The 81st Entry
RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices
Sept 1955 - July 1958
ISSUE No. 14 - FEBRUARY 2008
The Journal of the 81st Entry
Editor: Mike Stanley
Welcome to the fourteenth edition of The Journal.
Our 50th year since Pass Out. It will be quite a do at Cirencester in July; I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible.
Here are some notices with a reunion flavour:
There can be few [or none] of the original entry badges around but replacement badges are available from Tony Birchenough. I have one and it is pretty good. Tony is also having a polo shirt and sweatshirt produced with the entry badge, and will now have samples and prices available. Initially the polo shirt will be a similar blue to that on the badge and the sweatshirt in navy blue, but he says he is open to suggestions for alternative colours if warranted. [Tony can be contacted at tisaeb#supanet.com]
John (Tubs/Rolo) Taylor sends the following;
I am considering having a round of golf prior to the get together at the RAC next July. I would expect to start around 12 noon on a course somewhere near to the RAC so that I could get back to the RAC well in time for the 'do' at 18.30 hours. If anyone would like to join me please drop an email or something and I will try to get it organised. Home tel.01709 872397 Email johntaylor81 (at) btinternet.com
Were you in the same room as Ned Kelly in our first term at Halton? Ned is hoping someone has a copy of the room photo. He thinks he was in Block 2 Room 3. Contact Ned at ww.ekelly#btinternet.com
Mike
New Articles
The Adventures, or Trials and Tribulations, of Alan England, Airframe Fitter 81st Entry Part 1 by Alan England
Life After Halton Part 5 -Our Man In Amsterdam by Malcolm (Mac) Mason
Halton Memories by Ned Kelly
Around The World In 80 Delays Part 2 by Tony Birchenough
The Spanish Trip by Mike Stanley
If you have any comments on articles in the Journals, or just want to say 'Hi!' to old friends please CONTACT US
It will be published in due course on our FEEDBACK PAGE
Message from Tony Birchenough
I've now had samples of sweatshirt and polo shirt with entry badge and must say thay I'm impressed. My colour choice was French Navy for sweatshirt and Sky for polo shirt. Other colours are available, namely Bottle Green, Burgundy, Black, White, Light or Dark Grey, or even reds and yellows if anyone wants them.
A full range of sizes is available, S(36/38), M(38/40), L(40/42) XL(42/44).
Prices are £13.95 for the polo shirt, £16.95 for the Sweatshirt + p&p £3.50 for up to 2 items, £5.00 for 3 or 4.
I will add that I personally am not making a penny from this, not even trying to cover my initial costs for the samples
Hopefully there are some out there who are interested. In which case orders and delivery addresses should be sent to me, with cheque made out to The Kit Room Company Ltd. Orders will be despatched 1-2 weeks from my placing the order.
32 Slade Gardens, Slade Green, Slade, Erith, Kent, DA8 2HT
I've actually got a polo shirt size M that I can send you for your assessment Mike, if you'll let me have your address and phone no (somehow I lost a lot of gen when I last changed laptops.)
A Pen Picture of……………
John Taylor - (Tubs / Rolo) - K0681088 Airframe Fitter
2 Wing 2 Flight Block 5 room 4 (ex 3 wing Block 7 Room 6)
On leaving Halton posted to Cottesmore - Victor Bombers
Worked on 2nd line servicing.
Billeted with Gerry Ward, Dave (Brenda) Thorpe, Robert Brooks, Frank Chammings, Ernie May, George Hibbens, Ray Richmond (?), Jim Pinn. Joined later by Johnny Worthey-passed out with 82nd, Gypo Diodge (82nd) plus a few more other trades from the 81st in other billets.
Posted to Germany- RAF Laarbruck - 420 MU Met up with Dave Gregory, Mick Robbins, Ernie White - Jim Pinn also posted to Laarbruck but to one of Squadrons.
