Squadron Silver
When the RAF contracted after the 2nd World War surplus squadron's silver was held at RAF Mildenhall. One day a couple of three-tonners arrives, movement orders shown to the guardroom and off a fair quantity of it went. The three-tonners, borrowed from a war surplus auction site were found next day abandoned by the side of a road.
The silver wasn't.
The silver wasn't.
Thanks for the clarification mopardave - now that you've put the date in it's a lot clearer.
I understand that there is or was a proposal for the Green Howards to become B company of the 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment to ensure survival of the name, but this emphasises the fact that the old county regiment system which was formalised in 1881 is dead and gone. It's a sign of how small the army has become that regiments which in peacetime consisted of two regular and two volunteer battalions (and far more in wartime) are now reduced to company strength in some cases
I understand that there is or was a proposal for the Green Howards to become B company of the 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment to ensure survival of the name, but this emphasises the fact that the old county regiment system which was formalised in 1881 is dead and gone. It's a sign of how small the army has become that regiments which in peacetime consisted of two regular and two volunteer battalions (and far more in wartime) are now reduced to company strength in some cases
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wiltshire
Age: 43
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Around 2009/2010 there was an RAF wide silver, painting and valuable items audit. All stations and units had to photograph and detail what items they had, approximate value, if they were insured, and where possible who had donated said item.
I had to do one for the Sqn I was on at the time. The oddest find was a small silver cup with "WAAF Block Swimming Champions" engraved on it. How we came about it I'm sure would make an interesting story
I did hear that in the basement, at a certain large training estate in Lincolnshire, they found a Faberge Egg that was gifted to the RAF when it was created in 1918!
I had to do one for the Sqn I was on at the time. The oddest find was a small silver cup with "WAAF Block Swimming Champions" engraved on it. How we came about it I'm sure would make an interesting story
I did hear that in the basement, at a certain large training estate in Lincolnshire, they found a Faberge Egg that was gifted to the RAF when it was created in 1918!
Gentleman Aviator
A magnificent Table Centrepiece, some 3 ft long and 2 ft high, was displayed in a glass case in the Offices Mess at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell.
There was a suitable plaque on it IIRC, saying something like "From a Dying Regiment to a Newborn Service" or similar.
But stolen silver always gets melted down - indeed, one can only insure (99% of the time) for its "bullion value". So sad.
And of course the Bracknell theft pre-dated "security" as we now understand it. Like the blokes who used to nick TVs from Messes, armed with a white van, a brown dustcoat and a clipboard, using the password:
"Which of these TVs are on the blink?" ..... cos they all were ......
Last edited by teeteringhead; 16th Jun 2015 at 10:16.
I wince every time I visit messes these days - the table silver and coffee pots etc typically have been 'polished' with Brillo pads to remove the tarnish; no coincidence that these tend to be contracted-out messes. I just shudder to think the damage that is being inflicted on trophies by well meaning, but utterly insert and unsupervised staff.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
TTH, quite, Saturday afternoon sports, repairman came in to exchange old rental TV for new model. The potatoes remained supping their beer for some time until penny dropped.
So the nice little cut-glass and silver inkstand I presented to RAF Thornaby Officer's Mess in November '54 has vanished into some huge, amorphous store, to be flogged off to Bring Down the Deficit ?
I have seen the 608 collection and will check my photographs for an inkstand inscribed as presented by Danny42C ! Should you wish to be reacquainted with said donation please PM me and I will see what can be arranged ?
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Deepest darkest London
Posts: 258
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aside from Sqn silverware what about Sqn photoalbums...
I remember seeing some old ones that were supposedly rescued from a skip by a certain person. But that story was in mentioned 2001-2003.
V1
I remember seeing some old ones that were supposedly rescued from a skip by a certain person. But that story was in mentioned 2001-2003.
V1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Possible Find.
David Thompson,
I'm very grateful for the information! But it may be a false hope. I presented the inkstand to the Officer's Mess of RAF Thornaby (the old Thornaby Hall), not even to my own unit (3608 FCU), still less to 608 Squadron, of which I was not a member (although they let me fly their aircraft from time to time).
But it may be that it got bundled up with 608's silver and the Town Hall has got the lot. I shall ask my daughter to go and have a look, and will report progress on open Post on this Thread in due course.
With renewed thanks,
Danny42C.
I'm very grateful for the information! But it may be a false hope. I presented the inkstand to the Officer's Mess of RAF Thornaby (the old Thornaby Hall), not even to my own unit (3608 FCU), still less to 608 Squadron, of which I was not a member (although they let me fly their aircraft from time to time).
But it may be that it got bundled up with 608's silver and the Town Hall has got the lot. I shall ask my daughter to go and have a look, and will report progress on open Post on this Thread in due course.
