When I handed in my kit . . .
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Same happened to a JT I worked with at Brize, he enquired as to any chance of being posted away prior to purchasing a house in Carterton, he was assured by PMC that he would not be, so went ahead with the purchase, weeks later he was posted to St Athans..
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Was nearing end of tour (ATC) in RAF(G); nice letter from Manning: any preference for a Command or location on return to UK ?
After ensuring it was not a hoax, said: "Don't mind, any Command anywhere - but please not a pilot AFS again (being prematurely aged by an earlier tour at Strubby).
Not hard to guess what I got, is it ? Linton-o-O (then training pilots for the True Blue).
Don't say these people haven't got a sense of humour !
After ensuring it was not a hoax, said: "Don't mind, any Command anywhere - but please not a pilot AFS again (being prematurely aged by an earlier tour at Strubby).
Not hard to guess what I got, is it ? Linton-o-O (then training pilots for the True Blue).
Don't say these people haven't got a sense of humour !
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PN (#142),
Re: top floor at Shawbury: 1955, as ATC stude, gallopped up to top, no trouble, breathing normally.
Back 1964, did same again - got to top, thought I was dead !
Comes to us all ..........
Originally Posted by X1FTS View Post
from car up to top floor of mess.)
from car up to top floor of mess.)
Back 1964, did same again - got to top, thought I was dead !
Comes to us all ..........
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Different service, same crock.
Two of us drafted to Collingwood for six months of courses. Unwilling to live in we arranged to move into a flat in Gosport on the Saturday and joined on the Monday. Completed joining routine on the Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning saw me starting the leaving routine having been given a pier head jump to report to Brize Norton on the Friday and depart for Australia on the Saturday. Two days to get there, nine months to get back (steerage class).
Hey-ho. Life in a blue suit.
Two of us drafted to Collingwood for six months of courses. Unwilling to live in we arranged to move into a flat in Gosport on the Saturday and joined on the Monday. Completed joining routine on the Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning saw me starting the leaving routine having been given a pier head jump to report to Brize Norton on the Friday and depart for Australia on the Saturday. Two days to get there, nine months to get back (steerage class).
Hey-ho. Life in a blue suit.
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Return UK to Brize from RAFG with all bags, kit etc required to live and work until boxes arrive in UK from Germany.. Bruggen, we have arranged your flight from........ Hannover, here is your flight and train ticket...... but that is like 320 kilometers in the wrong direction, Christ, it's half the distance to Brize, and I have like two suitcases, holdall and..........
In the end luckily I got delayed by a day and went from Wildenrath as there was a flight the next day and Bruggen runs a bus service direct to the terminal.
In the end luckily I got delayed by a day and went from Wildenrath as there was a flight the next day and Bruggen runs a bus service direct to the terminal.
1966, short toured from Canberra Long Strike Course to 360 (RN/RAF) Sqn at Watton - be there by yesterday. Packed just about everything into trunk, which I am assure will be there "tomorrow". A week later trunk still not arrived when I get phone call from mate who has seen my box sitting unloved on Ely station.
Three years later and I am clearing from Watton where, amongst other things, I held the inventory for the airmen's transit block. Clearlythe SWO had not been keeping too close an eye on things, and whereas I was "up" on lots of nif naf and trivia, I was clearly deficient of a few beds and mattresses, whereupon the suppliers introduced me to a magic piece of paper called a conversion voucher. I guess one of those could have turned water into wine.....certainly solved my shortage of beds and mattresses.
Three years later and I am clearing from Watton where, amongst other things, I held the inventory for the airmen's transit block. Clearlythe SWO had not been keeping too close an eye on things, and whereas I was "up" on lots of nif naf and trivia, I was clearly deficient of a few beds and mattresses, whereupon the suppliers introduced me to a magic piece of paper called a conversion voucher. I guess one of those could have turned water into wine.....certainly solved my shortage of beds and mattresses.
1966, short toured from Canberra Long Strike Course to 360 (RN/RAF) Sqn at Watton - be there by yesterday. Packed just about everything into trunk, which I am assure will be there "tomorrow". A week later trunk still not arrived when I get phone call from mate who has seen my box sitting unloved on Ely station.
