Description
Object description
British NCO served with RAF in GB, Cyprus and Germany, 1955-1983
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Skelmanthorpe, Huddersfield, 1936-1955: social circumstances; father's war service; tension in village community over factory workers switching to mineworking to avoid national service; effects of war; education; question of sporting activities; work as accountant with National; Coal Board, 1951-1955; selection for RAF and medical prior to call up, 3/1955. Period at No 2 Reception Unit, RAF Cardington, 3/1955: train journey; kitting out; signing on for extra year and confusion over RAF number. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during basic training at RAF Padgate, Warrington, 3/1955-5/1955: reputation of base; hut accommodation; role of 'senior man' in hut and advice on preparing for kit inspections. REEL 2 Continues: preparations for guard of honour; drill; weapons training and PT; reaction to discipline; relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; food rations; washing cutlery; canteens; nights out in Warrington; preparations for guard of honour. REEL 3 Continues: tailor's parade to secure proper uniform fit prior to guard of honour; account of acting ads guard of honour for Elizabeth I and celebration in canteen; prior selection for training as clerk and consequent in post trade training. Recollections of period in Personnel Dept., Station Headquarters, RAF Celle, Germany, 5/1955-1/1958: journey out; reception including arrivals procedure and introductory tour of base; barrack accommodation; role as aircraftman 2nd class under training as clerk; role of movements clerks; role of leave clerk and personal occurrence report clerk in avoidance of leave fraud; local leave warrants. REEL 4 Continues: role of registry clerk dealing with official and secret mail; organisation of personnel dept. and training of clerks; trades test and qualification as aircraftman 1st class; movements between jobs within dept.; period as documents clerk filing 445A personnel forms; period as leave clerk and question of 'perks'; role of duty clerk; photography activities and recreations; relationship with ORs and German civilians; presence of workers from German Service Organisations; role of organisation clerks; lack of contact with mainstream RAF personnel. REEL 5 Continues: enjoyment of service; promotion to corporal and role running sections; duties of orderly corporal; background to early demobilisation, 1/1958. Post-service career, 1958-1962: return to work for NCB; failure to reacclimatise to civilian life and various jobs; marriage; background to decision to re-join RAF. Period of recruit training at RAF Bridgnorth, 9/1962-10/1962: role as 'senior man' in hut accommodation; question of repeating basic training; status having taken clerical trade test. Period of clerical training at School of Administrative Training at RAF Kirton in Lindsay, 10/1962-12/1962. Recollections of period as clerk with Technical Wing, RAF Marham, 12/1962-9/1964: reaction to posting; question of married quarters; duties in engineering records; reorganisation of RAF clerks and qualification as senior aircraftsman; background to transfer to orderly room; background to posting to Aden. Recollections of period at 123 Signals Unit, Steamer Point, Aden, 9/1964-9/1965: flight out. REEL 6 Continues: administrative and HQ role of base; reception and location of wireless stores in hills; nature and composition of unit; daily routine and duties; hot climate; visits to main base and HQ; story of jeep running over dog owned by Lieutenant General Charles Harrington; story of wearing civilian pattern shorts and Air Vice Marshal Johnny Johnson; armed patrols around signals unit compound; awareness of political situation in Aden; question of secrecy; story of initial accommodation overlooking WAAF block; buying food from Arab civilians; status of red hair with Arab civilians; question of length of posting and priority in choice of next posting. REEL 7 Cataloguing Mising. REEL 8 Continues: reaction to new clerical systems; introduction of payment via bank accounts in RAF. Period with HQ, 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force, NATO at Ramstein, Germany, 3/1974-10/1977: nature of base and unit; administrative role with Optical Research Division; relationship with other nationalities; married quarters. Period with Supply Control Centre, RAF Hendon, London, 10/1977-9/1983: role of centre; administrative duties; question of imminent closure of base; background to decision to leave RAF, 9/1983. Post-service career: background to work as supervisor at Bomber Command Museum, 1983-1985; work as chief warder of RAF Museum, Hendon, 1986-1996; work as volunteer at RAF Museum, Hendon, 1996-2002.
