The Shepherd
 

As every year this time, CBC radio 1 will broadcast "the Shepherd" by Frederick Forsyth on Christmas eve, sometime between 6:30 and 8:00 PM ( 18:30 till 20:00 for some) probably EST. (23:30- 01:00 Z I believe.) CBC.ca Radio . Also of possible interest is Where did the pilot fly in Frederick Forsyth's "The Shepherd" | As It Happens with Carol Off and Jeff Douglas | CBC Radio

I assume it will be available in real audio. If you can overcome the 'colonial' accent,:rolleyes: is is rather good.
I first read the story, on 'Q', on boxing day, 26 Dec, long ago. :)

Got it on MP3, required reading (audio book!) and requested by the little groundies every year.:)

Just confirmed on cbc, the reading will be at 2230Z on cbc Maritimes and Newfoundland.
Pour yourself a dram and enjoy!

Freddie still lives in UK but doubt he will answer the question of the 'Shepherd'.

I knew him when he had just left the RAF as a National Service pilot. He started as a reporter for the Kings Lynn News and Advertiser and we both used the same pub, on the corner of the square, in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
I recall his interest in RAF Marham, where I was stationed, as it was the Valiant nuclear bomb facility...he had a nose for journalism and constantly asked me about things going-on at the base which, I confess, I wasn't aware.:oh:
However, I probably made up some typical RAF B/S just to flow our conversations, depending on how many pints of bitter I'd imbibed...it's possible he even included my stories (crap) in his books!

That's why they are fictional...:E

Fiction, maybe but I haven't read anything which so perfectly expresses the feeling of operating an aircraft when things aren't going to plan than The shepherd.

Had the honour of sharing a few drinks with FF earlier this year - he confirmed that "the flying is non-fiction" or words to that effect. :ok:

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Just done the spuds and the sprouts while listening online.

Thoughts go back to George M as the skipper reading it at a crew Christmas Dinner with all the lights turned down in the dining room of the Hotel.

We had turned the lights down to stop him reading it and let us get back to the beer; but George resourceful as always had brought a torch!

Done, and excellent as always. Hopefully, all Ppruners will be around next year to hear it again. Merry Christmas everybody.

The Shepherd
 

If you missed it live, you can catch it on the CBC website here:

"Fireside Al" Maitland reads Frederick Forsyth's "The Shepherd" - As It Happens - CBC Player

You can also find it on YouTube:


CBC published an item on the probable geography and the possible location of "RAF Minton":

"Where did the pilot fly in Frederick Forsyth's "The Shepherd""
Where did the pilot fly in Frederick Forsyth's "The Shepherd" | As It Happens with Carol Off and Jeff Douglas | CBC Radio

Enjoy!

Yes, I've posted this before in a thread about The Shepherd and yes, I know it's not a single-seat Vampire, but its a great photo and highly appropriate:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ndMosquito.jpg

Fireside Al's readings were always a delight. One of the things I miss about Canada. This year was the 34th anniversary of the first time that Al read The Shepherd on As It Happens.

Merry Christmas to all from Saigon where it has been appropriately cool - a low of 21C the other night!

You can also download it from my collection at this link .....

Cheers folks, from "The Old Fogducker."

http://www.hightail.com/download/elNJb24zQzNYSHh2TzhUQw

Read the book years ago but the broadcast is so much better. Wonder if "RAF Minton" actually existed? I know Mossies operated from RAF North Creake and also Little Snoring in Norfolk but neither of those were Pathfinder bases as they were clustered around RAF Wyton in Huntingdonshire, 12 or so miles from here.

My own guess at the locations in The Shepherd

Most of the names have been slightly changed from real RAF base names. The locations are not associated directly with the names, or the aircraft types.

RAF Merriam St George - the name is a slight change from RAF Middleton St George (now Teeside Airport). Actual location RAF Horsham St Faith (now Norwich Airport)

Horsham St Faith was the base for 105 Sqn Mosquito Pathfinders (B MkIV)

RAF Minton - the name is a slight change from RAF Milton (near Abingdon), a supply depot which closed shortly after the date the book is set. Actual Location RAF Coltishall.

