Mickey’s prices are clearly decimal, but in the dim (and very distant past, when I was at RAF Mildenhall) the dollar was at 2.40 to the pound – thus 1 US cent = 1 UK (pre-decimal) penny. Most of the shops, pubs, etc, around Mildenhall and Lakenheath in them days would then take either currency.
But the best, on this subject, was on one vast NATO exercise. I can’t remember if it was in Denmark, Netherlands, or Germany. But there was either the local “Bratty Bar” (similar to MIckey’s) or the national equivalent of the NAAFI/WRVS. They would take payment in a wide variety of currencies, and ask you (in several different languages) what currency you wanted your change in!! All this was done in their heads (but to what actual accuracy is not known!!) whilst “Bratty & Chips”, or “Char & Wads”, was being prepared!!
But on Ex Square Hole in Malaya you could tell where “The Enemy” were expected to land (by sea, or parachute) by the number of food-selling wagons clustered thereby. We – the defending forces – had been forbidden by the Ex Planners from knowing the Enemies landing sites. But the smell of curry puffs on sale in the middle of the jungle soon gave the game away!!!!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

Usual tale. Politicos and journos getting their knickers in a twist because some properly constituted authority is not doing something the way the Ps & Js think it should be done! Ross has chucked a good bucket of cold water over the lot. Shut up, and wait.
HTH – but I know it won’t (Hee Hee!)
Resmoroh

Clint,
Or Burma?!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

Mark,
Big project – if not Degree dissertation material!!!!. Not just D-Day beer. Long-range tanks filled with brandy at Orange!! Hercs arriving at Ascension with depth-charges for the Fleet – some of which were beer kegs. These kegs, however, were not the same ‘tops’ as the fittings in the Exiles Club bar at Georgetown would cope with. Panic! Not to panic! Chf Eng on a STUFT offshore said “Send me what you want copied.” Was done. Engs on said ship turned up exact replicas of UK beer barrel tops. I knew then that “We” would win the S Atlantic Unpleasantness. “They” would lose, if only ‘cos they couldn’t sort beer barrel tops out!!!
HTH
Resmoroh

There is, I think, some sort of ceremony/re-enactment to take place at Scampton on Friday. A colleague of mine was asking if anybody knew where a black Labrador dog could be “borrowed”!! I know no more. Perhaps RAF Scampton might know??
HTH
Resmoroh

Pse forgive a “sideways” answer to your #1. Those of us who have done a dozen (or more) flights up/down the S Atlantic on the Airbridge always got slightly twitchy sphincter muscles when the Flt Eng on ‘Fat Albert’ came back into the Roach Coach from the Front Office and, repeatedly, shone his torch out of one of the windows onto one of the donks!!
If we had to go into the Oggin, were we far enough south not to worry about sharks? But, on the other hand, would hypothermia get us in the end?
HTH
Resmoroh

Bolyman,
You may have to dig deep! During WW2 the Swedish Hospital/Red Cross/Repat ships “Drottningholm” and “Gripsholm” flogged their way round the world, ablaze with lights at night and with “Diplomat Sweden” in 20 ft high letters across their sides, doing most of the repats of diplomatic staffs, and repats/exchange of severly injured PoWs. They had ICRC staff on board. As far as I am aware the ICRC staff kept meticulous records of personnel – at the time. Now, whether all those records survive I know not. I do know some of them do! I wish you luck.
HTH
Resmoroh