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#Post#: 32196--------------------------------------------------
280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: guest92
Date: December 10, 2015, 9:36 am
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It must have been 1970 while stationed at Raf Akrotiri (280 SU)
when a detachment came up to go to Iran and assist Marconi to
calibrate a new Radar for the Iranian Air Force. At that time
the Shah was still in power and Iran had very good relations
with both the UK and USA. I was lucky to be chosen, as I had
been an SAC for less than a year.
A group of us flew to Tehran from Akrotiri. Memories are a bit
vague (it was 45 years ago) but those I do remember were F.S.
Tug Wilson, Ken Godfrey, Ollie Wright, Don Brooke-Webb, Gil Dix,
Mick Winford, Bill Hancock Pete Collins and Spike Mulligan. When
we arrived in Tehran we were accommodated in an Hotel called
Hotel Sina before boarding a coach to take us across the Iranian
Desert to Shah Rabad Radar Station.
The Coach trip was very long, hot, and rather "hairy " the
driver was asked a couple of times to slow down due to steep
ravines on both sides of the road at times. Needless to say he
did not take much notice. We all arrived in one piece at a
place called Gorgon where we had an overnight stop in a rather
tacky hotel. Next day we continued our journey to Shah Rabad.
The Billet in shah Rabad was comfortable and I remember the food
was pretty good also. We did not even have to do our own
washing, we just left dirty washing out in the morning and it
was returned washed and ironed in the evening. They even had a
swimming pool which we made good use of. The Ops site was
separate to the domestic site and we had to travel there by
landrover each morning. Calibration Flights were provided by a
Royal Air Force Canberra. Shah Rabad was only a few miles from
the Russian Border and radar echoes from the Russian side could
be seen on an intercept course every time our aircraft got near
the border. My memory is a bit clouded, but I think we were
there for about six weeks at least. I remember there was a good
bar for socialising with the Iranians and Marconi engineers. One
day some locals turned up with a load of horses, we spent a
whole day trekking across country. Challenging for me and
probably others as I had never ridden a horse in my life before.
Eventually we returned to Tehran to the same Hotel. Marconi
provided us with chauffer driven cars to take us round to see
the sights and hot beds of the City. We ended up in the Red
Light District, Tug Wilson was fussing trying to make sure
everyone was safe. Godfrey called him "Mother Hen" but he had
the respect of everyone in the group. we flew back to Akrotiri a
day or so later. this all happened so long ago so if anyone can
fill in any blanks in memory please do so. For example was there
an officer in charge and any names I may have missed. All I can
say is it was the best detachment with the best bunch of guys in
my 23 Years in the Royal Air Force.
#Post#: 32199--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: David Carnell
Date: December 10, 2015, 12:49 pm
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Dave,I also went on a detachment to Iran in 1961 only we went to
a radar site on the south coast of the caspian sea at a place
called babulsar,we flew from nicosia on a viscount to beiruit
then on a pan american DC8 to mehrabad airport where we were
billeted in an iranian air base called Doshan Tapeh Bashkar,on
the eastern side of tehran (it is still there as a airfirld and
can be seen on gogle earth) 2days later we travelled to babulsar
by train which took around 10 hrs.
We stayed in a hotel on the banks of the river Babul and about
2 miles from the radar site,the food was tremendous fullenglish
for B/fast followed by dishes of caviar and hot flatbread,lunch
was in the marconi canteen on sight and then back to the hotel
for dinner which sometimes consisted of goat,and very nice it
was,We also had a canberra from No6 sqdn at Akrotiri which was
based at Doshan but they flew back there after each run.
It was also around 6 weeks for the det and we returned to Tehran
by road over the highest road in Iran which was around 14,000ft
and the mount Damevand went up to a height of 18,000ft,back to
Doshan for a further 3 days and tours arounf Tehran with a
brigadier of the Airforce as our interpreter,Did you by any
chance get taken to the underground market near to the UK USa
embassy,s on ferdowsy avenue,that was an eye opener with a grid
system of streets that would only sell items of one particular
thing such as carpets,jewellry,elctronics,food,spices, and
others.
whilst at Babul we went for a night out at a place called the
Casino hotel and it was where the Shah and his wife Farah Debha
used to stay the were there the night we went,our return journey
to cyprus was by BA 707 to beiruit then viscount back to
nicosia.
the crew was a f/sgt name forgotten and 6 SACs,Fraser Gunn,Alan
Pearce,Trevor Long,Ray Cawston,Myself and one other.Best Det
ever and I had a few from 280su El Adem,Khartoum,Aden,Adarna
(turkey) and malta all for at least 3 weeks.
