Memories of RAFG
The East Germans must have been running the place on a thongstring budget.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Huntingdon
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Pops and Edies
Pops and Eddies was in Ricklerath village which was near Wegberg. Noted for many a drunken carousing night. Not to be confused with The Shack that was in Leloh and noted as the habitat of members of the Women's Royal Armoured Corps!
Mid 60's, mid morning landed at Laarbruch, in our Hastings, swiftly followed by two Op. Canberras.
Wondered why all VASF bods were wandering around with gas masks on, bearing in mind that any evaluations/Mickey Finns/Micks didn't apply to 51
Got shouted at for walking down to SHQ to change money, got the same from the snoops walking back, in fact got shouted at a lot whilst the Taceval was on.
Were on very good terms with the lads from VASF though, as we used to take a large jar of NAAFI coffee every time we went there, which was quite often, loved Laarbruch.
Wondered why all VASF bods were wandering around with gas masks on, bearing in mind that any evaluations/Mickey Finns/Micks didn't apply to 51
Got shouted at for walking down to SHQ to change money, got the same from the snoops walking back, in fact got shouted at a lot whilst the Taceval was on.
Were on very good terms with the lads from VASF though, as we used to take a large jar of NAAFI coffee every time we went there, which was quite often, loved Laarbruch.
I doubt it.
My first visit [from EDUO] with family was rendered marvellous by a low and slow Canberra "this would be the way Guy Gibson did it ............." pass.
The air became very dusty and I lost the power of speech briefly.
I think these passes were a NO NO for safety and political reasons, but they happened, they happened.
In those days the scar in the dam was very discernible, but time has mellowed it.
We were two car loads of Brits, one with UK plates, one with the old BFG plates, and yet we were welcomed in a restaurant near the dam, fed and watered, and my brother-in-laws wallet, left behind on the table, was presented to him when he hurtled back half an hour later.
My first visit [from EDUO] with family was rendered marvellous by a low and slow Canberra "this would be the way Guy Gibson did it ............." pass.
The air became very dusty and I lost the power of speech briefly.
I think these passes were a NO NO for safety and political reasons, but they happened, they happened.
In those days the scar in the dam was very discernible, but time has mellowed it.
We were two car loads of Brits, one with UK plates, one with the old BFG plates, and yet we were welcomed in a restaurant near the dam, fed and watered, and my brother-in-laws wallet, left behind on the table, was presented to him when he hurtled back half an hour later.
We all knew that coffee was a valid currency, but beans?
Heinz baked beans, c. 1990.
In the JHQ NAAFI I came across one of my lads with about 50 large size tins of beansin the trolley.
Curiosity overcame me [it usually does]
He explained that they were:
a. regarded as a delicacy
b. difficult to buy on the local economy [?????????? what?????????]
c. for a German friend's 51st birthday, a tin for every year.
You couldn't make it up.
Heinz baked beans, c. 1990.
In the JHQ NAAFI I came across one of my lads with about 50 large size tins of beansin the trolley.
Curiosity overcame me [it usually does]
He explained that they were:
a. regarded as a delicacy
b. difficult to buy on the local economy [?????????? what?????????]
c. for a German friend's 51st birthday, a tin for every year.
You couldn't make it up.
Chinook deployments from Gutersloh to many a farmer’s fields was an interesting experience to say the least, and occasionally we could actually use the buildings, always thought it odd to practice putting tents up inside a building, but it was an extra layer of protection in winter, although keeping a bottle of Harveys Bristol cream sherry next to a paraffin heater to keep it warm was also beneficial, allegedly.
After 4 years and lots of things happening, I thought this tale might be one of the least controversial, although there was many more, some not for public dissemination.
For one such jolly I was volunteered to be the lead truck in the convoy, which meant you had to apparently know where you were going as everyone followed you, I tried to tell them that my navigation skills in UK were not to be experienced so what hope had I in Germany, but the management insisted.
Set off driving four ton truck and trailer with young man as spare driver, even though he had no licence, common cost saving exercise apparently, several miles from Gutersloh I carried on at a set of lights and noted that contrary to convoy rules everyone else turned right, said to my 'left hand' man "I think we should of turned right back there" followed by an attempt at buck passing "you have the map and route", as the senior rank thought that might work.
Assuming correctly that I had no idea where I was going, I decided to turn down a side road though I did not notice the German sign for ‘no lorries’, stopped outside a house at a junction and tried to reverse trailer and truck around the corner so I could turn around, unfortunately the road was not wide enough. Decided to unhitch the trailer and the two of us tried to shift it, no dice as one could imagine, thankfully, despite finding the situation highly amusing, a couple of blokes from the nearby house came and helped us and we were back on our way. Finally caught up with the rest, as they had stopped for a break and see if I could catch up, which I managed to, though I did suggest that I should not try leading a convoy again, thankfully it was not pushed, and I was never asked again.
The race back to Gutersloh at ‘endex’ was fun, as despite convoy rules it was every person for themselves to get back, truck sorted, parked, hit the bar occasionally and then home.
