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       #Post#: 4683--------------------------------------------------
       RAF Buchan
   DIR By: terry
       Date: November 6, 2012, 10:51 am
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       Buchan
       #Post#: 4704--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: barry hetherington
       Date: November 6, 2012, 9:44 pm
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       It has'nt changed then in 50 odd years, i lived at Doncaster and
       it took that long all those years ago,
       Barry.
       #Post#: 4712--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: alanshield
       Date: November 7, 2012, 3:16 am
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       Buchan in Early December.......   7pm bus conductress threw us
       off at stirling village and shouted in some foreign tongue "It's
       over that way ken!"
       Visability was down to 5yds and there was a strange droan from
       somewhere,  which we later found out was the famous Boddam Cow!
       Eventually we found our way to the main Guardroom and were given
       instruction to bed down in transit until we could arrive at a
       respectable time!
       Those Immortal words were once again to be heard....... "Is this
       It?"
       Next morning, Reporting to general office for the blue chit, and
       informed that infact we should  be joining the trade course at
       Bawdsey ASAP so collect your Rail Warrant and gather your Kit.
       Tom Stewart, Bryn Webb and I duly boarded the train and began
       the reverse journey which coincidently had the same crew on
       board as that of the North bound some 24hrs earlier.
       So this is the way the Airforce works..... No body tells anybody
       anything (didn't you get the signal?)
       #Post#: 4745--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: Brian Reynard
       Date: November 7, 2012, 9:10 am
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       Buchan - 1955/56 went on the 'SAC above the line course' (wonder
       how many can remember that).
       6 weeks of pure .....  Instructors were  named Don Yule and Dave
       Clements (think they were C/T's).   Don Yule taught the T7
       radar, he knew the number of nuts and bolts, physical length of
       each array etc etc -  you can but guess what the test paper had
       questions on.. How many ..... on the lower section of the right
       hand side of the reflector.... pardon!!!!   Returned to my
       permanent posting at TyCroes on Angelsey no wiser on the radar,
       never understood the local dialogue, but ....... I do remember
       it
       was first time I came across one Brian Pratt - he was posted
       there, being a good Yorkshire lad (he was from Batley and I from
       Harrogate) he introduced me to the local bevvies and I remember
       we went to Fasertborough to a 'Cage Bird Society dance' - well
       that was the idea but we met some trawlermen in a pub and silly
       us tried to keep up with their drinking habits - cant remember
       much else.
       One good thing about that course, a life long friendship with
       Brian Pratt (Neddy) RIP.
       #Post#: 4746--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: cpentith
       Date: November 7, 2012, 9:46 am
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       Great Memories , I served almost 21 years at Buchan out of 35,
       may be I will put pen to paper.
       CJP
       #Post#: 4762--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: Bill Reid
       Date: November 7, 2012, 5:20 pm
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       Buchan my first posting from Swinderby as a tag. Then sent on
       coarse to Bawdsey took 24hrs to get there the route they sent us
       on (gen office). Passed coarse posting Buchan with Dave Farr
       this time we went via London no probs there Dave new what to do
       to get us across London. Arrived after train journey in Aberdeen
       and both of us went up to my parents house as we did not have to
       be at Buchan till 1645hrs as I'd learnt whilst I was a tag. Got
       a lift out by mother to Buchan much easier than going by bus.
       Changed trades and after Leuchars got posted to Highland
       (Buchan) nothing much had changed I was just on another floor
       lower down in the techie area. Final tour Buchan but now we were
       all above ground in portacabins whilst modifications were made
       down the hole.
       Enjoy Buchan, yes I think I did. If I was offered the chance to
       have a look around now would I take it, yes I think I would even
       with it shutdown, just to see what supposed improvements they
       did.
       #Post#: 4799--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: terry
       Date: November 8, 2012, 10:58 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Brian Reynard link ---
       >
       > Buchan - 1955/56 went on the 'SAC above the line course'
       (wonder how many can remember that).
       --- End Quote ---
       I know three others who did the 'Above the line' course and
       became ADO1's. Brian (Alfie) Tapsell, Chris Bell and Margaret
       Oswald.  TB
       #Post#: 4807--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: Brian Reynard
       Date: November 8, 2012, 2:04 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Terry Bunce link ---
       >
       > [quote author=Brian Reynard link=topic=163.msg4745#msg4745
       date=1352301044]
       > Buchan - 1955/56 went on the 'SAC above the line course'
       (wonder how many can remember that).
       --- End Quote ---
       I know three others who did the 'Above the line' course and
       became ADO1's. Brian (Alfie) Tapsell, Chris Bell and Margaret
       Oswald.  TB
       [/quote]
       TB   knew 2 of them, Maggie and (I think) Alfie were at the
       school about the same time as I, Chris Bell know the name but
       cant recall ever being stationed together.    Think they must
       have done the course in the 1960's because to the best of my
       knowledge there was a limited number of courses done at Buchan
       in the 1950's.
       BR
       #Post#: 4821--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: terry
       Date: November 9, 2012, 5:31 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       --- Quote from: Brian Reynard link ---
       >
       > [quote author=Terry Bunce link=topic=163.msg4799#msg4799
       date=1352393937]
       > [quote author=Brian Reynard link=topic=163.msg4745#msg4745
       date=1352301044]
       > Buchan - 1955/56 went on the 'SAC above the line course'
       (wonder how many can remember that).
       --- End Quote ---
       I know three others who did the 'Above the line' course and
       became ADO1's. Brian (Alfie) Tapsell, Chris Bell and Margaret
       Oswald.  TB
       [/quote]
       TB   knew 2 of them, Maggie and (I think) Alfie were at the
       school about the same time as I, Chris Bell know the name but
       cant recall ever being stationed together.    Think they must
       have done the course in the 1960's because to the best of my
       knowledge there was a limited number of courses done at Buchan
       in the 1950's.  BR  [/quote]
       Quite correct Brian. Chris and Alfie were on the same course at
       Buchan. By the time I got there, 1964, the courses had stopped
       and the ADO 1 level had been abolished. Those who had passes and
       wore the single upside down stripe kept their rank. There were
       even a few topsy turvy sgts and f/s  TB
       #Post#: 7493--------------------------------------------------
       Re: RAF Buchan
   DIR By: cpentith
       Date: January 7, 2013, 8:00 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Caravans still on the site tel!! WANT A PICTURE POSTED?
       CJP
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