RAF KHORMAKSAR
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It was for 28 days David, I was at RAF Khormaksar from January 1965- January 1967 on "Twin Pins" as an Airframe Fitter. I held off until the last possible date in May 1966 to take my LEAVE UK FREE as it was known.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
As leave for OR was only 28 days it follows you had to give up a whole year's leave.
As an Argosy captain on 105 Sqn I did a fair few Nairobi flights. On every single one I had lots of individual orders for Kenya Cold. Quite a lot of them came from so-called senior officers at Steamer Point. I would happily go down to Ibrahim Perandita in the Nairobi market and give him the orders. Ibrahim would turn up at the aircraft next morning with each order beautifully sewn up in a Kenya Cold basket and i would duly fly back to Khormaksar.
Then came the problem.
I rapidly discovered that a lot of the so-called senior officers (or their wives) could not be bothered to meet the aircraft on arrival and expected me to deliver their order!
You will be astonished to learn that I was not up for this plan and dug my heels in. I told the Movers that the owners had 2 hours to collect their orders otherwise they could do what they liked with it. We are talking of probably 300 kgs of fillet steak sitting on the ramp in the Aden climate so the word soon got around.
Mind you, I was very lucky for I was a F/O captain so I didn't have very far to fall!
Then came the problem.
I rapidly discovered that a lot of the so-called senior officers (or their wives) could not be bothered to meet the aircraft on arrival and expected me to deliver their order!
You will be astonished to learn that I was not up for this plan and dug my heels in. I told the Movers that the owners had 2 hours to collect their orders otherwise they could do what they liked with it. We are talking of probably 300 kgs of fillet steak sitting on the ramp in the Aden climate so the word soon got around.
Mind you, I was very lucky for I was a F/O captain so I didn't have very far to fall!
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Good man, the only thing that would advance in a rank state was the steak.
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Can I just ask was it extremely difficult [or impossible] for a singly to satisfy his basic craving for a little congress with the fair sex?
I ask because a colleague did a complete tour and never managed to use his condom, carefully living in his wallet, the entire time. And if said colleague could not manage it, nobody could.
I ask because a colleague did a complete tour and never managed to use his condom, carefully living in his wallet, the entire time. And if said colleague could not manage it, nobody could.
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You may ask, and no it was not impossible. There were 250 unattached teachers, nurses and "daughters" of age available. Also the British United stewardesses visiting on the trooping flights. One just had to outwit the 7500 unaccompanied males in the Protectorate. Tricky.
One of our F/Es, who had a fine way with words, used to say "Well, it looks like I'm going to have to spend the night with Mawd again".
"Who the hell is Mawd"? said we.
"Manually Assisted Wet Dream" said he.
"Who the hell is Mawd"? said we.
"Manually Assisted Wet Dream" said he.
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Like Pam..... Pam of my hand
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It seems everyone is getting in on the act using the VC10, except this one is real and at Duxford, Brittania also stars.... Enjoy.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Pure nostalgia. Them was the days. The earliest board I could see was 1977. I would have thought 1967, especially with Petula's soundtrack. Now I've got a bad case of earworm.
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Can't have you all still moaning all the time.
Two and a half years 1964-1966. Hunter, a great aeroplane. Flying - amazing low level environment, and weather; with live ops (but not too proud of that now). Detachments to Kenya, Masirah and Bahrain; all different and memorable (yes, Masirah was!). Social life hard work; a great beach club, different BOAC hosties to escort every fortnight (the Secret file for those who were involved), regular married patch parties. Aircon single rooms. A variety of transport - Fiat500, Honda 50, Alpha Spider. Detachment duty in Uk every 6 months, with a week/fortnight leave each time. And a great base, with many friends on diverse outfits (even the Argosy
). - some of whom remain in regular contact.
What not to enjoy (as they say today).
Downside? Loss of people in accidents.
Thereafter, three years later - two years at Muharraq. Almost, but not quite, as good.
Two and a half years 1964-1966. Hunter, a great aeroplane. Flying - amazing low level environment, and weather; with live ops (but not too proud of that now). Detachments to Kenya, Masirah and Bahrain; all different and memorable (yes, Masirah was!). Social life hard work; a great beach club, different BOAC hosties to escort every fortnight (the Secret file for those who were involved), regular married patch parties. Aircon single rooms. A variety of transport - Fiat500, Honda 50, Alpha Spider. Detachment duty in Uk every 6 months, with a week/fortnight leave each time. And a great base, with many friends on diverse outfits (even the Argosy
). - some of whom remain in regular contact.What not to enjoy (as they say today).
Downside? Loss of people in accidents.
Thereafter, three years later - two years at Muharraq. Almost, but not quite, as good.
I have just unearthed some more slides from my time in Aden (1966-1967). They are mostly of my time lurking in the Maalla Straight area. I had an apartment in a block called Bazara South which was behind the main Maalla Straight towards Shamsan. The building had been reserved for senior officers so the apartments were not at all bad. The senior officers had all retreated to safer environments, perhaps encouraged by the occasional blindicide rounds which were fired at the Aden Supply Depot from the opposition further up the hill. They usually missed and the rounds either undershot or else overshot in which case they were then stopped by the the flats on the south side of Maalla Straight. (I can remember one which buried itself in the matrix of the air conditioning unit of one such flat and that absorbed a lot of the blast. The occupants were unhurt apart from an underpant change). The other weapon of choice was the grenade and it was very difficult to be 100% safe from them. It was said that the grenade throwers were given a few dinars to do the deed and it was easy for them to escape underneath the flats. (To that end, breeze block walls were built to fill the gaps and make escape more difficult).
