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#Post#: 9474--------------------------------------------------
129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: terry
Date: March 5, 2013, 4:29 pm
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RAF Brize Norton
#Post#: 9487--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Wolf
Date: March 6, 2013, 9:18 am
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On my posting to 129Su back in 1965 I did not travel by RAF but
was sent to Heathrow where I embarked on a BOAC VC10 for the
flight to Singapore. We landed twice on the journey eastward,
firstly at Beiruit where as a young (19) man I was surprised to
find a woman standing behind me at the urinal waiting to hand me
a damp towel to wipe my hands. The airport lounge was the only
thing we were allowed to enter besides the toilets, and there
were armed guards at all the doors and windows. Our next stop
was at Bombay where we landed at close to midnight in the middle
of a severe thunderstorm and a temperature of 105F. Stairs were
pushed out to the plane and then dozens of turbanned gentlemen
with umberella's formed a tunnel from the top of the stairs to
the entrance into the airport lounge. We were all still soaked
by the time we got in due to the humidity and the temperature.
We were there for about two hours whilst the plane was refuelled
and the crew changed. Due to the heat we were all very thirsty
but the only refreshments were being sold by a young boy with a
milk crate full of Coca Cola at what worked out to be a price of
17/6p a bottle. At this time our weekly wage was about £3.10.0d
so none of us bought a drink.When we got back on the plane we
were greeted by what looked like an old spitfire pilot with a
brilliant set of Jimmy Edwards handlebar moustache, he later
informed us that we might have to keep our seatbelts on a little
longer on this takeoff as he was going to try and climb above
the storm. The aircraft hurtled down the runway and once
airbourne appeared to go into a Lightning rate of climb and in
no time at all the seatbelt sign went off and the Captain
announced we were doing 500knots at 48,000ft!!!
#Post#: 9528--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Wolf
Date: March 7, 2013, 9:28 am
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On arrival at Singapore there was an SAC waiting for us with an
RAF bus which duly took us to the transit Block on Changi
airbase, where we were issued bedding and allocated a room. We
were informed that we had to check a notice board just out side
the bedding store every morning and evening for details of our
onward flight. Each morning and evening I checked the board but
never saw my name appear, on my seventh evening I was checking
it again and still my name wasn't on, as I went to walk away a
Sgt came up to me and asked who I was and how long I had been
there. When I told him he flew into the office and searched
through a great pile of papers returning to tell me I should
have been shipped out on my second day but had been missed from
the list. I was told to hang on whilst he sorted something out.
When he returned I was told to be at Changi Airfield at 7.20am
for my onward flight to Labuan.
The next morning I awoke at 7.30!!!! I grabbed all my gear and
asked the chap in the next bed if he would be good enough to
hand my bedding in, I then legged it downstairs and flagged one
of the on camp taxi's to take me to the airfield. On arrival I
ran into the departure lounge where I was informed that my plane
had left, but had fortunately returned with a duff engine. I was
duly able to get my bags aboard and then sat around with the
rest of the passengers awaiting it's repair.
At about 9am we were all told to board an RAF coach that would
take us to Changi Creek for some breakfast. As the coach was
pulling up at Changi Creek a guy appeared waving his arms
telling the driver to take us back as the plane was now ready,
so we returned to the airfield and were sheparded out to a
Hastings where we climbed aboard and took our seats.
After a few minutes we started to taxi out and were soon at the
end of the runway, where the engines revved up ready for
takeoff, unfortunately the port engine then made a loud bang and
thick black smoke started to pour from it. We taxied back to the
terminal and deplaned and took our seats once more in the
familiar lounge.
About an hour later (No breakfast still) we got on a plane and
taxied out again. Engines revved up and we were off down the
runway, we got airbourne and passing out over the sea when the
port engine waved goodbye and fell into the sea below. Guess
what within 25 mins we were seated in the lounge again.
A new aircraft ( Another Hastings) was found and this time we
made it all the way to Labuan where we landed with an escort
from the Fire Section. As the plane came to a standstill we were
asked to gather our things and then collect our cases and walk
back along the runway to the terminal building as the aircraft
was grounded along with all other Hastings, we heard later one
had stalled in the UK and crashed tail first killing all aboard.
#Post#: 9531--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Ian Pluck
Date: March 7, 2013, 10:45 am
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--- Quote from: Nigel Woodger link ---
>
> On arrival at Singapore there was an SAC waiting for us with
an RAF bus which duly took us to the transit Block on Changi
airbase, where we were issued bedding and allocated a room. We
were informed that we had to check a notice board just out side
the bedding store every morning and evening for details of our
onward flight. Each morning and evening I checked the board but
never saw my name appear, on my seventh evening I was checking
it again and still my name wasn't on, as I went to walk away a
Sgt came up to me and asked who I was and how long I had been
there. When I told him he flew into the office and searched
through a great pile of papers returning to tell me I should
have been shipped out on my second day but had been missed from
the list. I was told to hang on whilst he sorted something out.
When he returned I was told to be at Changi Airfield at 7.20am
for my onward flight to Labuan.
