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And Then… (Accounts of Life After Halton 1963-2013)

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And Then… (Accounts of Life After Halton 1963-2013) And Then… (Accounts of Life after Halton 1963-2013) Compiled & Edited by Gerry (Johnny) Law And Then… CONTENTS Foreword & Dedication 3 Introduction 3 List of aircraft types 6 Whitehall Cenotaph 249 St George’s 50th Anniversary 249 RAF Halton Apprentices Hymn 251 Low Flying 244 Contributions: John Baldwin 7 Tony Benstead 29 Peter Brown 43 Graham Castle 45 John Crawford 50 Jim Duff 55 Roger Garford 56 Dennis Greenwell 62 Daymon Grewcock 66 Chris Harvey 68 Rob Honnor 76 Merv Kelly 89 Glenn Knight 92 Gerry Law 97 Charlie Lee 123 Chris Lee 126 John Longstaff 143 Alistair Mackie 154 Ivor Maggs 157 David Mawdsley 161 Tony Meston 164 Tony Metcalfe 173 Stuart Meyers 175 Ian Nelson 178 Bruce Owens 193 Geoff Rann 195 Tony Robson 197 Bill Sandiford 202 Gordon Sherratt 206 Mike Snuggs 211 Brian Spence 213 Malcolm Swaisland 215 Colin Woodland 236 John Baldwin’s Ode 246 In Memoriam 252 © the Contributors 2 And Then… FOREWORD & DEDICATION This book is produced as part of the 96th Entry’s celebration of 50 years since Graduation Our motto is “Quam Celerrime (With Greatest Speed)” and our logo is that very epitome of speed, the Cheetah, hence the ‘Spotty Moggy’ on the front page. The book is dedicated to all those who joined the 96th Entry in 1960 and who subsequently went on to serve the Country in many different ways. INTRODUCTION On the 31st July 1963 the 96th Entry marched off Henderson Parade Ground marking the conclusion of 3 years hard graft, interspersed with a few laughs. It also marked the start of our Entry into the big, bold world that was the Royal Air Force at that time. And the world of the RAF in those days certainly was wide, with postings in Germany, the Near East, Middle East and the Far East. After the 1967 Defence Review, with the withdrawal from bases east of Suez, the choice of postings to exotic climes reduced and eventually even those in Germany diminished. The Cold War had almost reached boiling point with the Cuba missile crisis of 1962 and so the 96th were about to play their part in maintaining a safe temperature. In the meantime there were many armed conflicts that involved British forces – Aden and Borneo were just two of the areas where risk and rigour were major features of a tour of duty in the sun, and after 1969, Northern Ireland presented a different combat scenario. The Falklands Conflict of 1982 would also involve the 96th, and given that some may not have left the RAF until about 2000, the first Gulf War is also one of the 96th Battle Honours. The period between 1963 and 2000 saw the RAF equipped with arguably its widest range of aircraft types. The nuclear deterrent was deliverable via the V-bombers (Valiant, Victor and Vulcan), and air defences secured by Lightning, Hunter and Javelin aircraft. Canberras served in both bomber and photo reconnaissance roles. In later years, with a changed combat requirement, multi-role aircraft were introduced – Harriers, Jaguars, Tornadoes and Phantoms. A wide range of transport aircraft provided essential support – Beverley, Hercules, VC10, Britannia, Belfast and Andover amongst them. But it was not just fixed wing aircraft that the 96th maintained – and flew – because many of the erstwhile Brats went on the become aircrew. Whirlwind, Wessex, Puma and Chinook helicopters provided additional challenges. The 3 And Then… list on page 6 is extensive, although it is possible that there are some omissions. We trained on Hunters, Canberras and several other aircraft that had reached the end of their flying careers, including a Comet and an early Vulcan. It was said that the number of aircraft available for training purposes at Halton exceeded that in many air forces around the world. In 2008 we held our Reunion at Duxford where many of the aircraft types that we had worked on were now displayed as museum pieces1. I guess that not a few of us felt that we were becoming those ourselves. Aircraft engineering was not the only skill set that existed within the Entry. Armourers were required to maintain weapons other than those onboard aircraft and the Dental Technicians ensured that when the RAF smiled, the world was dazzled by well-maintained dentures. And not only did the number of aircraft types reduce in the 50 years that followed Graduation. Already denuded of virtually all of its overseas bases, those in the UK also suffered the ignominy of becoming Army/Marine bases, open prisons or housing estates. Even the Princess Mary’s RAF Hospital that adjoined Halton