Three years later and I am clearing from Watton where, amongst other things, I held the inventory for the airmen's transit block. Clearlythe SWO had not been keeping too close an eye on things, and whereas I was "up" on lots of nif naf and trivia, I was clearly deficient of a few beds and mattresses, whereupon the suppliers introduced me to a magic piece of paper called a conversion voucher. I guess one of those could have turned water into wine.....certainly solved my shortage of beds and mattresses.
Three years later and I am clearing from Watton where, amongst other things, I held the inventory for the airmen's transit block. Clearlythe SWO had not been keeping too close an eye on things, and whereas I was "up" on lots of nif naf and trivia, I was clearly deficient of a few beds and mattresses, whereupon the suppliers introduced me to a magic piece of paper called a conversion voucher. I guess one of those could have turned water into wine.....certainly solved my shortage of beds and mattresses.
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Fits with Wanders missing trunk and PN mentioning the Early Bird round robin transport system. One of my jobs in 80s was looking after all the special jigs and fixtures at EWAU. These were generally made in the tool room at Woolwich (very skilled folks) we would check them out and issue to other units embodying SRIMS. Most were for Nimrod and remained at Wyton. Each came in a solidly made wooden box.
Every so often I would dispose of the redundant ones attempting to return the multitude of drill slip bushes and standard parts to Woolwich or local re-use as spares. I would amend the record cards accordingly. Record keeping was excellent. A floor drilling jig had been dispatched to Kinloss but was lost in transit. I had all the early bird chits to say it had been collected but never made it. After a all points north east south and west square search. I had another made at great expense. The task was completed and the jig returned to Wyton.
Several years later Woodford was closed. You guessed the jig was found, all labelled up in big letters. It had been dropped off at Woodford. I guess the box resembled a wooden pallet. Whatever had been on the pallet had never been moved in 10 years.
Every so often I would dispose of the redundant ones attempting to return the multitude of drill slip bushes and standard parts to Woolwich or local re-use as spares. I would amend the record cards accordingly. Record keeping was excellent. A floor drilling jig had been dispatched to Kinloss but was lost in transit. I had all the early bird chits to say it had been collected but never made it. After a all points north east south and west square search. I had another made at great expense. The task was completed and the jig returned to Wyton.
Several years later Woodford was closed. You guessed the jig was found, all labelled up in big letters. It had been dropped off at Woodford. I guess the box resembled a wooden pallet. Whatever had been on the pallet had never been moved in 10 years.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
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Danny, - as an ex-Vulcan Nav Rad I said "anything but Vulcans" so I was sent to Shack AEW. Hated that and would have gone to the Falklands had I gone back to Vs. I the event I had some first class trips and several tours on different stations living I my own home for 25 years.
Such are life's curves.
Such are life's curves.
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RE stuff going adrift, I remember the Puma gearbox cracking and awaiting one on the OCU, we waited months, one came in eventually and promptly departed again out the other end of the hangar as the Sqns had priority.
Eventually the RAF had enough and someone was despatched to France to look into it, the story doing the rounds at the time was It turned out the French stores person was an anti Anglophile and the stores was full of undelivered RAF parts where as the French side was empty. Shortly afterwards tons of spares arrived.
Eventually the RAF had enough and someone was despatched to France to look into it, the story doing the rounds at the time was It turned out the French stores person was an anti Anglophile and the stores was full of undelivered RAF parts where as the French side was empty. Shortly afterwards tons of spares arrived.
Thought police antagonist
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Arrived at Bruggen with about 10 other happy souls at about 17.00 on ?.......Friday afternoon prior to the August grant ....greeted by one very unhappy admin Cpl complaining bitterly as to the fact he was the only one left working....awww, when everybody else had, strangely, disappeared for the holiday. Maintaining the highest traditions of being helpful and assisting new arrivals, we were given vague directions to various Messes and the infamous transit block.....on foot......with everybody carting their wordly belongings ......rank was not an obstacle to our hero in this respect, he truly believed in equality here.
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Not exactly on topic, but I had a different posting issue. Moaning down the pub one evening to SATCO, said i wanted a posting anywhere outside FTC [as was]. "Anywhere you like, anything down to a week's notice as I'm a singly." Two weeks later I had a posting notice to go from Strubby to Tengah. 
After I finished my Hawk refresher course at Valley in 1980, I was looking forward to going back down to Pembrokeshire to do the TWU course again at Brawdy.
The Sqn Boss then told me that it had been decided that it was better for someone else ('Porky', as it happened) to take my Brawdy slot...and I would go up to Lossiemouth to do a Hunter TWU.
