RAF Air Movements 1953-1961

Thanks for info Jim will do!

 Just thinking as the nights are `drawing in` re walking around whatever camp whilst on Fire Picket and armed with a pick axe shaft so to repel all invaders, and hopefully keep the country's Vampire's and Meteor's safe. We must have done a good job as I don't think any other countries are flying those `kites` even now!. 

Hi Bob

Have you tried the RAF Bridgnorth website? Hundreds of members listed and loads of photos also.  Worth a try mate.......Google will fins the link for you.

Cheers

Jim

Hello out there, do any of you good folk remember either Lisle (Sugar) Gilkes or Jim de Planc from `D` Squadron Bridgenorth in 1957 or Don Shorey @ Compton Bassett also in `57 ? If so then I'd love a note from you. In fact I enjoy all the notes you guys put on the site. Get your thinking caps on! Bob Metcalfe.    

I was stationed at  R A F Lyneham in 1952 doing my national service i was posted from R A F Abingdon in 1952 and stayed at Lyneham till my demob in september 1953.I have happy memorys of my time there playing football for the station.I worked in the telephone exchange which involved shiftwork.

Sorry Jim,  I must hold my hand up,  that was my lack of concentration showing through. I MUST TRY HARDER. I MUST TRY HARDER.

I've just informed Mike of the information you were kind enough to pass on , though mentioned nothing about `the loan` BOB.

Hey Bob

Confusion reigns !!

Mike is the "yorkshireman".......

I'm Jim

Dear Mike, Thanks for your response and advice re the `sending photo's` info request that I put out a plea for on Comptons site. If for me  the process is as easy and quick as you say, then I have every chance of hanging on to enough hair to grace a `shot for the files`so thank you again.

Iv'e been amazed  at just how much particularly `place and geography` wise that I have in common with Mike, so much so that after hardly four days I feel I know him well enough to ask him for a goodly loan, though possibly I should bide my time!?. Trying now to compile a few notes so as to make any `memoir` contributions worthwhile.  Many salaams Bob  

Mike says...

Jim you are A STAR !  Just read your reply to Bob. Good on you mate and thanks for email - will digest it fully tomorrow it's 01.45 here . Mike 

GO TO BED!!

Jim

Jim you are A STAR !  Just read your reply to Bob. Good on you mate and thanks for email - will digest it fully tomorrow it's 01.45 here . Mike 

Hi Bob

Not a worry about your previous entry mate. I know it can be a bit confusing when you first start out. The mix-up for you probably came from the fact that I have set up an RAF Ring on Webs. Mike, along with others, is a member of that Ring.

You may have noticed that I have a "Members Recollections" page on my site. Before Mike bit the bullet and started his own site, I displayed his "story" on that page. The offer is open to all memebers to have their "story" published here. Some may not wish to go to the trouble of setting up their own site.....even though the whole exercise is quite painless and more importantly.......FREE !!

If you wish to avail yourself of this offer you only need to send me your story together with any photos by email. You can use any  method for writing ...Word. Notepad or Wordpad or even just typed into your email.

Let me know if you want to take me up on this. We don't want any of those experiences to be lost to future generations and this could be a place for your descendents to read about "what Daddy did in the War" !! Seriously though, it is essential that the National Service episode, which is part of UK history, is remembered.

Take care

Jim Aitken

Dear Jim

 Thanks due for your e-mail invite which I was pleased to accept

Thanks too for forwarding to Mike Brogan the note I left on here Friday last.

Being a `silver surfer` for only a month or so, I must admit that  through `lack of knowledge` my efforts in trying to contact like minded folk particularly to my National service days have been `rather raggy`, and from a particular item I came across (heavens knows where) both yours and mikes names seemed to me to be linked together `sitewise`, thus after many efforts mostly producing varying results, I found thee (both in fact).

Well I've enjoyed the site very much thank you and look forward to sharing  a bit of chat plus, once I can find out how, a few `photo's`.

My Nat.Service was 57/59 and its limited path was Cardington,Bridgenorth,Compton Basset,Saxa Vord & Leeming, so hopefully I may have the odd thing incommon with some other of your site members or visitors. Being explicit is hardly my forte but I'll work on it and put a bigger picture forward , thanks again for your efforts. Happy trails, Bob Metcalfe     

Hi Dan

Thanks for visiting mate.

Glad you found some interest in the site.

Oh yes....we of that era (National Service!) are all getting a bit "long in the tooth".

Sad that the kids of today no longer have the opportunity to see a bit of the world and to serve their country.

My oldest grand-daughter has just been accepted into the Royal Australian Navy.

That gives us a "full house" ! I was in the RAF, my son was in the Australian Army for 9 years and now the 3rd generation is keeping the flag flying in the Navy.

Glad you are enjoying "sas kat  chewin" ! Too cold a climate for these old bones !!!!

Hope you call back some time and all the best

Hooroo

Jim Aitken

oops!, sorry about the email bit, it's danaher at sasktel dot net.
Dan

Hi, I'm ex-national service, 1952-54, Hednesford for basic, St Athan for becoming an air-frame mech. and finally to RAF Feltwell for permanent base.\
I. too am now 75. I found your site indirectly from the RAFA website, one click led to another, have spent the last hour enjoying this site. Oh yes, now live in Saskatchewan Canada, have been in Canada since 1957...love it.

G'day Fr. Anthony,

Thanks for visiting my site and for your kind comments.

As you are now a member of the RAF Webring, of which we are now six, I took it upon myself to make contact with a Singaporean in an effort to assist you in finding the Singapore Defence Force's flags. You mentioned on one of your forums that you had difficulty in getting a response from the SDF. David Loo has previously offered to help a mutual friend and I thought that he might have some contacts within.

I have emailed David with a copy to you so I do hope this results in some resolution for you. I would love to hear from you if David can in fact help.

Enjoyed your site also. I have only scratched the surface at the moment but will continue to return when time permits.

I will place a link to your site from mine.

Kind regards

James (Jim) Aitken

Hi there!

Very interesting looking through your site.  I run a site here on webs too. (www.empiretocommonwealth.webs.com) and it was really interesting to see the photos of Singapore where my family grew up.  Thanks for sharing these, and all the best to you and yours.

+ Anthony.

G'day Mike

Good to hear you "have taken the plunge"!!

Will help you all I can........I have responded to your private email.

I've visited your new site and left some "traces" !!            Hehehe!

Cheers

Jim

Hi Jim, I've taken your advice and am attempting to set up a web site -www.yorkshireborn.webs.com - attempting is the correct word. Managed to download my pics. - the ones you used for members stories. Tell me Jim, do I have to retype all of my memoir of service life again or is it downloadable from my documents copy? I really am struggling on this but I cannot find a facility on the site to download. You did say I could ask for your advice !

BTW I am spreading the word about your excellent site. Cheers mate  -  Mike