#Post#: 32202--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: alanshield
Date: December 10, 2015, 2:25 pm
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Nice trip by the sound of your tale Dave, Wish I had spent
three weeks in Aden!
#Post#: 32203--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: guest92
Date: December 10, 2015, 2:30 pm
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Hi David, knew Trev Long at Buchan 1971 to 72 if it is the same
fella. Sounds like you had a very interesting detachment too.
Also a far better memory for places than I. Forgot to mention
we did all manage a swim in the Caspian Sea , Can't remember
where it was though.
#Post#: 32206--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: David Carnell
Date: December 11, 2015, 2:15 am
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Hi Dave,the reason I remember this Det so well is that I have
several reels of old jerky cine film of Babulsar and also the
journey back over mount Damavand back to Tehran.
One of my biggest mistakes when we went sight seeing in Tehran
was to film a lot of the places we visited such as the Blue
Mosque only I left the lens cap on,it was only when I sent the
film for processing it was blank I was really **ssed off.
#Post#: 32273--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: terry
Date: December 14, 2015, 9:34 am
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Great account of two detachments. 'Tug Wilson was actually a Sgt
in charge of the watch that I was on. Spike Milligan was a Cpl
at the time. Bill Hancock passed away a few years ago. But as
you say Dave, a goodly group of guys to go on detachment with. I
was at 280 Jan 68 to Jan 71 and dont remember DBW at all. TB
#Post#: 32277--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: guest92
Date: December 14, 2015, 10:55 am
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Ahh Terry if memory serves Don Brooke Webb was on 2 Sqn with me
. Tug Wilson was on 1 Sqn. Our F. S. was F.S. Richards. Also Sgt
Jim Bland. there is a picture of Don at the last Halton Reunion.
#Post#: 32278--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: Brian Reynard
Date: December 14, 2015, 11:23 am
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--- Quote from: Dave Rugen link ---
>
> Ahh Terry if memory serves Don Brooke Webb was on 2 Sqn with
me . Tug Wilson was on 1 Sqn. Our F. S. was F.S. Richards. Also
Sgt Jim Bland. there is a picture of Don at the last Halton
Reunion.
>
--- End Quote ---
Jim Bland.. would this be the giant of a man, Geordie, ex Army??
if so he and I were together at JGWTU TyCroes in 1955/56.
Really Enjoyed reading the memories, photos... wonder if todays
TG12 folks will ever get some unusual detachments as there were
in the 50/60s??
#Post#: 32301--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: Gil Dix
Date: December 15, 2015, 6:02 am
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I remember that detachment quite well Dave. In fact it was
the back end of 1969. The only air condition on the coach was
to have the windows wide open. After the day in the desert Tug
Wilson had turned white due to being sand blasted. Quite a
sight. On the stopover in Gorgon, there were not enough rooms in
the "HOTEL" ha ha. so a few of us had to sleep on the roof
(Flat). The next morning we wanted hot water to have a shave. It
took forever to get the message across and when it came it was
in egg cups.
Iranian Air Force discipline left a lot to be desired. If
anyone stepped out of line they got thumped by the NCO's.
They flew a DC3 to approach the Russian border to get the
Russians to scramble their fighters, which enabled us to
calibrate the radar. I seem to remember that on our last day we
went to the Shar's palace for tea.
All in all it was a great detachment.
#Post#: 32322--------------------------------------------------
Re: 280 S.U detachment to Shah Rabad Iran 1970 ish.
DIR By: terry
Date: December 16, 2015, 9:10 am
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--- Quote from: Dave Rugen link ---
>
> Ahh Terry if memory serves Don Brooke Webb was on 2 Sqn with
me . Tug Wilson was on 1 Sqn. Our F. S. was F.S. Richards. Also
Sgt Jim Bland. there is a picture of Don at the last Halton
Reunion.
--- End Quote ---
That is why I never knew DBW. I was 1 flt with Tug Wilson. If I
remember rightly F/S Rick Richards was on the day shift. I next
met Rick when I went to Drayton. He was SNCO i/c LPMO. Not that
we saw too much of him. But a fun guy. TB
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