No. 192


OSB Logo The Old St Beghian
  Jan 2018

 

Ivan Jones (FN 60-64) recalls the RAF section:

“Regarding the David Boucher article in the previous Bulletin, I am sending some pictures taken upon the visit to the school for the annual CCF inspection in 1961 by Gus Walker, who I believe was then head of RAF Training Command. Although not pictured, he actually flew the bungee glider during his visit. The glider was stored in a hut east of the New Block and hardly ever brought out and assembled. He arrived and departed via a helicopter which the RAF section had to guard. Perhaps as a result of Gus' visit the following spring an additional RAF camp was arranged at RAF Butsvilerhoff outside Cologne, to which Dacre Watson and I went.  As I recall there was very little military about the camp apart from the location and uniform. It was more a tourist trip. We visited Bonn, the Deutz engineering factory, the Cologne 711 perfume factory and various other spots. The only time we did anything of a military nature was to fire a sten gun on the station firing range. We were billeted in the Sergeants’ Mess and ate our meals in the Officers’ Mess. I have also enclosed a picture of Dacre and Stobart taken on that trip. I can't remember who the boy to their right was except I think his father was in the RAF.

The annual camp that year was at RAF Cranwell, which was also organized by Gus Walker. Because it was/is the RAF University it was regarded as the most prestigious camp in the system reserved for only the most important schools. We were the only ‘lesser’ public school there and I think the only one from the north and looked down upon until we came in top in the athletic competition that had been arranged.”

Please click here to see photographs.

 

 

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