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The Royal Air Force |
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En Route to Christmas Island/Woomera/Maralinga |
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I don’t remember how I found this site but as ex RN I travelled in a Hastings as a passenger
from Lyneham to Maralinga in 1958 it started in February, foggy, cold, hangar doors frozen, a fuel of some sort was splashed
around and lit, it worked so we set off to El Adem, noise was not a real problem as we were mostly engineroom staff and used
to it, ear defenders came a lot later, bit of a bumpy landing but the pilot managed to get the other wheel down in the end,
not sure if we stayed the night but next stop was Cyprus, RAF were living under canvas and it was raining we were expected
to join them, but we found the spare crew quarters were unoccupied so we moved in this proved to be unpopular with the senior
officer of the camp so I received an official bollicking and off we went to get over the Turkish mountains this was unsuccessful,
we iced up and couldn’t get sufficient height to get over so we had to come back, we kept a low profile and next day
had another go successfully, had another stop but can't remember the name then it was off to Karachi and a hotel . Boxed meals
still the same though boiled egg, chicken leg, bit of lettuce it didn't change. The whole trip to Maralinga took seven days,
coming back a year later started out the same, Hastings to Changi we developed an engine problem but struck lucky a Comet
was going to UK and was able to take us, so instead of days it was hours, I still like flying in propeller driven planes,
it was a real life times achievement for a Submariner. My regards Don Lawrence A-Bomb Hastings Jim Semple (Lyneham Old Boys Association) sent me an interesting article, named ‘Atom Bombs for Christmas’
in a FlyPast magazine dated December 2000 in which the pilot of Hastings WJ333, Adrian Bishop, details the movement
of nuclear material, by Hastings aircraft, to Christmas Island in 1957. This operation was of course Grapple where
an Atom Bomb was dropped from a Vickers Valiant bomber XD818 (Now on show in the RAF Museum at Hendon). This is the first time I have had confirmation anywhere that Hastings aircraft were officially used in the transportation
of nuclear material, it has long been suspected by myself and others that this was the case as often armed guards (RAF Regiment
and RAF Police) would be seen around some of these Hastings. These have been seen by myself at RAF Katunayake, Negombo and
by others that were based at RAF Mauripur, RAF Changi and RAAF Edinburgh Field. It has also been stated that these 'special’
Hastings flew by day in the tropics where the air was cold and if found unserviceable by day would have a fine spray of water
played on the fuselage by the RAF Fire Service to keep the contents cool inside. Adrian Bishop, flew his Hastings aircraft WJ333 via RAF Lyneham to RAF Aldergrove, to RAF Goose Bay, Labrador, to RCAF
Namao, Alberta, to USAFAB Travis SF, to USAFAB Hickam in Hawaii and finally on to RAF Christmas Island in the Pacific. This
aircraft was carrying a mix of passengers and cargo, the cargo was of a highly sensitive nature code named car radio meaning
cargo radioactive and was housed in reinforced steel cylindrical containers containing nuclear core for ‘short granite’
(see http://www.keme.co.uk/~defcon/history.htm). The passengers were airmen being posted to RAF Christmas Island, so we now
know that passengers and very sensitive cargo was mixed, something I had previously been told just did not happen! The above route was known as the ‘Westabout’ route, the ‘Eastabout’ route was via various RAF airfields
to RAF Khormaksar (RAF Luqa, RAF El Adem, RAF Nicosia or even Castel Benito Idris, from Aden the hops would then be to RAF
Negombo, RAF Changi, RAAF Darwin, RAAF Edinburgh Field if dropping off/picking up supplies and then on to Fiji, Canton Island
and finally arriving at Christmas Island. I wonder really who in those nations knew at the time what the RAF was actually
carrying? A colleague of mine was once told that the armed guard was mounted on a special operations Hastings as it was carrying
blankets, one assumes then that these were radioactive blankets that glow in the dark! Hastings WD476 had previously passed through the ‘Westabout’ route this aircraft actually delivered the first
bomb to be dropped off Christmas Island in 1957. Source FlyPast magazine which is part of the Key Publishing Group of Companies, Flypast have a very good
forum see below:- Posted on 21st February 2005 from Les Mills Les Mills served in the RAF as a National Serviceman working as a groundcrew fitter with the the RAF Lyneham
based Mobile Servicing Flight with Flight Lieutenant Robertson as the CO. Les had just returned from a detachment in Aden
on 14th April 1957 after a detachment with Beverleys ,on the 9th May either four or six of us were taken out to Hastings WJ333
to fly to Christmas Island in the Pacific, the aircraft was parked outside a building which may have been a store of some
sort. Alongside our aircraft there was a civilian four engined job which I think belonged to Dan-Air, London, whether that
had brought our cargo I don’t know, I think that was possible. We were not told what the cargo was a photo with Adrian
Bishops article (FlyPast magazine story December 2000) shows the containers ( 9 large steel drums containing nuclear core)
so we did suspect there was a nuclear connection. A Wing Commander from the War Department was with us complete with geiger
counter, he didn`t really communicate with us being the difference in rank I suppose. Yes I was on the way to Christmas Island via Aldergrove, Goose Bay, Edmonton, San Francisco and Hawaii. We
