Most of us arrived at Weston-super-Mare rail station on Wednesday the 8th of April 1953. We were then ushered onto an RAF bus, which had a half upper deck on which I remember sitting next to Jim Cornwell and Brian Charlton. I am reasonably certain that we were on the first trip to RAF Locking, of course it is possible that my memory is at fault.
We were taken to our billet and settled in. Other members were brought to Locking as they arrived at Weston super Mare.
I have no clear memory of the rest of that
day though we must have had meals at the
mess, and I imagine visited the NAAFI.
The next morning the remainder of the Entry arrived.
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The next day, when we were all together, we were formed into flights and sort of marched up to the NAAFI where attestation took place. I clearly remember being ushered into flights and how pleasant the NCOs were, and oh so polite and patient with us.
As we marched, well more ambled really, up to the NAAFI we passed an Apprentice who called "Don't do it!" he was swiftly taken aside, and, as I later realised, well punished!
When we were safely in the NAAFI we were given a brief talk, and then swore the oath of allegiance, we were individually called up to the front to sign on and take the Queen's shilling.
As we came out of the door of the NAAFI to face a ramp down to the road there stood those kind, polite NCOs.
What a metamorphism, those kind polite gentleman had turned into nasty, hard, wicked DIs, who immediately started to shout and scream at us. Personally I didn't know whether to laugh or cry my tendency was definitely towards the latter.
I am not sure whether we were sworn in alphabetically or in order
of our RAF numbers, which were allocated on arrival.
However soon after I had been cowed by the DIs another lad
appeared at the head of the ramp, as soon as they started on him
he stoutly declared that he had joined to learn a skilled trade
(hadn't we all) not to be shouted at. He turned on his heal and
went back inside to demand his attestation papers back.
"No way!" he was told, you are now in the RAF for twelve years
from the age of 18. Until we were 30? Impossible, we
would be too old by then surely? However he stuck to his guns
and even refused to wear his uniform, after a week or so they
gave up and discharged him.
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First we were issued with our kit. Apart from our uniforms there was a full webbing set consisting of a belt, scabbard holder, small pack back pack, water bottle and various straps for holding these items together and onto your person. This webbing was to pay a large part in our lives, especially for those unfortunate enough to do "jankers".
Also we were issued with a set of brushes, not to be used I hasten to add but to be displayed with bulled precision in our small bedside lockers. The other items were a .303 rifle (firing pin removed) and large sword like bayonet and scabbard, the latter being highly polished, as were our boots and laid on your bed alongside the Blancoed belt.
Finally we were issued with a knife, fork, spoon and mug.
We now began three weeks of constant drill and bull. Most of us don't know
whether we were on our ass or our elbows, all this for the princely sum of 8s6d
(43p should any youngster be reading this)
in our pockets and 4s (20p) into credits. Out of this we had to buy personal items
such as soap, toothpaste, Blanco, Brasso and shoe polish, plenty of the last
three were needed. We also had to replace our mugs if we broke them or, as was more
likely, they were smashed by one of our many masters if they were found to be lacking
on inspection.
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After three weeks of continual bulling and drilling, under the DIs, we were delighted, and mightily relieved to start our training as Radio Technicians.
The first year was purely theoretical, much like school really, though I believe
it did include "Workshop Practice". I remember the first task was having to file
a cylinder of brass into a square section. This was, to me the most difficult task
that we had, which gradually progressed until we made a superhet radio. I do remember
that the brass filing took me ages and a lot of brass until I got it right,
I suspect that we contributed to the 1954 world copper shortage.
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