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Geoff Morgan
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RAF Bridgenorth A flight hut 27? 1955

I too remember the trip from Cardington to Bridgenorth station and then "trucked" to the camp. The guy in front of me tripped on jumping off the truck. I started laughing as I jumped down myself. the next thing I heard was a torrent of abuse about being a funny back stud (sounded like that anyway) and i was advised that would be last smile for some time to come. 15 minutes later when the mayhem had died down I was volunteered as Hut Leader?? along with several other "Volunteers" for different huts. I asked what being "hut leader"? was about. I was told "You keep this lot in order, Or I come down on you" OK!
Being a 5’10" ruckle of skin and bone and looking at varmits built like the proverbial brick Shizenhousen I just knew I was going to have great time.
A Flight Red disk right enough not certain about hut 27 but close to that.
Our DI came from Perth Scotland. He became "BUUIT" from his instruction :- "You place yor right buuit next to yor left buuit like so". My second (hut leader) claim to fame at Bridgenorth was arriving on parade 4 minutes late. The "ROAR" was heard back home in Altrincham Cheshie. "Where the ** ell do you think you’ve been Airman Do you think you can come as you ** ** please?" Reply? "I just had a shower staff". response? "Right laddie get on parade". (Buuit). Reaction? Stunned shock from my fellow inmates. When Buuits asked about the "Shower" later I told him I had had a Sister and Bro in the W/RAF and knew a little bit about Queens Regs.
"Once is enough laddie," He said. "Don’t push yer luck".
Buuits and I got on OK after that and I got demoted from "Hut Leader?".
As for violence. After a field exercise where a DI came off second best in an unarmed combat exercise (more an ego trip for him). I got a right thump in the gut while standing to attention. The response from the other Di’s was instant.
He was dragged unceremoniously away and I had me hat reversed my pack removed and was generally "jollified" away from the scene and asked quietly if I wanted to press any charges. When I said ""No" the relief was obvious and Buuits and I got on even better. "Better" on a hut basis not out side of it. He was a professional was our Buuits.

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09/04/2007 20:03:04

Geoff Morgan
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Bridgenorth 1955

I wanted to make sure it didn’t disappear. see previous post re disappearing entries.

Another thing I vaguely remember while at at B/north. Some guy from a Flight/hut had failed to salute an officer and he had had them doing extra square bashing for ages. The whole flight. A few days later this officer was seen approaching from a great distance. A DI from that flight had the lads line up in twos and threes spread about four to six feet apart and sent them up the road to meet the said officer. He sent others up the paralell road in the same order. That officer resembled a windmill coming down the road, saluting every few yards. He turned off and tho I couldn’t see it I reckon his face must have been a delight to see when he met mark2 march past.
I was in "pool flight" by then and only saw a part of it and didn’t think much of it until later when I asked about it.
Any one out there involved or heard about it?
Pool flight was easy tme compared to sqare bashing. I was headed for Police School at Netheravon but my papers were "delayed"???. There were bets laid at home about my chances of being a copper. The local coppers knew our family intimately. If you know what I mean.
Anyway the pool flight for me meant general dogs body for the guardroom while my papers caught up with me.
After a few weeks I was getting the hang of it and when a cop needed to get away suddenly it was agreed I could "stand in" for an evening until things were sorted out.
Picture this! There’s me in borrowed whites when my friend from School comes strolling through the gates late that evening. "AIRMAN! get over here at the double". "you’re a mess airman." "when did you last get a haircut?" then "Hey Al pal how yer doing"? these are the gems wot last forever.
8 weeks basic 12 weeks pool flight. it finished when Presidenti Lopes of Portugal paid a visit to Buckhouse.
All spare bodies were rounded up and sent to Uxbridge for route lining training. Uxbridge home of the RAF Regiment Queens Flight. The guys who started the Robot "By the numbers" arms drill stuff. My claim to fame there?
I heard the parade officer tell the drill sergeant; "have them ground arms sergeant and give them 30 mins NAFFI break. Every one else heard "SHOULDER ARMS". I heard "GROUND ARMS" The rest did an about turn and I was left on me todd wiff me gun on the ground for the next 30 mins. I was thanked for volunteering to keep the spot warm for the boys on NAFFI break.
The route lining became a shambles as the order "Change Step" continuously rippled down the line of march until it looked like we had invented the "Shuffle Step". After that I was sent home on leave until orders to report to Netheravon arrived. The locals were trying to collect their winnings believing I had been booted out.

RAF Netheravon? That’s another story.

Those papers? I ended up with three sets and because we all know the RAF don’t make mistakes. I got a demob suit and two cheques in lieu of a suit when I
finished in December 1959.
Strange I only ever got one pay per month. I wonder if there are two lots of uncollected pay some where. or Maybe some accounts wallah still blesses me name on a regular basis.
For the record 4172897 a/Corpral Morgan G. RAF Police (Dogs)

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09/04/2007 21:08:41

Fergus Kemp
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Anyone going to the Bridgnorth reunion on 18th August 2007 ?,if so, see you there and hopefully have a good natter about old times etc
Fergus

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11/05/2007 19:40:58

Peter Barnes
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I did my �square bashing� at Bridgenorth in February/March 1957 and I was billeted in Hut 292. Our drill instructors were Corporals Parnell and Fowler: the former being the hard one and the latter soft �I wonder whether they swapped roles with each intake! Only recently I learnt that RAF drill instructors were trained by the Brigade of Guards at Pirbright, which explains a lot. We spent a very frosty night camped out somewhere near the Welsh hills, with only our cape/groundsheets for shelter. The only member of our intake I can name is Mike Bradbury and I know that he was stationed at RAF Wellesbourne Mountfield at one time. He and I used walk down to the River Severn on Sunday afternoon for a welcome break from the camp and genteel afternoon tea!

The arrival at Bridgenorth was a rude awakening as the few days at Cardington were pleasant enough and we were watched over by an avuncular corporal, who must have been near demob. The train journey seems to last for hours as we were diverted into sidings to allow other trains past. On arrival we were shouted at and ordered to get into a lorry with our kit, as it pulled away. I was not sure whether I had joined the Guards or been sent to Colditz!

I really understood the reason behind the stern discipline when I was posted on active service to Cyprus- if you stopped to question an order, you could end up with a bullet in your head: acting together (even if the order turned out to be wrong)was far safer than everybody doing their own thing.

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18/06/2007 13:50:32

Ken Garner
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Bridgenorth reunion.

Hi.
A note for Derek Best. I too went to Bridgenorth in april 1951, we may have been partners in crime!!!
Also a note for Fergus Kemp. See you at the reunion. My wife is also accompanying me.

Ken

Ken

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23/07/2007 22:44:53

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