Still have my Dad's copy of Stradling. Was tempted to quote from it when B*** S**** (pre-database days...) bollocked the singlies on 28 for not sending W***** a thank-you letter for a cockers-P at their place, but decided it wasn't worth the grief.

If we'd waited for the last Master we'd have died of thirst.

I remember when........
Having an Air Officer for a father used to get you places.

'Oh for the likes of Masters & gentlemen like Ted Rose & Fred Reeves today!'

Ted's still about in Newquay, doing well AFAIK. I remember when he was on 42/4. The Masters all had grannies shopping trolleys to take the S&C on board!

OD's 'n' things
 

RETDPI

It also used to stand for " Other Denominations " when we used to be divided up into C of E's, R.C.'s and O.D.'s.

When we had Drumhead church services the order " Fall out the Roman Catholics and Jews " was given and they/we marched to the edge of the parade ground and stood at ease with backs to the service.

One non-participant in the service was heard to say " Jaysus, Seamus, I never realised that you were Jewish."

I imagine things have changed.

Gotcha on that one!
I went technical "OD " (Baptist) at Sleaford Tech in 1968 , along with all the other members of 99 "A" squadron Hut 139. Six guys all with a different OD cause ("wot a coincidence")
"Left right, left right" down to tea and biscuits with Padre Silvanus on a Sunday morning, instead of massed devotion (?) with the rest of the herd.
Actually he spoke bloody good sense, which I've never forgotten.

On one station I heard the order given as ""fall out the Roman Catholics, Jews, and Non-Christians".

Remember when we had:

PSFs
Allowances
Families Offices
Civilian Admin

All staffed by humans with faces who, IMHO, mostly went out of their way to help and sort out problems.

Now - faceless beings in help(less) call centres :ugh:

Swinderby 1977 I recall being amazed, along with all the other stout english chaps, to discover that the Scots not only had their own banknotes but an entire religion too - the most amazing part was that it seemed to be a bit of a novelty to the RAF, who had (presumably) been dealing with Hibernian gents for the previous 60 years or so.

42 sqn - I held with them for 6 months pre OCU, I learned quite a lot about cooking, so the time was far from wasted. An enduring memory is of a loud groan/cry from the wet sanctuary in the sqn hut, followed by a group of wetmen (mostly of an elderly persuasion) carrying a comrade out of the hut still seated - his back having gone during a JAAC test or similar he was being carried outside. The procession looked rather like a very informal burial party where the recently deceased couldn't be bothered to lie flat.

According to the young* dry contingents' rumour (that instantly sprang to life in the 'drinking coffee' section where I was seated) he was being moved into an outside area so that he and his chums could straighten the chap out, without any of them having to bend too much. I still wonder why the procession took place, rather than (say) simply grabbing each end and pulling sharply.

Although I enjoyed other squadrons later, some of my warmest memories are from that pre-OCU period. I suspect that was largely to do with the large number of older AEOps who had eventually finagled their way down to Cornwall, character by the shedload by any reckoning....you could stand next to one of them in a bar and simply absorb colour by osmosis.

(* Young is a relative term, at 25 or so I was very much the kid that morning).

.. standing to attention when addressing sqn SACs.

Standing up when they walked in a room.

Really wanting to pass my TATs and become one.

A two week course to get there.

My first visit to a WRAF Block. Aaahh, the soft music, the cushions, the soft bedding, the all too brief escapism from the harsh realities of the Rock Block.

Block parties - putting 4 tons of sand, some infra red lamps from the med centre and a paddling pool into the day room and having a beach party in winter.

Burning unopened tins of compo on a bonfire at the block and standing around them to see who'd be last to bottle it.

Assembling home made mortars and DFing the WRAF Block. Danny boy, where are you now?! :ok:

Sqn parades for the NAAFI bop when Second Btn Scots Guards decided to mix it.

Big Scouse throwing the police dog out of the PS bar.

Jankers, jankers.. always jankers.

Never did Jankers, never got caught!
Remember a bunch of Rock Apes rioting at RAF Wahn and turning acc. block fire hoses on the Snoops.
Brightened up a dull week-end.

Not ? as I suspect in a long gone sandy place ?

Imagegear

Pen Club. :E

They would not have been allowed to flog off the Married Quarters as is happening at Leuchars.
Certain houses in Warwick Close were advertised in last weeks 'St Andrews Citizen'. The ones in Tarvit Drive in Cupar have already been sold.
Can some one please tell me where families will be accomodated in the future ??

The singly accomodation in Cyprus; decorating the block at Christmas time and traveling from block to block drinking all day and night. Waking up in a bondu ditch the following morning......

Lot 22
 

Went there....Helped build the thing. In order to discuise it's origins I think it had two coats of paint on it before it landed! Spent many happy hours wiring 105mm shell casings into light fixtures for the bar.

Now then... starter for ten... who can tell me why it's called Lot 22!

I remember when
 

Ground school included when to deposit your visiting cards when visiting other stations, and being instructed when to raise your hat to a LADY.

Visiting Cards
 

Exnomad

Not just depositing visiting cards but ensuring that they were printed in the correct (embossed) format. And then when and where to leave them suitably annotated with the cabalistic " ppc" the meaning of which I've happily forgotten.

Remarkable

MB

When you had screwed up and possibly faced a charge your Sgt Maj gave you the option of "The corps justice or my justice". His justice consisted of a couple of black eyes and a split lip for you and a one way conversation that makes grown men cry. But you didn't recieve a black mark on your record and HM didn't relieve you of some of your valuable sheckles.

"Not just depositing visiting cards but ensuring that they were printed in the correct (embossed) format. And then when and where to leave them suitably annotated with the cabalistic " ppc" the meaning of which I've happily forgotten."

As well as of course remembering to also turn up one corner of the card so that the lady of the house would have no difficulty in picking it up off of the salver.
As was taught at Sleaford Tech. as late as 1968.