Pull up a Sandbag

Sorry old Soldier, not me. The career choice when I left School was, either the local factory or the Army! I did consider it but just couldn't bring myself to get my hair cut Spinner

Hi Spinner. I know what you mean, my Dad was in for years and when asked, " what you going to do when you grow up" the answer was...."Join the Army, just like Dad" When at 15 the time came I did not want to get my hair cut either!! Mid 60's, pop groups like the Beatles, Stones and all the others had started growing their hair!! Anyway, I was not given any choice..... In I went to boy service and a visit to Geronimo the camp hedge cutter!! Left with a tuft on top...bit like recent fashions!! Anyway, that's another story!!

Looks like I'm on my own, no other ex service folk around?, surly not!
Shame, I was going to tell a true story which involved me, a toilet in a German barn and a buxom frauline with arms like tree trunks......

Probably doesn't count but I come from a service background. My Dad was in the RAF and was a fighter and air display pilot.

I would have tried to follow those footsteps but a childhood eyesight issue prevented me doing so. The best I could legally manage was a licence to fly a glider solo when I was 16.

Not wanting to do anything other than fly I chose civi street.

The pic is me getting a guided tour of one of Dad's aeroplanes

And by the way thanks again to you and Spinner for doing such a great job holding the fort while I'm elsewhere

You are not alone I am an ex member of the Great Unwashed. Mind you I left the service in 75 and spent most of my time working in the defence industry

Ahaa I see a few responding which is great but I need those "like" buttons pressed before the story is told!!

Now you are on to something Neil

My dad was in the Armoured Division (tanks), in the Coldstream Guards. They landed in Normandy in late June 1944 and fought there way through Holland (as part of operation Market Garden) an on into Germany, Breman & Hamburg. He stayed on to run a displaced persons camp. I think he came back in 1946, but not sure. Anyway, I have a complete diary of the regiments activities, where they went, on what day and who got killed as well as how many Panzers were taken out.

I have a plan in the next couple of years to follow in his footsteps, or tank tracks I should say. I want to do it in real time and obviously blog about it. You might of gathered by now by my Spanish Civil War blog that I am fascinated with battles.

However, this one is particularly is special to me.

Spinner

Only 2 more "Likes" needed for me to tell the German Fauline story....!!!

Just found this one, oldsoldier, I was "crab air" myself. in the days of "real" aircraft . Buccaneers, ( they are on the side of my head) Hunter, Jet provost, Chipmunk, ( rear cockpit switches on, breach is cocked, engine primed - contact ), Jaguar, Sea King.
Last tour on a busy visiting aircraft section; at one stage even attached to Fleet Air Arm. Bit like an old cigarette advert "you're never alone".

Hey up Old soldier,
Two here from the Senior Service. I served from 62-72 and the memsahib from 67-80, both in the Supply and Secretariat
branch, from the ages of 16 and 17 respectively. Enjoyed the time in and have no regrets at all about making the move. Made some great mates, learnt all about life and generally became more mature and responsible adults, well most of the time anyway.
A very different R.N. now of course, what there is left of it, for reasons that are sometimes beyond belief but still note with much interest that as long as there are more admirals than ships it will still be seen as an efficient fighting force. We lost the "tot" (rum ration) in 1970, that was seen as unforgivable, but to also loose the Royal Tournament, and more particularly the show stopping Field Gun Competition, in 1999 once again begs belief. I do notice that the Household Division and it's masses of musicians are still on regular display and there are plenty military tattoos around the country, but that is only an opinion. We are still both Royal Navy through and through and are both proud to have served in it.
I must say though that I came from an Army family as the old man was a Para in WW2 and in the Devons in the 50/60's.

hi all . the army was not me i cant stand being told what to do went straight in to the building trade & made a good living out of it . my mate went in the army for a while he told me he had to clean coal with a toothbrush & paint the parade ground lines white whitewash OR was that when he was in borstal cant remember Alzheimer's kicking in again dam & blast . will

Hi Old Soldier,

One from the RN here. I served 10 years in the '60s-70's but due to the severe cutbacks at the time to the FAA took early retirement and went into Civil Aviation. A flavour of what life was like in those days is here:

Hands to flying stations! 1975

I don't know if the link will work as it is one of the first posts I have made on the site.

Tony.

hi shippers, give it another go. at least you were in the mob when we had the tot! what were you on? I did two years on 814 as squadron jack dusty, the best proper draft I had.

Neilmack, that looks like a Hunter of 208 sqdn, that you and your dad are with, probably in Bahrain. tg2411 That clip is a little familiar, I was stationed on 208 sqdn Buccaneers at Honnington from '75, for a time was attached to 809, as someone else quoted saqd demise of the the field gun run. Brilliant night all round at Honnington when we found out that Fleet Air Arm had one some very sore heads the next day.

Neilmack, that looks like a Hunter of 208 sqdn, that you and your dad are with, probably in Bahrain..

Top marks Rodders I'm impressed!

My Dad flew as part of an aerobatic display team all over the Arabian Peninsular. That photo would have been around 1960.

I've attached another shot taken during some promotional work with Mt Kilimanjaro in the background (Dad was flying the Hunter in 'box' position )

Nice to see some chat and stories on here. Had my head below the parapet for awhile, tried moving forward awhile ago but still struggling. Hope to be going over the top and getting back to normal soon. Meanwhile wishing everyone on this site a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year.

keep looking forward "Old Soldier". What were you in regiment-wise?


As a by-thought any of our illustrious reads attend St. John's School, Episkopi (SJS)?