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National Service

  • Thread starter Thread starter RayD
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I did guard duty many times and one particular time we had a hardman?locked up and from time to time we had to check up on him, no idea where he was suppose to be going.

Anyway he was smoking and I asked how he had managed to light it as they were not allowed matches, I'll show you he said so he gets his Brasso out and a piece of silver paper from the fag packet put Brasso on it removed the light bulb put the silver paper into the socket and it just set alight. Nuff said.
He was on his way to Colchester next day.
 
Nice picture, Mohawk, don't those DI's all look very much alike? :D

Good story, Alf. One of our favourite dodges on the hangar workbenches was to remove two carbon rods from U2 batteries, insert them into a strip of paxolin, connect them across the mains, and immerse the rods into a mug of water. It would boil in about 15 seconds and then you just coffee or tea and milk and you could have a drink at any time - no need to wait for the NAAFI wagon (and cheaper too!).

Of course, we experimented with a quick boil version by connecting 4 or 6 rods in parallel, but it bubbled so fiercely that everything on the bench was showered with boiling water! :)

Maurice at The LONGMORE Pages
https://www.msheppard.com
 
Coke (the stuff we used to burn)

Just to contrast with the smart billet I showed in my Padgate post#86 here
here is a pic of what we had come down to later in our National Service at RAF Melksham.

We had a railway fireman in that billet who could get the coke stove glowing red hot - we needed it because we used to have 'real' winters in the 50's. There are also 3 Brummies in this pic, resting on their 'pits' as we used to say in the RAF.

normal_Inside_Hut_RAF_Melksham.JPG
 
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Coke

Hello Oldmohawk,

Nothing sinister about the word "coke" when used in connection with the gas industry. Coke was described as a by-product of coal when producing town gas. Other items like creosote, coal tar and saccharine were also listed by-products.

When square bashing at RAF Wilmslow in 55 we rarely lit the barrack stove, too much trouble to get it polished again next morning.

I see you give Walsall as you location, I lived on Orchard Hills from 61 to 65

Regards,

George
 
Great pictures, oldMohawk. Got any more? Please post them. A. Willoughby too. I've not often seen personal, informal pictures of those times. No one I knew had a camera and even if they had, it wouldn't have appeared during square-bashing and probably not later either. All I have is a huge, grinning, formal group, cheerful either because this was taking up an hour of an otherwise unpleasant day or because we were reaching the end of our time there.

And, blimey, are the pictures typical! I'm sure the four D.I.'s had twin brothers at Hednesford. My experience was that for the first 80% of the time one loathed these blokes and their hoarse voices and razor sharp creases as much as one would ever loathe anyone, for the penultimate week they became sort of tolerable and in the final few days one would have walked through fire for them. My companions even decided by the end that they were in a sense tragic figures, required to make themselves absolute bar-stewards to everyone, quite against their gentle, generous natures. But then perhaps we were an over-sentimental bunch in my billet! It was strange what weeks of overwhelming discipline did to one.

What I also remember is the remarkable sense of pride I felt when overhearing the D.I.s congratulating each other after our passing-out parade and quoting the reviewing officer's comment that that he had never seen a better bit of drill in the RAF. I'm not sure that it's even proper to admit to this feeling, now, in the 21st century, 53 years, 1 month, 2 weeks, 4 days and an early breakfast later. I also recall a feeling of relief. During this exemplary display those of us in the furthermost column in the echoing December hangar could not hear the orders properly and stopped dead whilst the other two or three hundred carried on. This, praise be, was not noticed. Otherwise I should probably still be there.

Chris
 
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Only one more Chris taken at Padgate all those years ago. The camera, that took this, and the other of the group posted earlier, belonged to the bloke squatting on the right of the photograph.
For all he was a great bloke he was more mature than the rest of us and was married. This sort of set him apart from the rest of us who being single and loose had to leave him behind on our hunting expeditions into the local town -when the weekend pass was finally given out. Think he was from London and the name Sparrow comes to mind. The others were names that over the course of time have been erased from memory.

On the day of our passing out parade it poured. So bad, the parade ground was a lake and the CO, or whoever took it, decided not to get wet so we had it in a large, form of, hanger (strange as this camp was solely square basing and no aircraft). Any way as the area was reduced I was one of those, who were taken off the parade so as the rest could fit in and do their thing.