Great times overall, great BBQs, mess functions, experiences never to be had again with the making of future war stories for the telling, and mostly good people to work with, in a great environment.
After 4 years and lots of things happening, I thought this tale might be one of the least controversial, although there was many more, some not for public dissemination.
For one such jolly I was volunteered to be the lead truck in the convoy, which meant you had to apparently know where you were going as everyone followed you, I tried to tell them that my navigation skills in UK were not to be experienced so what hope had I in Germany, but the management insisted.
Set off driving four ton truck and trailer with young man as spare driver, even though he had no licence, common cost saving exercise apparently, several miles from Gutersloh I carried on at a set of lights and noted that contrary to convoy rules everyone else turned right, said to my 'left hand' man "I think we should of turned right back there" followed by an attempt at buck passing "you have the map and route", as the senior rank thought that might work.
Assuming correctly that I had no idea where I was going, I decided to turn down a side road though I did not notice the German sign for ‘no lorries’, stopped outside a house at a junction and tried to reverse trailer and truck around the corner so I could turn around, unfortunately the road was not wide enough. Decided to unhitch the trailer and the two of us tried to shift it, no dice as one could imagine, thankfully, despite finding the situation highly amusing, a couple of blokes from the nearby house came and helped us and we were back on our way. Finally caught up with the rest, as they had stopped for a break and see if I could catch up, which I managed to, though I did suggest that I should not try leading a convoy again, thankfully it was not pushed, and I was never asked again.
The race back to Gutersloh at ‘endex’ was fun, as despite convoy rules it was every person for themselves to get back, truck sorted, parked, hit the bar occasionally and then home.
Great times overall, great BBQs, mess functions, experiences never to be had again with the making of future war stories for the telling, and mostly good people to work with, in a great environment.
BFG plates
There was an interesting time when BFG plates reached SR and there was much discussion on whether they'd produce the dreaded SS. Problem solved, a quick hurdle to ST solved it.
And Danny, no, it was a rite of passage.
And Danny, no, it was a rite of passage.
Gotcha
Wildenrath 1961. New boy on first day as Orderly Officer (No. 1 Uniform all day) . Issued with a VW (proper OLD Beetle). Evening tasks included going to the other side of the airfield to 'inspect' RAF police on outer perimeter of (nuclear) bomb dump. Left the bar around 2130 to drive around LONG dark peri track; arrived. 'Halt, who goes there?'. 'Orderly Officer' . 'Put your ID on the ground and retire 10 metres' . Did so and was eventually admitted to police hut. Sergeant says 'Would you like to continue your inspection Sir?'. Stupidly I said 'Yes'. (Can YOU see what is coming??) 'Follow me'. Did so through pitch blackness stumbling over roots and grass. From the dark - 'Halt, who goes there?'. xxx. 'Put your ID on the ground and retire 10 metres' Did so and fell over into long grass. Highly amused policeman (with snarling dog) helps me up and points me onward. Took nearly half an hour and about ten challenges before I was shown the way back to the hut. Sergeant is waiting with a welcome tea - and a request 'Sir, please do not tell the next new boy!' Drove back to mess bar covered in mud and grass to be welcomed with howls of mirth. Happy days - and TACEVAL had not been invented. Mike Turner (17 Sqn PR Canberras)
Last edited by Four Turbo; 10th Nov 2017 at 16:26. Reason: Spelling
SE 856 B on a white Ford Fiesta. Managed to get bucket loads of parking tickets all over the U.K., never paid any of them. Even a few in Trier, Koblenz etc.
, hand brushed courtesy of a chum in station workshops.
In about 88/89 the Forces Echo had a letter from a ‘concerned officer’. He stated that there should be a checkout cashier (JHQ NAAFI). solely for use by officers during lunchtimes. He complained that it was important that they are not queuing for a long time as they needed to to get back to work.
This letter produced hundreds of responses from irate people. Despite it being discussed on BFBS I never knew if it was a wind up or not.
This letter produced hundreds of responses from irate people. Despite it being discussed on BFBS I never knew if it was a wind up or not.
Danny42C wrote:
Well, in 1983 I was on 'EX BOLD GAUNTLET' at Gutersloh, on detachment from Suphpholk's phinest AD station. On precisely the 40th anniversary of the Dams Raid, I was flying one of HM's mighty Phantoms (not very well) and, for once, happened to be in the right place at the right time!
So we flew past the castle by the Eder, down to 250 ft, across the dam, then climbed out. Seemed like fun, so did it again. Then another jet joined us, so we did a pairs flypast... I recall that there were people waving (I think) from the castle. Then home for tea at Gutersloh.
Mentioned it to the SNavO when we were chatting later and he went rather white. He dug out something called 'Manuel de vol a basse altitude' (not something we air defenders had bothered with before) and pointed out that we weren't supposed to use the dams as a turning point or overfly them at low level. Strengsten Verboten, we were told!!
