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Sky high adventure and danger in the RAF special unit

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Sky high adventure and danger in the RAF special unit

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Old 26th Dec 2021, 13:57
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Sky high adventure and danger in the RAF special unit

I only post this as the television series, "Squadron", has been mentioned a number of times on here in various posts. However, during a Boxing Day clear-out (which I've been bullied into), in the bookcase I found none other than the original book.


Free to a good home (perhaps in exchange for a wee donation to a charity).
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Old 26th Dec 2021, 16:49
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Around the time that programme aired, there was a rumour that some wag had put that unit down as a 1369 choice for next posting, on the grounds that "You can have a beer in the Mess bar at lunchtime wearing a flying suit"!

That was around the time that 11 Gp fun detectors had ordained that mess bars mustn't serve alcohol at lunchtime - and miseries sich as The Scottish Officer had dictated that people had to change into blues when not flying....

At Neatishead, Aunty Joan offered a couple of 11Gp visitors a beer in the pub at lunchtime and they looked rather worried about whether to refuse - until she told them it was non-alcoholic lager!
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Old 26th Dec 2021, 21:00
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Beags,
Obviously they'd never staged through Istres a 'demi' of Kronenbourg, possibly a second before going in the Dining Room for a quarter litre of red before setting off for Luqa ! (in the sixties).
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Old 27th Dec 2021, 10:56
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You should have seen the Transit Mess bar at Luqa at lunchtime in the 70s. All ranks in all uniforms not drinking in THEIR Mess!
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Old 28th Dec 2021, 02:33
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mess bars mustn't serve alcohol at lunchtime
Wow, that would have made the Blunties upset!
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Old 28th Dec 2021, 10:05
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Originally Posted by BEagle
That was around the time that 11 Gp fun detectors had ordained that mess bars mustn't serve alcohol at lunchtime - and miseries sich as The Scottish Officer had dictated that people had to change into blues when not flying....
In the 80s I was required to go to Australia on duty for a week or so. On arrival at RAAF East Sale, after a long-ish drive [passenger] from Melbourne, my escorting colleague and I pitched up in the Bar at lunchtime. My request for a pint of OZ Practice Beer was met with a slightly shocked look ... "Errr, we don't usually drink at lunchtime." No worries, mate, I do!
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Old 28th Dec 2021, 10:59
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I recall in the 80s at the Secret Shropshire Helicopter Base, I was involved in the organisation of the Wings ceremony. A one- or two-star was usually par for the course; Reviewing Officer gets his bonus hours GH in the morning, late morning presentation, then posh Mess lunch with MumznDadz.

My involvement was finding and booking the Reviewing Officer; it was a popular gig for them, there was precious little admin to be done before taking Sir flying and examining the Shropshire countryside - quite closely - in the GT model Gazelle.

Was in the process of booking one Sir to do it, when bag-carrier I was talking to said:

Bag-Carrier: "And of course, being at lunchtime, there will no alcohol served".

Teeters: "And of course, being the most important date in the young men's (only men then) flying career, there WILL be alcohol served. Thank you, if that is the case, I will find another Reviewing Officer". That was the case and I duly went looking for a new Sir.

Which I did find, shortly followed by a one-on-one with the Staish, who - to his credit, had extreme difficulty keeping a straight face while "counselling me on my error of judgement".........

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