The song 'Malla Mary' doesn't summon up a vision of a Salvation Army worker to me.......

On "Last Post", how do they manage to keep their KD so parade-fresh all daY ? - must have a damn fine "dhobi-wallah"!

smart looking rozzers....
 

Danny...

As I said in an earlier submission I was at Steamer Point living in the highest airman's block up the mountain. Sweaty or wot! But I am sure there were similarities between the two Bases. Anyway, the 'dhobi-wallas' (DW) we had were unbelievable! Daily we would leave our dirty clothes wrapped in a towel on our beds. The DW (females) would pick up the bundles wrap them (about 50 odd bundles!) in a sheet and then balance them on their heads and carry them further up the mountain to the DW 'laundry' :ooh:. They would mark every thing with an individual 'dhobi-mark' on the labels of each individual item of laundry and then wash the clothes and hang them on the line to dry. Bloody great lines of dhobi out in the sun!

They then collated it (matched the dhobi marks mostly!), starched and ironed the shirts and shorts and then delivered the lot down the mountain in the afternoon! There was hardly ever a mistaken dhobi-mark.

I was in awe of this organisation it was brilliant!! and dead cheap! :D
That's probably why the rozzer's kit looks squeeky clean !! :ok:

And that is an error in the programme, the uniforms are not starched. As we were on a no notice standby our batties in Merryfield, at a cost, could do a one hour service. When we moved to Malaysia the DW there, Chinese apapted the Aden laundry mark that had already been modified in Gan.

We had a similar dhobi arrangement in Belize though the laundry marks could be quite big.

Friday collection wasn't returned until Monday. Sometimes you would see the dhobi girl's boyfriend wearing your shirt on a Saturday night.

The KD for officers at Khormaksar was made from "Dacron" at the behest of the Air Commander , Johnny Johnson I believe. This man made fibre kept its crease and looked the part but it didn't absorb any perspiration. I have seen guys bathed in sweat where it ran in rivulets down their legs to be absorbed in their long socks but not a spot on the KD. It might have looked good but it gave you prickly heat under the arms and tinnia in the crotch. Thanks Johnny.

JJ had a lot to answer for in Aden ;)

Tons of Nairobi earth for his garden, His boat transported to Masirah by Beverley for a fishing trip, original David Shepherd paintings belonging to the Ksar officers mess sent off to be cleaned.

I flew JJ down to Eastleigh for an AOC’s inspection. When we parked on the allocated spot the guard of honour was lined up behind the station commander waiting for him leave the Argosy via the rear passenger door. JJ left through the round crew hatch in the nose, came up behind the welcoming party and said in a loud voice: “Got you, you bastards”, which I thought was quite amusing at the time.

brakedwell - dunno about 'his' boat but we took the Air Sea Rescue launch by Beverley to Perim for one his fishing trips.
Actually, later in life, he turned over a new leaf. He retired to the village of Wormhill near Buxton and set up the 'not for profit' Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust. That organisation now has approx 5000 properties in the North Derbyshire and South Yorkshire areas which are let to 'deserving' people.

NRU74
I understand the MOD billed JJ for the Beverley when he retired soon after leaving Aden. I hope he enjoyed his fishing.

Wos a rumour that the governor of Gibralter received bales of fodder for his milk cow from shacks of coastal command!!

Kamaran Island was a fishing destination from Khormaksar. I flew both JJ and his predecessor FER there. On one occasion we had to spend the night there sleeping in a very basic, derelict hut on rusty iron bedsteads. It was so hot in the hut we had to drag the beds outside and slept under the stars. We carried water and some provisions for the night stop.
I am sure the AOC had better accommodation and food. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience though.

