Dispersal: recollections of the 69th in the wider RAF

The purpose of the No. 1 School of Technical Training was to create trained personnel who would then, hopefully, go out into the wider RAF. Many of them did, and these are a few of their stories and photos.

8 Squadron at RAF Khormaksar, Aden

First constructed in 1917, RAF Khormaksar, in Aden, Yemen, became the RAF's busiest station, as well as an important staging post between the UK and Singapore, during the 1960s. It was also instrumental in the campaign to support the British Army against Yemeni forces after a state of emergency had been declared in 1958. The station closed in November 1967 following a pledge by the new Labour government, elected in 1966, to withdraw all forces by 1968.

Bye bye Beverleys! The end of an era as close-formation "boxcars" salute the barren rocks as they head back from Aden to the UK

8 Squadron's Hunter FGA 9's, and a T7, "on the line" at Khormaksar. Only 8 Squadron was cleared for active duty, hence they were required to do dawn-to-dusk patrols, seven days a week. This gave them a somewhat jaundiced view of the other "part-time" squadrons and station personnel.

Good morning 8 Squadron! Waiting for the first cup of tea after the dawn patrol gets airborne - the time would have been roughly 06:45, which meant another 13 hours until knock-off time.