There is a CD by Chas (of Chas and Dave) and J.I. (of the Crickets) called ” before we grow too old” and it got me thinking that I ought to record my memories of detachments I had back in the sixties, “before I grow too old”. Also, John might want the info for his records.
I was posted to Cyprus (Dhekelia) in August 1965 so acclimatisation was loading surface mail at Famagusta Docks the next day. Courier runs included the 3.30 am trip to Episkopi, sleeping on the beach at Happy Valley before returning in the afternoon.
Detachment to RAF Troodos for a few weeks is a vivid memory. I was by then at the office in Nicosia so travelled up the mountain on Sunday afternoon in my FIAT 500D ( How many people are going to be able to say that the model of their first car was still being produced nearly 60 years later? ) Monday morning the joy of being driven, by a still inebriated RAF driver, down to Akrotiri and back. There were no protective barriers on the side of the open road and a wonderful set of hairpin bends called the seven sisters. Nothing much to do up there as I think I only produced one balance sheet in the month. RAF had a short wave radio station that I used to sit in on ( very Tony Hancock).
The other short term detachments were to the UNFICYP post office in Nicosia when someone got sent home early or leave relief. We also used to do courier runs to Malta and El Adem as well as meeting the long-range couriers when Akrotiri was closed for resurfacing.
Aiya Napa was just a very small beech hut and a trip to Kyrenia involved an armed convoy through the mountains. Not sure of the dates but Turkey threatened to invade and all families were moved from Nicosia into the SBA in Dhekelia. When I first went to Cyprus RAF Nicosia was a big base but was gradually run down until I was the only one left on detachment there. I watched the now derelict International airport being built.
In July 1969 I went to Hannover and lived in the Ostland Str enclave. I went on detachment to the school in Wilhelmshaven, can’t remember why, and this involved collecting/despatching the post each day and then sitting in the club bar all evening. The Royal Engineer diving team were based in Kiel and that was another detachment with a bar. That was the first time I had seen a large sink with a metal bar on each side to hold on to do the Technicolor yawn. Also for some reason, the COs wife used to spend the evening watching the diving team play games in their underwear? My first meeting with Asbach. The Royal Engineer skiing team were based at Oberammergau and that was another detachment. I lived on the American base and that was a real eye-opener, steak for breakfast? I took over from another Cpl and he met me in full American uniform, he had done a uniform swop. He had also taught our American friends his version of the British way of greeting people as holding up two fingers and shouting B***cks. Made walking around camp interesting.
Well that’s done “before I grow too old”
While in Hanover as a young Lcpl I was assigned to work at the BMH Hanover taking the mail and running a counter from a very small office. As often happens I got friendly with a few nurses and one day I was told that one of the nurses was getting married. The girls had booked a room at the BMH for a few drinks and would I like to come to help serve the drinks. Two guys were needed and I forget who the other poor soul was. The only catch was I had to wear a bow tie and shorts. Nothing else! As often happens the girls got very drunk and there’s nothing worse than a gaggle of drunken ladies. A short scuffle later and me and my unknown colleague had been wrestled to the ground and the shorts removed. A lot of surgical ink was then used on parts I shan’t mention and I believe photos were taken. Thankfully I don’t believe they ever surfaced. That evening taught me a lot about women.