 Monday was the most eagerly awaited day of the week as far as the incumbents of RAF Masirah were concerned. For Monday was VC10 day. This meant a fresh intake of unfortunates,(or 'Moonies' as they were known due to the palour of their complextion) mail from home and, more importantly for the lucky few, the flight home they had been dreaming about for the previous nine months tour of duty. It was also the main day for sending mail out of the island. The VC10 was on a quick turn round, landing at approximately 8:00pm and departing an hour and a half later. This meant that as soon as it landed a whole army (or should that be Airforce) of men swung into action to ensure that it was in no way delayed. Petrol tanks were refilled and toilets were emptied. Food was replaced and luggage and mail were loaded into the hold. I can't remeber a time when the VC10 was held up for any reason. I do remember, however, a time when the announcement of its arrival caused mass panic on the island. I was a lowley sac cook in the inflight catering section and in my spare time I worked on the local forces radio station, broadcasting to the lads. In order that the post was sorted and ready to be loaded onto the VC10 by 8:00pm, the post boxes were all emptied by 5:45, and we on the radio would make regular anouncements to remind every one on the day. It was a Sunday evening and the World Service news was just about to finnish. As duty announcer, it was my job to fill in the small gap between the programmes and to give out any annoucements that needed to be made. As I rushed into the small continuety studio a voice behind me shouted "Don't forget VC10 in and out by 9:30 so mail boxes emptied at 5:45"
I sat in front of the microphone and waited for the red light to come on.
"That was the World Service news and coming up we have Alistaire Cooks Letters From America. Just time for me to remind you that the VC10 is in and out so all mail boxes will be emptied by 5:45." Had I left it at that then the listeners would have assumed I meant Monday night and wouldn't have bothered. However, I added " That gives you about half an hour to get your letters in the box." As I came out of the studio, one of my colleagues pointed out that I was twenty four hours early. I shrugged and said "Oh well, the postie will just have a few extra letters to deal with."
Minutes later the phone rang.
"This is Movements here" said an angry voice. "What the hell are you doing announcing the planes arrival twenty four hours early. I've got blokes banging on my door worried that they haven't had their bags checked in."
"Don't worry Sargent, it was just a slip of the tounge. I'll go on air and explain it was a mistake. No harm done"
I put the phone down only to have it ring almost immediatly.
"This is the Tower" said another angry voice. "Are you the stupid *********** who announced that the plane was coming in today.?" Once again I made a grovelling apology and assured the officer that I would put everything right. The phone rang again.
"This is the Station Warrent Officer" said a calm but menacingly annoyed voice. "If it was you that just made the stupid announcement that has caused mass panic on the island, I suggest you ring the Commanding Officer and apologise."
With a heavy heart I rang the CO's no.
"This is the radio station here." I said after he had answered. "I believe that an announcement I made in error has caused a little bit of confussion."
"That." replied the CO," is somewhat of an understatement. I suggest you get yourself back on the air and put the confusion right."
As soon as Alistaire Cook had finnished, I raced back into the studio. Trying desperatly to make light of things I laughed and said that I understood that there may have been some misunderstanding after my last announcement and that ofcourse there was 24 hours to got letters in the boxes befoe they were emptied.
It was only afterwards that I learned of the full impact of my 'slip of the tounge'. I was told that, as a result of my announcement, a message had been flashed across the screen in the cinema warning of the arrival of the VC10. This had caused a mass exidus with blokes emptying wardrobes and lockers and stuffing clothes into bags and cases so that they could get their basgs checked in.
The mood, when the truth came out, was pretty mean amongst the lads and I wisely kept out of the mess and bars until the plane had well and truly left the island. Even after that I was never allowed to forget the day I caused a mass panic on an island camp. |
