| ? |
? |
Puttees were discontinued |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| ? |
? |
The two part bed in which the bottom half slid under the top is called the Mac Donald, the legs which were held in place with a slotted gudgeon pin and cotter could be removed and brandished during raids - replaced by the angle iron and springs bed
(1944).
(disputed by Jack) - Change to
spring beds 1948 |
|
Geoff Williams
(53rd)
Alan White (46th)
Jack Frith (56th)
|
| ? |
? |
The three biscuits were replaced by a single mattress. |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1943 |
? |
Polish Apprentices |
|
Alan Gordon (61st)
Alan White (46th) |
| 1944 |
About |
evacuation to
Cosford |
|
Ray Dunn (47th) |
| 1945 |
Correct |
Victory Parade
London |
|
Ray Dunn (47th) |
| 1945 |
Correct |
Festival of Remembrance - Albert Hall,
I recall the radio commentator expressing in wonder when Dickie
Watson - drum major - sent the mace spinning up toward the
lights and then caught it again! The Army characters never
dared do that.
|
|
Ray Dunn (47th) |
| 1947 |
? |
Macdonald beds to
sprung beds 1947 - 48 |
|
Graham Purdy (56th) |
| 1948 |
January |
Forage cap replaced by Beret |
|
John Yelland (58th) |
| 1949 |
Before |
We had a round bolster instead of a pillow |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1949 |
Before |
Pig-sticker bayonets |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1949 |
Before |
Entries to Wings changed to Trades to Wings |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1949 |
About |
Apprentice pay was 5
Shillings (25p), rising to 10 Shillings (50p). Upon reaching
17yrs 6months this went to 28 Shillings (1.40p) full airman's
rate. |
|
David Gibbings
(62nd) |
| 1949 |
September
|
Pakistani Apprentices
|
|
Ernest Sutton (63rd) |
| 1949 - 52 |
Correct |
The
famous Beaufighter engine running classroom, on record as still
in place in 1971 (Bil Taylors book ISBN 185780015x0)
Someone must know when it
was built.
Who conceived and designed
it?
What happened to it?
|
 |
David Gibbings
(62nd) |
| 1950 |
About |
Electricians were split into Elect Air and Elect Ground |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1950 |
About |
61st were guinea pigs and we wore one-piece denims as working dress |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1950 |
About |
Burmese Apprentices |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1950 |
Correct |
A Tornado passed
across Halton |
|
Graham Purdy (56th) |
| 1950-51 |
? |
Minimum service pay
went up to 2 Pounds 9 Shillings |
|
David Gibbings
(62nd) |
| 1950-51 |
? |
A Tornado passed
across Halton and features in the 62nd window. |
|
David Gibbings
(62nd) |
| 1951 |
January |
Introduction of new
trade stucture which introduced
Technician ranks |
|
John Yelland (58th) |
| 1951 |
About |
Plastic coloured disk [red, blue yellow] behind our beret badge. |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1951 |
1st February |
Sea Hornet F Mk20,
WE236, crashed close to the Airframe workshops, killing the
pilot Lt Cdr Wilkes RN. The stricken aircraft passed close over
the workshops, which were fully occupied at the time.
National Archive ref: 178/394 refers. |
|
David Gibbings
(62nd) |
| 1952 |
After |
The first Queen's Colour |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1952 |
After |
Normal pillow was issued. |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1952 |
After |
Trades to Wings changed to Entries to Wings |
|
Alan Gordon (61st) |
| 1956 |
January |
All entries into all wings, (for example, In 3 Wing, Block 1
Room 6 where I was, we had two of each entry from the 75th to
the 83rd/84th?).
|
|
Dave Howell (75th)
Rod Abbott (79th) |
| 1959 |
After |
St Georges moved from
Old Workshops
(Fire damage) |
 |
Bill Kelley (55th)
Tony Ridler (84th) |
