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RAF Abingdon

January 1974 - January 1975, Belfast Servicing Flight

Belfast Big, fat, slow, ugly aircraft that I worked on at Abingdon. Wikipedia - Belfast

De Havilland Dragon Rapide G-AGSH Whilst stationed at Abingdon I helped, in my own time, to maintain this aircraft. At that time she belonged to the RAF Sports Parachute Association and was used solely as a jump platform. In this photograph she has just been rolled out of Abingdon's 'big' hangar following a major overhaul and respray, sporting the, then, newly recommended black and white propellers. As you can see from the link she is a venerable old lady. The first time I got a flight in her the pilot had to make a very rapid emergency landing due to a smoke filled cockpit. The scariest moment I ever had flying.

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RAF Benson April 1964 - October 1965, Scheduled Servicing and Rectification Flight

Benson was the 'home' of the Argosy, being the base of 114 and 267 Squadrons and the servicing base for 105 Squadron based at Aden. 215 Squadron formed here prior to moving to Singapore.

RAF Brize Norton March 1975 - November 1976, Regional NDT Team

Bryan  "POP"

My stepfather - a good bloke and a good publican. Visit the PUBS page.

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RAF Changi, Singapore, 215 Squadron

October 1965 - February 1968,

January 1968 - The last 215 Squadron Argosy about to depart Changi following the disbandment of the Squadron.

Cherry Tree Public House, Dereham

I took over the Cherry Tree in October 1985 with Gina, who became my second wife. Having been brought up in pubs there was a certain inevitability that I would want to run one myself one day.  We had six good years together, then things went wrong and ended in disaster - all part of life's rich tapestry.

"CHOTA"

When I joined the RAF I had not reached puberty and I was just under 5 foot tall, the smallest in the Entry. The drill instructors nicknamed me 'Chota', from the Indian for little one. As in chota peg, small drink.

CARS

See my collection of cars and other forms of transport

CPR Ltd

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Dereham, Norfolk

I have lived here so long that the locals talk to me. Photo shows the North end of the Market Place as seen from my desk.

Dereham Pubs

My history of Dereham pubs.

Dinky Toys

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Florrie

Dearly loved Auntie

Frank I

I only have a vague  memory of my grandfather as he died when I was very young. But I have many fond memories of Nan Shaw as I spent a great deal of time with her when I was a boy. I used to listen to the radio with her (no television in those days) and still listen much more than I watch.

Frank II

Frank III

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Gina

With Gina (who became wife No 2) at Sergeants' Mess Summer Ball, June 1985 - the last time I wore uniform.

Grandchildren

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RAF Halton January 1961 - March 1964, 97th/98th Entry No 1 School of Technical Training

Hope I

The little boat we had on the Broads for a couple of years

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Irene

Auntie Irene with me in the days when I was into long dresses.

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Granddad Joe

With Kathy at age 94. Sadly we did not get a photograph of five generations together. Joe - Mum - Me - Karen - Sarah

John O'Groats to Lands End

In June 1984 I ran, as part of an 8 man relay team, from John  O'Groats to Land's End. It took 4½ days, average speed 7.72mph. We each ran the equivalent of a marathon a day.

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Karen and Kathy

My two little girls - now grown up of course.

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RAF Lyneham

April 1968 - January 1974, Comet Scheduled Servicing Flt and 216 Squadron Engineering Flight

216 Squadron. Originally 16 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service, when the Royal Air Force was formed in 1918 it became 216 Squadron RAF, so to this day those in the know always refer to it as "Two - Sixteen".

Comet XR397, in which I flew around the world in, pictured at RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong.

Black 6 In 1973 I helped at the beginning of a project to restore this Messerschmitt Bf 109G to flying condition, at that time it was thought that the project would take a couple of years. In fact it was 18 years before it flew. I was posted to Abingdon in 1975 so lost touch with the project. The next time I saw the aircraft was when it flew into Swanton Morley in September 1995. Here it is at Swanton Morley wearing a temporary paint scheme for a film role.

Hercules - When I was on the Brize Norton Regional NDT Team I spent most of my time inspecting Hercules at Lyneham.

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Marathon

Completing the First Norfolk Marathon 3 May 1981 - 3h.23m 25s (139th)

Mid Norfolk Railway

In 1997 finding myself unemployed and bored I volunteered to help on the Mid Norfolk Railway. I was immediately impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the people that I met. They have a 'we will do it' attitude to everything and they always do it, albeit two years behind schedule. The cutting from the Eastern Daily Press shows the first train to travel from Dereham to Wymondham for ten years. I am on there somewhere. The first person that I worked with was Roy, we have worked together ever since. When he was asked to take charge of the drains and fences I coined the phrase D&F Team, we have been that ever since.

The D&F Team repairing a fence on a rainy day at Wymondham

Mum

Behind the bar at the Doughty Arms - and she's still at it donkey's years after she should have retired.

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Norfolk Airfields

If you drive, or better still cycle, around the country roads of Norfolk you are likely to come across an airfield control tower, a huge stretch of concrete once a runway, an aeroplane hangar, or a memorial in a well tended garden. These are all reminders of the many airfields, mainly of W.W.II origin, that scatter the county. I have studied and visited most of them and produced a website about them.

This photo, given to me by one of my old Cherry Tree customers, shows a group of Home Guard visiting Wendling on the 27th November 1944. In the background is a B-24 Liberator.

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Outside Bars

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Peddars Way And North Norfolk Coastal Path

The best 'walkies' that Rajah ever had.

Pubs

See my long association with pubs.

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RainAir

I first met Rainer when he was running the Norfolk and Norwich Aero Club at Swanton Morley, we became close friends and had many adventures together. I do not see him much these days as he is busy, in the company of his lady Marcia, running his new venture at Beccles.

RainAir Unofficial Website

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Sally

Wife No 1 as she was when I met her in Singapore in 1965 - what a stunner!

Special Brew

A very serious beer. This is me drinkink it whilst trying to design a website. No wonder there are so many mistakes.

Sylvia

She also drank Special Brew, but she drank them warm - yuuk!!

RAF Swanton Morley November 1976 - August 1985, Central Servicing Development Establishment.

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Uffington White Horse

During the long hot summer of '76 we spent many a happy hour flying our Peter Powell Kite above Uffington White Horse.        Aah -  the sweet nostalgia of those never to be forgotten halcyon days.

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VJ Day

15 August 1945 - Ansell Road, Birmingham - Nan Shaw in the front, Mum holding me, 2nd babe in arms from right.

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Wells to Walsingham Railway

10 ¼ inch gauge railway that runs on the track bed of the Wells-Next-the-Sea branch. The Mid Norfolk Railway is also part of this branch

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Z Z Z Z Z  snort Z Z Z Z Z Sorry if I sent you to sleep