RAF Air Movements 1953-1961
A retrospective of RAF service of the time
Guestbook
Although you are asked for an email address when making an entry, this does not show up on the guestbook page.
If you need a reply then leave your address within the body of the message. Try to disguise this by using "at" and "dots" so that the address is not harvested by bots.
Sign our Guestbook!
232 Comments
Reply
Georgina Sparne <georgesparne@hotmail.com>
02:14 AM on August 11, 2005
My Dad is Ken Sparne and he doesn't talk very much about his time in the RAF, so its nice to read a little more about what he would've experienced.
Reply
Alex Masson <handam@blueyonder.co.uk>
03:33 AM on July 20, 2005
Great site Jim! Congratulations! Sorry I've been off the plot again. i'll explain later.
Reply
Stan Fowler <stan@clockshop.freeserve.co.uk>
07:41 AM on June 27, 2005
Congratulations on an interesting site.
The West Kirby bit was particularly interesting for me as I was there in 1956.While staying with friends in Liverool last year I saw the memorial.
I came across the West Kirby web site and joined the Association. If you don't know of it the address is:
www.geocities.com/rafwestkirby/index.htm. I have just looked at it again and it seems a bit out of date but has contact numbers.
All the best
Stan Fowler
The West Kirby bit was particularly interesting for me as I was there in 1956.While staying with friends in Liverool last year I saw the memorial.
I came across the West Kirby web site and joined the Association. If you don't know of it the address is:
www.geocities.com/rafwestkirby/index.htm. I have just looked at it again and it seems a bit out of date but has contact numbers.
All the best
Stan Fowler
Reply
John Finnigan <john@finn36.wanadoo.co.uk>
09:55 AM on June 09, 2005
Arrived at West Kirby Feb1955 and endured one of the coldest 8 weeks of my life warmed by only experiencing what sqarebashing can do to an erk about to set out on the biggest adventure of my life. It could only get better and it did.....happy days!
Reply
Roger Aslin <rogeraslin@lycos.com>
11:58 AM on May 04, 2005
Enjoyed my visit. I was at West Kirby in 1951 followed by Locking for trade training before spending time next to Fayid in the Canal Zone. Perhaps I saw your ship pass by!
Reply
Tony Sirrell <Gannitekos@aol.com>
05:01 AM on April 04, 2005
Lo Jim back again, just trawling around. have to think now before I type anyones name, and before I hit the "save" key, duh!!
Speak to you later
Tony
Speak to you later
Tony
Reply
Jack Riley <You know>
05:06 PM on March 29, 2005
After 21 years in the mob I shall always think of Pongos as brown jobs...despite John and his dictionary
Reply
geoff godbold <ggodbold9@hotmail.com>
03:42 AM on February 25, 2005
I have mixed memories of West Kirby, I was there in November 1956 for square bashing, having done the train journey from Cardington. I was 18 at the time and never been further south of Leeds than Wakefield, the shock of being meet by a posse of DIs still remains with me...however, at the end of 12 weeks i came out of it with a different outlook on life which has stood me in good stead for almost 50 years. I went on to do trade training at Compton Bassett and from there to middle east...Cyprus..Bahrain.Iraq.
Reply
Jim Aitken <mine>
02:59 PM on February 22, 2005
For John Holloway........
Mate, all the time I was in the 'mob' I only heard the term Pongo applied to those blokes in the British Army. Of course I can't buck the OED but I wonder if they have got that correct !! Do they list 'crabs' as a proper word or does that still remain slang?
Jim
Mate, all the time I was in the 'mob' I only heard the term Pongo applied to those blokes in the British Army. Of course I can't buck the OED but I wonder if they have got that correct !! Do they list 'crabs' as a proper word or does that still remain slang?
Jim
Reply
Tony Sirrell <Gannitekos@aol.com>
05:29 AM on February 21, 2005
From little acorns Jim. Great site. I wondered what had happened to your old site when I tried to access it and it came up access error or some such nonsense. Great to see you back on the web. Will keep popping back, all the best mate.
Tony
Tony
Reply
malcolm ward <malcolmward@dsl.pipex.com>
12:05 AM on February 21, 2005
my square bashing was from april 1956 roosavelt sq. most went onto the VICTORIA CROSS PARADE in Hyde Park. about 120 VC holders there as was centenary. what an occasion to be on parade. i missed that glorious occasion as i was in the squadren athletic team (half mile) only name i remember from those days is my next bunk buddy Brian Williams-from cardiff.
i have an official photo of those in our hut. i need to find it so it can go onto this website. i was and still am at Carlisle
i have an official photo of those in our hut. i need to find it so it can go onto this website. i was and still am at Carlisle
Reply
Dennis Fickling <dennis.fickling@btinternet.com>
11:27 PM on February 20, 2005
Hi Jim, your site passed on to me by Gerald Pardey this morning.