Church Parade - With or without Abdul and Graham
 

Danny42C (471) reprising Geriaviator in Aden


Now my father, an unenthusiastic RE conscript at the end of National Service had discovered that, according to Queen’s Regs, Church Parade was voluntary. He was a posting clerk, and there was a copy of the National Service Act in the office that he had digested deeply. It was to help him greatly in a financial sense later, much to the consternation of HMG, when he discovered that married men, and their wives, were not to be out of pocket …

He deeply objected to the military’s version of Church Parade – not least because he was, at the time, a Methodist Sunday school teacher. In his own words, and from his army memoirs ‘Brown Job’ …

-----

Church parade was held on Sundays. The whole regiment, one thousand or so, was assembled on the square and marched into church. Finally, the Brigadier and his entourage would arrive from Dowton Abbey, and enter. The whole congregation was brought to attention by the RSM in fine booming voice, but without testing his [f-ing] speech impediment, in deference to the stained glass and gothic interior of St George’s.
I was outraged.
I went to the RSM and asked to be relieved from the church parade.
‘Are you a f-f-f****** Roman Catholic?”
“No”
“A Jew?”
“No, Methodist”
“That’s f-f-f****** C of E”
“You’re on my f-f-f****** parade”
So I drew this cartoon…

It depicted groups of soldiers, bent over and carrying large cross, being whipped into the garrison church. I pinned it on the COs notice board. Sod it! Everyone but 2nd Lt. Pratt knew what I had done. They couldn’t believe it. We waited. The phone rang. It was the Adjutant; the second in command. I could see him across the yard through his window. He had his phone in one hand, my drawing in the other. In my ear, he ordered me to come over. Through the window he beckoned me urgently. I put on my belt and beret.
And walked through the Squadron Office. All eyes were on me. Every knew what I had done. The unsaid words were, “Bye-bye!”
“What possessed you to do this?” the Adjutant demanded, as I stood to attention in front of his desk, looking straight ahead, over his head and though the window behind him. I could see my colleagues’ white faces watching the drama unfold from where I had been a moment before.

“I feel strongly Sir, that the Army has no place in the church.”
“It is God’s house. It is nothing to do with the Brigadier, Sir”

“If the CO had seen this you would be on a charge. Do you understand? Don’t be such a damn fool”.

He tore up the cartoon and put the bits in his bin.

“Dismissed!”

But that wasn’t the end of it. The phone rang again. This time it was the RSM. He wanted to f-f-f****** see me - NOW!.

So here I was again.“Regarding my Church Parade. You will be on my f-f-f******parade, but you will stand at the f-f-f****** church door and rejoin my parade when we come out. Is that f-f-f****** understood, Corporal?”

“Yes Sir.”

I would stand outside the church door. I would be there when the Brigadiers party arrived from Downton Abbey. They would ask me why I was there. What would I say?

I decided I would tell them the reason, and to hell with it.

The day arrived. It was sunny. The Regimental band played. I really liked that. They were extremely good. The moment came.

Then the RSM’s voice rang out over the square.

“If any man here, is intending to stand at the church door let him step out of ranks now.”

He didn’t expect me or anyone to respond. I stamped several paces forward and came to a crisp, smart attention… Silence; then…“You… stand still! Regiment. Right turn. Regiment, by the left, quick march.” The band played some fabulous march which eventually was for my benefit alone. A drill sergeant marched over to me from about a mile away, and came to attention directly in front of me, his drill cane pointing at my chest. From under the peak which hid his eyes, he shouted

“The RSM says, that you will no longer attend a church parade. Understand? Dismissed!”

According to the Squadron Office, I was a ‘jammy bugger’

Wander00. No coffee, or another keyboard?

Interestingly(?) there is a very readable auto-biography of a chap who flew Hunters with 8 Sqn from Khormaksar entitled "Fall Out Roman Catholics and Jews". (He had declared himself a Catholic in order to skip compulsory church parades).