"Good job we didn't tell him about saying hello to the Moehne Dam on the way home, then!" I remarked to my nav after the SNavO has left...
But no-one ever complained!
Is there anybody ex-RAFG who didn' t go for a look at the Moehne Dam while out there ?
So we flew past the castle by the Eder, down to 250 ft, across the dam, then climbed out. Seemed like fun, so did it again. Then another jet joined us, so we did a pairs flypast... I recall that there were people waving (I think) from the castle. Then home for tea at Gutersloh.
Mentioned it to the SNavO when we were chatting later and he went rather white. He dug out something called 'Manuel de vol a basse altitude' (not something we air defenders had bothered with before) and pointed out that we weren't supposed to use the dams as a turning point or overfly them at low level. Strengsten Verboten, we were told!!
"Good job we didn't tell him about saying hello to the Moehne Dam on the way home, then!" I remarked to my nav after the SNavO has left...
But no-one ever complained!
Wasn't there a bank robbery too when an airman during NBC Black walked into the bank, held it up with his weapon, stuffed the pockets of his NBC kit full of money then walked out to join the rest of the weapon carrying Gas Mask ( I can call it that now ) and NBC kitted throng... the failure in the cunning plan, he had his name rank and bloodgroup taped across the front of his NBC kit as you do..
Not helped by his choice of getaway car "police are looking for a fawn Allegro"!
It was on the BFBS TV!
lsh
First time in RAFG in '68 and couldn't resist a flight over the Mohne Dam - and it still remains a highlight of my times there until '76. Mind you, at a height of 60 ft and 120 kts the Wessex hardly resembled a Lancaster (noise and vibration excepted), and being in daylight reduced the tension somewhat. Whatever, on the pull-up over the basin the thought was "WTF, respect guys, that is bloody low for a 100 ft wingspan"
Not a peep from the authorities at Gutersloh on return. However, the locals down town were not RAF fans - allegedly a strong recruiting base for the SS a few years earlier, yet any conversation with them had them all professing to have spent their war on the Eastern Front.
Not a peep from the authorities at Gutersloh on return. However, the locals down town were not RAF fans - allegedly a strong recruiting base for the SS a few years earlier, yet any conversation with them had them all professing to have spent their war on the Eastern Front.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Another EDUO/Mohne story. I was at the outbrief of the BAE Mossie crew returning home after an airshow. Monday morning so it'll be VFR around the top of the Ruhr, zip over southern Netherlands, lob into Koksijde for gas, over the Channel and home. Which was the route we presumed they would be going.
'Thanks chaps, but we detour south a little while to begin with, then we'll pick up the route west of Soest'
And two of the widest grins in the world went to strap in.
The sound of lightly thrashed Merlins turning in from the eastern end of the Mohnesee .... ah, I see you are allready ahead of me
'Thanks chaps, but we detour south a little while to begin with, then we'll pick up the route west of Soest'
And two of the widest grins in the world went to strap in.
The sound of lightly thrashed Merlins turning in from the eastern end of the Mohnesee .... ah, I see you are allready ahead of me
First tour at Brueggen (can't do umlauts at the mo') in 1970, early-twenties single Cpl techie. Bought a superb autobahn cruiser (Citroen DS21) from the dealer just outside Elmpt. The owner of the dealership was English and told me he had been a Flt Lt MTO and had bought the garage after winning the lottery.
What a car that was - happy to sit at the ton, cruising down the autobahns, autoroutes etc etc. I was supposed to be living-in but you know how it is... Scurrying back from Duesseldorf along the 230(?) early one morning and approaching Niederkruetchten I was caught out by black ice (roads were never salted) & ended up in the middle of a ploughed field. Had it not been for the long-travel hydraulic suspension of the DS21 I would have done multiple barrel-rolls, instead of which it bunny-hopped across the field. Cost me quite a few beer-chits for MT to come along with a wrecker to drag it across the field and hoik it back on the road... Poor old car was never quite the same afterwards.
My 2 1/2 yr singlie tour turned into a 3 year tour and tour-ex I returned home with wife, baby son and a lovely Renault 16TS (twin-choke Webers and an electric sun-roof!).
What a car that was - happy to sit at the ton, cruising down the autobahns, autoroutes etc etc. I was supposed to be living-in but you know how it is... Scurrying back from Duesseldorf along the 230(?) early one morning and approaching Niederkruetchten I was caught out by black ice (roads were never salted) & ended up in the middle of a ploughed field. Had it not been for the long-travel hydraulic suspension of the DS21 I would have done multiple barrel-rolls, instead of which it bunny-hopped across the field. Cost me quite a few beer-chits for MT to come along with a wrecker to drag it across the field and hoik it back on the road... Poor old car was never quite the same afterwards.
My 2 1/2 yr singlie tour turned into a 3 year tour and tour-ex I returned home with wife, baby son and a lovely Renault 16TS (twin-choke Webers and an electric sun-roof!).
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 428
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
