Finningley musings.
 

Please can anyone dot a few 'T's and cross a few 'I's for me?

As Met Instructor I shared an office in Ground School 1970s with three Nav screens cum Instructors, all Flt Lts. What they thought of having a civvy foisted on them I know not, but they were kindness itself and included me in their banter, which was an education that my mother would not have approved of.

I wonder if readers can identify and expand?

First up was an officer with a round, almost Eastern, face and dark hair, a keen hockey player and ex-Canberra. He introduced me to dwang, in the dwang, up the dwang, dwangy as a good general purpose set of mild swears.

Then a man who looked a little like Farage, the UKIP leader. Bill, I think, married to an RAF Doctor, lived on the patch, and both sold their cars one day, vowing to hire vehicles suitable to their immediate purpose: sports car, off-roader, Roller, Mini, or use a taxi. Had a cat.

Last but not least, a Flt Lt Rae ? who I believe achieved a fairly high rank. We didn't get a lot of work done for the first hour of the day as I recall, but it was fun.

Any advance?

Bit after my time. I was there mid 1963 to end 1965, when I took off for warmer climes. And short trousers with long socks.


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I think the Bill was Nevison or Nevinson ............ name came to me over a lunchtime pint. Will try a glass of red later to see if I can go further ......

Was the Flt Lt Rae the guy who was staish when I was a stude in the mid 80's: Gp Capt W McC Rae? Clearly I called him Sir - but to his mates his first name was Willie. I think he then went up another 2 or 3 rungs on the ladder after that.

Yes indeed I believe it was, and thank you.

Two down, one to go!

Hi Langley,

The third one might be Roger Lewis, who I remember from Canberras (100 Sqn at Marham '76-77); believe he went onto Tornado at some point; a thoroughly good egg. ;)

There was also a Flt. Lt. 'Tam' Rae who was a screen in the Dominie simulator. He used to have us in stitches. He was elderly in 1977.

OOr Tam...
 

.....Tam was "elderly" years and years before that!.

The Ancient Mariner

I shall run Roger Lewis past my decaying memory bank and see if bells sound and whistles blow. First impression: possible.
That's a definite maybe!

Thanks to all: my Rae was definitely the man who made high rank ........ once I had made the connection I realised he was indeed staish when I visited FY on official business c. 1982 [I was 1 Group but the Met Office bundled its RAF customers up geographically rather than functionally]

Langley,Check PMs