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For seven and a half years I kept a personal diary of the events that happened on and
off shift whilst in the RAF from 01/01/1962 until my discharge from the RAF on 13/07/1969. Some events will be humorous,
some even boring, perhaps a lot of it the MoD might not like (but that's tough!), a lot of it will show how an Engine Bod
(erk) coped on the Squadron line or on 2nd line Servicing (yuck!). Not every day of the year is included and I must
point out these are my views of the RAF and no other person. Dates prior to 1962 are taken from my flying log books, Air Training
Corps (ATC) records, medical records and my service records.
Conduct and Trade Assessments:
1957 Exemplary u/t - 5 Halton/Weeton
1958 Exemplary 5 - 6 Seletar
1959 Very Good 5 - 5 Katunayake
1960 Very Good 5 - 5 St Mawgan
1961 Very Good 4 - 5 St Mawgan
1962 Very Good 6 - 4 St Mawgan/Weeton
1963 Good 5
- 5 St Mawgan/El Adem
1964 Exemplary 5 - 5 El Adem
1965 Exemplary 5 - 5 El Adem/Stradishall
1966 Exemplary 5 - 5 Stradishall
1967 Exemplary 6 - 6 Stradishall/Wattisham
1968 Exemplary 6 - 6 Wattisham
January 1st
1962 RAF St Mawgan Day off
1963 RAF Weeton Fitters course, mates car wouldn't start, got into work just after 0900hrs
just in time for tea break, no one noticed I wasn't there!
1964 RAF El Adem 12 hour shifts on Transit Aircraft Servicing Section nothing to do in the morning,
PM a Libyan LA-19 Bird Dog and a Canberra from 58 Squadron came in.
1965 RAF El Adem, woken by Chiefy at 0630hrs, time for breakfast then knocked off at 0900hrs.
1966 RAF Stradishall Day Off
1967 RAF Stradishall Day Off
1968 RAF Wattisham Day Off
1969 RAF Wattisham QRA Quick Reaction Alert 29(f) Squadron, we sat at end
of runway with two Lightning F3's for a whole week in the 'shed' ready for the 'big one'. Two engine runs only, relieved only
for 4 meals in a 24 hour period.
January 2nd
1962 St Mawgan 201 Squadron Shackleton MR3 Engine Starter Fire (Priming) one Co2 bottle used to
extinguish flames which had extended under the wing.
1964 El Adem Hastings TG530 51 Squadron 'Iceni' arrived (Top secret squadron this one at that time!)
1967 Stradishall. Medical chit to work in office for 7 days, no engine runs permitted (ear problems)
January 3rd
1962 St Mawgan put on a fizzer (252 Charge) by a Chief Technician for refusing to do a job
after just finishing a job which resulted in me being soaked to the skin. C/T later withdrew the charge and gave me a rollicking.
1963 Weeton Paid £5=10=0
1964 El Adem Sudanese Jet Provost in on turn round only
1965 El Adem Standby helicopter (Sycamore) and 70 Sqn Pembroke called out as the Air
Attache to Cairo, a group captain, was involved in a car crash on the Libyan/Egyptian border. Car hit donkey in a sandstorm
at 70mph, left the road, hit a boulder, car safety strap broke but had already lacerated G/C neck severely. Helicopter lost
way in sandstorm and strayed 5 miles over Egyptian border at Salum, aircraft impounded, pilot arrested and taken to
Egyptian gaol for 3 hours. An ambulance was despatched from El A but broke down, helicopter eventually brought G/C to EL A
SSQ and then transferred to Benghazi hospital for treatment.
1969 Wattisham Friday at cessation of QRA both aircraft 'A' and 'F' scrambled, 111 Squadron took
up QRA. Home after 168 hours stuck in a hangar!
January 4th
1962 St Mawgan To SWO's office to sign on for Armoury Guard, Disciplinary Sergeant picked
me up for a haircut!
January 5th
1964 El Adem: I doubt whether you will find an account of this in the PRO at Kew!!!! "Comet
C2 from 51 Squadron Wyton (Hastings in 2 days previous) arrived late at night unannounced, A whole load of 'snowdrops' (police)
surrounded the aircraft. A/C was supposed to have hit an air pocket but rumour had it that it was Radar Jamming over Nassers
Corner, Egypt when 2 Mig fighters 'bounced' the Comet, they had to 'open up the taps' and pull a tight 'G' to rapidly get
out of the area. Comet had a suspected cracked main spar and all engines were dropped for further investigation. (It was later
reported this a/c returned to the UK with undercarriage down!)
January 6th
1964 El Adem 2 x 6 Squadron Canberras in, nothing else to report
1967 Stradishall Chimney Fire in my AMQ at 65 Poplar Walk, reported to guard room the fire, had
3 fire picquet airmen, Corporal Policeman, Orderley Corporal, Orderley Sergeant, Orderley Officer, 2 man ambulance crew from
Strad plus a 5 man fire tender from Wickhambrook attended. 3 days later I was summoned to the Station Adjutants office accused
of not having the chimney swept, I told him to get his facts right and had the chimney swept two days before the back boiler
fire occurred and walked out of his office, not waiting for his reply!
8th January
1969 Wattisham: 21 sorties by Lightnings on my day shift on 29 Squadron. just before I was
due to leave off work I was put on immediate standby for MRD snow clearance, after just coming off QRA told them I wasn't
going to do it and went home! Nothing said.
9th January
1964 El Adem: Had 13 Canberras in plus Pembroke,RAAF Hercules, IRIS III Hastings, 2 Indian Air Force
Sea Hawks, 2 Comets, Jet Provost, Auster AOP, and a British Eagle Viscount. Also got two rollickings, one from my Flight Commander
for touching a 'hot prop' on a Pembroke and one from a G/Captain for not standing in the correct position when seeing him
off in his Canberra!
1967 Stradishall: Office work for 2 more weeks via UMO SSQ
10th January
1969 Wattisham: 2 x Lightnings from 92 Squadron Gutersloh came in, on the afterflight I snagged
one in the F700 for a fuel leak from the port hinge bracket, this Chiefy went Apesh*t and an argument developed and I told
him to get off my back!
11th January
1965 El Adem: 3 Jet Provosts of Iraqi Air Force in amongst others. So windy on the airfield
that we had to tow a Hastings off the runway, pilot wouldn't taxi it to dispersal!
12th January
1966 Stradishall: The Meteor Flight (NF14's) were disbanded.
13th January
1960 Katunayake: Trip in a RNZAF Bristol Freighter (Vibrator as we called them) NZ5910 to Kandy
and return 1 hour 10 mins.
1964 El Adem: Defence Minister Peter Thorneycroft came through on a Comet. White overall job! Went
to SHQ to try and get out of the mob, only way was to Purchase Discharge.
14th January
1963 Weeton: Exactly half way through my 13 years in the RAF, only 78 months to do!!
15th January
1964 El Adem: Told to get my hair cut from Discip NCO.
1968 Wattisham: Appeared in some BBC TV documentary of the filming of the 50th anniversary of the
founding of the RAF on 29 sqn.
1969 Wattisham: MRD crew for a week, should have stayed on camp, fortunately weather was so mild
for that week I took the chance and went home at 1700 hrs everyday and didn't bother to turn up at the weekend, despite the
station being MDA.
16th January
1965 El Adem 3 Iraqi Hunters in on turn round.
1968 Wattisham: Armourer guys on 111 squadron wrote off a Firestreak Missile at £10800.
17th January
1968 Wattisham News in from previous evening 'Alpha' Lightning of 29 Squadron ended up in
the arrester barrier after parachute brake failed to deploy and normal brakes failed. .....and at RAF Coltishall someone
crunched a T-5 Lightning on to the runway.