Colt was a Vampire base, though not in 1957 (neither was Celle by this time).

Reasoning. An approach to Horsham St Faith (Norwich Airport) from the coast is about 15 miles, and the approach path for RWY 22 goes pretty much over Colt. The book states that the mosquito pilot dropped him short of the GCA airfield (H St F) due to lack of fuel.

Things which don't fit with the book.
H St F main rwy was 09/27,but there's no airfield on this approach path from the coast.
H St F was the real pathfinder base, not Colt, but this wouldn't fit with the approach from the coast bit of the plot.
Colt is about halfway in from the coast to H St f, not a 5/10 split as per the book.

Given FF was a Vampire pilot, I would imagine he originally plotted the story on an air chart, which means the coast - Colt - H St F path was the basis, then names and aircraft types were shuffled to fit this.

Thoughts?

p.s. FF did his training with 4 FTS(?) at RAF Worksop, which until early 1956 had been at...RAF Middleton St George.
When he left the RAF in 1958 he became a reporter in.....Norwich!

The Shepherd
 

Good Afternoon All:

As we come into the Christmas season I came across this 1957 radio broadcast on YouTube which is from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation "The Shepherd-Fredick Forsyth- read by Alan Maitland.

It is a wonderful story about 35 minutes so grab a port or other favourite beverage and enjoy.

To all those active and veterans thank you for giving us the freedoms we enjoy today

Merry Christmas

The Shepherd - Frederick Forsyth - read by Alan Maitland from CBC Radio - YouTube

Also broadcast on CBC radio1, As It Happens, usually the last weeknight before Christmas, sometime between 18:30- 20:00 EST. :ok:

..and if you like the idea of a group listen, they still broadcast it every year on Christmas Eve on CBC Radio 1 - As It Happens. 6:30pm (7pm in Newfoundland). It's usually up first.

Wonderful story! We listen every Christmas eve.

A great Christmas story.
BBC always do a ghost story for Christmas, maybe they could do this some time.
DN

Great story by one of my favourite authors, and of course "one of us". Thanks Freddie

I suspect many of us here are also 4FTS men, and probably a few women now too.

Now didn't 4FTS put down a revolt in Iraq around 70 years ago, with most of the sorties flown by students?
And didn't every one of us hope for a chance to repeat that?
And the way the World's turned, I reckon we probably could - if we could choose our own ROE.

Thanks for posting that. Something that will certainly entertain my family on Christmas day.

Smudge:ok:

Hey Fox3- you sure you posted your reply on the correct thread- wild thread drift, but not arguing with the content!:D

Frederick Forsyth learned to fly Vampires with 4FTS, then at Worksop.

No 4 Service Flying Training School was, indeed, at RAF Habbaniya during the siege of 1941.

RAF Habbaniya - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As its nearly Christmas.....
I was fortunate in my early years (late 60'S, early 70's) to spend many months resident in the No 1 Mess of the Royal Air Force . i.e Farnborough.
One of our retired Flying Medics told of being one night in foul weather , totally 'uncertain of position' ,with a misbehaving Anson and communication collapses.
As the stress levels went up,he was suddenly aware of a "presence" in the cockpit. He recognized this as a friend who had died on Meteors some months previously, and calmed down as he felt his friend "guide" him out of the situation and to a final safe conclusion.

All totally irrational, and one of the pioneer RAF Flying Doctors could have been considered well out of order in telling the story to a susceptible young officer pilot.

Equally irrational was the quiet chat I was invited to have with the RAF's then leading ENT ( Ear ,Nose and Throat) Senior Officer Medic who talked me through -with sketches, of an encounter with a large UFO which took off in front of him and his wife and disappeared up in to the sky in the Badlands of Arizona.....:hmm:

Ah now I understand the connection to 4FTS. BTW for fans of the CBC recording, if you go to the link given by A330, and access the 38:25 version listed from whodannywho, there is an initial 5-6 minute interview with Frederick Forsyth regarding the story, and then he begins a narration, fading into Alan Maitland. I'm not sure if the interview is available separately.
I used to live near Worksop!

