Pen Portraits: what happened next
Pen portraits of post-graduation life, as submitted to the 69th Association newsletter over the period 1994 - 2011
Geoff Rix - Engines
As I did not have the temperament (or the guts) to be a real rebel, I drifted along in a passive state of non committment to service life. Amazingly, I once received an A.O.C's commendation and was also recommended for a Branch Commission! Somebody had obviously goofed, but as I was much too lazy to pursue the matter, the Air Force was saved serious embarrassment!
Ex Halton, I was one of the merry mob sent to St Athan (memories of girls in Cardiff, Bridgend or a hell of a way up the valley) followed by a spell at Hendon on VIP flight, (memories of motorbikes and Jazz in London). Hendon was memorable too for The Man Who Stole the Coles Crane; a humourless Admin Flight Sergeant - universally hated, but who gained grudging admiration when this not quite successful venture came to light.
After Hendon, overseas to 542 Squadron at Laverton, Australia; here I was accused with two others of stealing 200 sheep up in the hills above Ballarat, and so experienced my first and only 'grilling' by the cops, who were totally bemused by our failure to take the matter seriously! Here I taught myself the guitar and came to hate pineapples and pork sausages. I also taught three of the lads. We formed a musical group and played at local dances and on ABC and Channel Nine television, helped by our Squadron Commander who looked like Gregory Peck and happened to be courting a TV producer.
Our next CO was less glamorous, being infamous for landing a Canberra on a small grass strip by mistake! This ruined our squadron's carefully cultivated image, to the delight of the Aussies.
Playing in my group and also accused of sheep rustling was our MT diver-operator. On return to the UK we were both posted to Cottesmore on V bombers. I spent the weekend at his parents' home, met his sister and two years later married her - my eldest was born, and I gave up motorbikes in favour of a Ford Prefect! At Cottesmore Johnny Johnson was Groupie; he was "one of the boys" and a "bloody good bloke." I met ex 69th electrician Ron Cutting; amazingly, we were both born in Wellington, India, on the same day, in the same ward with the same midwife. Unfortunately we have now lost touch; he was last in the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk area, and was going on to market gardening after demob.
Next posting was overseas to 8 Squadron, Aden! All the usual Mid East stories plus an overiding sense of injustice as we worked 0530 to 1930 seven days a week for five months, with only the odd half day off, while the rest of the Station knocked off every lunchtime! Johnny Johnson arrived as AOC - promoted two ranks up from Group Captain but no longer "one of the boys"! His behaviour change cost me both "cred and wagers". Hocking was also in Aden, but we never met up, luckily, because he had now remustered to Snoop!
Back to the UK. Thank God for cool fresh milk! Posted to Lindholme, not much except lots of jollies to Gibraltar on nav training flights. Bought a 3 bedroom house for £250.00!
Reaching 'de-mob' I gathered up my wife and daughters, sold the house and became... a technical rep, a self employed interior designer, a shop fitter, an encyclopaedia salesman, an inspector at Westland Helicopters, a 'distribution agent' (van driver) and eventually in 1971, a design/process engineer in water treatment. I had found something I liked that paid enough to support my wife, four girls and a boy and which also allowed plenty of time to play music and mix with musicians. At about this time I managed to contact and meet up with Gordon (now calling himself "Don" - ask him why) Hocking via his mum in Devon.
- RAF Halton and the Brats
- The Aircraft Apprentices Scheme
- Clubs, Societies and Sports at Halton
- RAF Halton's goats
- Tributes to Halton and the Brats
- The 69th and the Apprentices Network, 1951
- The Presentation of the Queen's Colour, 1952
- Summer Camp, RAF Formby, 1953
- The 69th and the Queen's Coronation, 1953
- The 69th's Graduation Review, 1954
- The Senior Entry - a graduate's letter, 1954
- A full list of 69th Graduates
- Halton days: stories from the 69th
- The 69th's Burmese Brats
- The 69th's commemorative window
- 69th Entry Reunions