"Main Point"Current Newsletter of News, Views, Comments and Articles.
NEW: Early Days at Halton (Photo Album).
The first pages of the new Halton photo album have been added to the Website:
Early Days Album.
There are more pages in process and will appear soon.
Please comment or to add any details.
Informal Gathering in September 2009.
A message from Tony Merry has been sent to those of us with email addresses containing the following details.
Proposed date of Gathering; Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September. Proposed location is the Bristol area with a day out to see the Rolls Royce Heritage Collection and a tour of the Concorde. We could use a hotel in the centre of the city so that we can find a suitable pub or restaurant for the evening meals.
Interested or need more details? Please Contact Tony Merry ASAP.
Was this Your Grandson?
Have you a very observant grandson? Tony Merry was recently in the Aylesbury B&Q when the young man on the till said to him "My granddad has a fleece with a badge like that". Was this your grandson?
Service Stories: Tony Cutress Reports.
Ex 74th at Kinloss
When I was at Kinloss on Shackletons, first on No.206 Squadron and then on No. 120 Squadron. and living in Married Quarters there, was it a co-incidence or what? Long live the 74th - but Jim Scovell and Jock Bauld lived next to each other - DIRECTLY opposite me on the other side of the road - we lived at No.7, Portal Rd. Directly next door to my left at No.5 Portal Rd was Sergeant Jock Strachan who had been one of our engines' instructors at Halton. I have been looking at Google earth and half of the Married Quarters at Kinloss have been demolished. Google still shows where the roads were but it's like open spaces where they once were.
With 5 Squadron in Germany.
Photo: Mk. 5 Javelin XA658 of No. 5 Squadron at Laarbruch, Germany.
The 5 Squadron badge on the tail is a green maple leaf on a white disc, with a broad red band across the fin behind it.
The Javelins were Beasts!
When I say the Javelins were beasts I mean it! A couple of weeks after I arrived on No.5 Squadron, at that time as Corporal (engines), I was detailed at five pm to get a meal and report back at six pm with a team (already detailed) to do a double power-plant change. Well at five am I climbed into the cockpit - after towing it out to the run up pan and all went well. Both engines started - BUT - even at idle the cockpit started to fill with choking smoke and the J/T on the fire extiguisher was going bananas so I shut them down - climbed out - closed the cockpit and said
"lets fill in the F700 and get some kip".
Five Squadron were Not Happy Bunnies
Apparently when the Chiefy turned up at 7-30 am expecting a fuelled up aircraft ready for air test etc. he found it still on the pan U/S. They did a run up. Did another port engine change and later found a centre shaft oil seal failure allowing oil mist into the cabin pressurisation system.
They were not happy bunnies as the Squadron. was on standby alert. So, to teach me I guess I was put on alert stand by, which entailed standing by the alert aircraft while the pilot was strapped in ready to start engines and go on intercept. This entailed me laying on my back with a GS screwdriver in my hand and the belly panel under the cartridge starters beside me. Someone else manned the fire extinguisher with the nozzle poked in the starter bay - as they were notorious for starting a fire instead of starting the engine.
When the Engines were started - and no fire - I had to lift the panel on my knees and support it in place while I did the 20 or so DZUS fasteners up. All the while the Pilot was signalling chocks away but the other guys were good, they didn't pull them away until I had rolled behing the main undercarriage wheel well clear. No ear defender in those days. I wonder why I'm a bit hi-tone deaf?
Another Story: Jumping the Gun BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Us Five Squadron erks were in the ground crew room one morning having our pint of tea and a NAAFI cheese and onion roll (remember them?) when we heard this BOOM - BOOM - BOOM - good job the hangar doors were open (I must add here that we were only about a quarter of a mile from the Dutch border). The guns had NOT been disarmed. the aircraft was up on jacks nearest the open doors,and an electrician wanting to get his break as well, had literally jumped the gun (excuse the pun) and had carried out a continuity check - or whatever it is (perhaps someone can enlighten us here) and had cause three rounds to be fired out over into Holland.
What a fuss as you can imagine. Luckily this time us engines were in the clear. Made a change!
Tony Cutress 622 Engines.
Early Days at Halton: John Cowley Reports.
The latest newsletter (now in the archives)looks quite lively and the nuclear aircraft idea, which I do remember, would have given new meaning to 'Sooties' and 'Heavies' wouldn't it? A doctorate would have become the minimum qualification to enter training.
Ralph Bloom
I agree with Slim concerning Ralph Bloom, who certainly started as engines and I was surprised to see him later listed as airframes, though he MAY have remustered which might account for him dropping to the 75th. That's bad news if he has a broken neck.
Little Snippets from the Past.
I have difficulty coming up with interesting Halton stories for the website because memory fails when it comes to details, and all I end up with is little snippets or 'rambling ons' which may not be much help. However, I've recounted some of my lasting memory snippets of Halton.
Seeing the Queen for the First and Only Time.
Proudly attending the Queen's Coronation RAF Review at Odiham on 15th. July 1953. Six hundred and fortynine aircraft in the flypast and three hundred and eighteen on static display was impressive by any standard, but to a sixteen year old aircraft fanatic this was super impressive. Dressed in my brand new Number One Home Dress with 'Old Style' flat hat I felt very smart but rather insignificant particularly when I saw the Queen for the first and only time in my life.
The Stolen Rifle.