19th January
1965 El Adem 2 x B6 Canberras of 213 squadron did 4 bombing sorties over the escarpment bombing
range. Had a Vickers Varsity of 115 squadron in and Rock 'n'Roll Star Wee Willie Harris arrived on a Viscount for a gig, a
Beverley was delayed by strong headwinds!
20th January
1965 El Adem A Ghibley (Sand Storm) blew in off the Sahara, all aircraft grounded and
airfield closed.
21st January
1969 Wattisham: Sent to CME Goodge Street, London to see Queens ENT specialist so a day out
in the smoke, going up the GPO tower and a walk through Regents Park.
22nd January
1958 Innsworth: To 25/01/1958 #5 Personnel Dispatch Unit awaiting overseas posting.
1964 El Adem Stuck down the intake of a Hunter of 43 Squadron doing an igniter plug change, (you
had to be a thin chap to get down there and was pulled out by your feet by a colleague when finished the job)
1965 El Adem Saw Wee Willie Harris and his group performing at Tobruk Garrison.
23rd January
1963 RAF Weeton: Took a day trip to nearby RAF Warton, the home of the English Electric Lightning,
counted 35 mark 3,4 and 5's. Chief test pilot Dizzy de Villiers arrived in a gleaming red e-type Jaguar, parked alongside
an F3, strapped in started up and did a splendid short display for us including the famous 'sitting it on its ar*e at
low level, selecting full reheat and off into the blue yonder' (I saw this performed many times at Wattisham, spectacular!)
1968 Wattisham: 'Operation Slingshot' cancelled due to fog!
1965 El Adem: Hastings TG551 came back to base with #2 propellor feathered, loss of oil pressure,
when I checked the oil tank NO OIL! Dropped the scavenge and pressure filter, no metal fragments. Put 29 gallons of oil in
the tank, ran the engine for 20 minutes, all pressures and temperatures normal and no leaks.
January 24th
1967 Stradishall: Started work in spark plug bay, not to work above ground level, cushy number!
January 25th:
1958 Blackbushe: RAF Contract flight in Civilian clothes with Airwork services first leg to Singapore:
Blackbushe to Brindisi, italy in Handley Page Hermes G-ALDC (Written off in crash at Southend 1961) 6 hours.
1964 El Adem: 5 of 13 Britannias (on my shift) from Lyneham in, en route to trouble torn Kenya,
transporting the first of 1000 commandos.
1968 Wattisham: (Mention of jet intake checks, for an engine bod you had to be thin to get down
this cavernous intake, climbing above the radome and then corkscrewing your way down the reverse journey was just that!)
26th January
1958 Brindisi, Italy to Ankara, Turkey: (Jonah Syndrome)
strikes again, night time landing airfield is covered in snow G-ALDC Hermes makes a pass over airfield, runway is clear except
for a slight dusting of snow, somehow a very heavy thud from starboard undercarriage. On inspection U/C leg is cracked and
we have to wait for a replacement Oleo to be flown out (4 days delay). All expenses on BOAC (meaning the RAF). 4 hours 5 mins
flight time.
1964 El Adem Bomb Dump guard, brilliant this, situated 1.5 miles from the control tower
in an Aluminium Tent (Al Tent), a landline ran from the control tower to the Al Tent, we were 'armed' with a whistle and a
torch it would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic!
27th January
1965 El Adem Propellor change on Hastings TG535. Today 3 Hunters, Viscount, 4 Hastings, 2
Canberras, 2 Shackletons, Vulcan, 2 Andovers of The Queens Flight and a support Argosy from RAF Benson, the latter two on
their way to Sudan for the Queens visit next week.
1967 Stradishall Annual kit inspection carried out by a warrant officer, panic stations as
several of us had to go and borrow kit off other erks to make up the shortfall! Also picked up for frayed collar and 'dirty'
shoes!
1969 Wattisham throughout the day and night 29 (f) Squadron acheived 35 sorties including 6 operational turn rounds
(OTR that was not to take longer than 6 minutes to receive aircraft, refuel, avpin, new brake chute and rearm and to dispatch,
that was teamwork!)
January 28th
1965 El Adem Ran engine of a 70 Squadron (RAF Nicosia) on and off throughout the night for
the instrument bods who were curing a snag.
January 29th
1964 El Adem Airfield closed again due to Ghibley (Sandstorm)
January 30th
Negombo 1960: Admitted to Station Hospital for operation on left toe, 10 days in hospital.
Second time toe-nail removed.
El Adem 1964 Booster pump change on Canberra B15 throughout the night, a swine of a job.
Stradishall 1967 #1 hangar chiefy took me out of plugbay and attempted to force me to work
on a Primary* servicing a Varsity, I refused to do so and told him to get in touch with the SMO which he did. The MO said
I wasn't to work above ground level, so he (the chiefy) thought he would get one over on him here and ordered me to work on
#2 engine. He hadn't taken into account that the aircraft had to be jacked up, this raised the engines 7' off the ground,
red faced he sent me back to the plug bay!
1968 Wattisham Full kit inspection.
January 31st
1963 Weeton Station Commanders Section inspection
1966 Stradishall CME visit to London to see Queens ENT specialist
1969 Wattisham Called out from home 0630hrs QRA alert on.
1st February
1960 Katunayake: Name change from RAF Negombo to RAF Katunayake Closing Down Party. (I must have
missed this party one of the few then!)
1962 St Mawgan Worked on 206 Squadron for the day, short of bods.
1965 El Adem Shackleton of 38 Squadron in.
2nd February
1958 Ankara, Turkey to Basra, Iraq: RAF Charter flight Hermes G-ALDC 4 hours flight time , breakfast
in the lounge overlooking the Euphrates River, refuelling stop. Take - off to Karachi, West Pakistan, flight time 5 hours
45 minutes, over the thousands of oil tanks over Abadan and Persia. When we landed a couple of Pakistanis came on to the kite
and sprayed us all with some DTD spray/powder from one of those cycle pump canisters, could we Brits really be bringing in
diseases to Pakistan? Overnight stop.
3rd February
1958 Karachi, West Pakistan to New Delhi, India. RAF Charter Flight 2 hours 55 mins. Pandit
Nehru inspecting a guard of honour with Mig-15/17 fighter jets lined up as we taxied to dispersal. Saw the Red Fort, Taj Mahal
and the snow capped mountains of the Himalayas on this flight. Ahhh New Delhi to Calcutta good time for a kip 3 hours 25 mins. Still
the same day Calcutta to Krung Thep, Bangkok, Thailand. 4 hours 25 mins, the humidity hit us during a tropical rainstorm,
welcome to the Far East.
1964 El Adem Helped Movements lads remove LandRovers from a Hastings. Did an engine run on a Valetta.
4th February
1958 Bangkok to Paya Lebar, Singapore: Arrived destination after 4 hrs 30 mins early morning 0630
hrs. Coach journey to RAF Seletar. Posted to 205/209 Squadron MB.
1964 El Adem Failed to salute a Flying Officer and a Squadron Leader whilst crossing the dispersal
area, my mate and myself were pulled up for not saluting the two Zobbits, I said I couldn't salute because my hat was in my
epaulette, he corrected me by saying that I should have been wearing my beret but I corrected him by saying that Unit Routine
Orders stated that we were not to wear any hats on the 'pan' as foreign objects may get sucked/blown into jet intakes. He
told me to report to his office at 1400 hrs prompt. I did so wearing a hat and saluting him, he bollocked me for my previous
action and then asked me if I would like to go in for my Corporal Technicians board. I told him the RAF owed me no favours
therefore I owed them none, with that he dismissed me. Perhaps that is why my assessments for that year were 5 - 5!
