Making it in Civvy Street.
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"Bruce Barrymore Halpenny-British military historian and Author, served Royal Air Force Police"
There seems to be some doubt as to the validity of this gentleman's duties - now I'm not going as far as to suggest 'Walting', but his own descriptions of what he did as a National Serviceman and after seem to be a little 'embellished'?
I may be wrong, and apologise profusely if I am, but if anyone has any further information I would be most interested.
There seems to be some doubt as to the validity of this gentleman's duties - now I'm not going as far as to suggest 'Walting', but his own descriptions of what he did as a National Serviceman and after seem to be a little 'embellished'?
I may be wrong, and apologise profusely if I am, but if anyone has any further information I would be most interested.
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Bruce Barrymore Halpenny-British military historian and Author
Yes his CV does raise questions. But is he simply doing some buttering up to sell books?
As to him being on 'Special Duties', this raises a question as to just what did the phrase mean?
When I was posted to the RAF Liaison Party Istres in 1957, I was on 'Special Duties'. There was absolutely no hint that it was anything cloak & dagger. It was because of some diplomatic reason, and us being in France. I understood that the term was also applied to all Air Attache's and their staff.
In another life, while on a Valiant Squadron, the RAFP dog handlers that guided our dispersal's at night were not seen as any sort of James Bond type.
Special duties in his case was SD814, nuclear security, not particularly special but I guess he's not the first author to "sex up" a relatively vanilla career, let's face it they all do it to an extent and he's hardly claiming to be the second man on the balcony. Certainly not a walt.
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Ex RAF pilot leaves 1 million flowers to Sidmouth and £2.3 mil
Banker Keith Owen leaves £2.3million to Devon town with instructions to plant 'a million flowers' | Metro News
Banker Keith Owen leaves £2.3million to Devon town with instructions to plant 'a million flowers' | Metro News
Gentleman Aviator
Hilary Devey
Maybe an airwoman in TG 9 - AATC - then commissioned (briefly) as a stacker? Wiki says she left WRAF "before she was 20". Or given the timescale - early 70s? - did we then still have Local Service Airwomen who might have done a number of clerical/admin tasks??
She served for a short time in the Women's Royal Air Force in air traffic control and supply accounts and was stationed at RAF Brize Norton.
A strange career move
Any info on how she would achieve that?
A strange career move
Any info on how she would achieve that?
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As to him being on 'Special Duties', this raises a question as to just what did the phrase mean?
I thought why not, went to see the chief clerk and his first question was 'Are you married?'
I said yes and he said close the door on the way out.
Last edited by thing; 31st Aug 2013 at 21:26.
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Un was as well as in Cyprus I believe
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Special duties has always been a cover-all euphemism, the ones you enquired about were likely covert surveillance duties in NI, they were frequently advertised in SROs.
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Jeff Young. A school teacher who played Rugby for Wales & Lions in the late 60s & early 70s. He then joined the RAF Education Branch and continued in the game, coaching RAF and Inter-Services teams. After leaving the RAF he did some quite important work for Welsh Rugby and others. Sadly died some years ago after a long illness, aged about 60.
Special duties has always been a cover-all euphemism
and he's hardly claiming to be the second man on the balcony
Last edited by Melchett01; 5th Sep 2013 at 09:05.
he found a Sqn Ldr fiddling with a Cpl
At an ATC party, there I was chatting to an eminently 'fiddleable' Cpl when Mrs Bas noticed and came over to say "Hello!!" How do they know?
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Lord Paddy Ashdown. Lib dem politician
Born in New Delhi in British India, to a family of soldiers and colonial administrators who spent their lives in India. His mother was a QA nurse. Ashdown's father, John William Richard Durham Ashdown, was an Indian Army officer in the 14th Punjab Regiment and the Indian Army Service Corps and in 1944 attained the rank of T/Lt.Col.
Paddy Ashdown joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before training as a Swimmer Canoeist in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Section (which became the Special Boat Service in the 1980s) and commanded a Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast.
Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6).
Ashdown decided to enter politics due to living during the era of two general elections in one year and the Three-Day Week.
Born in New Delhi in British India, to a family of soldiers and colonial administrators who spent their lives in India. His mother was a QA nurse. Ashdown's father, John William Richard Durham Ashdown, was an Indian Army officer in the 14th Punjab Regiment and the Indian Army Service Corps and in 1944 attained the rank of T/Lt.Col.
Paddy Ashdown joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before training as a Swimmer Canoeist in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Section (which became the Special Boat Service in the 1980s) and commanded a Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast.
Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6).
Ashdown decided to enter politics due to living during the era of two general elections in one year and the Three-Day Week.
Incidentally, Airborne Aircrew described him as 'weak minded and weak willed'.
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Special Duties
The Sergeant DI when I was in Boy Entrants used to deal out 'Special Duties'. In my case it was always 2 hours every night for a week in the Tin Room !
Philrigger
Philrigger
Hughie Greene, (qv) was also the first Director of the Psywar Department in Colonial Malaya c 1952 - and jolly effective he was, too. He understood the need for psyops material to be targetted at the individual and based on his (Maselow hierachy) needs. Hughie Greene used local ethnic chinese to devise the material - indeed, used former insurgents - and then distributed the material by a variety of elderly transport aircraft, as well as Austers and Harvards. Thousands of 'bandits' surrendered as a result of the well-coordinated psyops campaign - much more cost effective than bombing the sh!t out of the nearly-impenetrable jungle!
Last edited by Whenurhappy; 5th Sep 2013 at 15:57.