Cranwell
As he was totally "out of his tree" (and not for the first time by any means) I doubt if he recalled much.
Unusual situations sometimes call for unusual solutions.
It was a long time ago and hopefully the situation would not be allowed to deteriorate to such a sad state today.
Unusual situations sometimes call for unusual solutions.
It was a long time ago and hopefully the situation would not be allowed to deteriorate to such a sad state today.
Last edited by Haraka; 16th Sep 2013 at 19:35.
Whenever was this, Haraka?
Non-student officers surely didn't live in College Hall until 1973/4. I don't recall Wing Drill ever having been interrupted by such an event?
Wouldn't unplugging the music system have been a less problematic solution?
Nevertheless, the chap does sound to have been rather an oddball. Despite which, assault by an NCO should have resulted in the latter being court-martialled.... No question.
Non-student officers surely didn't live in College Hall until 1973/4. I don't recall Wing Drill ever having been interrupted by such an event?
Wouldn't unplugging the music system have been a less problematic solution?
Nevertheless, the chap does sound to have been rather an oddball. Despite which, assault by an NCO should have resulted in the latter being court-martialled.... No question.
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When the cadets were gliding the evening meal at weekends was at some early hour about 16.30 hours. Instead a Land-Rover was despatched to the rear of the dining hall and two large urn's one tea the other coffee arrived accompanied by loaves of bread,butter and jam,peanut butter and Marmite. That was all the food these guy's got but it kept us going. The cadets would often retire to the Hare & Hounds at Fulbeck. With my parents blessing I used to sit in the beer garden and given lemonade and crips as I was only fourteen at the time . You were not allowed in pubs in those day's and they closed at 22.30 hrs on a Sunday. I have very happy memories of Cranwell it was a great station for flying.
Last edited by T-21; 17th Sep 2013 at 07:59.
Bread and toast
Remember those big chain driven rotary toasters SOS ?
We packed away the calories (and burnt them off)!
Only problem was the coffee in those silly little demi-tasses .
The average cadet lost weight initially, then put it back on in different places as time went by.
Latterly , once out of the Towers, weight again tended to be redistributed as the acquired appetite tended not to diminish , whilst daily exercise tended to decrease.
Then of course , many of us started smoking.........
We packed away the calories (and burnt them off)!
Only problem was the coffee in those silly little demi-tasses .
The average cadet lost weight initially, then put it back on in different places as time went by.
Latterly , once out of the Towers, weight again tended to be redistributed as the acquired appetite tended not to diminish , whilst daily exercise tended to decrease.
Then of course , many of us started smoking.........
Haraka, thanks for the PM. I always thought that the chap to whom you referred was distinctly odd. Didn't he once tie an 'A' sqn 
flag to the very top of the college after some competition or other?
Sad that he left the Service in such a way though......
Those chain driven toasters can still be found at Premier Inns - but it takes 3 consecutive runs to toast a crumpet properly!
Hare & Hounds at Fulbeck was a very nice little pub. But the Houblon at Oasby seemed to be the pub of choice in latter days....
Although there was also the Stable Bar at The George in Leadenham.....
flag to the very top of the college after some competition or other?Sad that he left the Service in such a way though......
Those chain driven toasters can still be found at Premier Inns - but it takes 3 consecutive runs to toast a crumpet properly!
Hare & Hounds at Fulbeck was a very nice little pub. But the Houblon at Oasby seemed to be the pub of choice in latter days....
Although there was also the Stable Bar at The George in Leadenham.....
Last edited by BEagle; 17th Sep 2013 at 20:19.
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You're right about our diet and exercise regime.
But as for smoking, I only did it for bravado, until my second tour. First tour was only 8 months (holding sort of).
Second tour was Salalah - I'd never heard of it but there was an entry in SROs calling for a junior eng off to volunteer for a tour there; so that's where I went.
Every month, out there, the Customs Officers from Heathrow used to send us a bag full of all the tobacco and cigarettes they had confiscated that month. It was then distributed to all the RAF boys (no girls in those days).
That's when I really started to smoke
Rgds SOS
But as for smoking, I only did it for bravado, until my second tour. First tour was only 8 months (holding sort of).