The idea of driving all that way with all my worldly belongings squeezed into my VW Scirocco didn't really appeal - and Her Loveliness lived in Oxfordshire. Much as I would have dearly loved to have flown the Hunter again, I asked whether it might be possible to delay my TWU and let me have some leave.
A bit of harrumphing then followed - but a day or so later the Boss came in to tell me that I would be on the first of the new TWU courses at Chivenor. I could have kissed him (well, maybe not quite that..). "Thank you sir - so very much - and I'll do the very best at Chiv just to say thanks!"
So I did - and won the Viking trophy for the best live weapons results of the course!
The Sqn Boss then told me that it had been decided that it was better for someone else ('Porky', as it happened) to take my Brawdy slot...and I would go up to Lossiemouth to do a Hunter TWU.
The idea of driving all that way with all my worldly belongings squeezed into my VW Scirocco didn't really appeal - and Her Loveliness lived in Oxfordshire. Much as I would have dearly loved to have flown the Hunter again, I asked whether it might be possible to delay my TWU and let me have some leave.
A bit of harrumphing then followed - but a day or so later the Boss came in to tell me that I would be on the first of the new TWU courses at Chivenor. I could have kissed him (well, maybe not quite that..). "Thank you sir - so very much - and I'll do the very best at Chiv just to say thanks!"
So I did - and won the Viking trophy for the best live weapons results of the course!
Avoid imitations
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I was sent on a routine two month detachment from Gutersloh to Belize. I was due in Belize in the first week of January. I was told to expect go via the usual method, which was a civvy trooper flight in early Jan to UK then by rail to Brize to get on the usual VC10 flight via Dulles. No problem, as fairly recent newlyweds we settled down to a nice German Christmas.
I received a short notice message to report to Gutersloh to embark on an evening flight on an RAF C130 to Lyneham then to get myself to Brize. Annoyingly, this was on the 27th Dec, which was our wedding anniversary. Wife far from impressed. I arrived at Gutersloh to check in only to discover I was not on the pax manifest for the C130 and because they had freight as well as pax they were full. I told the movement staff to sort it out. I was told I would have to fly by other means. As I was about to leave for home, someone ran after me to tell me the captain had agreed to take me as supernumerary crew if I was happy to fly on the jumpseat. I reluctantly said yes (despite the protestations of my now even more unhappy wife) and off we went. Via Aldergrove into a 65 kts headwind! I got to Aldergrove, was made to disembark with all my kit, clear security which was far from straightforward because I wasn't on the pax manifest(!) sit in the departure hangar for hours while the aircraft was reloaded then reclear security with all my kit. I landed at Lyneham well after midnight, found there was no transport to Brize and no accommodation....I slept on my baggage until the following morning until I could get the SDO to authorise a car to Brize. I arrived at Brize to find the Officers' Mess closed so I was put in transit accommodation (Gateway House?) ..... Where I remained trapped for three friggin' days until the VC10 to Belize departed. All main meals were reheated Christmas lunches, arrived in foil trays and hardly fit for consumption and the rooms were like they were from the set of "Prisoner Cell Block H" (thankfully without the occupants from that TV programme).
i think that was also the time the oncoming VC10 crew for the Dulles - Belize flight change over arrived very late then screwed up the departure, resulting in an aborted takeoff and another very long wait. One of the few times I was actually glad to get to Belize!
I received a short notice message to report to Gutersloh to embark on an evening flight on an RAF C130 to Lyneham then to get myself to Brize. Annoyingly, this was on the 27th Dec, which was our wedding anniversary. Wife far from impressed. I arrived at Gutersloh to check in only to discover I was not on the pax manifest for the C130 and because they had freight as well as pax they were full. I told the movement staff to sort it out. I was told I would have to fly by other means. As I was about to leave for home, someone ran after me to tell me the captain had agreed to take me as supernumerary crew if I was happy to fly on the jumpseat. I reluctantly said yes (despite the protestations of my now even more unhappy wife) and off we went. Via Aldergrove into a 65 kts headwind! I got to Aldergrove, was made to disembark with all my kit, clear security which was far from straightforward because I wasn't on the pax manifest(!) sit in the departure hangar for hours while the aircraft was reloaded then reclear security with all my kit. I landed at Lyneham well after midnight, found there was no transport to Brize and no accommodation....I slept on my baggage until the following morning until I could get the SDO to authorise a car to Brize. I arrived at Brize to find the Officers' Mess closed so I was put in transit accommodation (Gateway House?) ..... Where I remained trapped for three friggin' days until the VC10 to Belize departed. All main meals were reheated Christmas lunches, arrived in foil trays and hardly fit for consumption and the rooms were like they were from the set of "Prisoner Cell Block H" (thankfully without the occupants from that TV programme).
i think that was also the time the oncoming VC10 crew for the Dulles - Belize flight change over arrived very late then screwed up the departure, resulting in an aborted takeoff and another very long wait. One of the few times I was actually glad to get to Belize!
