Raf Bruntingthorpe
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ORCE & F D IR E A F L E A N Y C O E R • • F I N R O E I S T E IA R C VI O E FL CES ASS LUS AM SA MI NIS S ATQUE RUI ROYAL AIR FORCE & DEFENCE FIRE SERVICES ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE IN THIS ISSUE A PONGO RIDES SHOTGUN FOR THE RAF – RAF BRUNTINGTHORPE - MEMORIES OF A RAF FIRE-FIGHTER’S WIFE - RON BROWNS FIRST YEARS MK 6 RESTORATION PROJECT - FIRE FIGHTING PROFICIENCY SHIELD www.rafanddfsa.co.uk Winter 2016 www.rafanddfsa.co.uk1 Flashpoint Magazine - Winter 2016 Who To Contact - Officers and Committee Patron AREA CO-ORDINATORS Air Marshal Sir Roger Austin KCB AFC RAF (Ret’d) The Co-Ordinators Committee Member President Vacant Dennis McCann BEM Member 9 Lincolnshire Wood View, St Andrews Close, Alresford, Colchester, Steve Harrison Essex. CO7 8BL. 58 Gospel Gate, Louth, Lincolnshire, LN11 9JZ Tel: 01206 820715 Tel: 01507 355740 Vice – President Email: [email protected] Ron Brown Member 294 Cornwall, Devon & Somerset 38 Sedgebrook, Liden, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 6EY. Terry Mortimore Tel: 01793 496307 32 Newbridge, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3LX Email: [email protected] Tel: Chairman Email: [email protected] Neil Slade Member 934 North West & Wales 29 Orchard Close, Ash Vale, Surrey, GU12 5HU. Vacant Tel: 01252 492111 North Email: [email protected] Robert Atkinson Member 108 Vice- Chairman 4 Fairway, Stella Park, Blaydon, Tyne and Wear, NE21 Howard Harper Member 682 4LL. 34 The Westering, Meadowlands, Tel: 0191 4148176 Cambridgeshire, CB5 8SF. Norfolk Tel: 01223 292298 John Savage MBE Member 188 General Secretary 3 Mercedes Avenue, Hunstanton, Norfolk, PE36 5EJ Mike Clapton Member 704 Tel: 01485 532353 4 Fairfax Road, Cirencester, Gloucester, GL7 1NF. Email: [email protected] Tel: 01285 655314 RAF Email: [email protected] Steve Shirley MBE Grad I Fire E Treasurer 16 Rutland Way, Scampton, Lincoln, LN1 2UJ Trevor Hayes Tel: 07912 658402 2 Gypsy lane, Hunton Bridge, Kings Langley, South Hertfordshire, WD4 8PR. John Hurl Tel: 01923 331975 34 Copt Elm Close, Charlton King, Cheltenham, Email: [email protected] Gloucestershire, GL53 8AE. Membership Secretary Tel: 01242 522503 POSITION VACANT London Please contact the Chairman to apply “Jess” Jessup Flashpoint Editor 44 Quentin Road, Lewisham, London, SE13 5DF. Vacant Tel: 0208 2187499 Contact Steve Harrison if interested Scotland Alec Robertson 12 Kinclavin Crescent, Murthly, Perth, PH1 4EU. Tel: 01738 710487 Cambridge & Suffolk Vacant Northern Ireland Kenneth Green 2 Brooklands Drive, Whitehead, Carrickfergus, Antrim, Northern Ireland. FRONT COVER Tel: 01960 372595 Showing some of the workers Essex at Bell’s Asbestos and Ben Zaccardelli Engineering Works acting as 98 Lyndhurst Drive, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1JZ. mannequins for Bell’s asbestos Tel: 01708 443593 Mobile: 07702271537 fire suits. Email: [email protected] Flashpoint Magazine - Winter 2016 2 www.rafanddfsa.co.uk From the Editor ell here I am once guy whom I had many on one aspect and that of Flashpoint. I Wagain editing chats with but had not stepped in produce this edition to give the Flashpoint albeit just this seen for a long while. If committee time to recruit another editor Winter edition,but the any member has not read as I think the magazine is the corner stone process will be touched his book “The Diary of of the association. It’s how many of our with certain sadness that an RAF Fireman” I would members that don’t or cannot get to re- I am doing it alone and encourage you to read unions because of ill health or the distance not with my good friend it if someone will loan involved keep up with what is going on in and ‘Wingman ‘George you it. I have recreated our community and my fear is that with Edwards. I still miss the his introduction in the no Flashpoints many members will think phone calls and longs magazine just to give to a what is the point of paying subs and not chats. Hopefully I’ll have taster. Jim Jones (Taff the continue with their membership. some spiritual guidance Fire) also has produced So I make another appeal to someone to while he’s up there in that a book and I am looking take up the role as I do not want to become great fire section in the sky, feet up having forward to reading it. It was good to see the last editor of Flashpoint. If any of a brew!! a response from Fred Morris and Michael you thinks about doing it please give me Allsop about the passing of Phil Cooper, Reading the Spring edition