Second tour was Salalah - I'd never heard of it but there was an entry in SROs calling for a junior eng off to volunteer for a tour there; so that's where I went.
Every month, out there, the Customs Officers from Heathrow used to send us a bag full of all the tobacco and cigarettes they had confiscated that month. It was then distributed to all the RAF boys (no girls in those days).
That's when I really started to smoke
Rgds SOS
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Why didn't we bypass Sicily, Sir, as the Americans bypassed certain Pacific Islands, and concentrate instead on Italy?
I should also be in the first scene on the bus, but am not. I recall some acid comments from the Director about "hamming it up", so I can only suppose this to be another busload on another day. Pure professional jealousy, of course!
Thank you Molemot. I never did see the final production. For some strange reason it makes me feel very very old. Can't think why...
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Thanks for both videos Molemot, brought back some great memories.
In the second video (when JPs were in service) I noticed at minute 16.07, an Air Cdre, presumably Ascom Cadets, sitting at a dining in night in College Hall with a dish of the dreaded Brown Windsor Soup in front of him.
We pretended to enjoy the soup, but the dining in nights were great fun.
Rgds SOS
In the second video (when JPs were in service) I noticed at minute 16.07, an Air Cdre, presumably Ascom Cadets, sitting at a dining in night in College Hall with a dish of the dreaded Brown Windsor Soup in front of him.
We pretended to enjoy the soup, but the dining in nights were great fun.
Rgds SOS
SOSL:_
Indeed SOSL, that was the College Commandant, Air Commodore (later Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Sir..) Dennis Spotswood GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC.
The Assistant Commandant was Group Captain (later Air Chief Marshal Sir..) Lewis Hodges KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, DL (he was later Deputy Lieutenant of Kent). He also played a mean set of drums!
I noticed at minute 16.07, an Air Cdre,
The Assistant Commandant was Group Captain (later Air Chief Marshal Sir..) Lewis Hodges KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, DL (he was later Deputy Lieutenant of Kent). He also played a mean set of drums!
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As one who did OCTU at Henlow I never had the dubious delights of CHOM and the "old-school tie" nostalgia of that those that did gain their commissions at Cranwell.
No sour grapes on my part but I am curious to know what the selection process was to determine who went to Henlow or Cranwell, as back in the 1970's we still had a big enough air force to justify having two officer training establishments and as a GD/P entrant, a choice of 3 BFTS's to be posted to subsequently!
Was it anything to do with how one did at OASC or how good your potential OQ's were, or just a random draw? As a subsequent grad of 1FTS at Linton I must say I did feel a little jealous of those that did all their JP time in the Mk5. The poor old JP3 was a bit primitive in comparison.......
Beagle must have the answer to this!
MB
No sour grapes on my part but I am curious to know what the selection process was to determine who went to Henlow or Cranwell, as back in the 1970's we still had a big enough air force to justify having two officer training establishments and as a GD/P entrant, a choice of 3 BFTS's to be posted to subsequently!
Was it anything to do with how one did at OASC or how good your potential OQ's were, or just a random draw? As a subsequent grad of 1FTS at Linton I must say I did feel a little jealous of those that did all their JP time in the Mk5. The poor old JP3 was a bit primitive in comparison.......
Beagle must have the answer to this!
MB
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Thanks Chug.
By the time I got there, the RAF Technical College had relocated from Henlow to Cranwell and rank inflation dictated that the Commandant was an AVM and the 2 Assistant Commandants (Cadets and Eng) were Air Commodores.
The Staish at that time was Gp Capt DB Craig, now Lord Craig of Radley, the last RAF officer to reach the rank of MRAF.
Rgds SOS
By the time I got there, the RAF Technical College had relocated from Henlow to Cranwell and rank inflation dictated that the Commandant was an AVM and the 2 Assistant Commandants (Cadets and Eng) were Air Commodores.
The Staish at that time was Gp Capt DB Craig, now Lord Craig of Radley, the last RAF officer to reach the rank of MRAF.
Rgds SOS
"High Flight" - made a big impression on me as a young teenager
I went through Feltwell too, MPN 11, but I doubt if anyone ever made a film of that establishment. Yellow Squadron Sep - Dec 64 me - how about you?