A Cranwell education
About ten years ago, as a civ senior lecturer at Cranwell myself and a colleague went out to the Nigerian academy in Kaduna. We went in our old uniforms ( got permission from Innsworth) We gave their instructors a week of Radar. At the end, the Gp Capt thanked us, turned to his instructors and said "now you see how it is done", burst into tears and said that his time at Locking had been the best training in his life.
In the same era as the Saudi princes at Cranwell; mid '60s; we also has a Jordanian engineer. In contrast to them, he was as poor as a church mouse. He was a lovely chap who put 100% into everything. There were Sudanese and Pakistanis going through in that period as well.
There were Kenyans going through Nav School in the late '60s. I don't know what they were like professionally, but socially they were stars!
Perhaps my most poignant experience was sitting in the shade of the wing talking to a Sri Lankan who had passed through Halton. We were at an airfield no one has ever heard of in a place that no one would wish to go. We had arrived there on the tide of events and were both a long way from home. It proved that our passing through Trenchard's respective systems; Halton and Cranwell; had left us with much in common.
YS
There were Kenyans going through Nav School in the late '60s. I don't know what they were like professionally, but socially they were stars!
Perhaps my most poignant experience was sitting in the shade of the wing talking to a Sri Lankan who had passed through Halton. We were at an airfield no one has ever heard of in a place that no one would wish to go. We had arrived there on the tide of events and were both a long way from home. It proved that our passing through Trenchard's respective systems; Halton and Cranwell; had left us with much in common.
YS
I was invited back to Cranwell last year as a guest at the Royal grad. I'm sure there were a couple of Chinese cadets on the course - I can only imagine that was an attempt at the influence piece as described earlier, although what the Unit Security Officer might have said when told they were coming, I can only imagine.
And thinking back to my days as a student there, we had a couple of cadets from Brunei. Whilst both delightful chaps, one was far more outgoing and less reserved than his colleague. Eager to try everything that Cranwell had to offer, he was spotted in the bar with a beer by our Flt Cdr. On being politely asked about how drinking tallied with his religious beliefs, he lit up a huge grin and said that whilst Allah was omniscient, chain link fences caused interference with such omniscience!
And thinking back to my days as a student there, we had a couple of cadets from Brunei. Whilst both delightful chaps, one was far more outgoing and less reserved than his colleague. Eager to try everything that Cranwell had to offer, he was spotted in the bar with a beer by our Flt Cdr. On being politely asked about how drinking tallied with his religious beliefs, he lit up a huge grin and said that whilst Allah was omniscient, chain link fences caused interference with such omniscience!
There are foreign students on most IOT courses and some in flying training, as well as some attending specialist training. ACSC is the Joint 'staff college' course held at Swindon polytech (Defence Academy, Shrivenham). I'm not aware of Chinese students on IOT, but sveral normally attend ACSC each year. I did foreign Staff College and we had 2 Iraqi officer - one whom had appeared on George Bush's Pack of Cards of most-wanted Iraqis. On our study trips all they wanted to find were 'the women'.
I went through BFTS at Linton in the eighties when they were training a fair number of Iraqis. Pleasant bunch although one of them had a jolly good go at killing a fair few QFI's.
The most amusing bit was at the graduation lunch. After we toasted the Queen one of the the Iraqis got up and said:
'And what about our President ?'
So, yes, we all stood up and toasted Saddam Hussein.
You couldn't make it up - and I haven't.
Moreover, they brought some really pretty girls to the graduation.
The most amusing bit was at the graduation lunch. After we toasted the Queen one of the the Iraqis got up and said:
'And what about our President ?'
So, yes, we all stood up and toasted Saddam Hussein.
You couldn't make it up - and I haven't.
Moreover, they brought some really pretty girls to the graduation.
Gentleman Aviator
On being politely asked about how drinking tallied with his religious beliefs, he lit up a huge grin and said that whilst Allah was omniscient, chain link fences caused interference with such omniscience!
1. If you read the Holy Quran, it only forbids the drinking of wine - nothing about beer or whisky!
2. Yes Sir, and Christians don't lie, steal or commit adultery!
3. But I am so holy and devoted, that when alcohol passes my lips, it miraculously changes to water!
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Mozambique
Straying off topic a bit....
Taught a course in Mozambique to their Army. With much efforts under the boiling sun we rigged up tents, genies, projectors, 'in the field' green canvas chairs etc and delivered the 3 day course. At the end of one session, after asking if anyone had any questions, there was just one eager hand who asked....."Are we allowed to take the chairs?"
Lovely country, great people!
Taught a course in Mozambique to their Army. With much efforts under the boiling sun we rigged up tents, genies, projectors, 'in the field' green canvas chairs etc and delivered the 3 day course. At the end of one session, after asking if anyone had any questions, there was just one eager hand who asked....."Are we allowed to take the chairs?"
Lovely country, great people!
Last edited by The_1; 29th May 2014 at 20:28. Reason: I wanted a smiley - not a url address!
Late 60s/early 70s at Cranwell we had 2 Pakistani and 2 Malaysian flight cadets. Malaysians were engineers - very bright and hard working. Pakistanis were both pilots, one was a good egg and the other bone idle. He put in a request to the flt cdr to take the whole of Ramadan off - strangely, it was not granted.