5th February
1963 Weeton: Promoted to Junior Technician, I only did this 6 month course to further my own
aims when I came out of the RAF, a fitters pay and qualifications were always better than a mechanics. The previous entry
coincidentally explains part of this.
1968 Wattisham: Selected for trials to wear ear defenders, the RAF were just a wee bit late
as they had made me partially deaf 4 years earlier!
6th February
1962 St Mawgan Engine change on WR986 on 201 Squadron line, no room in the hangar.
1964 El Adem I was on VIP steps, ie white overalls for the day for visiting VIP's. The first
in was the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Defence Staff Lord (and Lady) Mountbatten of Burma who came through on a Britannia.
Followed, going in the opposite direction Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross.
1965 El Adem: Different year but the C-in-C's aircraft for the Near East
Hastings WD500 visited the station.
7th February
1962 St Mawgan: Removed powerplant from A MR3 Shackleton (see previous day) none in stock, see below
nothing changes in three years!
1965 El Adem went to stores to get a new Best Blue, none to fit me, waiting list 6 months! Same
day, I went to the SWO's to get a Gen App form about redundancies within the RAF, before he told me to get out of his office,
he told me to get a haircut, I had only had it cut the week before!
9th February
1962 St Mawgan: Still waiting for new powerplant to come to station, so I lost myself over in 42
Squadron crewroom for the day.
10th February
1963 St Mawgan: Back from my Fitters Course at RAF Weeton, usual scive spending the day getting
signatures for the 'blue chitty'
11th February
1966 Stradishall: Had a barney with the chiefy he wanted me to go to the #2 hangar on Saturday Night/Sunday
morning and Sunday night to turn paraffin stoves on and off. Didn't do it, luckily the weather was mild!
1969 Wattisham: Off to RAF Valley to do some live missile firing
12th February
1959 Negombo: 5th Digit right hand, finger nail had to be removed in SSQ due to accident with wrench
whilst working on a Bristol Hercules engine, local anaesthetic performed.
1963 St Mawgan: Returned to 201 Squadron and immediately I got to the Squadron Office I got a bollicking
by the Chiefy, as I should have reported for duty yesterday!
1965 El Adem: Hastings in, it was full of paramedics following the Queen around Sudan and Ethiopia,
an Argosy returning to Benson had an armed guard on board protecting the Queens gifts from Emperor Haile Selassie, some of
these gifts like African Spears and Shields could be seen, the rest were crated!.
1969 Wattisham at RAF Valley successfully fired a Red Top Air to Air Missile and hit its target
pulled by a Jindivik drone.
13th February
1965 El Adem Saturday night shift, 4 Hastings turned up, one had an 80RPM mag drop, did a
plug change ran the engine 100 RPM mag drop! We had to work on that throughout the night to sort it out.
1967 Stradishall Fire picquet
1969 Wattisham detachment to RAF Valley: Two Firestreak missiles fired successfully.
14th February
1963 St Mawgan: Another Engine Change on the line it was so cold on the line that you couldn't feel
your fingers, working blind (by feel only)two split pins took over an hour to insert into a bolt!
15th February
1962 St Mawgan: Ran out of Brasso to clean buttons for a best blue inspection, had to get some Simoniz
Chrome Cleaner from the car to clean buttons!
1966 Stradishall to Ely hospital to see G/Capt ENT specialist and Pathological labororatory.
1968 Wattisham: Turn round of a Hunter T-7 in from Boscombe Down.
16th February
1966 Stradishall: MRD (Machine, Runway De-icer!) had to get in this machine which had a cab
situated between two Derwent Jet Engines attached to a fuel bowser to remove snow and ice, great on soft snow but on packed
ice you had to lower the jet nozzles and angle them, the 2 throttles were just like in a cockpit of a jet fighter, the more
you opened up the taps the more packed ice you could shift, thought it a bit odd that the ice wasn't budging so gave it full
throttle and full angle unfortunately this was melting the tarmac and the stone chippings plastered the hangar doors!!!
1968 Wattisham: 10 aircraft serviceable on 29 sqn line at the same time!
17th February
1965 El Adem: The Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) of the RAF AVM Sir Augustus Walker
made an inspection of the station arriving on VIP Hastings WD500.
18th February
1964 El Adem: (Unconnected with above) we erks had to sweep the sand level around the section HQ
at TASS in readiness for an inspection.
19th February
1969 Wattisham (RAF Valley detachment) Trip to RAF Llanbedr to see the Meteors and Jindivik drone
aircraft remote controlled by Radio, 21 Jindiviks in all, these were used to tow a drogue so that fighters could either fire
their cannon or missiles at a target or even photograph the event.
20th February
1964 El Adem Twelve Argosies arrived to evacuate families from Trouble torn Cyprus.
1965 El Adem BBC TV personality Fyffe Robertson arrived in a Pembroke to do some interviews
for the folks back home in the UK.
Same night shift one Shackleton of 204 Squadron and 2 of 210 Squadron arrived.
21st February
1963 St Mawgan First sign of any ear problem.
1966 Stradishall: Ely hospital again ENT specialist
1968 Wattisham: Duty crew for a week.
23rd February
1967 Stradishall: CME Goodge Street London ENT Specialist
24th February
1959 Negombo: Slippery surface on port mainplane of Comet C2, fell off trailing edge of wing landing
on wrist and elbow, breaking right hand, arm in plaster for 6 weeks, light duties.
1967 Stradishall: Severe dizziness (vertigo) had to go to SSQ for emergency treatment.
25th February
1963 St Mawgan: Squadron CO 'invited' me into his office for a chat, he suggested that I ought to submit
an application in for my Corporal Technicians board, I told him I wasn't interested!
1964 El Adem Went to see the Padre for another 'interview' saying 'I wanted out of the RAF',
usual reply 'Purchase your own Discharge'.
26th February
1963 St Mawgan Vulcan in with a Blue Steel Stand off bomb on board
1964 El Adem To SHQ wanting 'Out of the RAF' as yesterday same reply!
1969 Wattisham detachment to Valley. Armourers dropped a live Red Top missile on the deck, not written
off though!
27th February
1967 Stradishall Medically downgraded to A4G2Z4
28th February
1966 Stradishall: To Ely hospital ENT specialist again.
1967 Stradishall: Station Commanders Inspection, what bullsh*t!
1968 Wattisham: 42 blokes got charged by some disciplinary NCO for walking across the grass
by the Airmens Mess (Don't normally mention names, but good on you Sgt McKay!!)
1969 Wattisham: Finished RAF Valley detachment.
29th March
1960 Katunayake: Those that were going home tomorrow had some BOAT PARTY, absolutely sloshed all
of us, somehow a coconut tree was felled and someone let off an orange dye Shackleton flare in the station swimming pool!
1st March
1954 Lyneham: ATC Handley Page Hastings flight WD477 to RAF Colerne and then continuation flying.
4 hours.
1960 Katunayake: (Jonah syndrome) Take
off for first leg of my tour-ex to UK in Hastings TG579 3 hours 40 minutes, crashed into the sea off RAF Gan, all survived
(Read story on home page)
1962 St Mawgan: Picketed all Shackletons down as high winds forecast.
2nd March
1960 Gan: Return to UK on Britannia XL638 Sirius to Karachi, Pakistan 5 hours 40 minutes. Overnight
Stop.
1962 St Mawgan: WR985 arrived from RAF Ballykelly for a Primary * servicing , on arrival
there were 148 snags listed!