Imagining a friend/relative appearing to help resolve a stressful situation is well known phenomenon. Singlehanded sailors report it regularly.*

UFOs in Arizona however....I've lived and flown in Arizona; I would imagine it was an atmospheric phenomenon connected to the refraction of light in heated air.


*It is 'rational'. I think it is the brain's way of resolving a belief that one is incapable of the actions which the brain understands are required.
.

A330PC
Top quality........only meant to look but just HAD to listen to the end!!!:D

Freddie Forsythe was a National Service pilot trainnee who was a couple of courses behind me at 8 FTS Swinerby in 1956/7. This is where he gained the Vampire experience to write the Shepherd. TBH I can't remember him as courses tended to stick together socially. Worksop was a Meteor AFS.

I stand corrected. My info was from a RAF Worksop website; they 'claim' him.

4 FTS (Vampires) was indeed at RAF Worksop while the Meteor AFS was there. I was an instructor in the Ground School there and at its previous location.
Historically, 4FTS moved from RAF Middleton-St.-George to Worksop for a short time only before continuing on to RAF Valley, which is when I left the unit. The relevant dates escape me in my dotage.

RAF Habbaniya
 

Slight drift, but my Great-Great-Uncle (Sir Hughie Edwards) was CO of RAF Habbaniya during Suez and the Iraqi Revolution in the 50's.

I humbly stand corrected. Frederick Forsyth's name came up at a 111 course reunion many years ago, after he became famous. As I said, I can't remember ever meeting him at Swinderby, but several people present were convinced he was there in 1957.

I've posted this picture in a prior year's "Shepherd" thread, but it's worth reposting:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ndMosquito.jpg

I encourage everyone to listen to "The Shepherd", read by the inimitable "Fireside" Al Maitland.

I'm fortunate enough to possess an illustrated corrected proof copy (on proofing paper, no less!) of The Shepherd.

Best I dust it off for it's Christmas read:ok:

On in half an hour at 22:30Z if you have an Internet radio link to
CBC One St Johns Newfoundland 640 AM
Merry Chiristmas to all !

The Shepherd
 

Merry Christmas to all ...pour a glass and listen,
'Fireside' Al Maitland reads Frederick Forsyth's The Shepherd - Home | As It Happens | CBC Radio

Thanks Albatross,

A great story by one of the best storytellers around. I read that many years ago during flying training and listening to Al Maitland reading it just now reminded me of what an excellent tale it is.
20 years ago I was flying under radar control in thick cloud over south east England when the controller said.'Standby, I've just lost my screen.'
'Roger,' says I, trying not to sound concerned.
'I'll arrange a service from.....'
'Say again.'
Silence.
There was a scramble in the cockpit to find another radar frequency when the controller piped up,
'Sorry about that, total electric failure here but we've got power back now, avoiding action turn left blah blah'
Less than a minute had elapsed and I had a crew to share the moment with, but it brought back Frederick Forsyth's story.

Merry Christmas!

On my way to visit my parents today I looked up and saw few contrails on the sky. I realised that most of the passengers are not leaving. They are heading home.

Pilots may miss Christmas eve because they are on duty. But I wish they could perceive all the joy they cause when they bring the loved ones to the festive table.

I am not a pilot (just being partly acquainted professionally with aviation) but I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who make it happen – we arrive safely wherever we go as SLF. You are our shepherds on seats 0A and 0B every time we want to fly somewhere.

I've heard a story today from a lady who experienced hard time 40 years ago because her mother became ill and she was placed with her brother into an asylum. Mother was released on Christmas eve and she was unable to go shopping to buy some gifts, only thing she could do was to bring the Christmas tree. Picked up her children and there was nothing below the tree. Yet the lady who told me the story said that she remembers this as the best Christmas ever. It was just being with the loved ones, at home. That was more than enough.

As I watched the sky today I was thinking of all the pilots who bring the joy to the world.

http://niejemijedno.sk/wp-content/up...t-1024x683.jpg

Thank you very much!