Odd Memorabilia
Still in regular use is my wood-handled ratchet screwdriver, 'gifted' to me by the OiC woodwork club at RAF L-o-O, who assured me that is was 'Class C stores'. Made by Hollands & Blair Ltd, and stamped 1971.
Somewhere in the depths of my garage is an original WWII brown canvas parachute bag, given to me by my late father when I was a youngster. It's not been opened for some 30 years, but from memory I think it contains some of my old flying kit; pale blue flying coveralls, gloves, white woollen socks and thermals, and an aircrew issue medical pack complete with morphine!
Somewhere in the depths of my garage is an original WWII brown canvas parachute bag, given to me by my late father when I was a youngster. It's not been opened for some 30 years, but from memory I think it contains some of my old flying kit; pale blue flying coveralls, gloves, white woollen socks and thermals, and an aircrew issue medical pack complete with morphine!
Indicative of the 'magpie complex' ??
Mess tins (unused!!)
'Hussif'
Leather flying helmet
Throat mic
Lightning seat pin
Aden 'Goolie Chit'
Flying boots
Dinghy knife ... probably others, also, but would need a comprehensive 'tidying up' session!!
Mess tins (unused!!)
'Hussif'
Leather flying helmet
Throat mic
Lightning seat pin
Aden 'Goolie Chit'
Flying boots
Dinghy knife ... probably others, also, but would need a comprehensive 'tidying up' session!!
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spekesoftlly (#22),
A wonderfully useful thing, carry any amount of kit; used in our VVs in Burma to transport dogs. You put your dog in, zipped up so just his head was out, Carry him by the loops, he couldn't get out or move about the aircraft.
Hopefully he was parachute-bag trained !
Danny (ex-Scouse).
Somewhere in the depths of my garage is an original WWII brown canvas parachute bag, given to me by my late father when I was a youngster....
Hopefully he was parachute-bag trained !
Danny (ex-Scouse).
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A quick rummage has discovered ...
1 Airman’s blue holdall (useful)
2 Pairs of brown cloth puttees
Assorted Black and Staybrite buttons
The hussif ...
AND ...
1 Compo Can Opener!!
WHY do I still have the puttees?
Oh, and No 1 and No 5 HD for him and her, and ditto Greatcoats, and assorted Hats SD, berets, a Stable Belt and a chip-bag. WHY?
1 Airman’s blue holdall (useful)
2 Pairs of brown cloth puttees
Assorted Black and Staybrite buttons
The hussif ...
AND ...
1 Compo Can Opener!!
WHY do I still have the puttees?
Oh, and No 1 and No 5 HD for him and her, and ditto Greatcoats, and assorted Hats SD, berets, a Stable Belt and a chip-bag. WHY?
Clearing my father-in-laws house after he had to go into care, we found a miscellany of souvenirs from his time in the Royal Signals in the Far East during WW2. Most interesting from my point of view was an original American forces CBI patch (Usually seen on the Flying Tigers amongst others). Unfortunately, his mind is too far gone to ask him about it now, if only we'd found it two years ago, I could have got the tale. No doubt swapped for something with an American - he told the tale of swapping rations with the Americans for a proper cot bed, and being the only one in his unit not flooded when Monsoon came!
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MPN11,
Dunno about now, but when I retired in 1972, "Crombie" Greatcoats and Nos ! and 5 HDs in good nick and standard sizes went like hot cakes to SSC direct entrants, who saw no reason to keep Messrs Gieves and Moss Bros in the style to which they had become accustomed.
Keep the Hats for Old Time's sake, and memories of happy days long past. I still have my last "Bates" specimen - haven't the heart to chuck it out.. Hope Mary will keep it.
Dunno about now, but when I retired in 1972, "Crombie" Greatcoats and Nos ! and 5 HDs in good nick and standard sizes went like hot cakes to SSC direct entrants, who saw no reason to keep Messrs Gieves and Moss Bros in the style to which they had become accustomed.
Keep the Hats for Old Time's sake, and memories of happy days long past. I still have my last "Bates" specimen - haven't the heart to chuck it out.. Hope Mary will keep it.
Last edited by Danny42C; 14th Aug 2018 at 16:40. Reason: Addition
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Sadly now lost but my Grandfather's 'World's Smallest Loom'. Not Service issue but a device he used in WW 1 for darning socks. I used it in the 60s and you could weave a proper patch over the hole.
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"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Still in use (OK, for Flight Sim) "Computer Dead Reckoning Mk 4A". I can't remember ever getting a replacement, so possibly dating from 1965. Grey canvas nav bag, still full of old maps, cloth helmet and mask, throat mic, probably lots more if I look.
Danny42C wrote:
I seem to recall reading an article in Air Clues - it seems that some groundcrew lad popped his NAAFI trotters, tail and testicles pie into the baggage bay of a JP, only to be called over by the Chief for another task. Meanwhile the JP was manned up and the engine started - only to be rapidly shut down and evacuated as clouds of smoke appeared from the vicinity of the baggage bay....
No, right place to warm up NAAFI meat pie is tail pipe of recently shut down Vampire. It became an unofficial item in our "walk-arounds" about 1954.
Did any other jet aircraft lend itself to this treatment ?
Did any other jet aircraft lend itself to this treatment ?
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Still got most of my uniforms packed away somewhere, including my holdall.
Odd things kept by my late mum and found when I moved stuff out from her home..
All my joining instructions and attestation papers from RAF Swinderby with the map and booklet etc.
Mine
A pair of locking wire pliers gifted to me as I left Brize Norton and still in daily use on aircraft some 30 years later... good old Maun, they know how to make them.
New unused set of engine data plates for the Conway engines as mounted on the VC10 engineers station.
RAF knife as in the ejection seat box
Bottle of unopened NAAFI Remy Martin Champagne Cognac marked For NAAFI Stores, it's the larger capacity smoked bottle one.
Bottle of unopened NAAFI Bacardi Gold Rum marked For NAAFI Stores, it's the larger capacity bottle.
Doubt I will ever drink or open them.
Odd things kept by my late mum and found when I moved stuff out from her home..
All my joining instructions and attestation papers from RAF Swinderby with the map and booklet etc.
Mine
A pair of locking wire pliers gifted to me as I left Brize Norton and still in daily use on aircraft some 30 years later... good old Maun, they know how to make them.
New unused set of engine data plates for the Conway engines as mounted on the VC10 engineers station.
RAF knife as in the ejection seat box
Bottle of unopened NAAFI Remy Martin Champagne Cognac marked For NAAFI Stores, it's the larger capacity smoked bottle one.
Bottle of unopened NAAFI Bacardi Gold Rum marked For NAAFI Stores, it's the larger capacity bottle.
Doubt I will ever drink or open them.
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I managed to keep a flying suit issued for a jolly in a Canberra, to East Africa from Cyprus, back in the 60s. My eldest
daughter, found it when she was a teenager and wore it down the pub. It was very baggy. Her mother was horrified, but the lads all wanted to buy it!
daughter, found it when she was a teenager and wore it down the pub. It was very baggy. Her mother was horrified, but the lads all wanted to buy it!
Last edited by goudie; 16th Aug 2018 at 21:33. Reason: to satisfy spelling police
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Two Phantom stick tops (One HOTAS). Two phantom clocks and a 1958 button stick (J.R.G&S 1958 22B/87) Issued to me in May 1962, also my original issue shoe brushes still in good nick and in regular use. not bad when you take into account that they are 56 years old.