Overlooking Plymouth Sound on the eastern side. A superb mess standard design but modified as the grounds didn't permit wings. It had 3 stories the top floor in its day housed AOC 19 Gp who was also SOUMAR and COMAIRCHAN IIRC.

V-bomber crews crew up before the OCU. An F4 once woke up in the mess flower bed, I can't remember if it was from the first floor or the second after 19 Gp disbanded. Physically there was no injury but the trick cyclists wanted to find out why he had no recall of the high dive.

My last posting before demob in 1973 was as an instructor at 3 Maritime HQ Unit RAuxAF. When my posting to that unit arrived my boss (Hunter pilot, QFI) thought it was somebody's idea of a joke as the RAuxAF had been disbanded in the 1950s. In fact there were still 3 such units comprising telegraphists, wireless operators, teleprinter operators, operations clerks and sundry other trades. Lovely place to work, my bunk on the 2nd floor had double sash windows and a view overlooking Plymouth Sound and Staddon Heights.

Two airmen's blocks at the back of the photo, airmen's mess & WRAF block to their left.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...99_634x346.jpg

I remember years' ago, a restored Catalina landed in the Plymouth Sound and snotted one of the buoys. This put a hole in the Catalina which unfortunately started to sink! Luckily, quick thinking by everyone there, the Catalina was saved from sinking when it was moved to the ramp at Mountbatten and pulled up the ramp to be accommodated in the hanger. The effort sustained in pulling it up the sloping ramp burnt out two landrover clutches, apparently. The Cat was repaired eventually and sent on its' way. Before it departed I was allowed to have a look inside and was well impressed with the beautifully fitted interior. Kid leather - most impressive!

A related article in New Scientist. This is a valuable source for instructors and those interested in surprise and startle management - preparing for the unknown, which is relevant to many situation is flying.

https://www.newscientist.com/article...ve-a-disaster/
Subscription required for full article, but some selected quotes:
... unknown prejudices can dictate your actions.
... a checklist for the mind.
“No one gets smarter under stress. The question really is who gets dumb faster.”

"I know nothing" about interrogation awareness being taught at Mounbatten.
However better situational awareness might have avoided an incident c.1952 when the pilot of a Sea Otter, part occupied by Haraka Senior, elected one misty morning to take off up the River Plym to return to St.Eval.
Unfortunately they all never got further than the Laira Railway bridge, which appeared as he was comfortably on the step, and which he succeeded in then flying into. Luckily the only personal injury was to the pilot's ego (post the shocked utterance of " What a f*cking stupid place to put a bridge!")

A sort of parallel from the 80s... The instructor at Mountbatten used a quote which he said originated east of the iron curtain, alluding to the interrogator's short window after an ejection or a crash landing.

"An unusual experience engenders in a man the need to talk".

Not being an habitual, 'balls in the vice', person, I'd have thought interrogation qualifies as unusual too! :ok:

Can't recall the origin though- TM maybe?

CG

CG, 10 years earlier, standing in the bar, growing puddle of water around this blanket wrapped figure holding a pint of beer.

Talk about talk, he couldn't stop. The medics were not best pleased.

Doing the maths one can see you almost lost your father . . .

And 'which part was he occupying?'

P.N.There were two on board apart from the pilot IIRC . Both , simultaneously, got out through the top fuselage hatch . Neither was exactly thin and they couldn't repeat the exercise later! The pilot had tried to fly between two of the bridge supports, removing the outer wings and float off of one side. The aircraft came eventually to rest on a mud bank the other side of the bridge. It was towed back to Mountbatten later in the morning with the passengers sitting on the "good" lower wing.
Senior had another incident with a Sea Otter when he slid on oil forward into the prop off the top of the fuselage whilst checking,though the prop disc, for oil leaks during an engine run. His right arm hit each blade of the three once and one twice as he was thrown up and off to once side , landing on the tarmac just beyond the wing tip. His arm was going to be amputated but a young Australian doc decided to "have a go at" saving it. Luckily he was successful and Snr. retained it (and with good movement) despite having an interesting double elbow! Sorry for the thread drift .

Haraka, ooooo

I did a 3 day E&E in Germany in the early 70's as an officer cadet. Was captured and interrogated (KOSB's I think) - sack over the head, water poured over me, stripped to underwear and paraded through the local town (not sure where...). Can't remember how long I 'resisted', but I didn't regard it as particularly harsh - not as bad as the 'tear gas' experience.

This is why you listen to your mother and wear clean underwear.

I seem to remember it being a Pavlov quote, much beloved of R2I/CAACI instructors at Ashford. Can't find it on the internet though ;)

The oatmeal blocks in those 24hr ration packs ensured clean underwear as well ... it shall not come to pass.

High up in the Brecons, cold and wet, best porridge I have ever had.