Being an MU made trips to other stations and saw Dick Richardson and Dave Wells at Wildenrath.
2nd son born at Wegberg.
Move back to England- RAF Accrington 2nd line servicing Jet Provosts
Stayed here till demobbed but went to college to get HNC before leaving RAF.
Went into industry as a work-study engineer then promoted to Production Control Manager. Went back into work-study with local authority and then moved into civil engineering planning.
Took early retirement and started to play a lot more golf. Still doing that!
We have been asked to draw your attention to the remarkable book written by Dave Jackson of the 91st Entry. Maybe this work of art will inspire some of our own entry to seek fame and fortune in a like manner. Some of you have made a good start already in 'First and Last'. Happy reading!
A - I'm an Armourer B - I'm an Armourer
is an enjoyable romp through the life, and loves, of an RAF Armourer through to his retirement after 38 years in 'Her Majesty's Employ', popularly called 'The Royal Air Force'. When off duty from his part in the defence of the realm and democracy, the author certainly found time to live up to the finest traditions of the armourers when it came to the pursuit of women and beer……
ISBN: 978-1-906302-01-6
PRICE: £9.95 (P & P £3.00 UK, £4.00 EU, £6.50 RoW)
Blenheim Press Ltd, 35 Market Place, St Albans, Herts AL3 5DL
Phone: 01727 852016 Fax: 01727 843716 e-mail: blenheimpress @ tiscali.co.uk
Or CLICK HERE to order from Amazon Books
Born at Retford in Nottinghamshire in 1942, Dave Jackson was raised and educated there and at Worksop, before joining the RAF as an apprentice at RAF Halton in the 91st Entry. Having completed his education (A levels and ONC) at Halton, he spent a total of 38 years in the RAF at 19 bases, with 14 years spent 'overseas' if his three years in Northern Ireland is included. When he retired from the RAF, he occupied himself building and refurbishing 'qty 3 properties'. Along the way he has been married three times and has, as he puts it, two/three sons, two official and one unofficial. He now lives in retirement with his third wife, to whom he has been married for 10 years, in Bawdeswell in Norfolk, where his hobbies include driving his sports car and his bubble car, reading and gardening. He also spends a few hours a week pulling silver birch out of Bawdeswell Heath and one day a week as a volunteer in the Sue Ryder charity shop.
Book Review
by Willie Keays
Do you recall that, of many occasions, when you were swinging the lamp or otherwise spinning the odd yarn, friends would remark ' You should put that in a book'. Well Dave Jackson has followed such advice.
A-I'm an Armourer B-I'm an Armourer tells the story of his long service in the Royal Air Force. It is a coherent and readable account of his adventures and how he coped with the vagaries of being in blue khaki during the larger part of the Cold War. Being 91st he is not quite contemporaneous with his superiors in the 81st but nevertheless you will find many chords struck that will revive your own memories and bring a smile or two to your lips.
The timeline of the book follows his postings, many to stations familiar to us but now serving other purposes; Ballykelly, Bruggen, Luqa, Ouston (Eh? Ouston? Read the book), Belize, Scampton.
I found the book useful in telling me what armourers actually did to bring down the Soviet Union, apart from appearing like troglodytes from their underground lairs to remove/insert safety links/pins and to tow heavily-shrouded unmentionables on bomb trolleys behind Davy Browns.
Dave worked in Ejection Seat Bays but it must be observed that a constant theme that runs throughout his story is concerned more with ejaculation than ejection.
Dave ended his service at the Puzzle Palace at Swanton Morley where is seems that a major effort of the many Chief Techs there was the production of Alphabet Soup, eg LSA, LLLGBPT, SR(2), ICRs, PT, AW WTFTF etc, etc,etc.
Who should read this book? Well anybody who would like to look into a mirror of reminiscences and see himself.
Who shoud not read this book? Pilots, officers, Northern Irish and any woman who admires constancy and faithfulness in her beloved.
