"His justice consisted of a couple of black eyes and a split lip for you...."

Based on Jersey were you, GPMG?

"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."

And 'lady officers' had different sized cards . . . . (well, we did in 1957)

(and PPC was 'pour prendre conge' - can't get this machine to do the accent above the final 'e' - before departing)

You will all be pleased to learn, I'm sure, that we RNZAF people were issued a copy of Gp Capt Stradlings book at the "Charm School", but had to hand it back when we graduated, presumably having memorised the contents. We also had the cards, and the silver tray in the Mess to put them on.

On the subject of ID cards, I was in ANZUK for two years and initially occupied a MQ at 12 Hyde Park Gate , Seletar, at a time when the whole facility had been handed over to the Singapore Armed Forces. They had their own version of MPs on the gate, and were following the rules to the letter including saluting when I drove in and checking ID cards of dependents.

I discovered quite by accident one day that my wife, having lost her SAF Pass, was driving in and out by waving a Wellington City Library Card!

1950.RAF Aldergrove had a "Sandes Home" which served a full English Breakfast between the hours of 10am to 12am every Sunday.(For aircrew only) The two dear old ladies who ran it,referred to aircrew as White Swans,other denominations as Sparrows!!! I truly believe this was the start of my superiority problem!! Sadly it later burned down.

Bloody sparrows, betcha.

I have heard that the sale of these properties is being handled by a local legal firm whose head is an honorary mess member.


Allegedly.

Lot22
 

T'was the Auction Number painted on the side of the Portacabin awaiting sale. Then 'somebody' nicked the portacabin from the CAST dump and deposited it behind a well known helicopter squadron in the Falkland Islands.

Oh happy days!!!

Another bunch in Warwick Close up for grabs in this weeks 'Whinger' aka 'St Andrews Citizen' :ooh::ooh:

I can remember .....
 

Getting my hair cut before going to Swinderby - waste of time and money, as it turned out.
Travelling by train from Swinditz to Halton in No1 HD, feeling very chuffed, and being wished well by other passengers.
Being met at Wendover station by a creaky, ancient MT coach, and FS Wellbourne-Davies!
Said MT coach only just making it the hill to Halton.
Feeling shocked by the sight of all the 'prison-block' accomodation blocks.
That well known command just prior to marching down to workshops - 'Pick up your bags!'
The Halton Astra cinema - the shouts, jeers and cheers every time the VW Scirroco advert was shown.

Happy days!

Pull up a sandbag...
 

The HSE (happiness and sunshine excluders) didn't exsist, and you could change the duff fluorescent tube in y' office by using your desk/chair/muckers shoulders.:ok:

. . . the ships were made of wood and the men were made of steel.

Taxi's booked.

You could tell the nationality of the Frightning pilots by the jet eflux as they took off.

You shaved the inside of your trousers and tucked your beret under your epaulette. ;)

You could go to MT and get some help with the vehicle - not just referred to the RAC callout number.................:(

Arc

9 O'Clockers.........................usually a slab of Pussers hard and a box of biscuits.............and an urn of tea that tasted funny!

Probably judged to be too expensive and sadly canned...........as most good things are.

Going for supper in the airmens mess during Taceval and getting Tea, Sugar and milk for the Section for free :sad::sad:

Pull up a sandbag
 

when the Junta on 12 at Lossie had a DP LHD Ford Zephyr as the Juntamobile for runs to the boozer / chippy.

Standing on the sand whilst on guard duty at Muharraq shortly before it closed and getting a wave from the Hunter pilots as they taxied past......

RAF Khormaksar 1964 - 1966
 

Tiger testing a moonies watch in the Camel Club. 24 hr stn armed guards every 4 days. Getting the boll***ing of my life from the stn cdr for not standing up when he entered the guards' accom (now a MRAF (him, not me (yet)) and meeting him often now in a much more relaxed atmosphere. Just what was an 18 yo SAC with a .303, 5 rounds and a tattered Arabic phrase book supposed to do? Still remember the outstanding briefing by the rotund RAF Reg't FS: "If and when they come at you in long white flowing robes, run like hell!" Climbing Sham San to ensure you never returned to Aden (it worked). 8 Sqn dets to Rian, Salalah, Masirah and Bahrain and the outstanding beach barbies in Masirah. Checking days off your Chuff Chart and meeting moonies off the Britannia. They were crap times, but the comradeship was unforgettable. Finally visiting Dubai when it was a village!! Wish I'd bought a tent!!

ON

attn Krystal n chips
 

Eating fish n chips ( and guarding ... in theory ) under the wing of the first F-111 ro divert into Valley...the mag in the SLR was empty...the full mag was sealed in about 5 sheets of polythene wrapping....watching the Yank engineer who came to fix it sign another guys name in the log with the explanation "the :mad:has done it to me".

I recently had dinner with the pilot of that F-111, 1975 was long ago and far away.