Memories of RAFG
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We arrived as a family of six for our second tour in BFG in the summer of 1978, with the IRA well into an indiscriminate bombing campaign.
As no MQ was available [funny old thing] we had perforce to stay in Cassells' House, very near the JHQ NAAFI. Outside sat our brand new shiny car, a VX 2300 Estate.
We had only been in residence a few nights when the mother of all car bombs was discovered 100 yards away in the NAAFI car park. I never found out if it was discovered as a result of a partial detonation, or as a result of belated efficiency by the security people.
Either way, Cassells was evacuated as an emergency to ? Salmond ? House, and in the panic some sh1t damaged our car sitting peacefully at rest.
I think we missed the usual nasi goreng for dinner, but Salmond riustled up some grub. After the bomb was made safe, we were allowed back to Cassells. "The cheese and crackers are still out, but the crackers have gone soft!" ...... my youngest.
Regarding the MQ, we were gazumped for the first allocated one, but the gazumper did us a favour because we clicked for Portadown Way, surely the best and friendliest street [a close, in fact] on the patch.
As no MQ was available [funny old thing] we had perforce to stay in Cassells' House, very near the JHQ NAAFI. Outside sat our brand new shiny car, a VX 2300 Estate.
We had only been in residence a few nights when the mother of all car bombs was discovered 100 yards away in the NAAFI car park. I never found out if it was discovered as a result of a partial detonation, or as a result of belated efficiency by the security people.
Either way, Cassells was evacuated as an emergency to ? Salmond ? House, and in the panic some sh1t damaged our car sitting peacefully at rest.
I think we missed the usual nasi goreng for dinner, but Salmond riustled up some grub. After the bomb was made safe, we were allowed back to Cassells. "The cheese and crackers are still out, but the crackers have gone soft!" ...... my youngest.
Regarding the MQ, we were gazumped for the first allocated one, but the gazumper did us a favour because we clicked for Portadown Way, surely the best and friendliest street [a close, in fact] on the patch.
My girlfriends mum, Joy Reeves, married to RSM George Reeves of Garrison sports and socials thought it looked suspicious and reported it to the RMP. Turns out the car contained over 500lbs of explosives and was timed to go off at 5.00 pm on Thursday pay day the previous week. Right when I was locking my moped to the lamp post to start my shift.
As you recall, we were evacuated, first to the car park behind the NAAFI, then to the mess behind the big house, which I think was Salmond house. Bomb disposal made it safe and removed it. The only mention of this bomb I have ever discovered is this thread and a small mention in the archives of the Rhinedahlen Bulletin. I don't think the forces wanted it publicised.
Last edited by swiftnick; 6th Feb 2021 at 16:43. Reason: added who I was replying to
No difference to the bombing campaign against British European Airways where the flight deck were lied to and the only really public attack was a Trident that diverted out of Belfast to Manchester..the file was blocked for 40 years and has now been recategorised and not available.
I was never stationed in Germany, but I do remember an incident in Bielefeld well, when we doing one of our regular four or five day detachments with a Britannia, running between Guterloh and Belfast in the early seventies. We had a very attractive female loadmaster from Islington on the crew and we set off from the hotel for a few beers in a pub down the road. The males on the crew thought she looked super dressed in a pair of short hot pants and a very flimsy blouse, but within a few yards along the pavement she was stopped a large Haus-frau and given a real bollocking for being immorally dressed. The loadmaster, who spoke reasonable German, having done a tour in Germany in RAF air traffic was uncharacteristically quiet for the first few rounds. Fortunately, she recovered her usual cockney self after not too long!
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I was never stationed in Germany, but I do remember an incident in Bielefeld well, when we doing one of our regular four or five day detachments with a Britannia, running between Guterloh and Belfast in the early seventies. We had a very attractive female loadmaster from Islington on the crew and we set off from the hotel for a few beers in a pub down the road. The males on the crew thought she looked super dressed in a pair of short hot pants and a very flimsy blouse, but within a few yards along the pavement she was stopped a large Haus-frau and given a real bollocking for being immorally dressed. The loadmaster, who spoke reasonable German, having done a tour in Germany in RAF air traffic was uncharacteristically quiet for the first few rounds. Fortunately, she recovered her usual cockney self after not too long!
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No difference to the bombing campaign against British European Airways where the flight deck were lied to and the only really public attack was a Trident that diverted out of Belfast to Manchester..the file was blocked for 40 years and has now been recategorised and not available.
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The embarrassment - best pal (to this day) and I got posted to Gutersloh and trooped out from Luton on Britannia (I think we spent the previous night at Hendon Police Training Centre - I may be wrong).
However, upon arrival we jumped on a coach which said "Gutersloh" only to become increasingly horrified at the amount of small children and young Mum's occupying the bus. we finished up in the married patch - like clowns, we had jumped on the school bus, thinking it would take us away from the airfield and onto the main camp. It cost us a taxi fare back to the flugplatz of course.
To compound things, we has a day to kill following arrival, so full of confidence, we went into town (intentionally this time) and tried to make use of this new weird money which we had never seen before. Outside a department store was a "Chocolate machine" similar to the ones you would see on UK train platforms back in the 60's / 70's.
"What do you fancy then?" "Dunno, don't recognise any of it" Then we found something we could both read in English... "STOP BABY! Condom, best seller in Germany!" Two blokes 23 years old staring at a Johnny machine with a 5D coin each at 4 o'clock in the high street deciding which ones to buy, thinking we might get an Aero or Kit-Kat. "Shall we f-off for a beer?" "Yep" - I think we might have beaten Del Boy to his "Play it cool" line by a couple of decades.