3rd March
1960 Karachi: (Jonah syndrome) Took off in Britannia
XL638, couldn't get nosewheel up, jettisoned fuel, emergency landing 1 hour 10 mins Terrifying experience after flight 2 days
previous. Eventually took off again to RAF Nicosia 7 hours 45 mins. Ovenight stop Nicosia in tents! This flight has been dubbed
'The White Knuckle Ride' (See home page)
1965 El Adem: Wing Commander ENT Specialist flew into El Adem to interview me to discuss an ear
operation (vein graft), the possibility of being sent home to the UK early looks on (Never did happen though)
4th March
1960 St Mawgan: Odd this my service records says that I was posted to RAF St Mawgan on this date,
here I was en route from the Far East to the UK and I wasn't told where I was being posted to until a travel warrant arrived
at the end of April to say I was posted to St Mawgan, here I was on survival leave.
1960 Nicosia: Last leg of trip to UK RAF Lyneham on Britannia XL638 7 hours 45 mins flying time.
This was where we traded our emergency issue KD from RAF Gan for blue uniform, we looked like a RAG BAG outfit, there were
two sailors, one with a beard, wearing RAF Uniform, I came out with trousers about 3" above my ankles, no collars were worn
as we didn't have any money to buy these from the NAAFI, so we were permitted to continue wearing our KD shirts with
Blue Uniform with a white towel around our necks.....and we had a Chitty to allow this! When we went into the mess for breakfast
the whole place fell silent it was as if the whole world were looking at us!
1965 El Adem: Queen Fatima of Libya arrived on a USAF C-54
6th March
1963 St Mawgan: Ground Combat Training Course for 3 days
1964 El Adem: Group Captain Douglas Bader and his wife, flew in on his own Beechcraft aircraft
from Benghazi, he refuelled his own aircraft!
1967 Stradishall: Ear plugs being issued at SSQ, when I arrived there SSQ had run out of plugs!
7th March
1969 Wattisham: Due to go to RAF Luqa, Malta on 29 Squadron detachment, not for me though with
continuing ear problem.
8th March
1962 St Mawgan: Had the first of the Gnome engined Whirlwinds arrive at 22 Squadron Search and Rescue.
9th March
1962 St Mawgan: 3 of us picked up by the Engineering CO for being scruffy, he told me I was the
scruffiest, he charged all 3 of us and also for being late at our place of work, bus arriving from Newquay was late,
no excuse 'always an earlier bus'! This stupid Zob then threatened to stop us 'living out', what a crud! Same day we had a
kite in from 37 squadron WL865 for a P*
11th March
1962 St Mawgan: From previous entry, got 4 days Jankers for being scruffy (Wearing sea-boot socks) and
for being late! Had to report to the guardroom at 0700hrs daily, but married families report at 0745hrs! The first night I
did fatigues in and around the Guardroom, the other 3 nights after the Orderley Officers inspection for us naughty boys Cpl
Jim Bell, who I knew well let me off at 1830 hrs, nice one Jim, thanks!
1965 El Adem: King Hassan II of Morocco arrived at El Adem on Al Italia Caravelle for a State
Visit to King Idris 1 of Libya.
1968 Wattisham: The C-in-C Fighter Command accompanied the Chief of the Israeli Air Force to 29
Squadron line, the latter was taken up in the T-Bird by the Squadron CO.
1969 Wattisham: Only 3 Lightning F3's Serviceable on the line!
12th March
1958 Seletar: Awarded the General Service Medal with clasp "Malaya", I sold this for £2=10=0 to
a jeweller the day after discharge.
1964 El Adem: 4 Javelins, 6 Valiants, 1 Victor and 7 Canberras in as President Abdul Nasser
of Egypt was rattling sabres!
1965 El Adem: White overalls job to see the Prime Minister of Libya off on a Caravelle to Tripoli.
13th March
1965 El Adem: One of many jobs here was to uplift 45000lb of fuel to a Britannia of 99/511 Squadron,
using drop sticks from the underwings and a glass checking the Specific Gravity of the fuel, and seeing how much water the
fuel contained on a % basis.
16th March
1962 St Mawgan: Aircraft job sheets F2988 were not completed by 1700 hrs so we had to stay
behind until all work was finished, so we entered every minor snag that we could find on the 2988's they got the hint
by 2000hrs and knocked us off work, this action was never repeated!
17th March
1966 Stradishall: To RAF Ely Hospital to see 2 x ENT specialists the person in front of me,
waiting to see the specialists was AVM Sir Kenneth Cross.
1969 Wattisham: Went to SHQ to see about my discharge in July and a pre-release course.
18th March
1969 Wattisham: Exercise Ricochet underway when I arrived on the squadron at 0800hrs, weather had
clamped in so instead of getting airborne, all available aircraft were scrambled and taxied around the perimeter track!
20th March
1954 Lyneham: ATC Flight Avro Anson of Station Flight 30 minutes.
1967 Stradishall: Summoned to RAF Ely for a medical board at 1130hrs and had to be on the
coach for 1300hrs, no time to press my blue or polish the buttons, so I went up in Civvies. All hell was let loose when I
got to Ely, eventually some WingCo had me in his office, gave me one hell of a bollicking and sent me back to Stradishall
without an examination. Things must have moved pretty quickly because by next day there was a notice on SRO's stating anyone
attending a full medical board must be properly dressed in #1 uniform...oh well it was half day off!
1968 Wattisham: Whilst on evening shift at 2205hrs Grey Alert Siren went off, only had 5 serviceable
aircraft on the line, got another ready before the red scramble siren went off at 2345hrs on instructions from RAF Bawdsey.
29 Squadron got 6 kites airborne whilst 111 Squadron got 2 airborne! Stood down at 0430hrs Friday morning for the weekend.
21st March
1962 St Mawgan: Put on Preliminary Warning Roll (PWR for overseas), so submitted a Gen App form
for a Fitters Course which later had my name removed from PWR.
23rd March
1964 El Adem: Warned about my attitude by Chiefy. No reason stated!
24th March
1954 Lyneham: ATC Hastings flight TG512 Cloud Flying and GCA's 2 hours 15 mins.
25th March
1968 Wattisham: 29 Squadron had T-Bird on loan from RAF Coltishall. On this day T-Bird coming into
land port oleo leg collapsed on landing, aircraft ran off the runway into soft ground and took half a mile to stop.
26th March
1956 St Eval: ATC Flight in Anson VM334 from RAF St Eval to Haverford West and return
to St Eval, 2 hours flying time flew in the co-pilots seat and had the controls for 10 minutes, seemed quite
easy to fly.
1968 Wattisham: Saw 2 x 56 Squadron Lightnings off to Akrotiri who had been guests of 29 Squadron.
27th March
1956 St Eval: ATC flight Anson VV260 1 hour 45 mins as Navigator, brilliant trip as I learned
the three R's on how to Navigate by Road, Rail and River,
28th March
1968 Wattisham: Appeared on BBCTV documentary as part of the 50th anniversary of the formation of
the RAF, this was filmed at Wattisham just a few weeks ago.
29th March
1968 Wattisham: 29 Squadron acheived 300 flying hours (Approx 400 sorties) in for the
month of March and we received a day off making a long weekend.
1st April
1958 Seletar: Slipped on oily hangar floor, falling on to engine cowling, SSQ then to RAF Hospital
Changi for an X-Ray on right patella.
1964 El Adem: Worked through two shifts (26 hours stopping for meal breaks only!) over the Easter
period on Comet XR396, I seem to recall that someone in Singapore was speared by a Harpoon Gun ricochetting off a rock and
the barb entering the chest. the Comet landed on 3 engines but as it was a Casevac aircraft and another one wasn't available,
we had to await the arrival of an Avon engine being flown out from Lyneham. The engine was removed by a team, when the new
one arrived (there was a delay) and then everyone pulled out the stops to get this kite airborne. The resultant air test was
conducted en route to Lyneham, we then received a pat on the back given 4 days off and was told that the patient survived
the emergency operation at RAF Wroughton Hospital.
