Pen Portraits: what happened next
Pen portraits of post-graduation life, as submitted to the 69th Association newsletter over the period 1994 - 2011
Gerry Smith - Electrical
Having started my career in the same "Common cold free" room as Gerry Tulett, after reading his pen portrait I am inspired to put pen to paper to show how diverse RAF careers were. So here goes:
My escape route from Halton led to 32 MU St Athan (another one!) where, apart from realising at last that the world is a serious place, I enthusiastically pursued the lady to whom I have been married for over 40 years (we celebrated our ruby wedding, six months after the date, with friends in Barbados this May). With less enthusiasm I pursued more qualifications, a habit I have continued with; from electronics, through business management and personnel management, to my latest degree in Occupational Health and Safety.
In Sept 1958 it was off to Gutersloh, Germany and 2 Mobile Field Photographic Sqdn in support of 77 Sqdn Supermarine Swifts FR5 (what the hell were they?). At Gutersloh I renewed a friendship with Brian Cogger, instruments, and his wife.
After 2½ years with this not so mobile sqdn (one trip to Kola, one to Hamburg and one to the American zone) it was off to Norfolk and Feltwell on Thor ICBM launch control systems and later was an instructor in the Thor training school. In 1963 when Thor was disbanded we returned to Wales and St Athan, but this time on East Camp on Boy Entrant training.
To complete the circle my next move was to OCTU at (you guessed it) Feltwell; that was from Nov 1965 to Mar 1966. From there I went to Cranwell for one year and then to Upavon - Transport Command HQ and the world of communication centres, codes and encryption - "An engineer in wonderland". Less than two years later, in 1968, I moved to Abingdon, on ground communications, radio and radar. Whilst at Abingdon I visited HMS Ganges on a Radiological Safety Course - very disappointing, a large brick building and NOT a sail in sight! I also spent time at GCHQ, and had the dubious pleasure of a brief trip to Libya. From Abingdon in 1970 I went to Sharjah for a year (about which the less said the better) and then back to the UK to Locking and Radio Apprentice Training in early 1972. After this I then completed another bigger circle by returning to St Athan in 1973 as OC Electrical Engineering to the same building that I had started in as a JT in 1954!
The centrifugal force of all this circling spun me tangently sideways, and in 1974 with great regret I retired (family and home coming first) and joined the Engineering Industry Training Board where I met up with John Stroud. In 1978 I moved to a large specialist German-owned computer company (my poor German was of no use at all - they all spoke English!) where I was Personnel Manager for 15 years.
Since 1993 I have enjoyed a third career with a small consultancy specialising in Personnel, Training and Health & Safety. Our clients are mainly in engineering/manufacturing so I am now into mechanical engineering. I am still studying (God help me), this time towards a degree in Occupational Health and Safety. Running (three London Marathons), walking, golf and three grandchildren help me keep fit - supposedly - personally I think it is red wine.
- 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