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How many RAF stations have swimming pools?

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How many RAF stations have swimming pools?

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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:02
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Akrotiri had an outdoor salt water pool which fell into disrepair. In the late 1980s, due to lack of support and funding from the Station, the families held many events to fund a new pool, which eventually opened opposite the Pen Club.

The Station then assumed control of the pool as a Unit asset, which led to much disenchantment among the pool organisers and, a small but noticeable group boycotted the pool.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:11
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Bahrain, RAF Muharraq had a very good pool. I remember racing Dickie Henderson three lengths when he visited with a CSE Show. {After a few beers}
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:16
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Originally Posted by Avionker
Kinloss had a pool?

Please tell me that was pre ‘92 because I don’t remember one at all.

If it was there between ‘92 and ‘99 then I obviously spent even more time in the Abbey than I thought.
Kinloss definitely had a pool in the 70's. Used it many times for dinghy drills and inter squadron competition.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:25
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Too much time in the Abbey. Pool, was alive and well until the Army ran it into the ground, despite offers from ex-RAF to run it for them at zero cost.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:36
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Originally Posted by Ninthace
Trust me, we didn't to the best of my knowledge. As I recall, the Station tried to get a pool built but was denied permission. Long before my time, they got round it by having an EWS tank for the purposes of firefighting. Non public funds were then used to add filtration and changing rooms etc, but on paper, it was an EWS. The pool was kind of on my slop chit as the PEdO was part of my organisation.
Nope, sorry, Bruggen certainly had a pool located near those 3 two storey blocks on the road that went past the NAAFI and then turned left to run parallel with the main drag...it was also on the downwind leg which led to spurious allegations as to "low flying" to observe ladies there....alas, the originator of this claim, after escalating his complaints, was kindly invited for a free ride in a glider....and, as was kindly pointed out to him, from around 600ft, just how much of the female anatomy was visible ?.....the complaints mysteriously ceased at this point.

In fact, if you go on the Bruggen FB page, there are numerous posts / photo's showing families enjoying themselves.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 17:56
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I think Ninethace was doing his best to show that his tongue was firmly in his cheek.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 18:10
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Off piscine subject. Brize had a dry ski slope. No idea if it’s still there though
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 18:44
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Wildenrath had an outdoor pool. I met Mrs Akro there. I think I've still got my Speedo's somewhere
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:04
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I think Gutersloh had a pool but rose-tinted spectacles?

JHQ Rheindahlen had both an outdoor pool ["the Bluey" ]with bar and club, plus a dry-ski slope. I think the latter was gonned by our second tour in 1990.

The older teenagers went to the Bluey to misbehave. Unfortunately the younger airmen and soldiers went there for the same purpose. We had two daughters, both gorgeous. Thus many an anxious Friday evening, and deadlines, strictly policed by SWMBO, who could assume the mien of a dragon.

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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:07
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Originally Posted by MG
I think Ninethace was doing his best to show that his tongue was firmly in his cheek.
You are getting there. On paper, Brüggen never officially had a pool, it was an Emergency Water Supply. It even had a EWS sign on the fence as I recall. The station used it as a pool via Non Public Funds. I can't really be clearer.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:18
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Honington had one - at least in the mid to late 80s. Henlow also at turn of the millennium. Both still in operation according to a quick internet search.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:23
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Kinloss-

Definitely had an indoor pool in 1996, we were bussed in from Lossiemouth for our proficiency certificate.

At Turnhouse in 1994 we went to a pool, but a bit of thinking about it reveals it was at Dreghorn barracks in Edinburgh.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:40
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Originally Posted by Ninthace
You are getting there. On paper, Brüggen never officially had a pool, it was an Emergency Water Supply. It even had a EWS sign on the fence as I recall. The station used it as a pool via Non Public Funds. I can't really be clearer.
Just as the golf club at Brüggen was an alternative sick quarters and the links emergency helicopter landing pads.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 19:52
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Showing my age, but RAF Langar had a pool.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:09
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Colerne had a decent pool until the station closed in '76 due to the defence cuts. Overall, it was a pretty good posting except for the lack of WRAFs.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:12
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El Adem

I left two front teeth on the bottom, (we had drunk some of it when the artesian wells dried up).

IG
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:16
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Kinloss had a pool?
I was last there in '72, and recall going to Elgin for Dinghy drills.
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:17
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RAFC Cranwell in 1974. A student officer from an aristocratic background with an honours degree having been allocated to the last GE of the year, joined as a Flt Lt pilot such was the weirdness of the time. He also outranked his blunty direct entry Fg Off flight commander...

On being 'invited' by some PTI to swim lengths in the Whittle Hall swimming pool, he announced "Well, Cpl, what you need to know is that people in my world do not 'swim', they 'bathe'!". A floating bar in an expensive part of the world was more his scene than a tank of warm water at Cranwell!
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:36
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[QUOTE] RAF Nicosia had an excellent outdoor swimming pool which was very popular with most personnel, including the CO and his family. On one occasion my wife and I had just arrived and as we were making our way to the changing rooms the CO did a double-take and said to my wife "I'm so sorry, I didn't recognise you with your clothes on!"[/QUOTE]

The place to be when on standby with the UN helicopters. 1969
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Old 31st Oct 2022, 20:41
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RAF Ascension Island had/has a pool at the Accom area somewhere on the road up to Green Mountain.
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