I went to that page but could not figure out how to post there!

Apologies for the delay, I have been moving house. You need to email Emily Horton, she is the 578 Assc. website administrator. It is a closed group to members only I’m afraid. You may need to join the 578 Association, but it’s only a tenner. She will then admit you to the FB page.

Good Evening Gentlemen,

I came upon this thread completely by accident. My name is Steve and I was recently going through my Dad’s papers. his name is James (Jim) Allen, and Dad was Stationed out in Lusaka in 1966. He was a Flt.Lt. and he was in No1.ACC as either Chief Controller or Unit Education Officer (or both, I’m not too sure!). In amongst the paper are some photos of time he was there. One photo show a poem that was posted outside one of the messes (I presume) entitled” We Invite You To A Party!” Unfortunately the forum will not allow me to attach the photo so I’ve painstakingly copied down for you:

This was in amongst some photos of my Father’s, Jim Allen, who was stationed out in Lusaka in 1966. The photo is date stamped, “Made by Kodak Ltd, June 1966”. The photo shows this as a poster pinned on the Mess wall. It looks as though it has been signed but the lettering is too small to read, unfortunately.

WE INVITE YOU TO A PARTY!

THERE’S A RUBBER COVERED RADOMETO THE NORTH OF ZERO-EIGHT,
THERE’S A SLIGHT OF JADED JAVELINS BY THE GATE!
AND THE LOT ARE THERE TOGETHER
TO FIGHT – IN ANY WEATHER
(OR AT LEAST WE THINK THAT’S WHY THEY’RE ALL ON STATE!)

UNDERNEATH THE MILDEWED MUSHROOM IS A NEST OF NAST GNOMES
WHO ARE DAB AT PASSING PIGEONS (BUT EXCEL AT WRITING POEMS)
AND THESE ANTIQUATED ACES
(WHO WORK IN PACKING CASES)
HAVE BEEN SIX MONTHS SEPERATED FROM THEIR HOMES!

AS THE GHOSTLY, GHASTLY GLITTER OF THE DAWN CRAWLS UP THE STREET
WE HEAR (LIKE PITTER-PATTER MAN!) THE TRAMP OF TINY FEET
WHILE THE STATE CREW STILL ARE SNORING
(AND THE REST ARE STILL OUT WHORING)
THE MUSHROOM MEN ARE READY IN ‘THE SEAT’.

(NOT THROUGH EASTERN WINDOWS ONLY COMES FLOODING IN THE DAWN
BUT THE EAST END OF THE RUNWAY GETS AN EXTRA HOUR OF MORN…
FOR WHEN GNOMES WITH SHINY FACES
ARE LOOKING AT THEIR TRACES
THE JAVELINS LITTLE CURTAINS STILL ARE DRAWN…)

THERE’S A YELLOW PAINTED SUITCASE TO THE EAST OF CABIN ‘B’
FULL OF R/T TOTES AND CONSOLES AND AN IDIOTS TV
BUT ALTHOUGH IT’S VERY CLEVER
IT’S A WASTE OF AN ENDEAVOUR
COS THE GNOMES ARE IN THE REST-TENT DRINKING TEA!

THERE’S A CANBERRA OUT OF GWELO, AND HE’S NEARING ZORO-THREE –
IF HE COMES ACROSS THE BORDER IT’S FOR SURE HE WON’T GO FREE
HA!… THERE’S SOMETHING ON THE TUBE –
BUT IT’S JUST ANOTHER BOOB!
ONCE AGAIN THE CHIEF CONTROLLER’S SPILT HIS TEA!

THERE’S A PAIR OF JOUSTING JAVELINS TO THE NORTH OF BROKEN HILL
THERE’S A FIGHTER JUST ABOUT TO MAKE A KILL –
IT’S ALMOST IN HIS LOG
WHEN HE HEARS “YOU’RE IN MY BOG!
YOUR TARGETS DARK! AND I THINK MY WEAPON’S ILL!”