With renewed thanks,
Danny42C.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
silver and glassware was presented to Middlesbrough Borough Council for safe keeping
So tracing the silver might be more difficult than imagined.
I'll be interested in the findings of any search.
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Somewhere flat
Age: 68
Posts: 5,563
Likes: 0
Received 45 Likes
on
30 Posts
I think that much depends upon the Sqn CO and his (her) attitude to history. I once rescued a certain Sqn's wartime F540 from the "to throw away" pile - it was returned to the Sqn when a more interested CO took over! (Also for throwing was a print signed by the RAF's first VC in WW1 - that was also rescued).
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The Archives at Northolt will take line books and photo albums but, as Wensleydale says, it depends on the person responsible having any connection with history.
I still regret destroying secret maps and plans from WW2 when I were a young lad and general awareness of security was low, pre Bomber Command museum at Hendon. Security, after a number of serious breaches was being ramped up post Radcliffe and we were actively encouraged to reduce our holdings of secrets as there was insufficient proper security furniture to secure what we needed let alone what we didn't.
Apart from the WW2 stuff I also destroyed some TS material dated from the Iraq/Kuwait crisis of 1961. It may not have been important but who knows. Of Cuba only 4 years previous there was not a trace; my predecessors, one of whom was a squirrel, had cleaned the office.
I still regret destroying secret maps and plans from WW2 when I were a young lad and general awareness of security was low, pre Bomber Command museum at Hendon. Security, after a number of serious breaches was being ramped up post Radcliffe and we were actively encouraged to reduce our holdings of secrets as there was insufficient proper security furniture to secure what we needed let alone what we didn't.
Apart from the WW2 stuff I also destroyed some TS material dated from the Iraq/Kuwait crisis of 1961. It may not have been important but who knows. Of Cuba only 4 years previous there was not a trace; my predecessors, one of whom was a squirrel, had cleaned the office.
So tracing the silver might be more difficult than imagined.
I'll be interested in the findings of any search.
I'll be interested in the findings of any search.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
David
Thanks for that pleasing news.
Is the Inkwell there?
When we were informed of it being in the possession of what is probably the UK's most altered area of municipal name and boundry changes I feared the worst.
It's still on display in the town hall.
Is the Inkwell there?
When we were informed of it being in the possession of what is probably the UK's most altered area of municipal name and boundry changes I feared the worst.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Inkstand, where art thou ?
Ian16th,
Municipalities may come, and municipalities may go, but the Victorians built their Town Halls to last for ever ! (eg, Manchester, Leeds and Middlesbrough).
If it got into the Town Hall in the first place, it'll be still there. If not, not.
Danny.
Municipalities may come, and municipalities may go, but the Victorians built their Town Halls to last for ever ! (eg, Manchester, Leeds and Middlesbrough).
If it got into the Town Hall in the first place, it'll be still there. If not, not.
Danny.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Belated Replies.
ian16th (your #26),
(From Wiki):
"In June 1961" [Sqn. Ldr.] "Beavis set the record for the fastest non-stop flight from the UK to Australia which he established by flying a Vulcan from RAF Scampton to RAAF Richmond in just over 20 hours".
He was on 617 Sqn then; was awarded the AFC for it; retired as Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beavis KCB CBE AFC.
I was privileged to know him as "Mike Beavis", a Flying Officer in 1951 at Thornaby, where he was the Training Officer on 608 (Auxiliary) Sqn.
sharpend (your #34),
I can only commiserate ! Possibly 608 may be reconstituted in some future conflict, but RAF Thornaby is gone forever - buried under housing and Light Industry. They'll have to go somewhere else !
Danny.
(From Wiki):
"In June 1961" [Sqn. Ldr.] "Beavis set the record for the fastest non-stop flight from the UK to Australia which he established by flying a Vulcan from RAF Scampton to RAAF Richmond in just over 20 hours".
He was on 617 Sqn then; was awarded the AFC for it; retired as Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beavis KCB CBE AFC.
I was privileged to know him as "Mike Beavis", a Flying Officer in 1951 at Thornaby, where he was the Training Officer on 608 (Auxiliary) Sqn.
sharpend (your #34),
I can only commiserate ! Possibly 608 may be reconstituted in some future conflict, but RAF Thornaby is gone forever
- buried under housing and Light Industry. They'll have to go somewhere else !Danny.
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: South Africa
Age: 87
Posts: 1,329
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Beavis set the record for the fastest non-stop flight from the UK to Australia
Wasn't it Bastard,? Not Beavis?
Me, I was in Karachi, making sure some Valiant's were up in the air to meet him with the requisite Avtur