The corporal had a job for me and the others however. We were to return to our billet and not quite trash it, but to make it a sight for tired eyes of the next lot of AC plonks who would arrive, for training, after we had left.
Well it had been done for us and so in true military fashion so it was for the ones who followed.
The highly polished floors were used as slides with muddy boots. Windows were dirtied.
I recalled my arrival at Padgate at the start and having to clean up after to clean up after the flight who had left on that day. We were at it until midnight in a form of ritual breaking in.
 
Thanks, AW, great. Even the AC plonks look familiar - your group could just as easily have been at Hednesford or Bridgnorth or West Kirby and could have been my own mates. I wonder what they all made of their lives.

Can't remember the billet semi-trashing or the state ours was in on arrival but it all sounds absolutely logical and sensible, if you subscribe to what they were trying to do to us. I think our lot was hauled out within minutes of arrival for jabs so it's all a bit of a blur, thankfully.

I often wonder to what extent the first couple of months influenced and changed me, but I'm sure they did and to an extent permanently. And not necessarily for the worse. Anyone have any similar views?

Chris
 
Changes

I think there were two points of change around about that age - my first job and the 10 weeks at RAF Hednesford :shock:. I guess I've always been one to stay clear of trouble and keep a fairly low profile. Even at the age of 46, at the annual Company dinner I was awarded a tongue-in-cheek prize for keeping the lowest profile in the Company! :D

To a certain extent we were "protected" at school and didn't actually have to make decisions as such. Upon entering emplyment, I suddenly found that I could no longer get away with that and had to take responsibility for my actions, good or bad. True that at that age and as a junior cashier, the only real penalty was embarrassment! :P

However, the RAF did have penalties and if you failed in your responsibilities in cleaning the hut or your kit wasn't up to the required standard, then it was likely that the whole hut would suffer and would be required to do the task again. If your drill was sloppy, this reflected on the whole flight. You were made to work as a team, even if this was not in your nature.

Regards,

Maurice at The LONGMORE Pages
https://www.msheppard.com
 
Hi ChrisM
I didn't have time at Padgate for informal pics, but I've put two on for the record. One shows the front gate - looks friendly enough but maybe the gravel needs repainting. The other is our flight photo. I remember drilling inside the hangers - there used be an echo effect which could cause havoc on about-turns with half the flight going in a different direction to the others. One thing I do remember was how shiny all the roads were with the continual marching.

normal_RAF_Padgate.jpg


Flight Smart RAF Padgate.jpg
 
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Old Mohawk,
Your Corporal does remind me of a bloke named Sharpe. Highly unlikely I know and suppose they all begin to look the same after all these years.

Cannot recall the front gate to the camp. Nice to see it and thanks. We used to use a back gate and a track which led over, as I recall, a field to the town. It was never manned and locked at 11 pm and heaven forbid if you were late getting in. Two of our mob were late and the whole flight were confined to camp for two weeks.
If they thought we would hold it against them they failed for it could have happened to any of us.
Will.
 
I bet one or two hearts fell, oldMohawk, when going though that gate for the first time. The other thing which strikes me is on how many of these square-bashing group photos everyone looks so cheerful, bearing in mind how hellish life was for most of the time. Were they taken towards the end, I wonder? I can’t remember The grins look genuine enough.

Thanks for the reminder of the earlier pics, Alf. One tends to forget to look back, on these longer threads.

I realised the very first day that NS might not be as fearful an experience as I suspected. On that first night at Cardington, September 29th 1954, I was sitting on my bed feeling pretty low - lonely, homesick and with two whole years of this in front of me. A Welsh lad, with whom I hadn’t exchanged a word until then, stopped by me with a couple of companions and said "We’re just going to have a look around. Would you like to join us?" A tiny act of kindness I’ve never forgotten. Thanks, Taff.

Chris
 
oldMohawk said:
Hi ChrisM
I did'nt have time at Padgate for informal pics, but I've put two on for the record. One shows the front gate - looks friendly enough but maybe the gravel needs repainting. The other is our flight photo. I remember drilling inside the hangers - there used be an echo effect which could cause havoc on about-turns with half the flight going in a different direction to the others. One thing I do remember was how shiny all the roads were with the continual marching.
Click to expand...