I also had a very sharp Pakistani QFI on JPs. Very expressive - would bring a wooden ruler with him on flights with which to bash one's bonedome to get better results. Great memories of him putting his head in his hands as I weaved my way down a PAR and saying "Oh, Old Bricks, you are trying to kill me yet again!" I heard of him many years later as a one star. Fine chap!
I also had a very sharp Pakistani QFI on JPs. Very expressive - would bring a wooden ruler with him on flights with which to bash one's bonedome to get better results. Great memories of him putting his head in his hands as I weaved my way down a PAR and saying "Oh, Old Bricks, you are trying to kill me yet again!" I heard of him many years later as a one star. Fine chap!
Old Bricks wrote:
I can recall the 2 Malaysians, but the only 99 Entry Pakistani mate I recall was 'Ray' Rehman of 99'B', who didn't graduate.
Any idea why? And who was the other chap?
Late 60s/early 70s at Cranwell we had 2 Pakistani and 2 Malaysian flight cadets.
Any idea why? And who was the other chap?
Beags,
"Ray" and "Sid" IIIRC. Trying to remember "Sid"s proper name. ( Sayeed ...?)
Also remember being sprayed with gravel by Bandar Sultan's Yank Tank outside of the Junior Cadets' Mess one night . Next time I came across him was when he was a Saudi Minister responsible for defence procurement.
Needless to say we slapped each other on the back as old chums and went on to reminisce about times past .........
"Ray" and "Sid" IIIRC. Trying to remember "Sid"s proper name. ( Sayeed ...?)
Also remember being sprayed with gravel by Bandar Sultan's Yank Tank outside of the Junior Cadets' Mess one night . Next time I came across him was when he was a Saudi Minister responsible for defence procurement.
Needless to say we slapped each other on the back as old chums and went on to reminisce about times past .........
Last edited by Haraka; 31st May 2014 at 06:48.
BEags and Haraka
Lutfur Rehman was on B Sqn and basically failed his flying course (undoubtedly because he had to work through Ramadan!). Sid Saeed was on C and was the sharp one.
OB
Lutfur Rehman was on B Sqn and basically failed his flying course (undoubtedly because he had to work through Ramadan!). Sid Saeed was on C and was the sharp one.
OB
Beags.
Good to see that Old Bricks is back in communication.
( Scrotum has obviously now rigged up the keyboard in easier reach from the commode for him)
H.
Guys - see yr PMs.
Good to see that Old Bricks is back in communication.
( Scrotum has obviously now rigged up the keyboard in easier reach from the commode for him)
H.
Guys - see yr PMs.
Last edited by Haraka; 3rd Jun 2014 at 14:27.
Haraka - OK.
Sadly I think Bert was killed in a TWU Hunter accident shortly after he was at 4 FTS. Also, I have vague recollections around that time of another Singaporean called Goh who hit the spreader bar on a solo air to air; cracked the canopy of his F6, but landed in one piece.
Sadly I think Bert was killed in a TWU Hunter accident shortly after he was at 4 FTS. Also, I have vague recollections around that time of another Singaporean called Goh who hit the spreader bar on a solo air to air; cracked the canopy of his F6, but landed in one piece.
Old Bricks / Haraka - yes, I gathered that a night trip in which Ray screwed up a FOCDTC (for not the first time) was his final straw...QFI took control with the turn needle locked full-scale with the IAS rapidly increasing and the altimeter unwinding rather rapidly. Shame - I rang Towers when I was invited up from University for the 99 Grad and was told that Ray had departed the fix back to Pakistan.
Wasn't Bandar's Yank Tank a Thunderbird? I remember seeing him in it once, but then he bought a DB6...
Lucky so-and-so!
Wasn't Bandar's Yank Tank a Thunderbird? I remember seeing him in it once, but then he bought a DB6...
Lucky so-and-so!
We had an Iraqi student on our Vampire course at Swinderby in 1956/7. A charming chap who had a brand new pale green and white Ford Zephyr in which he pulled a lot of Lincoln's young ladies. Being a moslem he only drank milka stouta in the local watering holes. Tarik Wahab Abdul el Hashimi joined us after being re-coursed and was then re-coursed again shortly before we passed out. As a member of the Iraqi Royal Family he was not allowed to fail! I got talking to an Iraqi Air Force Ilyushin crew two years later in the Luqa transit mess bar and asked after Tariq. The captain ran his hand across his throat and said. "Dead". "In the coupe?" I asked. The reply was "No, Vampire engine failure after take-off Habbaniya."
Last edited by brakedwell; 3rd Jun 2014 at 22:01.
Haraka
One does not waste one's pearls of wisdom by throwing them amongst swine. Far better to maintain one's dignity by not responding to the cries of the peasantry. Besides which, Old Scrotum hasn't quite grasped all this new-fangled electric word system yet and has gone off to purchase a biro.
How is life in the extreme swamps of Africa?
OB
One does not waste one's pearls of wisdom by throwing them amongst swine. Far better to maintain one's dignity by not responding to the cries of the peasantry. Besides which, Old Scrotum hasn't quite grasped all this new-fangled electric word system yet and has gone off to purchase a biro.
How is life in the extreme swamps of Africa?
OB