Over the years, I've always enjoyed the tales (tall or otherwise) of servicemen and women, particularly RAF, letting their hair down as was their perogative. Some of the humour and adventures are bloody funny and it's often the telling of story itself that is just as funny as the event. I've just read the following in Egles' Just One Of The Many and thought it'd be interesting to share. Page 82
Teehee I just love it when aircrews get going. Like the long standing war between 617 and 9 Squadrons over the piece of armour plating from the Tirpitz.
Do tell, Kitty. It doesn't ring a bell with me. Sounds like they had some fun with it even though there would have been plenty of armour to go around, I imagine!
Sorry I forgot about this thread. Reel back to the Tirpitz lying upsidedown in Altofjord. The War ends and Norway has this big hulk of metal to deal wtih. So like all post-war countries it decides to get rid of it by cutting it up into scrap. As a thank you to Bomber Command they present a big plate of its armoured hull (About 8 inches thick) to 617 Squadron. Now reel back a bit further to the attack on the Tirpitz, grandslams are being dropped by 617 and 9 Squadrons, and there is still an argument going on between the two squadrons as to who's Grandslam sank the ship. Now 9 Squadron were somewhat miffed that 617, "The Dim B******s" get the armour plating, so they mount a raid on the base and nick it, bringing it back in the bomb bay of their Lancasters. 617 Are then disbanded for a few years so the contsted plating remains in 9 Squadron hands. Then 617 is recommissioned and the war starts in earnest. That armour plating was better traveled than the damn ship it came from. I understand it exchanged hands a number of times, until in the 70's 617 mounted a daring raid, in which they landed at the enemy base, raided and trashed the mess of 9 and pinched the plating. Loading it up into the bomb bay of a Vulcan bomber, they flew it back to Lossiemouth, where it was mounted on the 617 Squadron mess wall. It was then bolted to it quite emphatically, then an alram system attached to it for good measure. I understand it is still in the 617 Mess, alarmed and well protected. However it is without a doubt that 9 will attempt another reclamation of it at some point.
The battle between 617 squadron and 9 squadron was still the going thing in the fifties when I was with 617 Squadron at Binbrook, I was elect/fit working on Lincolns and then Canberra's Ken
Just reading Murray Peden's superb A Thousand Shall Fall and came across this missive written by a 214 Sqn lark on the subject of the recent (Oct '43) spate of motorcycle-related incidents resulting in aircrew ending up in hospital. Pinned on the notice board, it was authentically laid out and under appropriate headings and spurious serial numbers: Z214 PART III - TRAINING It has come to the attention of the C-in-C that the wastage of trained aircrew, not to mention useful personnel, occasioned by improper and unsafe riding practices on the Enfield 500 service motorcycle has grown to serious proportions. Henceforth the following rules of motorcyclemanship will be strictly adhered to by all ranks, viz: 1. No member of His Majesty's forces shall act as first pilot and captain of any motorcycle until he has first completed five hours dual instruction under an instructor holding a motorcyclemanship certificate issued - outside bar hours - by the Station Adjutant. 2. No member of His Majesty's forces shall solo a motorcycle for the first time in the bomb dump. 3. Every commissioned officer executing his first motorcycle solo shall wear a steel helmet and flying boots, and shall at all times be preceded by an NCO waving a red flag. 4. No officer over the rank of Squadron Leader shall ride a motorcycle as first pilot and captain on any occasion until the Station Warrant Officer has given five minutes warning on the air raid siren. 5. No pilot shall ride a motorcycle up the steps of the officers mess until he has logged a minimum of 10 hours (day) as first pilot of the machine; and in any case where that exercise is attempted in formation and after the consumption of stimulants, each motorcycle pilot shall first obtain a waiver in Form SOS 300 from every other member of the formation, (and in the case of RC personnel shall file proof, signed by the Padre, of recent attendance at mass). 6. No aircrew motorcycle pilot shall carry any WAAF on the pillion, without written permission from the WAAF "G" officer, i.e. the QUEEN BEE (unless the operation is carried out after dark). High Wycombe, H.Q. Bomber Command. Signed for Sir A. T. Harris, (A.W.O.L.) by AC 2 Flatout. I was in stitches by directive 3 - a common occurrence with this book.
