johnnybach
Major General
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2010
- Messages
- 13,663
Now listen bach - I got sent to a RAF camp once - in the West Country it was - they used to fix Herks there - RAF Colerne it was. Got sent there to provide some comms at the end of the runway for some other Army Geezers on an exercise. Air Despatch - they were called - used to load up simulated ammo on pallettes (loads of gravel inside - very tasty it was).
Anyway - arrived in our Short Wheelbase landrover with trailer- to find young 2nd looey with three blokes - living in a shed at the end of a two-mile runway - kipping on parachutes (Sheer Luxury - we were living in a hedge up till then!). Bright lad the looey. He said "How about de-mounting your radio - putting it in the hut - and we can use the rover in turns to get some scoff up at the messes (two miles away). Save us eating any more compo!
So that's wot we did. He went first with his blokes ( fixed everything up for us to go on the strength for rations)- then when they came back - we went ( three of us there was).
I took off my stripes - and went as a Signalman with the other two Signallers. Anyway, went into the Airman's canteen. OH MY GAWD! They had a geezer on jankers holding a big pot of tea in the middle of the room. Only us there as all the others had eaten and left.
"Would you care for a cup lads" he offered with a smile. We all looked around - as we thought he was talking to someone else behind us. Nobody there - he meant us!!! We held out three grimy tin mugs. " Oh dear, (he said sweetly), we can do better than that - sit there" He pointed to a table with a tablecloth - A TABLE CLOTH and there were cups AND SAUCERS AND KNIVES AND FORKS! Never seen a table like that before or since. I felt like little red riding hood - in some fantasy!
Anyway, after our tea was poured ( sugar lumps in a bowl on the table - we soon nicked those and the teaspoons) - then we ambled up to this counter - laden with all sorts of scoff. I looked at this full-screw behind the pile of food. "Umm - what can we have corp?" says I.
"Anything you like pal" he says .." Help youselves - Army are you" "Yes" I says - all chatty-like. "Help yourself to as much as you like lads" he says - then looking me square in the eye - he says " Would you like a steak?"
You could have heard a pin drop. STEAK! HE SAID THAT MAGIC WORD - STEAK! Again, chatterbox me piped up "Yes - um - please"
He then held up a board with cut steaks on it "Which one would you like!"
Not believing my ears , I replied " If your taking the ***s - I'll be over this rail in two seconds and I'll flatten you - we've been living in a field for three weeks and haven't eaten anything hot for a fortnight!"
He was visibly shaken. " You poor dabs" - he said - or something similar. Here he said I'll do you this one - then he said "How would you like it done?" My mate held me back - I WAS going to thump him - he had to be taking the mick - bu no - he meant it.
I had my steak - medium rare - on top of a pile of chips with TWO fried eggs on it ( I can taste the thing now).
We were there for five days - and had steak every day except for breakfast! As soon as we went in - he started doing our steaks. We had them for dinner ( but he called it lunch) then we had them for tea (but he called it dinner - strange lad!).
I broke my heart when that part of the exercise ended - and the looey said we had to go. We packed up at 0800 - but it took us until noon to pack the trailer with our gear ( knife/fork/spoon/mug/ mess-tins - that was our gear!). We had a double steak for lunch and fried egg sarnies wrapped in a bit of greasproof to go in our pocket for us teas!
RAF? Wonderful cooks - wonderful canteens - and they let us sleep in the parachute shed!!! WONDERFUL.
If I was EVER to join up again - I'd be in the RAF like a shot. You don't know the half of it you guys in your blue suits - and brylcream - and cups and saucers. Saucers eh? Hoo! Never found out what the Sergeanrts Mess was like - probably like the Hilton!
Must remember to give the sugar bowl back one day! All the best johnnybach
Anyway - arrived in our Short Wheelbase landrover with trailer- to find young 2nd looey with three blokes - living in a shed at the end of a two-mile runway - kipping on parachutes (Sheer Luxury - we were living in a hedge up till then!). Bright lad the looey. He said "How about de-mounting your radio - putting it in the hut - and we can use the rover in turns to get some scoff up at the messes (two miles away). Save us eating any more compo!
So that's wot we did. He went first with his blokes ( fixed everything up for us to go on the strength for rations)- then when they came back - we went ( three of us there was).
I took off my stripes - and went as a Signalman with the other two Signallers. Anyway, went into the Airman's canteen. OH MY GAWD! They had a geezer on jankers holding a big pot of tea in the middle of the room. Only us there as all the others had eaten and left.
"Would you care for a cup lads" he offered with a smile. We all looked around - as we thought he was talking to someone else behind us. Nobody there - he meant us!!! We held out three grimy tin mugs. " Oh dear, (he said sweetly), we can do better than that - sit there" He pointed to a table with a tablecloth - A TABLE CLOTH and there were cups AND SAUCERS AND KNIVES AND FORKS! Never seen a table like that before or since. I felt like little red riding hood - in some fantasy!
Anyway, after our tea was poured ( sugar lumps in a bowl on the table - we soon nicked those and the teaspoons) - then we ambled up to this counter - laden with all sorts of scoff. I looked at this full-screw behind the pile of food. "Umm - what can we have corp?" says I.
"Anything you like pal" he says .." Help youselves - Army are you" "Yes" I says - all chatty-like. "Help yourself to as much as you like lads" he says - then looking me square in the eye - he says " Would you like a steak?"
You could have heard a pin drop. STEAK! HE SAID THAT MAGIC WORD - STEAK! Again, chatterbox me piped up "Yes - um - please"
He then held up a board with cut steaks on it "Which one would you like!"
Not believing my ears , I replied " If your taking the ***s - I'll be over this rail in two seconds and I'll flatten you - we've been living in a field for three weeks and haven't eaten anything hot for a fortnight!"
He was visibly shaken. " You poor dabs" - he said - or something similar. Here he said I'll do you this one - then he said "How would you like it done?" My mate held me back - I WAS going to thump him - he had to be taking the mick - bu no - he meant it.
I had my steak - medium rare - on top of a pile of chips with TWO fried eggs on it ( I can taste the thing now).
We were there for five days - and had steak every day except for breakfast! As soon as we went in - he started doing our steaks. We had them for dinner ( but he called it lunch) then we had them for tea (but he called it dinner - strange lad!).
I broke my heart when that part of the exercise ended - and the looey said we had to go. We packed up at 0800 - but it took us until noon to pack the trailer with our gear ( knife/fork/spoon/mug/ mess-tins - that was our gear!). We had a double steak for lunch and fried egg sarnies wrapped in a bit of greasproof to go in our pocket for us teas!
RAF? Wonderful cooks - wonderful canteens - and they let us sleep in the parachute shed!!! WONDERFUL.
If I was EVER to join up again - I'd be in the RAF like a shot. You don't know the half of it you guys in your blue suits - and brylcream - and cups and saucers. Saucers eh? Hoo! Never found out what the Sergeanrts Mess was like - probably like the Hilton!
Must remember to give the sugar bowl back one day! All the best johnnybach
