It turned out that Albert had been told that he would only be at Melksham for a few weeks to get familiar with the RAF equipment while I was told I had to do a full six months course which seemed ridiculous to me and I decided to see what I might do to shorten the time since every one knew that an operational station had far less discipline. Well that was what we had been lead to believe.

I did my very best to make my case to those in charge but it was a up hill struggle to say the least. After three months on the course we were to be given an extra seven days leave and just before that was about to take place it was announced that I had at last been accepted as an X spec and only had to do four weeks more, but there was a sting in the tail since I would automatically loose the extra seven days leave. I asked to be left on the course since the second half of the course we would be excused guard and cook house duties.

Anything for that extra leave. I did the full course and was eventually posted to Pembroke Dock. One of my friends Alastair Gordon found himself in Northern Ireland at Ballykelly. other were posted to the Far East and I only ever saw Alastair again out of all those that I had been with at Bridgnorth and Melksham. Alastair had often come home with me at weekends since he could not get home. He lived north of Inverness a long journey. Later on I often had cause to visit Ballykelly and see Alastair.

Later on in my career I had occation to return to Melksham the first was to attend a link trainer course sometime in 1951 and the second time in 1952 to take the junior tech. examination.