All I can say is that the Rhodesian Air Force was the best in the World.

I was in Rhodesia with the Monitoring Force and saw the Spit fly. I later acquire a bookle giving the whole story, the final bit being that Jack Malloch disappeared into cloud.

Jeremy Chapman

Hello Dave,
Logged in this afternoon and I was surprised,but very pleased to see this thread still running. Now that is interesting about about Jeremy Chapman. You’ve rung a bell somewhere down in my sub conciousness, so after a couple of brew ups and a long think ,(everything takes longer these days-lol 😀 ) The name does seem familiar,and there was another small,very young looking Apprentice in 88th who virtually joined up with me and was in the same ITF Flight for those 1st 4 months, who I’m 80% sure was known as Chapman and the more I think about it ,it has to be him. He was a year younger than rest of us, had a sqeaky voice, and a good laugh that got him noticed.( so the others were always taking the mickey out of that,) but he was a happy young chap, we got on well. None of the bad side of Halton Apprentice life I’ve described previously ever seemed to get him down either. I think we called him Jerry, and as he was 4 numbers behind me (In our Service Numbers ) thats how we queue’d up to receive them on initial signing on. Pretty sure also that he was an Engine Fitter,and also quite certain he passed out to J/T std. before being posted away. (I have no idea what happened to him then, never seen or heard anything.) I never got a copy of the Halton Magazine that covered our 88th Entry Graduation, but you can bet our names will be in there. I have a typical Entry Flt. RAF picture taken in 1958 that I can pick him out on,that I’ll scan in and send to you. Of course we have our big SD Hats on, but somewhere, I have another one with hats off ,so will look for these. I’ve no individual pics. of Jerry though.

So all a long time ago now, not much help really,the clincher being his Service Number, last Number 4 behind mine. if you do find out more about him and what /where he is today, please let me know,it would be great to pass him the usuall “Brat” greetings.;):D

Yes Dave, Wyton ,late1962, I was in ASF Servicing 58 Squadron Canberra’s. T ?’s and PR 9’s If I remember correctly.

Bill T.

Bill T – Did you ever find photo of Jeremy Chapman or any other info? [email]david.lloyd84@ntlworld.com[/email]

for Harrier read Kestrel

I believe it was actually designated P.1127 (RAF). The Harrier name was only used on the production examples.

Prior to Harrier a Tripartite organisation flew the Kestrel – USA UK and West Germany were participating countries.

Jeremy Chapman

I am trying to trace 684011 Jeremy Chapman from Bingley, West Yorks. Nothing found on 88th Entry website.
He left RAF in 1967 – other than that I have nothing – not even his trade.

from: [email]david.lloyd84@ntlworld.com[/email]

Hi bazv,
Ex Aircraft Apprentice ( RAF Halton 88th Entry ) 684007 reporting in. lol!! Served my apprenticeship there between Jan. 58 to Dec. 60. Great place, very proud of it. Got some pics. to post if I can find em.
Memories:_

Marching to and from Workshops and schools every Weekday (twice ) Playing in Pipe band at weekends practice and watching other lads doing Drill P.T,etc on Sat. mornings—-Big Snowball fight with rest of 2 Wing( Senior Entry 80th ) in that first winter, as they picked on us lads in 88th. I got a small 80th. New Zealand Flt. Sgt. right on the forehead with a hard packed snowball, 6 of em chased me for a mile and gave me a good belting.

Lining up for a head scalp by “Plug” the despised civvie barber, everyone mouthing talk (No sound ) Plug turns his hearing aid up and the roof came off with a combined shout that blew him away-lol. ( We were being scalped anyway, so what the heck. )

Cpl Drill Instructors waiting to check our mugs and irons after we leave mess and delighting in throwing the ones they didn’t like up in air to land on parade ground.

Most of the Entry going down with a Virus and forced to stay in bed for a week in the lower Blocks. The 83rd’s “National sock day” All our socks were pinched one night and hung all over the Camp ( Living Area )

That 1st year we were in 20 man rooms in the H blocks that were Senior Entry dominated, we led a grovelling life–picked on–cold baths if you even looked sideways at Senior Entry, (and had your back scrubbed with bass brooms and scouring powder ) Lippy junior entry in same rooms would be shoved in wood lockers and pushed out of window and don’t even think about going to the NAFFI, the rest of Senior Entry were always in there waiting for new Apprentices,who had shopping lists for the idle senior entry, ( On pain of being beaten up or bed tipped–or Bulled boots toe caps bashed in or locker contents thrown out onto parade ground.

After 4 months of that, the 89TH. Entry arrived and they then took the brunt of this, we were OK after that. After the first year, the RAF decided this system wasn’t so good, so changed everything around to Entries of same periods in Wings, we moved to 2 Wing and life was great from then on.

I was enjoying getting down to the airfield on weekends, always deserted then, I could wander around the piled up Aircraft being scrapped 3 Mosquitoes—Loads of Swifts — Meteors — A Brigand —Spitfire–and of course the Beaufighter Engine Ground Running Rig/ Classroom.

Good friends—parades and practices galore ( got really fed up of them ) Separate Collars that attached with them awful collar studs. Coarse battledress “hairy ” blues. Long “Shreddies” or “Draws Cellular Airmen for the Use Of.” But it all passed and 3 yrs. after arriving, we were all posted away, me as a Junior Technician ( Complete with one upside down stripe ) to RAF Wyton Tyre and Hydraulic Bays, servicing Valiant / Canberra and Victor gear.

Looking at your pic. of this Naval intake of 39, that looks like the famous Halton “Pimple”,that is the bald bit on the hill behind. I think this pic. was taken in the greenery behind 2 Wing H Blocks, (because they would have been there then.)

We had Apprentices sent from all different Countries in our Entry, as did every other Entry, so a Naval Intake definately would be the norm in 1939 as we were building up for WW2 as fast as we could.

basv,—— have a great reunion on the Weekend, can’t imagine what Halton and parade ground and workshops must look like now, and is “Main Point” still there ? I’ll be with you in spirit, (Spitfire Ales -lol ) and if you can get any pics. of these areas,and “Action”– please post them back here.

“Rooks”—“Snags”– Mousey Swinbourne ( 85th ) playing his banjo on bus on away Pipe Band Engagements. Lord Mayors procession ( London ) and Earls Court Services Tournament, played twice as a Sidedrummer. All over 50 years ago now, wow !! where did all that time go to.

Bill Turnbull