However, upon arrival we jumped on a coach which said "Gutersloh" only to become increasingly horrified at the amount of small children and young Mum's occupying the bus. we finished up in the married patch - like clowns, we had jumped on the school bus, thinking it would take us away from the airfield and onto the main camp. It cost us a taxi fare back to the flugplatz of course.
To compound things, we has a day to kill following arrival, so full of confidence, we went into town (intentionally this time) and tried to make use of this new weird money which we had never seen before. Outside a department store was a "Chocolate machine" similar to the ones you would see on UK train platforms back in the 60's / 70's.
"What do you fancy then?" "Dunno, don't recognise any of it" Then we found something we could both read in English... "STOP BABY! Condom, best seller in Germany!" Two blokes 23 years old staring at a Johnny machine with a 5D coin each at 4 o'clock in the high street deciding which ones to buy, thinking we might get an Aero or Kit-Kat. "Shall we f-off for a beer?" "Yep" - I think we might have beaten Del Boy to his "Play it cool" line by a couple of decades.
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Hendon used to have RAF Transit accommodation just across the road from the Hendon Police Training Centre. I stayed there a couple of times, on one occasion as we passed through in transit from RAFG to Gib on detachment we arrived at midday to be told we were to be housed at a hotel in Knightsbridge and transport would leave in about six hours meaning we would stand around . Turned out the reason was if they took us now they would have to pay us a meal allowance,, so we simply made our own way to the hotel.
We passed through freezing cold Hendon on the way to RAF Nicosia in April 1961. I was a raw Assistant Experimental Officer weather forecaster civvy, with gorgeous wife [still gorgeous]. .
We were puzzled to be segregated, with an army 2nd Lt, everybody else ushered into another room. Nice little buffet for us.
I was then approached by an RAF Mover and told I had to take the diplomatic bag [or whatever it was called] as I was i/c passengers. Pressed for an explanation it emerged that I had been given Flt Lt "equivalent rank" .............. never heard of EMR before, and never liked it since. I pointed out that a civvy in a crumpled suit was in no position to give any necessary orders to motley pongoes, wives and brats, and turned down his kind offer.
He lumbered the 2nd Lt, which he should have done in any case.
We were still shell-shocked when we emerged from the Britannia [back-facing seats] many hours later on a scorching Nicosia spring morning..
Digression
We were puzzled to be segregated, with an army 2nd Lt, everybody else ushered into another room. Nice little buffet for us.
I was then approached by an RAF Mover and told I had to take the diplomatic bag [or whatever it was called] as I was i/c passengers. Pressed for an explanation it emerged that I had been given Flt Lt "equivalent rank" .............. never heard of EMR before, and never liked it since. I pointed out that a civvy in a crumpled suit was in no position to give any necessary orders to motley pongoes, wives and brats, and turned down his kind offer.
He lumbered the 2nd Lt, which he should have done in any case.
We were still shell-shocked when we emerged from the Britannia [back-facing seats] many hours later on a scorching Nicosia spring morning..
Digression
If you were in MQs at JHQ this will give you a severe nostalgia trip.
We were 8, later 13, Portadown Way.
Houses on JHQ ? JHQ Rheindahlen Website
We were 8, later 13, Portadown Way.
Houses on JHQ ? JHQ Rheindahlen Website
Thank you. For six years when I woke in the morning I had to pinch myself to believe I was getting the tour of my dreams to finish my service.
Golden generation or what?!?!
Golden generation or what?!?!
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My parents were on Portadown; Father a civilian but travelling widely in Germany, a life of Riley. I drive the Benz which he bought, lovely to keep the memory in the family.
For six years when I woke in the morning I had to pinch myself to believe I was getting the tour of my dreams to finish my service.
Golden generation or what?
Langley - what planet were you on with the last two in control at the end of RAFG?
TT was the only sane one there.
Golden generation or what?
Langley - what planet were you on with the last two in control at the end of RAFG?
TT was the only sane one there.
For six years when I woke in the morning I had to pinch myself to believe I was getting the tour of my dreams to finish my service.
Golden generation or what?
Langley - what planet were you on with the last two in control at the end of RAFG?
TT was the only sane one there.
Golden generation or what?
Langley - what planet were you on with the last two in control at the end of RAFG?
TT was the only sane one there.
Last edited by langleybaston; 6th Mar 2021 at 21:48. Reason: drink
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On my first visit to the clutch I walked out to the local town and on my way back stopped at an atractive looking coffee shop. I asked for "cafe und cooken"
in the best British manner and sat to consume my snack. After a few minutes I was approached by a large German lady and given a substantial telling off in loud German all of which passed me by, my nien dutch was ignored. After a while the noise quietened and I made my way back to the mess. That evening I described the event to the group wondering what I had done? had the lady an issue with my obvious Englishness, perhaps she had suffered from the war or her parents had perhaps my Dad had turned her home into a car park, the group fell about laughing. I had sat in her chair|
in the best British manner and sat to consume my snack. After a few minutes I was approached by a large German lady and given a substantial telling off in loud German all of which passed me by, my nien dutch was ignored. After a while the noise quietened and I made my way back to the mess. That evening I described the event to the group wondering what I had done? had the lady an issue with my obvious Englishness, perhaps she had suffered from the war or her parents had perhaps my Dad had turned her home into a car park, the group fell about laughing. I had sat in her chair|
