Name of a Book
Gentleman Aviator
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Teetering Towers - somewhere in the Shires
Would this be the book that had a line of airmen on a fod plod after an aircraft crash and one of them kicked what he thought was a leather football to find it was a flying helmet complete with head?
IIRC "our hero" on the fod-plod had been instructed NOT to pick up or touch anything but just report it. Chummy sees leather flying helmet, thinks he'll nick it, so picks it up and .......
But it was a long time ago I read it - at Guetersloh* strangely enough ....
*[pedant protection measure - I'm not clever enough to do a u-umlaut, so it is conventional to insert an "e" after the umlauted vowel]
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Northamptonshire
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for all your recollections about "The Camp". I have the book somewhere and read it yonks ago, I must now search it out and read it again.
I seem to remember that, during CO's inspection, the staish in the book puts his hand down a loo and ................ well I think that's enough of that; time to search the attic!!
Old Duffer
Thank you for all your recollections about "The Camp". I have the book somewhere and read it yonks ago, I must now search it out and read it again.
I seem to remember that, during CO's inspection, the staish in the book puts his hand down a loo and ................ well I think that's enough of that; time to search the attic!!
Old Duffer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 397
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From: Over the hill (and far away)
I know - I was attempting a phonetic simulation for the hard of hearing (in fact it should have been the "you" that was made to sound like ὕ; oh, it does already ...
)
I promise to give up all forms of irony and litotes in future posts - well, I would say that, wouldn't I
Mister B
)I promise to give up all forms of irony and litotes in future posts - well, I would say that, wouldn't I
Mister B
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 356
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From: The sky mainly
New challange
O.K. here we go, this one's a bit tougher!
I read this book about 28 years ago, as a lad. It is the story of an R.A.F. crewman - iirc, a gunner in a lanc - who is forced to bail over Germany in the later stages of the war, and make his way back to allied lines.
The bits of the story I can still recall are, his parachute drop were he loses his boot(s), walking bootless in the snow, eating turnips from the fields, sleeping in barns and finally making it back to friendlies.
Any ideas as to the title? Over to you.
I read this book about 28 years ago, as a lad. It is the story of an R.A.F. crewman - iirc, a gunner in a lanc - who is forced to bail over Germany in the later stages of the war, and make his way back to allied lines.
The bits of the story I can still recall are, his parachute drop were he loses his boot(s), walking bootless in the snow, eating turnips from the fields, sleeping in barns and finally making it back to friendlies.
Any ideas as to the title? Over to you.
Joined: Dec 2007
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From: Lixwm,Flintshire
My copy has the same cover as that shown by stevef, I wonder if I bought it for the cover?
Although I would readily accept that the characters may be based on Gutersloh, the physical descriptions of locations around the camp and local area were not of Gutersloh. Does anyone know which camp they related to, was that Wahn?
Although I would readily accept that the characters may be based on Gutersloh, the physical descriptions of locations around the camp and local area were not of Gutersloh. Does anyone know which camp they related to, was that Wahn?
Last edited by ColinB; 7th September 2012 at 09:55. Reason: typo
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,362
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From: South of Old Warden
Can't remember the location descriptions, in the book, but ISTR Fassberg was surrounded by pine forests.
Re Wahn. The village of Wahn was located right outside the Camp gates.
Naturally it had quite a few bars/restaurants with Das Bienenhause dancehall being the most popular venue. Wahn was also home to 83 Group HQ's. and a PDU!
I believe it mentions in the book that the Regiment at Gutersloh had a particularly bad name, with organised chain gangs responsible for gang warfare with the locals and for raping some local girls.
Even at Wahn we Sqdn chaps steered well clear of the Rockapes. Thankfully they were banned from the Malcom Club
Another story I heard re. Gutersloh was that corporals were allocated 200yds of camp roads apiece. If as much as cigarette butt was found in the gutter the responsible corporal was put on a charge! Apocryphal perhaps but it's funny how the memory is stirred into remembering things, long forgotten.
Re Wahn. The village of Wahn was located right outside the Camp gates.
Naturally it had quite a few bars/restaurants with Das Bienenhause dancehall being the most popular venue. Wahn was also home to 83 Group HQ's. and a PDU!
I believe it mentions in the book that the Regiment at Gutersloh had a particularly bad name, with organised chain gangs responsible for gang warfare with the locals and for raping some local girls.
Even at Wahn we Sqdn chaps steered well clear of the Rockapes. Thankfully they were banned from the Malcom Club
Another story I heard re. Gutersloh was that corporals were allocated 200yds of camp roads apiece. If as much as cigarette butt was found in the gutter the responsible corporal was put on a charge! Apocryphal perhaps but it's funny how the memory is stirred into remembering things, long forgotten.
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: West of Akrotiri & the B Sours
My recollection of it - poor Ricky - was that it was Wahn (but could be wrong) and by the way, no, Debbie wasn't in Dallas. She just fancied a trip there - and got some friends to help. Interesting piece of fund raising!
Last edited by BSweeper; 9th September 2012 at 19:33.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 183
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From: Somerset
re New challange (sic)
You might be thinking of Boldness be my Friend by Richard Pape. If not, it's a good read anyway.
Obituary: Richard Pape - People - News - The Independent
R
Obituary: Richard Pape - People - News - The Independent
R
