin a yarn or two before admitting his dad had been in the Luftwaffe!
This may be the same story, only slightly embellished:
A BBC documentary team at a certain Scottish base, many years ago,
- listening to voice tapes of intercepts. This guy spots the target at two miles range, dead ahead. Calls “Tally Ho”
- BBC lady, in rather snooty voice, says, “Why do these people talk as though they were in the Battle of Britain.”
Escorting officer says, “Because some of them were, allow me to introduce you to Major Winter, on exchange from the Luftwaffe.”