The search and investigation that followed after a rifle was stolen from our room in No.1 Squadron 3 Wing in 1953 or 1954. I believe the whole Squadron was turned upside down, particularly our room, and all officers and NCO's became instant sleuths. We even had to empty our pockets and wallets to satisfy the investigators. The super honest CAA (Corporal Aircraft Apprentice) confiscated my British Rail unclipped return half-ticket to Wendover, to ensure that I didn't stray into sin and re-use it. My protestations that I had simply forgotten about it didn't convince the super-sleuth, and I'm convinced that the scoundrel later used it. I don't recollect the outcome of it all.
Garden Party at Heathrow.
I went as an official 'Helper' to the RAeS Garden Party at Heathrow on 13 June 1954, with lunch included. I helped juggle historical aircraft around in the marquees and then spent two hours guarding a Caudron G.III of the Nash Collection. I prevented anyone from damaging it and failed to correctly answer any questions from the members beyond what was stated on the nameplate. It was a busy day at a very immature Heathrow Airport, fifty three arrivals and forty departures on that day, and the most modern aircraft types were Viscounts, Statocruisers, DC-6's and Super Constellations. A marvellous day!
British GP at Silverstone in 1954.
Went to see my first motor racing event, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1954 which was won by Gonzalez. Mike Hawthorn was second, Fangio broke down, and the star of the future, Stirling Moss, won the little 500 cc class race in a rear engined Cooper. Those old front engined cars were a magnificent sight, and seeing the drivers and what they were doing was much more involving than present day racing.
Farnborough Air Show Adventure.
Farnborough Air Show 1954 or 1955 and, with two friends, missed the coach for the return trip. With about three shillings between us we had to hitch lifts back to camp.
The first lift was a very brave young woman, on her own, and heading north in an old Austin or Morris, 10 or 12hp. But we were all too much for the little old car and the rear suspension broke after about fifteen miles, locking the rear wheels. The problem was swiftly identified as was the solution, call the AA! Fortunately a public call box was found nearby and the AA was on the ball and arrived quite soon.
After ensuring that things were under control and the young lady was OK, with profuse apologies we bade farewell and continued hitching. Fortune smiled on us again that evening because our next lift was a magnificent 1930 Bentley Le Mans with two gentlemen (it WAS a Bentley!) giving it a good weekend exercise and not going anywhere in particular, and Wendover sounded good to them. The dickey seat was breezy, cool, and a tight fit for 3 of us but with that big motor pounding away up front it was a marvellous experience. We even arrived back at camp before lights out.
Summer Camp: Who Fired the Blank Rounds?
On the train returning from Summer Camp at Woodvale in 1955, someone fired off some blank rounds, leftovers from the earlier exercise, coming into Rugby station. The inquisition team checked out everyone on the train and inspected all their rifles, without success I believe. My guess is that the cleanest barrels would have belonged to the guilty parties. I don't remember the collective punishment that must inevitably have been meted out.
One Thing I Never Ever Forgot.
The Beaufighter classroom for engine starting procedures taught me one thing that I never ever forgot. It had nothing to do with unimportant matters like rpm's, pressures, temperatures, fire drills etc. it was that if you tap a malfunctioning instruments on the glass face you will receive a MIGHTY thump between the shoulder blades from a smallish elderly civilian instructor. To avoid this possibility you must tap the surrounding panel.
Airfields: The Fairy Rotodyne Mystery
Marching down to the airfield one morning there was an almighty noise heard approaching us that turned out to be the Fairy Rotodyne, which then landed on the playing fields alongside us, not at the airfield. We, in true military fashion, continued marching past as though this was an everyday occurrence. It presumably had some sort of problem but it had departed by the time we passed again, and I never heard the reason for its landing there. It really was incredibly noisy though, which may account for its lack of success.
Three Years of Blood, Sweat and Tears: Benny Bryce Reads the News.
During a drill practice for our own pass-out parade, on Henderson parade ground, under the ever considerate Sergeant Benny Bryce, someone marched on and handed him some documents. Keeping everyone at attention he proceeded, very leisurely, to read out a list of names for people to fall-out and assemble to the left. We guessed this was the passed/failed results for the full three years of blood, sweat and tears and dear Benny was in no rush to put us out of our misery. Finally, with the nearest thing to a smile that I ever saw on his face, he announced that they had failed and must report to someone or other. I think someone really did pass out before he announced which group had failed. Many others MUST remember this event and I'd love to hear their versions of the event.
John Cowley 619 Engines
[Editor] Thanks for those Stories John and Tony.
Come on 74th let's have more of your own stories.
74th Entry Band?
I received the following question recently by email. (Ed. Note: Photograph of a pipe band removed and will appear in the next photo album.)
"Dear Sir,
I am compiling a list of Pipe Majors of military Pipes & Drums worldwide. On your website I did not find any mention of a Pipe Band; did the 74th Entry at one stage provide a Pipe Major? If so, do you know who the Pipe Major was?
Thanks and regards
Aad Boode
Livingston, West Lothian"
Problem?
Slim can't remember 74th Entry having their own pipe band. I can't remember who sent in the photo. I've emailed Digger.
Problem Solved: There was NO 74th Pipe Band!
This Message from John Davis should answer the question.
Email:
"There never was a 74th Entry pipe band. I played bass drum and a fellow 74th member - surname Jones - played bagpipes. I occasionally doubled up as drum major.
I now play u/t tenor drummer for the Golden Oldies.
Kind regards,
John Davis"
Any comments or information please.
Joe Bosher (74th).