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Thanks Steve and Chris, just want to get the MRI and CT scans done and see the results. I’m prepared for whatever the results are, I am up to facing whatever happens.
In view of your keen cadet stuff Chris, I reckon you would have made a good “crab”! ? I wanted to join the RAF from Technical School at 15 as a Boy Entrant, but my school then (1960) had a policy of making parents pay for each term missed if I left a year early. In the end I wound up in the Army Air Corps at 20, after training. AAC then referred to by the RAF as TWA, or “Teeny Weeny Airways” – from the Gutersloh and Wildenrath jet pilots who came to our Gliding Club. I asked a Lightning pilot why they loved gliding when they flew a Mach 2 jet – “You don’t fly those things, you just hang on, aim them and hope they don’t flame out! Without an engine, they fall out of the sky!”
Gliding was second only to downhill skiing, for me. Para drops 3rd. Gliding was peaceful once I mastered Solo, downhill was just exhilerating, Para drops good for the adrenalin junky I was then. I generally find that anyone who wants to work in an aircraft environment, had an experience when they were young. Mine was being taken to Airshows by dad at a very young age, and taken for a flight in a DH Dragon Rapide biplane at 8 yo, from Squires Gate Blackpool, around the Isle of Man and back. What was yours?
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Thanks Steve and Chris, just want to get the MRI and CT scans done and see the results. I’m prepared for whatever the results are, I am up to facing whatever happens. In view of your keen cadet stuff Chris, I reckon you would have made a good “crab”!
I wanted to join the RAF from Technical School at 15 as a Boy Entrant, but my school then (1960) had a policy of making parents pay for each term missed if I left a year early. In the end I wound up in the Army Air Corps at 20, after training. AAC then referred to by the RAF as TWA, or “Teeny Weeny Airways” – from the Gutersloh and Wildenrath jet pilots who came to our Gliding Club. I asked a Lightning pilot why they loved gliding when they flew a Mach 2 jet – “You don’t fly those things, you just hang on, aim them and hope they don’t flame out! Without an engine, they fall out of the sky!” Gliding was second only to downhill skiing, for me. Para drops 3rd. Gliding was peaceful once I mastered Solo, downhill was just exhilerating, Para drops good for the adrenalin junky I was then. I generally find that anyone who wants to work in an aircraft environment, had an experience when they were young. Mine was being taken to Airshows by dad at a very young age, and taken for a flight in a DH Dragon Rapide biplane at 8 yo, from Squires Gate Blackpool, around the Isle of Man and back. What was yours? Probably what got me started was a visit to the Fleet Air Arm museum with my Grandad. At the time, they had (and possibly still do), the prototype Concorde. Used to be able to hear that occasionally going for it’s sonic boom as we were near the Devon coast – probably occasionally a bit early for it as it isn’t supposed to sonic boom over land but if the weather was right, you’d hear it. We also used to live near to RAF (now RMB) Chivenor so that was handy. I joining the Air Training Corps after I left Scouts and loved it. Stayed with it as long as I could – made Cadet Flight Sergeant within a couple of years.
Tried to join the RAF after college as a WSO, was recommended I go to Uni and get some experience, a degree and come back. Didn’t really try and then left cadets. Rejoined cadets about 3 years ago, and then spent last year going for my commission with the regulars, but got rejected for medical reasons. Passed the same tests to get a commission in what was then the RAF Volunteer Reserve (Training) branch, but my commission was changed to a Cadet Forces Commission at the start of December and I’m now an RAFAC (RAF Air Cadet) Officer. More in keeping with my role and means I’m not quite bound by the same rules and regulations as the full commission (i.e. they can’t call me to war!) However, I still get to wear the light blue suit!
Got a week off in January, spending the week at RAFC Cranwell, on my Officers Initial Course. A 34 week course for new recruits, condensed in to a week(!) for cadet officers! In fairness, we skip all the bits like shooting, fitness and drill – having been taught drill already prior to going and then shooting is a personal preference, in comparison to actually being in the Regs. Though we also have a lot more to do on duty of care and child protection, which the regs don’t have to do, as they aren’t looking after kids. Sure some parents see us as a cheap babysitting opportunity for their kids.
"Everything looks interesting until you do it. Then you find it’s just another job" - Terry Pratchett
Hopefully, for her, it was the moving out of Germany that took 3 months in the planning and not the other
It went bad, Steve. Her dad had been an SS Camp Guard at Bergen-Belsen and his hate for me was gradually transferred to her. She was beautiful but hard as nails and eventually made up her mind that I was going to leave the Army and marry her, then we would both work in the Gasthaus together, make enough money and move on up. The original plan as first agreed when we got together, was that I would end my service at 12 years and then we would both move to the UK with the kids, who were registered with dual nationality by me at a British consulate. In the end she would not move and I could not stay, the last 18 months was hell on earth. I hated her screaming at me in front of the kids, had to go before I did something that would not end without one of us at least hurt.One example is that she could speak good English, but for the last 2 years just would not speak it. I knew she loved the kids and would not hurt them, would bring them up fine. It took a long time of trying to please her before I gave it up. When I left the Army a year later, I gave her all my gratuity to help the kids. Last I heard, she owned a big Tourist hotel, a Gasthof in a holiday resort called Adlertal: Valley of the Eagles. Quite a rich woman by now, but the kids left when they grew and will have nothing to do with either of us. Can’t blame them, but I have had another family now for over 30 years and had to stop worrying about what I could not help.
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I'm out.
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