THERE’S A PREDATORY PILOT WHO HAS TRIED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT
TO GET THE FOOL TO GIVE HIM JUST ONE TEENY WEENY HEIGHT
THEN A PERKY VOICE SAYS “WAIT! –
I’VE GOT HIM DOWN AT EIGHT!” –
BUT IT’S SO MUCH ABOVE HIM THAT IT’S ALMOST OUT OF SIGHT.

(CONT’D)

THERE’S A JAVELIN FROM NEDOLA AND HE’S FALLING FROM THE SKY
SAYING “MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!” WITH A SIGH
FOR HE KNOWS HE HAS NO HOPE –
THEY’RE NOT LOOKING AT THE SCOPE
AND THEY’RE SWITCHING ALL THE CHANNELS TO STANDBY.

BEING MERRY MINDED MONSTERS YOU KNOW OF COURSE, I JEST –
WE MAY BE BLOODY AWFUL, BUT YOU KNOW WE DO OUR BEST
AND SO IF SOMETIMES YOU FIND
YOU’RE JUDY TWELVE MILES BEHIND
THE CHASE I’M SURE, MUST ADD A LITTLE ZEST

THERE’S A RUBBER COVERED RADOME TO THE NORTH OF ZERO-EIGHT
AND WE MUST ADMIT IT’S STARTING TO DEFLATE –
BUT WE ASK YOU TO REMEMBER
IT’S BEEN THERE SINCE DECEMBER
AND SOON YOU’LL SEE THE LOT DISINTEGRATE!

TO CELEBRATE OUR FIRST SIX MONTHS, AND ALL THAT HAS OCCURRED
WE INVITE YOU TO A PARTY ON FRIDAY, JUNE THE THIRD
I’M TOLD THE DRESS IS SCRUFF –
SO A SWEATER’S ENOUGH,
AND PS, DON’T FORGET TO BRING A BIRD!

THERE WILL BE WHOLE ROAST FLYING OFFICER, BARBEQUED ON A SPIT
THERE WILL BE SEXY, SMOOCHY MUSIC, AND THE CANDLES WILL BE LIT
YOU CAN DROWN YOURSELF IN GIN –
YOU CAN GRAB A LITTLE SIN –
(BUT MAKE SURE HER HUSBAND DOESN’T FIND HER IN YOUR PIT!)

WE’LL EXPECT TO SEE YOU COMING AT ABOUT THE HOUR OF EIGHT
WE HOPE THE BOOZE WILL LAST OUT – BUT I WOULDN’T BE TOO LATE
THE REST WILL BE AS NORMAL –
JUST A PARTY, NOTHING FORMAL
AND A CHANCE TO SEE THE A.C.C ACURSING AT THEIR FATE.

SO COME YOU DIRTY LECHERS, AND COME YOU DRUNKEN SWINE!
– BUT I WAS SUPPOSED TO INVITE THE LOT OF YOU NOT JUST 29
SO DOC AND CASH AND ROCKAPES TOO
AND BRITTANIA OPS AND THE T.S.U –
WE INVITE YOU ALL TO OUR SIX MONTH DO!

(SO YOU THINK YOU’RE EDUCATED AND A VERY CLEVER MAN –
AND YOU’VE NOTICED THAT THESE LINES WILL NEVER SCAN.
WELL, BEFORE YOU START TO YELL –
YOU CAN GO TO HELL!
– I’M ON THE A.C.C AND THE RADAR DOESN’T OFTEN SCAN EITHER!)
———————————————————————————————-

On re-reading this it looks as though the reference to the Chief Controller spilling his Tea was my Dad! (He actually hated tea and always drank coffee). I also have my Dad Yearly Assessment Sheets (I think nowadays the modern term is Appraisal or Review!) It seems my Dad was a rather intense man with little sense of humour, although I have found that he had a very dry sense of humour!
Maybe someone on here my remember the “Party” or even my Dad!