RAF KHORMAKSAR
We had to guard our block of flats on the Maalla Straight at night. Can't remember whether it was all night, but it was a pain in the ar*se. We were rostered by the block commander, a Squadron Leader Education Officer from Steamer Point, who was not fit to carry a catapult. The block had one Smith and Wesson 38 revolver with five rounds of ancient 1940's vintage bullets, which would have struggled to reach the end of the barrel when the trigger was pulled. I spent a lot of time away on the Argosy, but still had to complete my number of guard duties when I returned home. Our esteemed block commander had a near miss one night when he mistook a Cameronian night Patrol for a terrorist assault and fired the said revolver into the darkness from car parking area on the ground floor of the flats. Fortunately it was lit up, so the patrol saw him plainly and did not retaliate.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
I have to agree Dougie, the Stirling every time. I didn't drive in those days, so when JOG, some poor driver was detailed. At least it meant the Stirling was ready for use. IIRC, it could be loaded and cocked, then the safety catch applied?
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Bugis Street was pretty harmless, as long as you looked after your wallet. 
However, during my time there was a bit of 'local unrest'. One one occasion I was driving back from Nee Soon Range with half a dozen .22 rifles in the back of my roof-less Sprite when I encountered a small mob in one of the villages on the way. A quick 'pedal to the metal' resolved the situation!
However, during my time there was a bit of 'local unrest'. One one occasion I was driving back from Nee Soon Range with half a dozen .22 rifles in the back of my roof-less Sprite when I encountered a small mob in one of the villages on the way. A quick 'pedal to the metal' resolved the situation!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
PN
"Trusting an officer with a machine gun". As Junior Officer of the Guard I was bo**ocked on my first duty for not wearing the "pin on" GSM on week one. Depending on currency one was offered the choice between the trusty rusty .38 revolver or the Sterling SMG. Being alone at night in an open top landie with a mesh cage over the top when checking the sangars out on the Sheikh Othman perimeter it was the Sterling every time.
"Trusting an officer with a machine gun". As Junior Officer of the Guard I was bo**ocked on my first duty for not wearing the "pin on" GSM on week one. Depending on currency one was offered the choice between the trusty rusty .38 revolver or the Sterling SMG. Being alone at night in an open top landie with a mesh cage over the top when checking the sangars out on the Sheikh Othman perimeter it was the Sterling every time.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The drunken officer on 44, whose name escapes me, was sufficiently alert to place his wallet on the table rather than a pocket. Placed one hand over wallet, second hand over first, and head on both hands.
The good news was the locals were so annoyed with the young tealeaf (about 12) that they caught him, leathered him, and returned the wallet.
The other danger, to which Brakewell no doubt alluded, was faulty target recognition. A risk now present in Aden.
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Well, if I may continue to digress, there was the occasion when a group of us took a newly-arrived chap from 45 Sqn to Bugis Street for his first night out. He had been cautioned in detail about looking after his valuables. As soon as we parked, we were surrounded by a bunch of the local lasses. He held on to his valuables, they grabbed hold of his other valuables, and in the blink of an eye ... we had to buy him food and drink for the rest of the evening. Fortunately his F1250 was in a different location.
There was a strange morality down there. Our group always used the same little makan place (Hi, Mick, if you're still around). We got known to the local crew, including assorted Shims, and were not seen as potential clients. But 'Christine' occasionally sat and joined us for a chat, and even stood his own round of beers. Funny old place!
There was a strange morality down there. Our group always used the same little makan place (Hi, Mick, if you're still around). We got known to the local crew, including assorted Shims, and were not seen as potential clients. But 'Christine' occasionally sat and joined us for a chat, and even stood his own round of beers. Funny old place!
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I arrived in K´sar May 1966 and departed brokenhearted on Oct. 22nd 1967.
My time there was made less unpleasant by regular detachments to Sharjah, occasionally to Bahrain and one short but memorable one to Majunga (thank you Mr. Smith).
The link below is a copy of the Aden Closure Op Order which may be of interest to some readers. Thanks to ex comrades of 37Sqn Chris Dance and Dave Mcandless.
Khormaksar rundown and withdrawal plans
My time there was made less unpleasant by regular detachments to Sharjah, occasionally to Bahrain and one short but memorable one to Majunga (thank you Mr. Smith).
