RAF KHORMAKSAR
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JW411 (#356 and 358),
Thanks ! As regards Goolie Chits, this is what I said about Burma (in WWII):
Danny
Thanks ! As regards Goolie Chits, this is what I said about Burma (in WWII):
...It also held leaflets in Burmese, for villagers you might meet and whose help would be vital. In translation they read, so I was told, something like this:
Dear Friend,
The bearer of this letter is a British soldier come to save you from the hated Japanese who have caused so much sorrow in your land. If you treat him well, hide him from the Japanese, and help him to reach the British Army, you will be very well rewarded by Government.
This was all very well as far as it went, (and the Burmese were generally well disposed to us, particularly the Naga and Kachin tribes in the north), but I couldn't help feeling that if I floated down in or near a village that we'd just blown off the map, it wouldn't go down too well with "Dear Friend" - always supposing I could find one who could read...
Dear Friend,
The bearer of this letter is a British soldier come to save you from the hated Japanese who have caused so much sorrow in your land. If you treat him well, hide him from the Japanese, and help him to reach the British Army, you will be very well rewarded by Government.
This was all very well as far as it went, (and the Burmese were generally well disposed to us, particularly the Naga and Kachin tribes in the north), but I couldn't help feeling that if I floated down in or near a village that we'd just blown off the map, it wouldn't go down too well with "Dear Friend" - always supposing I could find one who could read...
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Looking at JW's goolie chit, I have a copy at home in mint condition. Copy numbered so, I presume, it could be reconciled with the issue ledger.
Note the word SUFFICIENTLY, another word which might be on mine is ADEQUATELY, however we always thought it should be LN10 LAVISHLY rewarded.
I also record the Desert survival pamphlet - sit cross legged feet tucked in, eat the sheep's eyes, don't make eyes at the sheikhe's daughter and only eat with the clean hand.
Actually surviving in the desert was given less prominence. Having seen the dozens of fires in the empty quarter I suspect being found was the least of one's problems.
Note the word SUFFICIENTLY, another word which might be on mine is ADEQUATELY, however we always thought it should be LN10 LAVISHLY rewarded.
I also record the Desert survival pamphlet - sit cross legged feet tucked in, eat the sheep's eyes, don't make eyes at the sheikhe's daughter and only eat with the clean hand.
Actually surviving in the desert was given less prominence. Having seen the dozens of fires in the empty quarter I suspect being found was the least of one's problems.
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Aden vet524 mick,
In my 79 year now, Great site.
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Are there any ex-78 Sqn Wessex guys on here (either Khormaksar or, later, Sharjah)? Spent a couple of days thumbing through the 78 Sqn ORBs at Kew over the past few weeks.
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SAR at Khormaksar
I'm a bit late in adding to this thread but for what it is worth, I was a "rigger" at Khormaksar from May 65 until May 67 involved with SAR Flight initially on five Whirlwinds (can only remember XL 111 & XJ 726). Two returned to UK when the yellow painted Wessex XT 601, 2, 3 & 4 arrived in boxes. When assembled and declared serviceable it soon became apparent that they were not ideally suited to SAR work at that stage - no waterproof flooring and the winch had a tendency to "run away" when under load, only way to stop it was to select UP when the cable usually broke! The winch hook at that time was a fairly small affair with a spring loaded "keep" which could open of its own accord if a harness "D" ring twisted around the hook. Along with another member of the Flight I designed a Command Mod to remove the original hook and replace it with the well proven Whirlwind hook which remained fitted to the very end of the Wessex SAR role.
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Not a dragonfly, matey, but 4 sycamore mk14s - they were replaced with whirlwind HAR10 in 1964. I had the enviable task of doing a double tour for during the change over. There were also a squadron of wessex.
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Further to my previous post it may be of interest to note that the 4 yellow Wessex XT 601 to 4 were the first RAF versions with a folding tail. All previous RAF Wessex were delivered with non-folding tails and subsequently modified by MARTSU then based at RNAS Fleetlands.
I see The Last Post the new BBC Sunday night offering is set in Aden in the last year or so of the British presence. Although it's centred on an army unit (RMP) it might be worth a watch, if only for annoying people like me to spot errors. In the trailers families are seen arriving in a BOAC VC10 painted in a peculiar shade of blue. Think I'm correct in saying that BOAC never did trooping flights to Aden, in fact the first VC10 I ever saw was a BUA aircraft which I had a look around at Khormaksar - I was so impressed! Wouldn't have been too hard to get that right but I don't suppose many people will notice, or care.
I'll give it a try anyway.
I'll give it a try anyway.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
TTN.
Since most people didn't notice or care about Aden while we were there, I doubt they will now. I wonder how many people in Britain could even find Aden on a map? (Herod 78 Sqn Wessex 1967)
Since most people didn't notice or care about Aden while we were there, I doubt they will now. I wonder how many people in Britain could even find Aden on a map? (Herod 78 Sqn Wessex 1967)
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Posted by Herod
Well, I know at least three
Since most people didn't notice or care about Aden while we were there, I doubt they will now. I wonder how many people in Britain could even find Aden on a map? (Herod 78 Sqn Wessex 1967)
Well, I know at least three
On one of my trips to Khormaksa when I was on Valiant tankers there was a Ladies Night in the mess. We weren't invited so we stayed outside on the veranda. There was a magnificent green mantis which was just about to be mated by the small drab brown male of the species who had to hang on upside down to perform.
Some of the ladies came out for some fresh air (?) and observed this little carry on. I had joined the RAF in Rhodesia so I knew what the score was going to be, there being stacks of manti there.
'He's going to eat him when he has finished", quoth I.
"Don't believe you, she wouldn't do that".
With that he finished the deed, the female looked down at him, screwed off his head and then started pushing his body into a more convenient place to finish him off.
Best divorce settlement on the planet.
Some of the ladies came out for some fresh air (?) and observed this little carry on. I had joined the RAF in Rhodesia so I knew what the score was going to be, there being stacks of manti there.
'He's going to eat him when he has finished", quoth I.
"Don't believe you, she wouldn't do that".
With that he finished the deed, the female looked down at him, screwed off his head and then started pushing his body into a more convenient place to finish him off.
Best divorce settlement on the planet.
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 30th Sep 2017 at 09:43.
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I've seen the trailer to The Last Post. I know the army used to favour little Aden rather than Tarshyne but nobody was sweating. Blokes used to be wringing wet and even the women used to have sweat stains on their clothing. This lot might as well have been in Cleethorpes.
Think I'm correct in saying that BOAC never did trooping flights to Aden, in fact the first VC10 I ever saw was a BUA aircraft which I had a look around at Khormaksar - I was so impressed! Wouldn't have been too hard to get that right but I don't suppose many people will notice, or care.
I'll give it a try anyway.
I'll give it a try anyway.
I also flew out in a Brit courtesy of Transport Command via Akrotiri and Bahrein - complete with orange squash and ham salads! But the civvie VC10s were certainly BUA.