Available - usually second hand - from all good book retailers (and a few rubbish ones).


https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....4,203,200_.jpg

Coffee cup banished to side table


I will recall, again, the fine words of an order issued by the CWO at the Towers one fine morning -"Roman Catholics and other non Christians, fall......out". Long, pregnant pause

On posting to my first operational Squadron in the '50's and having a Jewish Grandmother I changed my religion from C of E to Jewish. This worked fine and got me out of all sorts of parades and caused neither the RAF or me any unnecessary hassle. Then I was posted to RAF Germany and had to have the usual medical on arrival. The SMO carried out the inspection very thoroughly and then said, "I note from your records that your religion is listed as Jewish, how come you have not been circumcised?" He then offered to send me to RAF Wegberg to have the matter corrected. A couple of weeks later I quietly and without wishing to draw attention to myself changed back to C of E.:)

Circumscribe? Was the SMO suggesting he should draw a line around it before chopping a bit off?

Spell checkers are a God send to some and a persistent irritation to others. Thanks for pointing out the latest stupidity of my spell checker. Now corrected.:)

Quite amazing really. Considering that Khormaksar closed nearly fifty years ago, and the original post on this thread was concerning the SAR flight, here we are, two and a half years and five hundred threads down the line, still keeping it going. Great stuff.

eko4me (#471 reprising Geriaviator in Aden),
Rings so many bells that it is difficult to know where to start !
Clearly a "Barrack Room Lawyer", then !
Could this be the famed occasion when the RSM, observing one soldier who had forgotten to remove his headgear when entering the portal, roared out the immortal words: "TAKE YER 'AT ORF IN THE 'OUSE OF GAWD, ***T" ?
Was there a military establishment of some sort there ? (later to be the subject of an ITV classic drama series).
"But why did you have to write this bloody Letter", demanded "Batchy" Atcherley of the trembling Danny "on the carpet" before him (story somewhere on "Pilots Brevet").

Danny.

Wensleydale (#497),

I have the book - well worth reading. I like the "distinguished Air Force Career" bit (seven year's service, and he made it all the way to Fg. Off.) Makes me feel a bit better about my own undistinguished non-Career (23 years officer service, made it to Flt. Lt.)

When did "Fall Out the Roman Catholics and Jews !" end ? Has it ended ? Last time I remember taking part in a Parade was at Thornaby ca 1954. Middlesbrough has a high proportion of Roman Catholic Irish immigrants from the 19th century; if we'd all trooped out, half the parade would have disappeared.

Solution: my C.O. (Wg Cdr David Brown, DSO [Jews] and I [RCs] did the honours on behalf of our respective co-religionists, so the Padre (C of E) had someone to listen to his "God-Bothering" after all.

After that, I was ATC, and always managed to be on duty (I wonder how) in the Tower when Parades were about.

Danny.

Danny. RHIP

The order "Fall out Roman Catholics and Non-Christians" was certainly used on parades at the Towers until the end of 1965.

The ITS Passing Out and Wings Parade were the only two I got caught for in eighteen years of officer service. My impeccable standard of dress ensured that I was always found another duty on AOC's and others.

Normally taking part in a fly past.:ok::ok::ok::ok:

Parades? I was always down the route, even missed my own dining out night at Brize :)

k3k3 (#500) and DODGYOLDFART (#501),

Cannot remember where (on Pilots Brevet), but a long time ago, I told a sad tale of a chap in a hospital ward with me, who was "circumscribed" prior to committing matrimony, as things were a bit tight, so to speak, in that department.

Next weekend, his parents came to visit with his fiancée: the sight of her inflamed his ardour to such an extent that he bust his stiches. He did howl ! It was tactfully suggested that she should stay away until the (next lot) of stiches were out.

Just thought I'd mention it. Danny.

"Would you like to re-phrase that ?"
 

WanderOO (#498),
Hang on, old chap, that's a bit much - just because (I hope) I would have refused to take Henry's Oath of Supremacy, doesn't make me a traitor, or a pagan ! :*

Danny.

or pregnant!