1965 El Adem: My prescence was required by the Senior Education Officer to discuss promotion
examinations, again I told them I wasn't interested!
3rd April
1967 Stradishall: To RAF Hospital Ely for medical review, upgraded to A4G2Z1
1969 Wattisham: Resettlement Course approved by RAF Strike Command HQ, effectively discharged from
the RAF 3 months early.
4th April
1955 Lyneham: ATC Hastings flight WJ343 map reading, 2 hours.
1962 St Mawgan: Station Duty Crew for a week at MDA.
1963 St Mawgan: Pay day £7=14=0
1968 Wattisham: Fly past over Ipswich (50th anniversary??) 12 Lightnings of 29 Squadron, 6
from 111 Squadron and 2 from TFF
6th April
1955 Lyneham: ATC flight Hastings TG531 Jeep dropping over Watchfield underslung fuselage,
1 hour 15 mins.
7th April
1969 Wattisham: On QRA over Easter period 2 aircraft scrambled today Easter Monday.
9th April
1964 El Adem: Allocated a flat at The Palace Hotel Tobruk (then the only hotel for 300 miles!),
now Pauline (my wife) can enjoy the sights of Libya!
10th April
1959 Negombo: Excused shaving for 6 days from SSQ, facial rash.
1962 St Mawgan: (Duty Crew) A MR 2 Shackleton of 204 Squadron RAF Ballykelly came in to refuel in
order to resume search of two crews of two Royal Navy aircraft that had collided over the English Channel.
1963 St Mawgan: 20 of us 201 Squadron lads got into a hell of a punch up in the NAAFI mixing it
with Rock Apes, I ended up with a black eye. 7 snoops called in to quell the fighting!
11th April
1969 Wattisham: Effectively finished with the RAF 3 months early, a mate of mine wangled me a 4
week resettlement course (carpet salesman on paper!), a months terminal leave plus a months leave I had saved up. At long
last the Bullsh*t had ended, I shall miss the friendship and the frontline but NOTHING ELSE!
12th April
1963 St Mawgan: Due to fly to the Azores but the kite I was due to go on developed engine trouble
on start up and as I was flying out on it (This day was Good Friday!) I had to drop the scavenge filter and found enough foreign
debris to change the engine, took until 0400 hrs the next morning before we finished.
13th April
1955 Lyneham: ATC Flight in DH Chipmunk of Station Flight WB660 aerobatics, including loops, falling
leaf and stall turns. 40 minutes.
1963 St Mawgan: Flew to Santa Maria in the Azores in MR 3 Shackleton WR981 8 hours 30 minutes
flight time, I slept all the way shattered!
14th April
1955 Lyneham: ATC flight Hastings TG531 Cross Country to Devon. 1 hour 30 mins.
1955 Lyneham: ATC flight Hastings TG616, night flying to Bristol. 2 hours 5 minutes, two trips on
same day.
15th April
1958 Seletar: To get to this rank of Leading Aircraftsman I had to degrease an oily chain in a paraffin
bath, still it was worth another 2/6d a week!
1963 St Mawgan: (Jonah syndrome) Flew from Santa
Maria to USN base Brunswick Maine USA. Panic stations we were on finals into Brunswick when a fuel pump in the wing tank packed
up, the US Coastguard, USN Navy were alerted to a possible ditching as we were short on fuel against Westerly headwinds and
a 14 hour 40 minute flight. We did not have enough fuel for an overshoot, we landed with 220 gallons of usable fuel,
with a Navy Band playing God Save The Queen and The Stars and Stripes! I tell you I had to change my pants on that one too!!
16th April
1964 St Mawgan: Received a pay rise of 10/= (50p) per week!
17th April
1967 Stradishall: To RAF Hospital Ely for vertigo balance test, this involved putting your arms
out straight, closing your eyes and standing on one leg! Couldn't achieve this on either leg.
18th April
1965 El Adem: Not an aircraft in day or night a rarity, but it was Easter Sunday!
20th April
1963 St Mawgan exchange visit to US Navy base Brunswick, should have flown down to Floyd Bennett
Field New York for a day out in the Big Apple, first kite got in but fog grounded the one I was due to fly on!
21st April
1965 El Adem: On my night shift had 5 Canberras, a Tunis Air Caravelle, a Hastings and a Blackburn
Beverley, on the latter it was my turn to go in the 'dog kennel' a hatch through from the upper deck into the starboard wing,
conditions were so cramped in this wing section, there was only room to crouch through the spar sections, the oil was pumped
up to a reserve tank and from here the oil was transferred to each engine by cocks. This had to be pumped by hand, it
was like being in a sweatbox, in the desert, no ventilation and the perspiration running off you! No wonder I always
hated the sight of these kites!
22nd April
1966 Stradishall: Back on to aircraft servicing after my medical board.
1967 Stradishall: 4 Jet Provosts of the Red Pelicans display team arrived (Saturday) for a display,
saw them in, refuelled them, took off, did the display and back to their own base.
1968 Wattisham: A huge number of fighter aircraft arrived at RAF Wattisham for a Flypast over RAF
Bentley Priory on Thursday, the cessation of RAF Fighter Command to be replaced by Strike Command.
24 F-6 Lightnings arrived from various bases, 3 Meteors, 4 Hunters, 1 Canberra and all of 29 Squadron,
111 Squadron and TFF Mk 1 & 3 English Electric Lightnings.
23rd April
1957 St Mawgan: RAF Apprentice flight in a Westland Whirlwind Helicopter of 22 Squadron dry winching
and coastal recce 35 mins.
1965 El Adem: I had a visit at home in Tobruk from the area manager of NAAFI (Cyrenaica, Libya),
I had made a complaint to NAAFI HQ in Kennington London that the Queen of Libya and her entourage were able to purchase Ladies
Clothing in Tobruk NAAFI on a preview sale before our wives could see them! This was taken to the Air Ministry in Whitehall
where it appeared many civil servants "did an air test" (hit the roof!), this rebounded all the way back (I still have this
letter). I was to be summoned before the Station Commander at RAF El Adem in due course.
24th April
1968 Wattisham: 38 aircraft practicing formation flying over airfield.
25th April
1965 El Adem: 3 x TT RN Meteors, a Canberra T-4, USAF C-54 and a Hunter requiring an engine change.
On this day (Sunday) the Defence Minister Lord Shackleton did an inspection of the station, accompanied by the AOC-in-C NEAF
I later saw these off in the VIP Hastings WD500.
1968 Wattisham: Wattisham was used as the base to fly dozens of fighters in formation over RAF Bentley
Priory HQ Fighter Command, this Command now ceased to exist and was superseded by Strike Command. The take off by the Lightning
F6's were particularly spectacular!
27th April
1963 St Mawgan: USA Detachment, left US Navy base Brunswick at 0200hrs in WR988, 9 hrs and 50 minutes
flight to USAF base Lajes in the Azores, good time made as we had tail winds!
1968 Wattisham: Still on the theme of Flypast etc and cessation of Fighter Command, 29 Squadron
put 4 a/c up with some 111 Squadron kites in 2 x diamond formation. One of our jockeys (29) who shall remain nameless, got
out of formation and very nearly collided with the other three kites, for those of us watching it was a very close call and
that could well have been an embarrassing end/start to Fighter/Strike Command! This was not a good day for the squadron as
one of the guys had all of his skin burned off the back of his hand on an Operational Turn Round starter fire, a 111 Squadron
pilot on his first practice OTR in our 29 Squadron (Zulu) T-Bird hit the starter twice in error and the Avpin
exhaust caught fire, someone else picked up the asbestos glove and put out the fire. I recall getting a face full of this
gas on a QRA scramble without it catching fire thankfully, it knocked me back and senseless for a few minutes.