Camp is now a housing estate. Halton itself continues to perform several functions, including Recruit training, but even that has changed as some of the recruits are airmen of the feminine gender (see the picture below). As we prepare to celebrate our 50th Anniversary since Graduation, the Met Office informs us that March 2013 was the coldest March for 50 years, and we all know just how cold that one was! 1 There was a Victor, formerly a B1a but now in airborne fuel bowser mode, which was being refurbished prior to going on display. This was serial XH649 and was one of the first aircraft that I worked on - Editor 4 And Then… This photo was taken by Brian Shackleton at the 2010 Triennial Reunion. Notice that the denims that we wore as our first uniforms have been replaced by ‘camo’ gear. At the 2010 Triennial some of the Entry visited one of the Barrack Blocks in what we knew as 2(A)Wing, where one of the rooms was available for ‘inspection’. Gone was the highly polished ‘centre deck’, but now a carpeted floor. Each bed-space was partitioned off with what looked like IKEA cupboard units. There was a washing machine in the ablutions area and a launderette just across the road. So, fifty years on from Graduation, what happened to those individuals who comprised the 96th Entry? Sadly some have succumbed to those illnesses that affect the human race – all called to their final postings far too early. Two were killed while engaged on flying duties. The articles that follow are the accounts of several individuals, from that day in 1963, through their lives in the RAF, and up to the present day, and are written in their own styles. In some cases the memory of one individual may differ from that of another – always the case when events half a century ago are recalled. The articles illustrate a range of achievements across a wide range of professions, proof of the ability of the Halton Apprentice to adapt to changing circumstances and to meet any challenge. [Return to Contents] 5 And Then… LIST OF AIRCRAFT TYPES Andover Anson Argosy Bae146 Basset Belfast Belvedere Beverley Britannia Buccaneer Bulldog Canberra Chinook Chipmunk Comet Dakota Devon Dominie Dove Gazelle Gnat Harrier Hastings Hawk Hercules Hunter Jaguar Javelin Jetstream Lightning Merlin Nimrod Pembroke Phantom Pioneer Provost Puma Sea King Sentry Shackleton Sioux Skeeter Sycamore Tiger Moth Tornado Tristar Tucano Typhoon Valetta Valiant Varsity VC10 Victor Vulcan Wessex Whirlwind Editor’s Note: Apologies to anyone whose ‘aircraft’ are missing from the list. [Return to Contents] 6 And Then… John Baldwin Brief history after graduating as J/T from Halton in July 1963 with the 96th Entry. 2 Hullavington (Wiltshire). No 1 School of Navigation Training. Valettas and Varsities. My first experience in the real Air Force and my first boss was a WRAF Sergeant, who was in charge of the Instrument Bay. I got into her bad books one day, when I, and the WRAF J/T who worked with me, had to go for a compass swing on a tail-dragging Valetta. We had to go to a remote part of the airfield, of course, so it usually took quite a time to do. The NCO pilot (yes we still had some then), wanted to go on an air test straight away after the swing, so we asked him if we could go too. No problem to him, so away we went for a flight. We got back to the Section to find the WRAF Sergeant ‘doing her nut’! She gave us both a right blasting for going without asking her permission, especially the WRAF. Apparently she had been trying to get herself a flight for some time and hadn’t been able to, so was just plain jealous. She was also talking one day about putting oil in her car and how difficult it was putting the oil into it, – through the small hole! Who’s a ‘dip-stick’? Whilst there, I met up with Jack West, 93rd Inst Fitter who was now a Cpl, and a soon to be Sgt on Line Servicing. I also bumped into an ex room- mate of mine, on joining up, Paddy Gallagher, 93rd Inst Fitter, now a Flying Officer U/T Aircrew Navigator. Hullavington to Tengah (Singapore) 1965. In Instrument Bay in support of: – 20 Sqn Hunters, 60 & 64 Sqns Javelins, 45 & 81 Sqns Canberras and V bomber detachments. Played soccer and rugby for Tengah Second teams and the Electronics team. Took one leave up in Penang, after travelling up from Singapore on an overnight steam train to Kuala Lumpur and then from there to Penang. It was quite the trip, seeing as there were no sleeping cars, (if there were any we couldn’t afford them anyway) and I don’t recall there being much padding on the seats. The Makan (food) kitchen was served with an open fired charcoal stove in one of the carriages.
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