As we approach our middle 70's are we allowed a period of reflection before as the Bard said " leave this world's stage for the others"
My wife the other day remarked that I always looked up when a helicopter flew over, but ignored the passing of a fixed wing of whatever the breed. Do any of you still do that, going over collective, cyclic controls and other dynamics.
I was startled to see a Beaver fixed wing coming in to land at Logan airport in Boston, recalling as a Greenie the last time I worked on one at 70 A/C Wksps Middle Wallop. What a nightmare that was. And that brought on a whole slew of memories....:
The Chopper Arms, the Sherriff who clopped around on his horse weekends ( anyone remember him?) giving those on guard duty hell for disfiguiring the truncheons we had to carry on our patrols on guard duty.The officers of the day dressed up in their # Ones inspecting a bunch of bored and pissed off Airtech Corporals on guard duty for the weekend. Many of them ( the officers I mean) came from esoteric Guards regiments on pilot training for their regiments Their regalia elicited barely contained guffaws from us as they inspected, somewhat bewildered that we were not attired as bizzarelly as they. Our boots were not "spit shined" a la Depot REME!
Any one recall " Paddy " of the Paddy Waggon Cornish Pastie fame? He died crossing the Andover street in a somewhat drunken state chasing girls half his age. Some claimed that a ghostly paddy waggon still made its rounds in the wee hours of the morning after his death.
Ah yes... the day the Middle wallop Regimental Medical Officer gathered us all together in one of the empty hangars to tell us of the outbreak of VD amongst us was of no laughing matter.
No wonder some of us were eventually farmed out to Sharjah,Kluang, Hong Kong, Penang, Brunei, Cyprus and Germany. Those most fortunate went to Netley, and it was whispered some to Porton Down!!! Ahhhh another set of memories for you all!
Yet, here we are, looking at the remnants wondering who would be the last to turn off the lights.
I count myself fortunate to have reached 73 ( actually 75 ,the Brit Immigration official misread my refugee papers). Met some very interesting chaps I still keep in touch with, met some that I wish I never had ( you know who you are). Have seen three grandchildren and a nephew of a direct bloodline to mine so there isn't much left to do but to spoil them.
Last night the wife and I watched an old film " The Bridge on the River Kwai". Well worth watching again after all these years given the fact that all the major actors are dead. I last watched it in 1962 (?) so memory played tricks.
Be well those remaining,
Stay Safe
Don't Fight, and if you see your obituary pinch yourselves before making a fool of yourself claiming it is not so.
Regards
Fred
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