27thApril
1962 St Mawgan: HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother was on a tour of Cornwall, and both helicopters
of the Queens Flight were on station at St Mawgan.
1963 St Mawgan: (Jonah syndrome) Took off in WR988
from USAF Lajes to St Mawgan (9 hours and 50 minutes) but another close encounter with God was about to occur. I had a head
set on and heard the conversation between the pilot and GCA Controller (Sea mist <clag> had descended on St Mawgan)
and our a/c was the first one on approach with the squadron commander at the controls, conversation from GCA was " 20' above
glide/tow path, on path, 10 feet below , get on glide path, on glide path runway in sight", suddenly there was a surge
in power as all 4 Griffon Engines were opened up, loads of expletives from pilot to GCA operator as the latter was only
guiding us down on the old Treblezue runway adjacent to St Mawgan. We then had to get diverted to the nearest MDA which was
RAF Manston in Kent, where we stayed for 4 days. I scarpered off for those 4 days and went back by train at my own expense,
'bugger that for a game of soldiers' and people can't understand why I don't fly anymore!!
1965 El Adem: Operation Spherical in operation-4 Vulcans arrived between 0600-0800hrs plus a whole
host of other aircraft.
29th April
1965 El Adem: Operation Spherical still ongoing with 17 aircraft plus a back up Britannia of
Caledonian airways. Also summoned to SWO's office where I was immediately taken into see the Station Commander re the NAAFI
rep and the Queen of Libya using the Tobruk NAAFI before Servicemens wives could view and purchase the latest fashions. This
interview lasted 30 minutes and it was made plain to me that we mustn't upset relations with our hosts in Libya and that we
were the guests of King Idris (and presumably Queen Fatima) and that previews would be held in the Queens Palace in the
future rather than the NAAFI! Obviously someone in high places had got involved, the CO suggested an immediate posting for
me to go to RAF Akrotiri (out of the way), I only had 3.5 months left at El Adem, with a pregnant wife and had to be back
in the UK by August 20th (otherwise my second daughter would have been born a Libyan!). The Station Adjutant was called into
the office to try and sort out the problem, the only way round this impasse was for me not to mention this subject again,
I asked to be returned to the UK, this request was denied and informed about the Conduct Prejudiced Queens Regulations
(meaning the 'riot act' was being read to me !)
30th April
1968 Wattisham: Still on the theme of Akrotiri I was due to go on a Detachment with 29 Squadron
to this Sovereign Base, somehow I got out of this but my diary doesn't state the reason.
1st May
1955 Old Sarum: ATC DH Dragon Rapide Royal Navy A/C X7397 5 mins trip around Salisbury.
1957 Halton: Posted to # 8 S of TT RAF Weeton as an AC2 U/T Eng Mech, I had been hospitalised for
weeks, lost a lot of traing and education, failed some exams, wanted to back entry me to the 85th, didn't want this nor to
stay at Halton so went on a Mechs Course, knowing too that I had to spend more time in hospital, there was the possibility
of a medical discharge due to problems with my feet.
1962 St Mawgan: Several mentions of doing an Amal Valve change (Think it was a booster for the CSU
drive but I can't really recall its main function now), this component was a nightmare of a job for a fitter as you could
only do this job by feel and had to be a contortionist, an angled dentists mirror was no help either, often one bod would
start the job only to pass it over to someone else and so on.
3rd May
1965 El Adem: Ghibley (Sandstorm) blew up but that didn't stop 5 Britannias, a PR9 Canberra,
2 Hastings, a DH Dove, DC3, C54 and an Argosy come in for turn round servicing. Often minor snags were not reported by the
crew as they didn't want overnight stops here, strange that we had to put up with it for two years!
4th May
1962 St Mawgan: Both the Squadron and Flight Commander had me in their offices to tell me that my
Fitters Course had been approved and to remind me of my attitude.
6th May
1962 St Mawgan: Atomic Alert Exercise (Exercise Vigilence) lasting 3 days started on this a Sunday
and we were all called in. The only activity we saw was that the whole of 15 Squadron Victors from RAF Cottesmore arrived
as part of the exercise.
7th May
1956 Halton: This is the day I signed on for 12 years unstinting service to HM Queen Elizabeth II
at RAF Halton as an under training Aircraft Apprentice, engines of # 8T3 Entry # 3 Wing.
1959 Katunayake: Hastings TG520 7 hours 50 Mins trip to RAF Changi to represent RAF Ceylon in the
FEAF Tennis Championships.
1962 St Mawgan: Had to go and get the Crash Equipment from 404 Hangar as XF708 Oscar (Now an exhibit
at IWM Duxford) was having difficulty in landing <I think this must have been the incident with F/L McBurney, where the
nosewheel was on the skew, there were several passes over the control tower and the word spread and there was quite a crowd
turn up to see this event, the pilot did some three or four touch downs loweringthe nosewheel gently on the runway until he
got the nose wheel straight, a brilliant piece of flying>
1965 El Adem: Had to attend an Inquiry with The Senior Technical Officer (STO) and the Shell Superintendent
as there was a discrepancy of 545 gallons of AVGAS. I never did find out what all of this was about.
8th May
1955 Lyneham: ATC flight Avro Anson PH704 Station Flight 15 mins.
9th May
1962 St Mawgan: Started work on a Primary* on MR2 WG553 en route to 205 Squadron RAF Changi, my
old squadron.
10th May
1968 Wattisham: On one of two teams to do an OTR scramble for the C-in-C Venezuelan Air Force a
Colonel Bumera.
12th May
1969 Wattisham: Ordered back to 29 Squadron as I wasn't entitled to take all this time off in readiness
to leave the RAF, I had found a job in 'civvy street' and was due to start it this day, I spent most of the day in SHQ and
they were very helpful in trying to sort out the problem, lots of looking through QR's, there was a way out an early discharge,
this would mean losing my terminal leave and my £205 gratuity!
13th May
1969 Wattisham: The lads from 29 Squadron arrived back from their detachment at RAF Luqa in a Hercules.
14th May
1959 Changi: Return toRAF Katunayake on Hastings WJ336 7 hours 40 mins after FEAF Tennis Championships.
1964 El Adem: Couldn't get out of the camp gate at 1035 hrs as the AOC-in-C was doing his annual
inspection, at the guardroom, and all traffic in and out of the camp was stopped (What bloody Bullsh*t!).
15th May
1969 Wattisham: 29 Squadron aircraft returned from RAF Luqa detachment.
16th May
1965 El Adem: Only kite in was a PR9 Canberra from Cyprus taking photos of the oil wells that had
been sabotaged down Giarabub way.
17th May
1960 St Mawgan: MR3 Shackleton XF710 on Atomic Alert Exercise airborne for 7 hours 35 mins with
3 torpedoes, 9 Sonar buoys and 9 Depth Charges on board. We were on board in case of landing away from base.
1962 St Mawgan: Saw in a Luftwaffe Fouga Magister on a liaision visit to the Squadron, we parked
this up in 403 Hangar.
18th May
1967 Stradishall: Put on Emergency Draft for Overseas Service.
1968 Wattisham: Had to see 2 Hunters and an Argosy in, no one else had worked an Argosy on the squadron
before, so I was tasked with the engine turnround having worked many at El Adem.
19th May
1965 El Adem: A Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer arrived in a hell of a state, leaking oil from every
orifice!
1967 Stradishall: AOC's parade, excused marching though!
21st May
1959 Katunayake: To RAF Gan for SASF detachment in Hastings TG525 4 hours 5 mins, island one mile
square.
