100th Entry RAF Locking 1962-1964

john rogerson · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 117

Year of the Great Train Robbery

The unlikely combination of myself,Ernie Hosking, Stumpy Tilling and a guy from 99th entry (cannot recall his name) would have a trip to Germany. Father of unknown guy had the 50s version of a people mover which he would drive. And we would go camping.
Stayed over somewhere in Belgium and then on to Cologne where vehicle packed up.
Camped on the the edge of the Rhine which was fairly clean in those days, so we used to go swimming. Stumpy decided to go naked, but unfortunately his cossy went away with the tide. Result was not a pretty sight.

We must have been equiped with kit from the sports store which included paraffin stoves. Someone was cooking and topped up stove when it was alight. Tent burnt rather quickly.

So, trip to RAF Butzveilerhof (spelling?) and result was that we had the biggest tent on the site.

First time to experience schnapps with disasterous results. Beer was OK and got some practice in for future posting to Wildenrath.

Recall seeing signs outside bars saying they were out of bounds to the British Forces. Possibly a throw back when we ran the place after WW2

Cannot recall the trip home, but at least summer leave in those days went on for ages.

Cannot recall trip home, but summer leave was rather long, so we really did have a good time.

Dai · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 122 Location: Ypsonas, Cyprus

The everlasting memory of those summer break (and the others too) was the credits paid. Walking around with £100+ in your pockets in 1962 was riches beyond avarice - well not quite - but cloes.