Closed RAF Stations.

[ian16th]

Which one was the Sgt's Mess on Gan?

[Ex-Ascot]

Is Gan still called by the same name? Is the runway still there and operative? My elders on 10 Sqn would always talk about taking the 10 through there. Some story about a Flt Eng getting his leg over there on a one hour turn around. Probably not true.

[Boac]

I think the Eng would have to have imported the filly if the story is true.

Still Gan but more to do there now than look at the crabs (or in the case of the F/E, catch them ...)

[Ex-Ascot]

I think the Eng would have to have imported the filly if the story is true.

Still Gan but more to do there now than look at the crabs (or in the case of the F/E, catch them ...)

Ah, now you mention it I think that the story did involve a pax. Far more logical.

We did a one hour turnaround in Belize. There was an ATCO there I would have been quite happy to take around the back of the ATC bike sheds. Always wondered if she wore anything under that flimsy KD dress with buttons all down the front. Never found out Was also at Benson and Brize with her. She rode a big scary motorbike and was bonking a Sgt. Just not cricket.

[CharlieOneSix]

I think the Eng would have to have imported the filly if the story is true......

There was only one woman on Gan when I was there for a couple of days in May '66 - a civilian schoolie if I remember correctly. As I was 22 she looked really old at about 50! We were passing enroute from Singapore to our second stint on the Beira Patrol and had called in to practice dropping torpedoes.

[izod tester]

There was a SSAFA sister there in the 1970s. Also, when 216 Sqn ran its own OCU course for the Comet 4Cs, 1 aircraft was sent to Gan for a month the do the aircrew conversion thing in clear blue skies with predictable met. There usually 2 or 3 female airloadmasters on the detachment too.

[ian16th]

I was only on Gan for about 2½ weeks in 61. At the time there was a matronly WVS lady on the island.

On my original thread; my 1st posting after Boys training, was to BCBS Lindholme, now a high security prison!

[G-CPTN]

RAF Acklington closed in 1975 and was the site of Acklington and Castington prisons.
These have since been amalgamated and transferred into private ownership and are simply known as H. M. P. Northumberland.

[Boac]

My only romantic encounter on Gan was with a Fruit Bat that dropped out of a tree and wrapped itself around my kisser as I staggered back from the bar to my monastic bed. Gawd, did I crap myself.............!

[Alisoncc]

On my original thread; my 1st posting after Boys training, was to BCBS Lindholme, now a high security prison!

So it hasn't changed much Ian? Was it an "approved" establishment when you were there.

Alison

[Sisemen]

The actual story is that it was a Navy wife got herself up the duff during the hour and a half GAN stop over. That was in the days when we used to fly out a ship’s “nearest and dearest” to join the crew in Singers or Honkers mid-deployment.

[Pontius Navigator]

Sisemen, which was a kick in the teeth for the RAF staff on HMP Gan who did 12 Monty unaccompanied. My boss at Waddo was given a punished posting there as OC. He had refused an ex-officio quarter and lived in his own house in Retford. He would stay in the mess when he was duty wg cdr. Not sure who did the dirty on him, most likely Boots Griffiths the new staish.

[Pontius Navigator]

I served or did courses at more than 20 stations. Seven are left with Scampton going, Wittering non-up, and Akrotiri and Ascension overseas.

[ian16th]

The former No 2 Radio School RAF Yatesbury.

Yatesbury Today.jpg (27.19 KiB) Viewed 652 times

I was there:
May 1952-Sept 53
2 weeks in 1954
April 1955-Feb 56
2 weeks in 1957
Sept 1958-Jan 59

Over 30 months of my service.

The RAF never gave up, trying to teach me something!

[boing]

I seem to have left a trail of destruction in my RAF career. South Cerney, Syerston, Oakington, Finningly, Little Rissington - the only operational airfields left are Cottesmore, Cranwell and Akrotiri and Akrotiri fell apart just after I left !!!

[Sisemen]

Hereford - gone
Finningley - gone
Khormaksar - gone
Sharjah - gone
Finningley (again) - gone
Scampton - almost gone
Brize Norton - alive and kicking
Henlow - ?
Rudloe Manor - gone
Recruiting London and Ilford - original offices gone
Honington - non flying
Cranwell - alive & kicking and polished
Wittering - non-operational
MOD Adastral - gone
Benson - alive and operational! Praise de Lord!

[wings folded]

Coltishall?

[Alisoncc]

Minimum of 2 nights.

Chivenor
Cardington
Locking
Halton
Finningley
Yatesbury
Muharraq
Sharjah
Masirah
Salalah
Khormaksar
Gan
Changi
Seletar
Leconfield

Suspect most have gone.

Alison

[Alisoncc]

I seem to have left a trail of destruction in my RAF career. Syerston

I was visiting Syerston in 1958 for the BoB display when the Vulcan broke up into little bits. Little did I know then that five years later I would be fixing the buggers at Finningley.

Alison

[Boac]

"the Vulcan broke up into little bits" - believed to have exceeded the g-limit by rolling and pulling.