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There is only one person next to you that I have seen to be so reluctant to fly in one of her Majesties finest, and that was the Dutchess of Windsor, everytime we prepped a Ten for her, she got better. 
I was sent on a routine two month detachment from Gutersloh to Belize. I was due in Belize in the first week of January. I was told to expect go via the usual method, which was a civvy trooper flight in early Jan to UK then by rail to Brize to get on the usual VC10 flight via Dulles. No problem, as fairly recent newlyweds we settled down to a nice German Christmas.
I received a short notice message to report to Gutersloh to embark on an evening flight on an RAF C130 to Lyneham then to get myself to Brize. Annoyingly, this was on the 27th Dec, which was our wedding anniversary. Wife far from impressed. I arrived at Gutersloh to check in only to discover I was not on the pax manifest for the C130 and because they had freight as well as pax they were full. I told the movement staff to sort it out. I was told I would have to fly by other means. As I was about to leave for home, someone ran after me to tell me the captain had agreed to take me as supernumerary crew if I was happy to fly on the jumpseat. I reluctantly said yes (despite the protestations of my now even more unhappy wife) and off we went. Via Aldergrove into a 65 kts headwind! I got to Aldergrove, was made to disembark with all my kit, clear security which was far from straightforward because I wasn't on the pax manifest(!) sit in the departure hangar for hours while the aircraft was reloaded then reclear security with all my kit. I landed at Lyneham well after midnight, found there was no transport to Brize and no accommodation....I slept on my baggage until the following morning until I could get the SDO to authorise a car to Brize. I arrived at Brize to find the Officers' Mess closed so I was put in transit accommodation (Gateway House?) ..... Where I remained trapped for three friggin' days until the VC10 to Belize departed. All main meals were reheated Christmas lunches, arrived in foil trays and hardly fit for consumption and the rooms were like they were from the set of "Prisoner Cell Block H" (thankfully without the occupants from that TV programme).
i think that was also the time the oncoming VC10 crew for the Dulles - Belize flight change over arrived very late then screwed up the departure, resulting in an aborted takeoff and another very long wait. One of the few times I was actually glad to get to Belize!
I received a short notice message to report to Gutersloh to embark on an evening flight on an RAF C130 to Lyneham then to get myself to Brize. Annoyingly, this was on the 27th Dec, which was our wedding anniversary. Wife far from impressed. I arrived at Gutersloh to check in only to discover I was not on the pax manifest for the C130 and because they had freight as well as pax they were full. I told the movement staff to sort it out. I was told I would have to fly by other means. As I was about to leave for home, someone ran after me to tell me the captain had agreed to take me as supernumerary crew if I was happy to fly on the jumpseat. I reluctantly said yes (despite the protestations of my now even more unhappy wife) and off we went. Via Aldergrove into a 65 kts headwind! I got to Aldergrove, was made to disembark with all my kit, clear security which was far from straightforward because I wasn't on the pax manifest(!) sit in the departure hangar for hours while the aircraft was reloaded then reclear security with all my kit. I landed at Lyneham well after midnight, found there was no transport to Brize and no accommodation....I slept on my baggage until the following morning until I could get the SDO to authorise a car to Brize. I arrived at Brize to find the Officers' Mess closed so I was put in transit accommodation (Gateway House?) ..... Where I remained trapped for three friggin' days until the VC10 to Belize departed. All main meals were reheated Christmas lunches, arrived in foil trays and hardly fit for consumption and the rooms were like they were from the set of "Prisoner Cell Block H" (thankfully without the occupants from that TV programme).
i think that was also the time the oncoming VC10 crew for the Dulles - Belize flight change over arrived very late then screwed up the departure, resulting in an aborted takeoff and another very long wait. One of the few times I was actually glad to get to Belize!
CG
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Cruel........ so cruel