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#Post#: 7961--------------------------------------------------
RAF West Raynham memories
DIR By: Peter A Barnes
Date: January 18, 2013, 9:35 am
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Towards the end of my dis-embarkation leave on returning from
Cyrus, I received notification of my posting to RAF West
Raynham, where I was to be mis-employed in air traffic control,
as there were no suitable positions available as Radar Operator
(PPI). or to use the new designation ADOII. West Raynham is
about 17 miles from King’s Lynn and the nearest town is
Fakenham (known to us as “Fakers”), just over 5 miles away.
RAF West Raynham was the home of the Fighter Combat School,
whose commandant was Air Commodore Crowley –Milling, who had
been one of Douglas Bader’s flight commanders during the
Battle of Britain and the station commander Wing Commander
Smith. The aircraft based there consisted of Hunter F6s and a
couple of twin-seated T7s,Javelins ,long nose night fighter
versions of the Meteor-if I recall correctly both NF11s and NF
14s and one DH Chipmunk.
I cannot remember how I travelled from King’ Lynn railway
station to RAF West Raynham, but I assume there must have been a
bus service. SATCO (senior air traffic controller) was Squadron
Leader Bradshaw, who I rarely encountered, as he shut himself
away in his office all day, but he appeared to be an affable
man. The air traffic controllers were, with one exception,
flight lieutenants former aircrew and most likely former NCOs.
The exception was Master Pilot “Trader” Horne, who, in order
to retain his flying pay, would fly the Chipmunk at every
opportunity. Flying normally only took place during the week
during the day and night-flying was extremely rare: on the one
occasion we were required to man the tower for night-flying, we
were stood down after a short while, as it was raining! Our NCOs
were Sergeant “Dinger “Bell and two corporals and there were
about half a dozen of us SACs.
Life in air traffic control was hardly onerous, as once the
aircraft had taken off we just stood around chatting waiting for
their return nearly an hour later. Sometimes an aircraft would
arrive in between, but it was more than likely it was Trader
Horne returning from a jaunt in the Chipmunk He told us on one
occasion he got fed up holding off while we were dealing with
fighters, so he decided to land at the nearby abandoned war time
airfield at Great Massingham: I don’t know what would have
happened if he has hit an obstruction. I seemed to spend most my
time supplying the officers with mugs of tea. I had to look out
for vehicles wanting to cross the runway and I was expected to
listen to the Controllers talking on the RT to decide whether to
flash a green or red light to indicate to the driver to whether
it was safe to cross or not, which I found a bit worrying, as a
misjudgement on my part would have had potential for disaster.
#Post#: 8016--------------------------------------------------
Re: RAF West Raynham memories
DIR By: Peter A Barnes
Date: January 19, 2013, 10:12 am
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(Continued)
There were occasional visiting aircraft including a Hornet,
being the naval version of Mosquito, belonging to a firm, which
supplied radio crystals to the RAF: it had the controllers
reminiscing about how it was so light and overpowered that it
was easy to flip it over if you did not keep the engines
perfectly in trim – on taxying back to take-off, it lifted off
the ground. Once we had a Beverley arrive to practice
“rollers” and it was a bit –disconcerting to see this
large aircraft drifting in the cross-wind in the direction of
the tower: the controller thought it witty to advise the pilot
of this fixed undercarriage aircraft “ten green lights and you
are clear to land”. The last exchanges with the pilot are
normally: Controller “Three green lights” Pilot “Three
green lights” (indicating his undercarriage is shown to be
locked down Controller” You are clear to land.”
Notwithstanding this procedure the AOC of 12 Group managed to
kill himself, when landing his Meteor with its wheels up on an
inspection at RAF Leconfield.
Aircraft would practice a flame-out and one my duties would be
sitting in the bowels of the tower listening to the emergency
frequency and acknowledge the pilot before handing over to a
controller, who would clear all traffic from the vicinity and
talk the pilot in:he would glide in with the engine throttled
back and as soon as he touched down, open up and clear the
airfield. It was a very boring task listening in, but I did pick
up one “pan” call.