1962 St Mawgan: At request of Flight Commander had a lengthy conversation, started off by asking
me some questions on the contra-rotating props finishing on my attitude to the RAF, he asked, I told him!
22nd May
1960 St Mawgan: Reported to SSQ for deafness, 2 days later ears were syringed, thought to be associated
in being plunged into a sea of fuel and oil on 01/03/1960 when Hastings TG579 I was travelling in crashed into the sea.
1969 Wattisham: Called into Wing Commanders office with some F/L from Admin SHQ saying I could be
released from the RAF on Friday 30th May not losing any pay, leave or gratuity, I guess at the end of the day they wanted
me out, pity they didn't see it that way 9 years ago!!!!!
24th May
1965 El Adem: 26 jobs done on day shift of 12 hours
1968 Wattisham; 4 kites went up on a 3.5 hour refuelling trip
25th May
1967 Stradishall: Standby Overseas Detachment confirmed, went to SSQ saw the SMO he declared I was
fit for overseas duty but was not to work above ground level nor to do any parades! He said I would eventually be offered
a medical discharge (this never was offered although I did ask on several occasions for this to happen!)
26th May
1967 Stradishall: To Ely hospital for overseas jabs after yesterdays medical.
27th May
1965 El Adem: Duty marshaller for the day on T A S S only 7 aircraft in and 7 out.
28th May
1962 St Mawgan: No room in 404 hangar for other Shackleton aircraft so a bunch of us had to
go over to 42 Squadron for two days doing plugs and tappets on WR955.
29th May
1964 El Adem: Temperature today 108F in the shade! Try finding shade, best under a Comet or Brit
wing that had just come down from 30000' the cool drips of condensation on to a sweaty body was bliss!
1969 Wattisham: THE LAST DAY OF RAF SERVICE, handed all my uniform, greatcoat raincoat and webbing
in, went out of the gate in civvies 6 weeks early!
30th May
1965 El Adem: SMO kicked me out of his office after I reported Special Sick with a gashed stomach,
he told me my TABT jab was out of date. On my way home I went into SSQ at Tobruk Garrison told a Corporal Medic what had happened
and he gave me a TABT jab, no problem. That SMO hated me, like I did him, I put a redress of grievance in against him over
my ear problems, that is still to be talked about at a Court appearance in London on January 10th 2003!!
31st May
1965 El Adem: Couldn't put up with this shite anymore after yesterday so I put an application in
to purchase my discharge, 3 Applications, the first two were rejected by the Flight Commander for not being worded correctly,
so I told him to fill it in for me, he called the chiefy in to the office and I was read the QR's Conduct Prejudice crap again.
He accepted my 3rd application which I wanted out as soon as I arrived at Lyneham on August 20th 1965. (Not as easy as that!)
1969 Wattisham: Had to go to camp to get my final pay sorted out, leave passes signed and to the
NAAFI for one last binge with all the lads. 1430 hrs I left the station and didn't look back!
1st June
1962 St Mawgan: Station Commanders Parade (Group Captain O'Doire) On # 2 Wing # 3 Flight and got
picked up for dirty shoes and buttons, can you imagine turning up for a parade like that, those RUPERTS were something else,
crass stupidity!
2nd June
1964 El Adem: No aircraft in the morning so we all had to make a concrete path!
4th June
1959 Gan: Return to SASF RAF Katunayake after SASF detachment to RAF Gan on Hastings TG536 2 hours
55 mins flight.
1965 El Adem: Purchase of Discharge from the RAF accepted at Station level. 3 Gannets
from 831 Squadron RNAS arrived and stayed for 3 days.
5th June
1965 El Adem: Temperature recorded at El Adem 111F and at Tobruk 113F.
6th June
1968 Wattisham: Detachment to Akrotiri cancelled, overflying rights over France caused cancellation.
7th June
1963 St Mawgan: Flew to RAF Aldergrove in XF705 1 hour 45 minutes, should be at RAF Ballykelly but
as Princess Margaret was about to present a new standard to a squadron, we had to stay at Aldergrove for 4 days, did not matter
really as there was nothing to do!
9th June
1964 El Adem: HastingsWJ337 came through from 48 Squadron Changi plus the BE Viscount, another Hastings
a Canberra and 2 Army Austers AOP.
1966 Stradishall: Chief of the Air Staff Sir Charles Elworthy visited # 2 hangar, imagine the bullshine
beforehand !
1968 Wattisham: Sunday and duty crew, two Hercules dropped in, along with the TTF we had to get
these aircraft ready with Paras seats, one going to Speke, Liverpool with 80 Paras on board and the other going to RAF Leeming
with 92 on board.
10th June
1958 Seletar: Admitted for 4 days in SSQ for having the 'screaming ab-dabs'
1967 Stradishall (Saturday), Excused parades but I still had to turn out in best blue for the flypast!
11th June
1963 St Mawgan: Detachment to JASS RAF Ballykelly, I opted to go by coach from Aldergrove to BK
whilst others flew in.
12th June
1967 Stradishall: A Warrant Officer questioned why I didn't turn up on parade on Saturday, I told
him I did attend in # 1 Dress, he then told me to get a chit, I told him it was a permanent thing and for him to ring the
MO at SSQ. The WO just walked off muttering to himself!
13th June
1963 El Adem: 7 Canberras in within 30 minutes, plus a Valetta, Comet 2 and 3 Army Beavers
from Cyprus.
1968 Wattisham: 29 Squadron broke the Flying Hours record in any 24 hours, CO tapped a barrel of
beer then stood us down.
14th June
1962 St Mawgan: An 'ice-box' blew across the pan on 201 Squadron tracking straight into a running
propellor, smashing the box into a million pieces and causing the propellor considerable damage.
15th June
1966 Stradishall: Placed on Overseas Standby Draft, so produced my medical chit and removed from
the list.
16th June
1965 El Adem: Upon return to the UK my next posting will be Number 1 Air Navigation School RAF Stradishall,
Suffolk.
17th June
1958 Seletar: Sprained ankle after jumping off an engine platform.
18th June
1957 Weeton: Could hardly walk from chiropody treatment at RAF Halton was admitted to hospital for 29
days.
19th June
1967 Stradishall: An Andover arrived unannounced and I was on Duty Crew and was at home, no one
called me out though.
21st June
1962 St Mawgan: Threatened to be locked up in the guardroom for arguing over an engine related 'snag'
where I found a sheared bolt on the Vee Block resulting in a Powerplant change from a sergeant, I asked if we should
walk down there or go in my car and if he did would he get to notify my wife in Newquay of my whereabouts. Somehow this never
happened, thankfully!
1963 St Mawgan: Flew back to St Mawgan in WR977 from RAF Ballykelly, 1 hour 50 minutes.
1967 Stradishall: Due to the hundreds of Trainee Zobbit Navigators at Strad the easiest way not
to continually salute them was to push a bicycle around (I know there wasn't a lot wrong with me!), one lunchtime on my way
home, some Zob thought he would be smart in front of his colleague, pulled me up for not saluting him. I took one pace back
from the bike stood to attention and saluted the Ruperts uniform with that the bike fell on to his trouser leg depositing
oil from the chain on to his uniform, I obviously had to apologise profusely with tongue firmly in cheek!
22nd June
1959 Katunayake: Aircrew asked who had been working on Vickers Valetta WJ499, those that had went
up on the subsequent air test for Elevator trim test. 1 hour 10 mins. Obviously all worked well as we are here to tell
the tale!
1961 St Mawgan: Shackleton XF707 10 hours 20 minutes to RAF North Front, Gibraltar with a Navex
on the way plus ship recce.