The link below is a copy of the Aden Closure Op Order which may be of interest to some readers. Thanks to ex comrades of 37Sqn Chris Dance and Dave Mcandless.
Khormaksar rundown and withdrawal plans
Bugis Street was pretty harmless, as long as you looked after your wallet
I was in Bugis Street with my (Britannia) crew when the comedian Dave Allen asked to join us after his guides, a couple of QANTAS stewards, had gone back to their hotel. He was on his way to OZ and was having a short break in Singapore. It was a very amusing night with no noughts and crosses!
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Shack37.
Interesting Op Order. Didn't quite work out that way though, did it?
"Total RAF complement remaining on 31st December is estimated at 350." AFAIK, nobody was there after independence; 30th November. Brave men if they were.
What is a specially equipped Wessex 10, which will take on IS duties? My logbook shows I flew a night IS sortie from "Intrepid" on 25th November, and that was a Wessex 2.
As I believe MacMillan said "events dear boy, events"
Interesting Op Order. Didn't quite work out that way though, did it?
"Total RAF complement remaining on 31st December is estimated at 350." AFAIK, nobody was there after independence; 30th November. Brave men if they were.
What is a specially equipped Wessex 10, which will take on IS duties? My logbook shows I flew a night IS sortie from "Intrepid" on 25th November, and that was a Wessex 2.
As I believe MacMillan said "events dear boy, events"
As I read it, the Op Order text includes some of the changes that "events" forced upon us. For example, I was there on 105 Sqn (Argosies) for which the original plan was a move to Muharraq at the end of 1967, with a reduction to 6AE and a Sqn Ldr command. I did a ferry back to the UK at the end of June 67, shortly after the Crater revolt. I got back around 21 July to discover that local events had brought the move forward, with some aircraft and crews already gone, and that I should pack and clear my room as I was going on the next day. As I recall, that was just the start of an early rundown and redeployment of Khormaksar-based aircraft.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
For anyone who has been following the TV series "The Last Post", there is a thread going on History and Nostalgia. After lots of discussion of the VC10 in the opening sequence, I contacted the film company. This might interest some people. A bit of trickery.
https://www.facebook.com/blackginger...pu-xNg&fref=nf
Clever stuff.
https://www.facebook.com/blackginger...pu-xNg&fref=nf
Clever stuff.
As for the GSM, I was referring to the fact that the Captain, unless he had a previous qualifying appointment between 1962 and the day would not have been entitled on day one or indeed week one.
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Those Lightnings definitely look fake don't they. The roundels are too big as well, and slightly too far forward. Plus, they're in low-viz grey, yet the programme is set in the '60s; they should have been silver! And how would they taxi on that dusty, rutted surface?
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Agreed, Lord Riot. Don't forget though that they were making a drama and most things like that pass the average viewer by. Generally, having seen two episodes, not a bad series. The Dhala Road; I'm glad that got a mention. Somewhere in among my collection of squadron, aircraft etc ties, I think there is a Dhala Road one. IIRC, three diagonal stripes Light brown for the desert, blue for the sky, and in between grey for the road.
In the early 50s Khormaksar's roads, runways and movement areas were packed gypsum. We had a rain shower one year and surfaces became slippery for all of 10 minutes until they dried out. Brigands, Varsities, the occasional Hastings, Aden/Ethiopian Airways Daks, BOAC Argonauts and Hermes, and elegant TWA Constellations often trailed a plume of dust as they became airborne.
Thanks Jenkins, Valetta it was, memory tricks again. In our time this chubby product of Vickers was always referred to as a Pig. 
Early 1953 and Geriaviator checks over his Hastings for next day's long trip home. In fact it was two days, we night stopped at (I think) Castel Benito. Resident Pig in background. Back to freezing England at Lyneham, then a night at the old Navy transit camp at Clyffe Pypard, then five months in the ghastly camp at Croft near Warrington. I see from Google that the site with its wartime single-skin brick huts has been cleared to become a housing estate.
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Noticed the Argosy (hurrah for 105 !) but no serial numbers on the tail and a poor attempt at Kenya Cold, frozen chickens (turkey - yes it was ) in plastic picnic boxes, that's not the way I remember it from our runs, Paul H (105 Sqn 62-64)