Quite regularly we would hear US pilots plaintively calling
“Alconbury tower-can you read me over” and apparently
getting no response-I wonder if ghostly aircraft appear out of
the mist over this former US base. When stationed at Saxa Vord I
quickly got the impression that the USAF’s idea of
air-discipline differed markedly from ours and my experience at
West Raynham reinforced this view. On one occasion we were
talking in a flight of Hunters and suddenly an American aircraft
overflew the runway: a controller immediately picked up the
telephone to the nearby USAF base at RAF Sculthorpe, who denied
all knowledge and we shortly listened in, as they were talking
it in: as the Wing Commander Flying was one of the pilots, I got
the clear impression that the matter would be pursued.
It was decided to install an experimental overshoot net at the
end of the runway, which consisted of two upright posts, which
could be remotely raised or lowered, with a large net strung
between them. In order to work out the various parameters a
specially equipped Swift was used by the contractors and it used
make circuits and then land, braking at varying distances on dry
and wet runway surfaces. Swifts had been purchased for the RAF
as a fall-back if there was major problem in developing the
Hunter, and, as far as I know, they only saw squadron service in
Germany, although some did have a photo-reconnaissance role.
Shortly after the net had been installed, we were watching a
flight of six Hunter F6s take off and it was soon apparent the
one of them, fortunately at the rear, was not going to get
airborne, as it was still firmly attached to the runway at the
halfway point. One of the controllers picked up the red
telephone to summons up the fire section and we looked on
helplessly as a fire appliance and Land Rover pursued the errant
aircraft. The pilot saw the net ahead of him and managed to
serve round it, catching one the uprights with his wing tip,
causing the safety net to collapse. The Hunter continued for a
further hundred yards or so, demolishing a fence and ending up
buried up to the top of the undercarriage in a muddy field. It
took about a week to extricate the Hunter, which had to be
written off. It transpired that the Dutch exchange pilot had
forgotten to switch over to hydraulics and it was impossible to
manually pull the stick back to get lift off.
(To be continued)
#Post#: 8052--------------------------------------------------
Re: RAF West Raynham memories
DIR By: Peter A Barnes
Date: January 20, 2013, 10:04 am
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We had few incidents in during my time at West Raynham. On one
occasion a Meteor, which was landing with other aircraft burst a
tyre, but either by design or accident swerved onto the grass
out of harm’s way. Another time a controller picked up a faint
voice on the R/T, which appeared to be somebody in trouble and
we spotted a Hunter parked on an isolated part of the perimeter
track and an airman running towards the distant buildings. The
fire section Land Rover was despatched to investigate and it was
discovered that the pilot, who was fortunately wearing his
bone-dome, had accidentally shut the canopy trapping his head,
when he was leaning out performing a compass-swing, which
involved him manoeuvring the aircraft and calibrating the
compass in conjunction with the instruments operated by the
airman. A fireman quickly operated the external lever to release
the canopy to free the pilot, although I cannot understand why
the airman could not have done so. One of our corporals, when on
duty in the runway caravan, noticed large red disc in a taxying
Hunter’s ejector seat, indicating that the safety pin had not
been removed and he was able to radio the pilot to prevent him
from taking off: .our corporal was highly praised for his
action, as in an emergency the pilot would not have been able to
leave the aircraft, but I imagine that airman responsible for
this serious omission must been disciplined. Just before I
arrived at the station, our Master Pilot had been working in his
garden and he was watching a Javelin practicing for the
forthcoming Battle of Britain weekend and he was surprised to
see pilot take the aircraft into a very steep climb before
performing a falling leaf and then the sudden exit of the
ejector seat and pilot.: the Javelin crash near the perimeter of
the USAF base at Sculthorpe, but our fire crew still managed to
arrive at the scene before American team.
One of the lads drove a RAF Land Rover, which he parked outside
the billet, as he had the drive to Guard Room each morning to
pick up the Civil Engineer, who inspected the runway before
flying commenced and just as importantly collect the milk!
Sometimes we would oversleep and as it as a long walk to the
Control Tower, we would all pile into the Land Rover ,so that
there was hardly any room for the engineer, but he never
complained. Every so often the driver was required to sweep the
runway by towing revolving brushes, which extremely boring, as
if you drove too fast the brushes started to smoulder, so he
used read a book and hope he correctly judged when he reached
the end of the runway. It would occasionally come to the notice
of Sergeant Bell that we were arriving late for duty and he
would order us to parade outside the tower at the next day at
0800 hours: sometimes he would be present to check on us, but
more likely after a heavy night in the Sergeants’ Mess he did
not arrive until later and we would resume our normal routine.