1964 El Adem: An Argosy arrived with very little Water Methanol in one of the tanks, had to hand
pump 89 gallons, that took an age!
23rd June
1966 Stradishall: Actually went on an AOC's rehearsal parade to keep my hand in! 3 Dominies and
3 Varsities in a practice flypast.
24th June
1960 St Mawgan: Shackleton XF708 (now at Duxford) flew to RAF North Front, Gibraltar, Ship recce
at 80' above the waves and I was prone in the nose turret, scary! Charged for being drunk with a mate, aircraft was operationally
delayed, charged when we got back to St Mawgan, but got off this as we had been fined already.
1966 Stradishall: AOC's Parade, I was really disappointed in not going on this one, just as I was
getting the hang of it all again! I had to go to RAF Hospital Ely for a Specialist appointment.
25th June
1962 St Mawgan: Missed parade. A sergeant from TWHQ came over to the hangar to take my name for
being absent.
1963 St Mawgan: As I had been placed on the PWR register, I had to go for a medical, the same Flight
Looey WRAF MO who has been treating me for a problem with my ear passes me fit!
26th June
1955 Lyneham: ATC Glider flight T31 Slingsby Familiarisation Flight
1955 Lyneham: Ditto above 5 mins both trips by winch.
1961 North Front: (Jonah 6) Return to St Mawgan from Gibraltar on Shackleton XF707 6 hours 40 minutes,
should have been the normal 10-12 hour trip but #3 Engine Reduction Gear Failed so the prop was feathered and back to SM on
3 Engines.
1964 El Adem: Did an alternator change on a Britannia XM491. No jacks or cradle to support this
1.5 cwt monster and as my mate helping me was 5' 6" tall and I was 6' 2" with this alternator on our shoulders for support
we were unable to take the strain in offering up the generator to the engine/prop gears, the alternator fell to the ground
causing serious damage and was written off. Had to make a written report for the Flight Commander, within three months a special
trolley platform was sent from Lyneham to ease the operation!
27th June
1960 North Front: RAF North Front to St Mawgan on XF708 12hours flying time, Navex and
Ship Recce.
1963 St Mawgan: Redruth Hospital for Chest X-Ray for PWR.
1968 Wattisham: 29 Squadron achieved 403 flying hours for the month (some sort of record).
Another barrel of beer was bought out of squadron funds and presumably another feather in someones hat.
28th June
1965 El Adem: (This is typical of RAF administration) Purchase of discharge accepted by RAF Innsworth
and I was to be posted here. I had to have available £130=17=0 (8/12ths of the normal £200 fee) plus my air fare for
my wife and I to fly from Benghazi to Heathrow. My discharge date was to be August 28th BUT the RAF was flying us back at
the end of my tour on August 20th!! Had to go to see some S/L in SHQ to try and sort it all out, explaining the situation
to him he said the best thing I could do was to withdraw my application and apply for discharge when I got back to the UK,
this I did but was 'advised' about time wasting.
1962 St Mawgan: AOC's rehearsal parade, I went to SSQ, the place was packed!
1964 El Adem: Royal Aircraft Establishment Comet C2 in, a rarity.
1967 Stradishall: Had a phone call from a guy at Wattisham wanting to know if I wanted to exchange
postings, I jumped at the opportunity as this would get me off this emergency standby posting and my two years was up at Stradishall.
30th June
1965 El Adem: USA Ambassador to Libya arrived on one of two Jet Star aircraft to see King Idris,
in fact all aircraft arriving on this day were none RAF, 2 Cessnas, Viscount, Aero Commander and a Beechcraft.
1st July
1964 El Adem: The beginning of my ear troubles at El Adem.
2nd July
1962 St Mawgan: AOC's rehearsal parade, didn't do it and no roll call.
1963 St Mawgan: AOC's rehearsal parade, actually did this one!
1965 El Adem: 2 x Royal Jordanian Hunters in, both took off after refuelling, both returned, one
couldn't get the undercarriage up, reason the undercarriage locks with red pennants were still engaged!
3rd July
1963 St Mawgan: Must be that time of the year another AOC's rehearsal parade and I must have ran
out of excused marching chits as I went on this one!
1964 El Adem: Hastings TG606 arrived, on after flight inspection 3 of the 4 propellor spinner backplates
were cracked, this resulted in removing the props and replacing back plates.
1968 Wattisham: On a team to do an OTR for the Chief of Air Staff of the Ethiopian Air Force,
that was 5 minutes flat rearmed, refuelled and off! A 111 Squadron F3 came in over the hangar at about 150' pulled the
stick back at 350 knots hit the reheat buttons and up into the big blue yonder, this was one of the most impressive shows
a Lightning could do!
4th July:
1962 St Mawgan: I got a 252 (charge form) from a Warrant Officer for not going on the AOC's
parade, I later had to see the Flight Commander, he let me off with a bollicking and again warned me of my future conduct!
5th July
1962 St Mawgan: AOC's parade, he arrived by helicopter covering the whole place in dust! We were
not permitted to leave camp until his departure at 1900hrs, what a load of Cods!
1968 Wattisham: 2 Vulcans and a diamond 9 formation of Lightnings from 29/110
Squadrons Wattisham flew over RAF Hendon, one of our jockeys just missed the Hendon gasometer by 20'.
6th July
1955 Lyneham: ATC Flight Hastings TG531 10 minute flight, hydraulic failure, my first emergency.
1965 El Adem: 11 Hunters of 54 Squadron among others came through on an exercise.
1967 Stradishall: Had to go to see the Queens ENT specialist at CME Goodge Street, London, he is
recommending I be seen by a Harley Street Specialist, this was never done though.
8th July
1963 St Mawgan: I had been away for the weekend, when I arrived at the gate a snoop asked me where
I worked, I replied 201 Squadron, he told me to report with my kit to 206 Squadron immediately. The whole squadron had been
shipped up to RAF Kinloss over the weekend as the Russian Atlantic Fleet had moved out of Murmansk en masse and we
were being shipped up to the Arctic Circle to the RNAF base at Bodo. I had no sleep the night before (overnight train from
London), we stragglers were flown by 206 Squadron MR3 to Kinloss in WR980 a 3 hour trip, when we arrived there we had
to work throughout the night servicing all the kites. One was an engine change, but thankfully that was not my kite.
10th July
1968 Wattisham: Exercise King Pin underway, all pilots strapped into their cockpits on the ASP,
we then went into a 'battle scramble' position and had to move all aircraft to 06 Runway ORP in readiness for immediate
take off. This did happen some time later.
11th July
1955 Lyneham: ATC flight Hastings TG616 Cross Country exercise had the controls for 20 minutes in
the Captains seat, I found this incredibly difficult to control especially on the rudder controls, thank God there was a very
capable co-pilot sitting beside me. 2 hours 35 mins.
1962 St Mawgan: Acceptance check on MR2 WR953 en route to 205 Squadron RAF Changi.
1964 El Adem: I made some flippant remark to a Sergeant Rigger in the crewroom and was immediately
bollocked in front of the bods for not wearing KD slacks after 1800 hrs on a Saturday night! Pathetic.
1967 Stradishall: RAF Hospital Ely all day, Path Lab tests, specialist etc.
12th July
1962 St Mawgan: AOC-in-C Sir Edward Chilton came to 404 hangar to say cheerio to us all, we
had been waiting in Best Blue for an hour, the thing was I didn't even know him!
13th July
1962 St Mawgan: AOC left St Mawgan on a torpedo strapped to a bomb trolley and taken around the
station on his farewell visit, whilst we all cheered from the crewroom others were forced to line the route to say their farewell, sad
really!
14th July
1959 Negombo: Ad
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