Our bathroom window faced east and overlooked the Aden Supply Depot. The Depot was actually an RAF establishment but it was also a forward base for whichever regiment had been tasked with keeping us safe. I particularly remember the South Wales Borderers and the Cameronians. Apart from manning the observation posts (goon towers), which must have been a popular duty, every time there was a bang, the soldiers would rush out and put up temporary traffic barriers. Every man and his vehicle in sight was then searched.
The bathroom window had a wide windowsill so my wife and I would often put the lights out and get up there with a can of cold beer and watch the show. We were in no danger for the artillery went PAST us and not TOWARDS us. The only thing I didn't particularly like doing was block warden duties which involved patrolling around in the dark with 0.38 revolver with which I doubt I could have hit the proverbial barn door. I often thought that it made me a more attractive target!
I wish I could remember all of my neighbours but I do have good memories of Ann and Alec Sneddon (78 Sqn) and Maggie and Jimmy Nightingale (37 Sqn). I also remember a Major from the Cheshire Regiment who was an IO at Fort Morbat.
N.B. For some reason or other I am unable at the moment to upload photographs so I shall recommence battle tomorrow!
Our bathroom window faced east and overlooked the Aden Supply Depot. The Depot was actually an RAF establishment but it was also a forward base for whichever regiment had been tasked with keeping us safe. I particularly remember the South Wales Borderers and the Cameronians. Apart from manning the observation posts (goon towers), which must have been a popular duty, every time there was a bang, the soldiers would rush out and put up temporary traffic barriers. Every man and his vehicle in sight was then searched.
The bathroom window had a wide windowsill so my wife and I would often put the lights out and get up there with a can of cold beer and watch the show. We were in no danger for the artillery went PAST us and not TOWARDS us. The only thing I didn't particularly like doing was block warden duties which involved patrolling around in the dark with 0.38 revolver with which I doubt I could have hit the proverbial barn door. I often thought that it made me a more attractive target!
I wish I could remember all of my neighbours but I do have good memories of Ann and Alec Sneddon (78 Sqn) and Maggie and Jimmy Nightingale (37 Sqn). I also remember a Major from the Cheshire Regiment who was an IO at Fort Morbat.
N.B. For some reason or other I am unable at the moment to upload photographs so I shall recommence battle tomorrow!
Can I just ask was it extremely difficult [or impossible] for a singly to satisfy his basic craving for a little congress with the fair sex?
Attacks on the Maalla Straight.
We became surprisingly blase about the RPG attacks on our Maalla Straight flats. They tended to happen as we were enjoying a brandy and ginger or two, watching the sun go down from our balcony, which faced the hills to the south and the baddies launch area. Our block took a direct hit one evening, two floors above us. The RPG hit the front room wall almost at floor level, went under a sofa, through the main bedroom wall and under the double bed before piercing the bathroom wall and exploding when it finally hit the toilet. The occupants, an army major and his wife were in bed having it away at the time making it a classic case of feeling the earth move!
We became surprisingly blase about the RPG attacks on our Maalla Straight flats. They tended to happen as we were enjoying a brandy and ginger or two, watching the sun go down from our balcony, which faced the hills to the south and the baddies launch area. Our block took a direct hit one evening, two floors above us. The RPG hit the front room wall almost at floor level, went under a sofa, through the main bedroom wall and under the double bed before piercing the bathroom wall and exploding when it finally hit the toilet. The occupants, an army major and his wife were in bed having it away at the time making it a classic case of feeling the earth move!
Last edited by brakedwell; 21st Nov 2017 at 18:46.
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Forgot to say that my Fiat 500 was rendered unusable by a grenade thrown under it whilst I was at a lunchtime party thrown by my Flt Cdr at his married quarter.
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Attacks on the Maalla Straight.
We became surprisingly blase about the RPG attacks on our Maalla Straight flats. They tended to happen as we were enjoying a brandy and ginger or two, watching the sun go down from our balcony, which faced the hills to the south and the baddies launch area. Our block took a direct hit one evening, two floors above us. The RPG hit the front room wall almost at floor level, went under a sofa, through the main bedroom wall and under the double bed before piercing the bathroom wall and exploding when it finally hit the toilet. The occupants, an army major and his wife were in bed having it away at the time making it a classic case of feeling the earth move!
We became surprisingly blase about the RPG attacks on our Maalla Straight flats. They tended to happen as we were enjoying a brandy and ginger or two, watching the sun go down from our balcony, which faced the hills to the south and the baddies launch area. Our block took a direct hit one evening, two floors above us. The RPG hit the front room wall almost at floor level, went under a sofa, through the main bedroom wall and under the double bed before piercing the bathroom wall and exploding when it finally hit the toilet. The occupants, an army major and his wife were in bed having it away at the time making it a classic case of feeling the earth move!
Major Kneestremble, then.