Dai
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Bed PacksI used to go to the RC Church every day, but this meant getting up 15 mins before the rest of you layabouts. So I worked out a system of the super bed Pack. The white towels had fluff free stripes at each end of the towel. So I got my blankets folded perfectly, and instead of the sheets, I folded and ironed a towel so it would pass as a sheet, in fact two sheets. I then created and wrapped the bed pack up as per norm. My bed was always made, all I had to do was fluff it up a bit, tighten the bed spread and gently lay the bed pack on to the bed and I was away.
Why RC Church - well you missed the Working Parade and got a perfect breakfast I ate eggs, bacon etc and had cereal with fresh milk each morning. One morning however, several of us were summoned to the Squadron Offices. We were not on Parade, so where were we. When it came to my turn to answer, I told Thomas that I had been at Church. He told me that I was CofE, and I told him to tell that to the Padre since no RC Padre would turn away a possible convert. Thomas phoned Father Duffy who said that I had NOT been at church. I was now in deep doo doo - missing Parade and lying!!!. At break, I went up to the RC Church common rooms and spoke with Padre Duffy who remembered that I was there but as I was a Pagan he could not remember my name. He was also a bit miffed since I was the ONLY person at Church. He phoned Thomas immediately and put him straight. I still had to go to the Office with all the RCs who had skipped Parade and got a late Brekkies. They all got charged and Jankers. I was told that he, Thomas, would get me!!
He did too. But not until I got him. I had a locker with gash clothes back in the time when we were only allowed Mufti. My sheepskin driver's jacket was found and a pair of tight trousers. I was charged and Thomas had the parade. I was marched in but I brought a herd of witnesses including a Rhodesian CA (Name eludes me) who stood there and told Thomas that he (Thomas) had given me permission to wear the trousers because I was shorter than most and wide trousers looked stupid. The deputy OC vouched that he had given me permission to wear the sheepskin because of the cold. Thomas was livid... I still ended up with about 21 days Jankers all told. 
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admin
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Was the Rhodesian called FURZER? I was looking at the Members' List and his Service No is different to the rest.
Bed Packs were a pain, but my abiding memory of the first few weeks is BOOTS. Those metal studs made them more dangerous than ice skates. I remember the first time I went into the NAAFI wearing new boots. My first step onto the polished floor triggered a spectacular slide across the room ending with a flip in the air and a perfect landing on my bum - to the delight and uproar of the Senior Entry!
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Dai
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RhodesiansThis guy was either 94th or 96th - A right son-of-a-bitch as far as discipline was concerned but striaght as a die. He certainly helped me out of the hole. 
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green satin
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Rhodesians !When we first joined up , we lived in those freezing cold wooden huts half way up the hill from the Tech Blocks , I was in hut 254 or 256 , and the Royal Rhodesian Air Force CA in charge of the hut was called Mick Tait , a short corteous guy . I think he was in the 92nd Entry . I found out 20 years later , he was killed in action in the Royal Rhodesian Air Force under Ian Smith , fighting in the Rhodesian Wars , before it became Zimbabwe . I met his son , whilst serving on 19 Squadron South African Air Force in 1982 , who was a young carefree fearless pilot on our Puma Helicopters ! It's a small world !
Cheers ,
MONTY.
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admin
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Strange, I can't remember many of the people from back then, but I DO remember Mick Tait. Sorry to hear he was killed.
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Frank
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RhodesiansI also remember Bob Furzer and Bob Varty both in the 100th and Mick Tait also. The other Rhodesian was Phil James.
Pete Larter once threw a bucket of cold water over me while I was having a bath and a couple of weks later someone came in the billet and told Ian Quarie that Pete was in the bathroom but Ian wasnt bothered. I however, leapt up and threw cold water over the wall in the bathroom and then bumped into Pete Larter just outside the bathroom. My victim had been CA Phil James who fortunately saw the funny side!
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GeoffW
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Re: Bed Packs | Dai wrote: | | I was marched in but I brought a herd of witnesses including a Rhodesian CA (Name eludes me) |
Sudden flash of inspiration, the Rhodesian was a guy named Graham Bennet [also called Bryner, cause of the shortness of his hair], as Dai says a right hard sod, but absolutly fair. He was the CA in charge of my billet in the early days, top right room of the second block along the road fronting the playing field. 95th entry as I recall---
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