of Flashpoint a ring first and I will be happy to talk it Michael; I passed on your information to the letter from Graham Keddedy made through with you. I do not want to take Phil’s family but have had no response me smile, firstly on his comments about on the role as I have other projects on the sorry to say. getting to grip with technology (well done go and I volunteer at the Museum of RAF Graham) and secondly about his love story. As Dave Kirk mentioned one of the hardest Firefighting. If someone takes on the role I I really hope to see your memories in print parts of this job is the obituary page and would be there in the background for them very soon, but I know by talking to you that with the passing of many over the last and support them I have quite a resource that they may be a bit of a delay until you few months a few legends in our trade is at the museum and I know Steve Shirley get your eyes sorted out and you can learn a sad affair. would support me on the use of archives. to use more than one finger whilst typing!! I went over to the AGM on the Saturday Finally please keep sending me articles (Generally I use two and have a flurry of at Nottingham and it was good to catch up for any possible future Flashpoints and I madness and can use more) with people and have a general natter. On would pass them on to the new editor, let’s To my surprise my old desert buddy Jim the Sunday there was a visit to the museum hope it happens. Thanks to you all that Smith who has resisted all my attempts at Scampton which was certainly a great have contacted me and gave me support to get a computer has managed to get success and a first for a lot of members and and offered it in the future just in case I himself a Tablet and is now hooked on it, brought a lot of nostalgia. was going to take up the post again. unbelievable!!! You can see the unfolding saga of Steve Harrison Talking about books, I was saddened to the association in the Chairmen’s and (My contact details are on page 2) hear the loss of Steve Doran a really nice Secretary’s comments but I will just touch A letter from your President Dennis McCann BEM Our Association has had another very successful year which creek without a paddle which meant no more Flashpoints this is down to your support and the endless hours of hard work by year. Unwilling to let that happen our very good friend Steve Committee members over the years. It is hard to believe that Harrison who had previously edited the magazine for a long it all began with a small group of Firemen getting together at time stepped in for the last time and I can’t thank him enough Shoreham Airport in 1995. Since that time we have enjoyed so on your behalf. many good times and met so many colourful characters-we all Now we are truly desperate for someone or a small team of know who they are: each of us have memories of those people members to take on the production of the magazine. Your special to us and there are too many to mention. ideas are urgently needed and every assistance will be given The one thing we have all enjoyed is seeing our magazine to the new Editor(s). I cannot envisage how we can keep the Flashpoint drop on our door mat two or three times a year. Association running without Flashpoint and I wish I could have This has kept all our members in touch even when we have better news for you. been unable or too poorly to attend reunions and given us many My wife Pauline and I would like to wish you and your families hours of reading: some of us reading it two or three times with a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Healthy New a smile when something triggers past memories. The magazine Year. God Bless You All. has also been enjoyed by our families- siblings, wives and children. We have reached a point now when this issue which Dennis McCann you are reading nearly didn’t arrive on your door mat due to st the Editor being unable to continue. We were really up that 1 November 2016 www.rafanddfsa.co.uk 3 Flashpoint Magazine - Winter 2016 Letters to the Flashpoint editor Dear Sir, t was with great interest that I read in Flashpoint Spring Edition I2016 on page 16 a very interesting article by ‘Dutchy’ Holland regarding the making of a new foam laying equipment. Warrant Officer Hammond contacted the MU hoping to obtain two Hippo fuel bowsers, each which carried 2,500 gallons. As you can see his request was granted and these bowsers then became ‘Foam Layers’ I have enclosed a photograph and report from our local newspaper, ‘The Sheerness Times Guardian’ Isle of Sheppey, Kent.