'GET SOME IN'
As children my brother and I were puzzled by the parental finger tapping on the kitchen table - only years later did they admit that both having been GPO telegraphists they could in that way converse in private. Occasionally they used phonetic alphabet as well
Our room at Swinderby wasn't carpeted in Oct 85, hence the need for the smallest man to sit on the electrical(yes I know but we had the old buffer as well !) buffer whilst our beds were balanced on our lockers.
My Uncle who joined as a volunteer in early 60's said it was just like that for him when he joined up, my Fathers biggest regret was as an apprentice he couldn't do national service as it was stopped whilst he was an apprentice.
My Uncle who joined as a volunteer in early 60's said it was just like that for him when he joined up, my Fathers biggest regret was as an apprentice he couldn't do national service as it was stopped whilst he was an apprentice.
Yes the RAF trade training in those days was second to none. Even our National Service chaps admitted that. Of course some of those called up signed on for an extra year to get better pay. My son in law's father did just that and became an Air Engineer just in time to fly on the Berlin Airlift. Then it was back to Jaguar as a test engineer.
I've always been fascinated by the National Service period. It appears experiences were almost luck of the draw- some had a fantastic time which set them up for life, others not so. On top of that we mustn't forget those whose lives were lost or changed forever in Korea, Malaya, Cyprus, Suez and many other places.
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As children my brother and I were puzzled by the parental finger tapping on the kitchen table - only years later did they admit that both having been GPO telegraphists they could in that way converse in private. Occasionally they used phonetic alphabet as well
Cunning Artificer
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charliegolf: Re: "Aerocrats"
In 1964 Aircraft Apprentice entries ceased and the new split of Craft and Technician Apprentices was introduced. The recruiting advertisements of the time invited young men (no women) to apply to join the Royal Air Force as Technician Apprentices and become Aerocrats - much to the derision and amusement of all serving personnel.
PS, the DI, Sgt Robinson insisted on calling me, 'aerocrat'.
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Robert Ellis, whose dad had a fish & chip shop in Nelson, Lancashire, signed on at the age of 15 in 1955 and retired in 1980 at the age of 40, as a Squadron Leader, having been a wireless mechanic, air loader, ATC & Strike Command Staff Officer.
It is worth listening to if only for the expletives ;
Ellis, Robert (Oral history) (34456)
It is worth listening to if only for the expletives ;
Ellis, Robert (Oral history) (34456)
Swinderby Senior Man
As an ex Swinderby Flt Cdr: Senior Man was the most important appointment! A good one could get everyone on parade before my Drill Corporal arrived at 0730. A bad one did not survive for long before we replaced him. We had an entirely free hand in identifying a likely candidate. Big, tall and ex ATC was a good start. Or just gut instinct when we had a look at them. One such was the best we ever had, until three weeks in the plod arrived to reclaim him as a fugitive from some establishment! When we went camping in Sherwood Forest the first job was to dig a pit six feet deep and six feet square. A good senior man just asked who had been with Wimpey or the like and handed them the spades. It was the first thing some of them had understood since joining up. We could usually find good ex caterers for the kitchen the same way; some really first class curries could be produced. Not a bad job - with a free Landrover thrown in. My Sergeant and I managed to lose it one day out in the Forest looking for new camp sites (don't want to hit that pit again). No problem says Sarge as I am thinking up how to explain things. Walked back to camp (damn!) and assembled 150 recruits. "We have hidden a Landrover out in the area. Teams of four out now; first to find it gets double rations". Result in under 40 minutes. Happy Days - until it rained.
What it does make me laugh is the way it portrays the fear of being left to the tender mercies of the RAF Regt during recruit training that was still prevalent at Swinderby in the 80's.
Two scenes spring to mind:
Richardson going into the Regt Flight to ask if they've seen his missing kit. Que shouting, cheers etc whereupon he reappears somewhat dishevelled 'They're animals in there!'
Followed later on when facing off against the Regt Opfor before the field exercise:
"But it's not fair...they're men!".
Top stuff!
Two scenes spring to mind:
Richardson going into the Regt Flight to ask if they've seen his missing kit. Que shouting, cheers etc whereupon he reappears somewhat dishevelled 'They're animals in there!'
Followed later on when facing off against the Regt Opfor before the field exercise:
"But it's not fair...they're men!".
Top stuff!
Ellis, Robert (Oral history) (34456)
One error in transcription in the accompanying text. He said he had been posted to 215 Sqn, which did indeed fly Argosies from Changi, Whoever transcribed the text has mis-heard him, and there are references to 205 Sqn, which lived just across the pan from 215, and operated Shackletons.
One error in transcription in the accompanying text. He said he had been posted to 215 Sqn, which did indeed fly Argosies from Changi, Whoever transcribed the text has mis-heard him, and there are references to 205 Sqn, which lived just across the pan from 215, and operated Shackletons.
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For a lad who were born in the mid 60s - you spent your 18 months `in' doing what?
I've checked on Wiki, but there doesn't seem to be much detail.
Basic training obviously, square bashing etc, but did you get taught a trade etc. Forgive my lack of knowledge, how close did you get to the sharp end?
Did anyone decide they liked it and stay on?
I've checked on Wiki, but there doesn't seem to be much detail.
Basic training obviously, square bashing etc, but did you get taught a trade etc. Forgive my lack of knowledge, how close did you get to the sharp end?
Did anyone decide they liked it and stay on?
anybody eligible for service employed previously as an Observer by the Met. Office just did the square bashing bit and was posted to do his thing on an RAF station.
This did not provide enough observers for far away places with strange sounding names, so lads with relevant qualifications [maths, english, a science etc]., were given basic training, then a shortened observers' course, and off they went for about a year.
At RAF Nicosia I had some great chaps...... son of a Cunard Captain, a Customs and Exercise officer, an Estate agent, the nephew of the Mad Major and several others. All had Chuff Charts, logging "days to do" divided by "days done". As their time was up they were replaced by LEOs ...... locally employed observers. These latter taught me to swear in Greek and Turkish.
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In 1955, for a 'Nashie' to get on a Radar Fitters course, the pre-requisite was to have a degree. What the degree was in didn't matter! In their wisdom the RAF decided if you had a degree, you had the aptitude to learn, therefore they could teach you.
The 9-month course was a very significant investment by the RAF, as with the Square Bashing, this was half of the man's service.
I believe that part of the rational was that the Nashie would also be on the Class 'Z' reserve and the return on investment cashed in if the balloon went up.
My Fitters Course was 20 strong, split evenly with 10 National Service AC2's and 10 regular SAC's. Of the SAC's 9 were ex-Boy Entrants, most who knew each other.
So we had a bunch of guys, half university educated getting 3/6 a day, and the other half that probably didn't have a GCE between us getting 11/- a day!
A real oil & water mix. But by the end of the 9 months, we really were all mates.
The 9-month course was a very significant investment by the RAF, as with the Square Bashing, this was half of the man's service.
I believe that part of the rational was that the Nashie would also be on the Class 'Z' reserve and the return on investment cashed in if the balloon went up.
My Fitters Course was 20 strong, split evenly with 10 National Service AC2's and 10 regular SAC's. Of the SAC's 9 were ex-Boy Entrants, most who knew each other.
So we had a bunch of guys, half university educated getting 3/6 a day, and the other half that probably didn't have a GCE between us getting 11/- a day!
A real oil & water mix. But by the end of the 9 months, we really were all mates.