>
> The next morning I awoke at 7.30!!!! I grabbed all my gear and
asked the chap in the next bed if he would be good enough to
hand my bedding in, I then legged it downstairs and flagged one
of the on camp taxi's to take me to the airfield. On arrival I
ran into the departure lounge where I was informed that my plane
had left, but had fortunately returned with a duff engine. I was
duly able to get my bags aboard and then sat around with the
rest of the passengers awaiting it's repair.
>
> At about 9am we were all told to board an RAF coach that would
take us to Changi Creek for some breakfast. As the coach was
pulling up at Changi Creek a guy appeared waving his arms
telling the driver to take us back as the plane was now ready,
so we returned to the airfield and were sheparded out to a
Hastings where we climbed aboard and took our seats.
>
> After a few minutes we started to taxi out and were soon at
the end of the runway, where the engines revved up ready for
takeoff, unfortunately the port engine then made a loud bang and
thick black smoke started to pour from it. We taxied back to the
terminal and deplaned and took our seats once more in the
familiar lounge.
>
> About an hour later (No breakfast still) we got on a plane and
taxied out again. Engines revved up and we were off down the
runway, we got airbourne and passing out over the sea when the
port engine waved goodbye and fell into the sea below. Guess
what within 25 mins we were seated in the lounge again.
>
> A new aircraft ( Another Hastings) was found and this time we
made it all the way to Labuan where we landed with an escort
from the Fire Section. As the plane came to a standstill we were
asked to gather our things and then collect our cases and walk
back along the runway to the terminal building as the aircraft
was grounded along with all other Hastings, we heard later one
had stalled in the UK and crashed tail first killing all aboard.
>
--- End Quote ---
That's enough to put anyone off flying for life!
#Post#: 9534--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Brian Reynard
Date: March 7, 2013, 10:59 am
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air travel 129SU. Nigel makes good reading, you should have
mentioned that back in those olde days no sick bags were issued
just clean underwear. In 1956 I had the pleasure of RAFAIR
from Singapore to HK (got to Singapore via a Hermes charter
flight). Aircraft, if I remember correctly, a Valetta 2
engine noisy, flew fairly low by todays standards. staged
through Clarkfield (USAF base). Lasting memory of coming into
land at HK - though Sai Wan Gap, down the harbour, flying
between high rise blocks while aircraft doing a 180 deg turn and
then touch down stopping just short of the sea.
Happy daze
#Post#: 9553--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: steve beddoe
Date: March 8, 2013, 7:27 am
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1964 After spending 2 years at 53 M.R.B.S.S.U. RAF Haydock,
(which included a 4 week refresher course at RAF Bawdsey) my
overseas posting came through for a one year unaccompanied tour
to RAF Labuan. On the day of leaving I duly presented myself at
the general office to collect relevant paper work and travel
warrants (Should have been direct to London but managed to get
it via Birmingham to say goodbye to Mum)
Next day arrived at Knightsbridge air terminal to be transferred
to Heathrow for a British Eagle trooping flight to Paya Lebar
airport Singapore. The flight was with two stopovers, first at
Istanbul, the other at Bombay. 22 hours flying time later we
arrived in Singapore. The in flight catering and the air
hostesses where 1st class.
Entering the terminal and having collected baggage I was ushered
outside to row of RAF buses and told to find the one with my
final destination on it. I found the one marked Labuan and
presented myself to the corporal with the clip board, No. rank
and name he asked? I told him to which he replied, your not on
this bus, your on that one over there, where to I asked? Get on
and be told later was the reply (bright bloody start thought I)
Got on the bus as directed and met amongst others Iain Grant,
Brian Cox, Pete McDonald, they all had been redirected from the
Labuan bus and nobody knew why and to where. When everyone was
aboard about twenty in all we set off to our destination which
was to be RAF Seletar.
But why ??????
[IMG]
HTML http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z367/beddoe4/British_Eagle_Folding_Route_Map_012_zps0d52fdfe.jpg[/img]
#Post#: 11986--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: alan kinchin
Date: June 4, 2013, 5:52 pm
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Remember the monkey, it's name was Fred, there was also a dog
named Jumbo, Fred used to ride on Jumbo's back. We must have
been in the same Long hut ? I was the first bed at the entrance
on the left.
#Post#: 11993--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Wolf
Date: June 5, 2013, 4:16 am
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The ADO Billet when I was there was called FROME and was about
third from the end just off the road that ran towards Memberdai
Beach. The last two billets were different made out of wooden
planks rather than the corrugated iron that made up ours.
#Post#: 12190--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Linda Horner
Date: June 12, 2013, 2:39 am
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When I flew out to Singapore in 1972, from Cyprus, it was by
Brit, and took 14 hours. (No inflight entertainment, apart from
the new crew going out to HMS Regent), with a stop over at Gan,
couple of hours I think.
#Post#: 13683--------------------------------------------------
Re: 129 SU. Labuan, Borneo
DIR By: Wolf
Date: August 4, 2013, 12:04 pm
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I have a very nice photograph of her somewhere Terry taken by
Fred Robinson-Harrison. Both he and I were talking to her one
afternoon, then went for a swim, unfortunately for Fred he
somehow managed to rip his trunks right across on the seem at
the bottom of the crotch, turning his cossie into a very brief
loincloth that the wind left nothing to the imagination. I will
try and find it, but at the moment have no idea. She was a
stunner though.
When were you in Labuan?
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