were carrying the first of the bombs for tests carried out in May to July 1957 although we didn`t know it at the time, just
as well I suppose. The pilot Adrian Bishop and the flight crew had a few days at San Francisco, unfortunately the rest of
us didn`t!! With reference to exposure to radiation I was surprised to learn not too long ago that some tests after my time
were carried out in visual range of Christmas Island, totally irresponsible I would have thought. The 1957 tests were carried
out over Malden Island, some 400 miles away. Who knows how many people were adversely affected by these later tests. I can
understand why there is a Nuclear Veterans Association in existence although I doubt they will ever get the U.K. Government
to accept any responsibility for possible radiation problems. I don’t recall seeing armed guards but I do recall seeing fire engines accompanying us at each of our
stops and I believe we were parked away from other aircraft. We were issued with Arctic survival gear for the flight across
Canada and I know we were routed away from populated areas between Goose Bay and Namao. I suppose the authorities didn`t worry
overmuch about our wellbeing, I just hoped the devices were properly shielded! I don`t recall we were given any safety or
security instructions may be they weren`t sure what could be done anyway. I imagine that we flew in daylight because it was
safer to do so bearing in mind that navigation aids were nothing like we have today. 1957, age 21, National Service, R.A.F. Waddington, Lincolnshire, £1-8-0d a week,-not a lot of “wenching and wining” on that -and I smoked then . I was an L.A.C. M.T. driver attached to Station Sick Qtrs driving ambulances-, you know,one day pregnant wives to near by R.A.F. hospital Nocton Hall, or driving
Crash 3 on stand by at the control tower when flying was in progress. I remember the day well, -- I was in the sick qtrs kitchen having a cup of tea when the back door opened and in came L.A.C. Gary Cumbly another M.T. driver who had done his trade training with me and was a mate (I thought). I seem to recollect that he was a 3 year man—you know, spend it now and pay later,-- they do it now 50 years on in Civvy street, only you sign up for a flexible friend. Any way, Gary,who was, or is, a Welshman say’s that there is a notice in the M.T. section calling for volunteers to go to a place called Maralinga in Australia and he had, without my knowledge, put my name on the list,---I was speechless and disbelieving, -- but no he was deadly serious. After thinking about it I was quite excited at the thought, and went along with it.The furthest I’d ever been was to the I.O.W. on a day trip, and I lived in Portsmouth just across from the island. Wow! Australia the other end of the earth,(no package tours then,---Billy Butlin was going strong with his Hi De Hi act and illicit nookie chalets). So this was really some thing
else! Gary said we were to report to the orderly room immediately to clear camp and go on embarkation leave .I thought can it get any better? The Sarge in the orderly room, moaning minnie,said that Maralinga is a testing site for atomic bombs and that we will never come back the same. I thought Christ,what have you let us in for Gary? Well Sarge if your still about,Iam now going on 71 and feeling great after my visit to Oz, I have sired a son
,and as far as I know I do not glow in the dark.—Well may be on the occasional Sat night. I had my embarkation leave,and still had 2d left
over from the £1-8-0d,(those were the days).It was then off to R.A.F. Innsworth for kitting out with K.D.which I reckon had been left over from W.W.2. Does any body remember the fit? Talk about a shower ! I know I looked like Lofty from “Mum it aint half hot,”-remember the red shite - hawk shoulder flashes? I know I’m digressing here a bit, but it always seemed that the officers looked like Jack Hawkins from “Malta Story”and I, as I’ve said looked like Lofty,--but then again £1-8-0d didn’t support very much let alone a Gieves & Hawkes tailors account.
Well, we now travel across country to a small transit camp on top of a hill overlooking R.A.F. Lyneham, I believe it was called R.A.F. Clyffe Pyppard, (I bet I spelt that incorrectly) we spent the night here and changed into our K.D. I reckon it must
be the only camp in the U.K.where K.D. is worn in February.Then it was all aboard a coach and
down to R.A.F.Lyneham to pick up our Hastings transport,our magic carpet which would take us on this great adventure,--all be it at a snails pace and twelve days on to S.Australia and Edinborough Field nr. Adelaide.There were about 20 of us aboard including 5 R.N. sailors who were going out to run the water distillation plant at Maralinga.
The pilot was an R.A.A.F.Flight Lt.in his dark blue uniform with AUSTRALIA flashes on his shoulders,-- the co-pilot was a young R.A.F.Pilot Officer about 20 and apparently coming along for the experience.We were fed and watered by an R.A.F. Quarter master Sarge, and can I ever forget those small white cardboard boxes under the seats with their cardboard sandwiches in? The officer in charge of us was a Fl Off. And did he have his work cut out! That journey took in the loss of the port inner cowling over the Med,the radio compass packing up in Iraq, and a crash landing in a brussel sprout field in Pakistan, but as they say that’s another story.
I reckon we stood to get more sickness from that loaded Elson in the rear than we ever did from radiation at Maralinga.
All these years after
I’ve never forgotten the great mates and the good times and I never will.
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