(Cont.)
I was able to home most weekends and I either got a lift into
King’s Lynn from a lad called George, who had a pre-war Rover
,which a tendency to boil over on the slightest incline or
another lad would give a lift on the back of his Norton. On
Sunday evening I would catch a late train from Liverpool Street
and you would try to find an empty compartment where you could
pull down the blinds to deter others in the hope that you could
stretch out on the seat for a sleep: invariably there would be a
hiss and great cloud of steam, indicating that the heating pipe
had fractured, heralding a freezing journey. The train would
slowly weave its way across The Fens and I can still envisage
the stationman walking down the platform holding an oil lamp,
calling out “Brandon, Brandon” as airmen departed into the
night for RAF and USAF airfields. There would be a bus waiting
for us at King’s Lynn station and you had to persuade the
driver that there were more airmen for West Raynham than Bircham
Newton or Sculthorpe, so that we got back first rather than
drive for another hour around Norfolk. I probably got no more
than 3 hours sleep before going on duty on Monday morning, but
it was unlikely to be a too arduous day.
(To be continued)
#Post#: 8211--------------------------------------------------
Re: RAF West Raynham memories
DIR By: Peter A Barnes
Date: January 24, 2013, 9:44 am
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(Continued)
Usually by about Wednesday evening we would get bored and decide
to go into Fakenham. However, we had to first persuade John, one
of the few who owned a car, to take us and we had to convince
him that there was a Bridget Bardot film showing at the cinema.
I am sure he did not fall for this deceit every time, but he
would invariably oblige. I don’t remember doing very much when
we got into Fakers other than roaming around with a bag of chips
and I cannot remember even going into a pub. John lived in East
Dereham, so he would go home some evenings.
As I had worn tropical kit for many months when serving in
Cyprus, I had not had to replace my battle dress uniform, so it
was looking rather threadbare. As I had only a few months left
to serve, I was reluctant to spend money on a replacement. The
last intake of National Servicemen were being issued with two
number 1 uniforms rather than one of each, as a new smarter
gabardine number 1 uniform was being introduced, so I was able
to get away with wearing my no:1 when going on duty and
invariably we worked in shirt sleeve order.
I think I only did one guard duty and I was told that I would
have to guide Douglas Bader to Air Commodore Crowley-Milling’s
married quarters. However, I was not called and it transpired
that Douglas Bader and his wife had arrived in a two-seater
sports car, so he decided to find his own way: it was rather
fortunate as I did not have a clue where to go and it was pitch
black, but I would have liked to have had the opportunity to
meet him.
I only had a few weeks left, when I received notification that I
was to be posted to one of the islands in the India Ocean: I
cannot remember whether it was Gan or Christmas Island. I had to
undergo an overseas medical, but at least common sense prevailed
and it was agreed that it would also serve as demob medical.
About the beginning of January 1960, we were subject to heavy
snowfall, which blocked all the surrounding roads. An effort was
made to keep the runway clear, but the snow plough attached to
the front of a refuelling bowser seemed to make little
impression. We were all set to work clearing the roads in order
to reach East Rudham station to get supplies by train if needed
and nobody worked with more enthusiasm than me, as I was due to
go on demob leave on the 18th January. Then after all our hard
work, we awoke one morning to find that most of the snow had
melted away overnight.
Then it was back into Civvy Street, although I was transferred
to the Reserve and for about a year, I received a quarterly
cheque for doing nothing. I have obtained a position as a clerk
with Westminster Bank in their Chancery lane & Holborn branch:
the Staff Controller, who interviewed me, was ex RAF and
fortunately he was more interested in my 3 years in the RAF than
my educational qualifications! Now I am retired, I have
re-established my military connections as I am a volunteer
caseworker with SSAFA Forces Help and deal with the Royal Air
Force Benevolent Fund and the other military charities: I get
the opportunity to meet a both service and ex service personnel
and their dependents and get to hear many an interesting story.
Most of my colleagues are ex-service.
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