Herod (#505),

"RHIP" ? (new one on me !)

Re: "Last Post", is anyone else finding it difficult to follow what is going on, or
am I just uniquely thick ?

Danny.

brakedwell (#511),

Was told, when I first joined, "They can do anything to you in the R.A.F., lad - except put you in the family way - and they'll have a damned good stab at that !"

Danny.

Agreed, it's it hard to follow with all that dust and rags wrapped round their heads. The naughty girl is going to have twins, I think

RHIP "Rank Hath Its Privileges"

EDIT:

FED (#507),

Was once warned off parades by a Station Commander who said I marched: "like a ruptured duck".

Thank you Wg Cdr Haile !


brakedwell (#514),

But the Femme Fatale is rather easy on the (rheumy old) eye, don't you think ? (Doesn't go any further, dammit).


Herod (#515),

Rank had nothing to do with it - guess who was writing the rosters !

Cheers all, Danny.

AAAh, even better.

Parades? I did two in 29 years, excluding the Graduation thing.

1. Freedom of Louth, Plt Off with Storno trying to coordinate Varsity and JP flypast with Parade with some guy with R/T on a rooftop nearby. Engrossed/focussed on Comms, walked past RAF Standard and QCS without saluting, and thus shouted at by RAF Regt sqn ldr. :(

2. AOC's at West Drayton, Flt Lt commanding Guard of Honour. Apparently I done good, thanks to purchase of new No. 1 HD :)

And despite IOT training, I never found it necessary to run anywhere, ever. Not even carrying the end of a pine pole, slowly, ever. Officers running can make the troops nervous, I believe. ;)

MPN11 (#518),

Same with Nurses - except in cases of Cardiac Arrest !

(perhaps it depended on which direction your nervous troops saw they were running ? - "soaky-poo" [WWI] = "sauve qui peut" ! )

Danny.

The mention of circumspection and nurses once more brings us to Aden. A noted Beverley pilot whose name corresponds to a radio special agent of years gone by was assailed by a stricture of said membrane and was duly admitted to Steamer Point hospital. the usual bunch of suitably concerned well wishers arrived at his bedside and marvelled at the impossibly huge cage arranged under the bedsheet over the nethers of the good officer. For no reason at all at that moment a strikingly attractive Scottish nurse entered the ward and due to the "clip-clopitis" of her heels on the tiled floor all banter stopped. She went to the bed opposite and tucked in the already immaculate sheets. Her crisp nursie skirt rode up displaying stockings and suspenders. In that heat, we thought. The gallant afflicted officer writhed and groaned in his cage. Who says that there is no charity in the Services.

The topic of religious persuasion cropped up fairly early in my time at RAFC Cranwell. However, amongst our number were quite a few ex-'Super Techs' who'd been selected from their apprentice training to become officers. Thinking they were clever, they did a bit of investigation...

The CofE contingent had a weekly Church parade, inspection and marched to the god shop. The service went on for ages (brightened up only by the AssCom's pretty teenage daughter), then we marched back again - with luck we were free by mid-day at the earliest.

The church of jocks and others gathered a little earlier in the Junior Mess entrance, strolled to the CSFC church and were out again pretty quick.

The papists did even better - they just turned up at their church, mumbled some Latin and were done whilst we were still being inspected.

So our ex-Apps decided that they'd become RC. The left-footer god-botherer was amazed at this and was about to ring the Vatican or something. But he was quite young, so the senior CoE padre had a whisper in his ear.

As a result, the ex-App aspirant Romanists were told "Fine, but you will have to come to study religious instruction on Saturday (I think it was) afternoons". Strangely enough, most of them had a sudden change of heart.

Beagle,
I now need a new keyboard - full of coffee!!!!

First time I have seen the term 'God Shop' since 1970 at Swinderby.
Just explained the term to my wife - a Thai Christian/Buddhist - and she is still giggling like a school girl.

Well done lad. You just made my evening.