I was at West Kirby some time before yourself 6th. August to 6th October 1948, and firstly went to Padgate for induction
It did transform lads into men, and I am sure that we all benefitted from what seemed then to be hell on earth.
I think if modern youth had the training in dicipline we had the country would be in a better state.
Enjoyed visiting your site
best regads
Dennis
I was at West Kirby some time before yourself 6th. August to 6th October 1948, and firstly went to Padgate for induction
It did transform lads into men, and I am sure that we all benefitted from what seemed then to be hell on earth.
I think if modern youth had the training in dicipline we had the country would be in a better state.
Enjoyed visiting your site
best regads
Dennis
Reply
John Holloway <usual>
08:40 PM on February 20, 2005
Hi Jim
Pongo is a derogatry term applied to RAF OR's and until recently was only in the dictionary of slang words.It is now recognised as a proper word and is now in the Oxford English Dictionary.
How do I know?? Susie told me!!!
jhy
Pongo is a derogatry term applied to RAF OR's and until recently was only in the dictionary of slang words.It is now recognised as a proper word and is now in the Oxford English Dictionary.
How do I know?? Susie told me!!!
jhy
Reply
Jim Aitken <the same>
08:04 PM on February 19, 2005
No John I haven't seen the description of PONGO.....the Oxford English Dictionary is hard to come by in the 'colonies' mate. We tend to speak strine.
But perhaps you can enlighten us !!
Hooroo..........Jim
But perhaps you can enlighten us !!
Hooroo..........Jim
Reply
John Holloway <jhy122@btinternet.com>
04:52 AM on February 18, 2005
There are about 30 photos of West Kirby on the RAF(NS) website,
By the way Jim have you seen the latest description of the word 'PONGO' in the Oxford English Dictionary !!!
cheers
jhy
By the way Jim have you seen the latest description of the word 'PONGO' in the Oxford English Dictionary !!!
cheers
jhy
Reply
Eric Nelson <wylamstation@yahoo.com>
04:52 AM on February 16, 2005
Hi Jim,
Good to know that you have re-established some of your former website with the memories of West Kirby.
I've just beeen having another look at the old place of my days in '51.
There are some good photos of passing out parades and other such interesting things. Sadly I do not see any of of my passing out date, March 16 '51. Perhaps one of your contacts through the WK site may have a copy.??
Keep up the good work on the history of West Kirkby and all RAF sites that you do.
Good to know that you have re-established some of your former website with the memories of West Kirby.
I've just beeen having another look at the old place of my days in '51.
There are some good photos of passing out parades and other such interesting things. Sadly I do not see any of of my passing out date, March 16 '51. Perhaps one of your contacts through the WK site may have a copy.??
Keep up the good work on the history of West Kirkby and all RAF sites that you do.
Reply
Dave Cromb <djcromb@bigpond.com>
09:32 AM on February 13, 2005
Good luck Jim,hope it's even better than the brilliant first site.I'll look in from time to time.
Cheers,DC
Cheers,DC
Reply
Jim Aitken <mine>
09:44 AM on February 07, 2005
Thanks Gerry.....
Yes mate....I've got all of them stored on my pooter. Give me time and I'll have most of them up on the Webshots site at least. Keep dropping by.....we are still under constuction.
Yes mate....I've got all of them stored on my pooter. Give me time and I'll have most of them up on the Webshots site at least. Keep dropping by.....we are still under constuction.
Reply
Gerald (Gerry) Finlay <Known.>
06:03 AM on February 07, 2005
Greetings Jim, glad to see you back again. Hope you get the West Kirby photo's all back up. (Have you still got them?)
Regards, Gerry.
Regards, Gerry.
Reply
Jim Aitken
10:39 AM on January 30, 2005
You should complain? I was an Air Mover and was shipped to Singapore on a troopship!! Mind you, in retrospect, great experience which is no longer available today. My wife came out to Singapore on a Hermes......due to take 5 days but ended up about 10 with constant 'snags' down route. I think many were 'manufactured' by the crew to enjoy the various route stops!
Get a Free Website at Webs.com!