Have you seen this MoHawk
https://www.forcesreunited.org.uk/namearchive/units/RAFNames/RAF-Padgate.html
 
Not sure if I'm on the right thread but I'm sure someone can help. My former husband enlisted in R.A.F in 1955 - I don't know where he did his basic training but in 1957 he was posted from R.A.F Binbrook nr.Grimsby to Maralinga and then Christmas Island. I know the Squadron was the same as the Dambusters. Can anyone tell me what the full name of the Squadron was please. I know it was disbanded about 1957.
Thank you for your help.
Sheri
 
Same here at my first Camp I remember arriving and Jabs and going to Camp Cinema thats about all:)
 
Do your memories tally with what was on the website, Alf?

It is incredible that everyone walked away from it without even switching the juice off.

Chris
 
Yes Chris most of it, the first one and that was open tothe public in the 1970s but it closed the year I took the family down to see it Health & Safety, I've got a couple of Photos of the
entrance I'll dig them out Chris.

Years ago I made up my mind to try and find the places I visited when I was younger when I went with Mom & Dad and I've covered most of them, I've put a couple on the Forum somewhere.
 
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I've just looked at the website your recommended in Wiltshire Alf, and it is really amazing! Unbelievable that all this exists, and more unbelievable that the MOD just walked away from it with everything still switched on!! I bet you could tell us a few stories about your experiences there, couldn't you? I would love to hear about them Judy
 
Alf - I have just been looking at the link again that you posted re the CAD at Corsham. After reading it again and then looking at your photos, it really is fantastic. No one would know that there was all that going on underground.

Any more stories about your time there?

Judy
 
Hi Judy I will see what I can dig up:)

It you havent seen this it will keep you busy & the Photo's plus the Maps

https://www.monkton-farleigh.co.uk/sc_monktonfarleigh3.htm

There is a photo of the entrance taken when the Army was there ie myself.

They were so strict on smoking that you could be on a charge just carrying a empty Cig Packet or Matchbox even a Pipe with no Tabacco
 
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Alf said:
Oh yes keep it going forever could you, I was stationed at RAOC CAD Corsham and we had a night exercise with RAF Box (Rudloe Manor) and guess who came out on top:D

Purple Heart we done give medals for wounds.
Click to expand...

I was at RAF Box, Rudloe Manor from March 55 'til Sept 56. I remember that we had a 'Night Exercise'. Spent most of my time 'underground' Long time ago now.
When not there, in the local B. Legion hut ot the hights of Corsham.
 
Great to find someone who remembers Corsham and that night exercise and of all things the British legion.

I had a friend in Rudloe by the name of Ray came from Easton in Bristol I've a photo somewhere I'll have to sort it.:)
 
I was browsing the link below and saw the closing down of RAF Padgate one year after I was there. Takes me back to seeing boots being highly shined. I got a layer of polish on my toecaps so thick it flaked off when I stamped to attention. I think we decided that 'Kiwi ?' polish was better than 'Cherry Blossom':)
https://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=32610
 
oldMohawk said:
Takes me back to seeing boots being highly shined. I got a layer of polish on my toecaps so thick it flaked off when I stamped to attention.]
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. Just as it was!

I was at RAF Hednesford, Oct - Dec 1954, another basic training camp. A miserable, god-forsaken place at that time of the year, perpetually misty, damp and dank. You could polish your boots up to mirror finish but by the time you had got outside, hung around for a few minutes, lined up and were inspected they would have acquired a white mould which the D.I. (Drill Instructor) would not fail to spot.

But I suppose it all helped to make me the wonderful person I am today.

Chris
 
ChrisM:

I was another doing basic training at Hednesford slightly later than you (May - July 1955) and I think it closed down shortly after that. I agree - what a barren and derelict place it was - absolutely falling to bits. I've seen places in better condition on 28dayslater.co.uk ! And what a pleasure it was to move to RAF Yatesbury immediately afterwards and in one of the best summers we'd had for years. :D

OldMohawk:

I'd most certainly agree with you that Kiwi (and Wren's) were both much better than Cherry Blossom! :P

Maurice :cool:
 
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