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Derek Gyles
Vic Ludlow
Vic Mitchell
Stan Roulston
Derek Gyles (586635) 68th (4M5) Entry
Commenced Apprenticeship at Cranwell 24th April 1951.
Passed out as a J/T Ground Radar Fitter at Locking April 24th 1954.
Demobilised as a Senior Technician Guided Missile Fitter (Electronics) at REU
Henlow 8th October 1964.
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Potted History
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Pre-Cranwell I lived in Christchurch, Hampshire and took the
Apprenticeship entrance examination at my school. After passing the entrance
exam. in 1951 I was accepted for the 68th Entry at Cranwell. Chose to be Ground
Radar Fitter U/T. Class 68B.
Post-Cranwell/Locking Ground Radar Fitter/Guided
Missile Fitter. My apprenticeship seemed very intense, both physically and
mentally but I must admit it was the best thing that ever happened to me. The
training was great, and stood me in good stead for the rest of my life. During
my apprenticeship I was very interested in amateur radio. I passed the Amateur
radio exam in 1953 my callsign was G3JKQ. I operated the Apprentices Station at
Locking G3IDZ, sometimes throughout the night, when there was a universal
contest on. I built my own transmitter at my home and converted an old 1155
receiver to run off the 240V power supply. I used my home station to keep in
touch while on leave with Mike Street - G3JKX, Vic Ludlow - G3JLZ and Nev
Stores (deceased) - G3JKH all of the 68th entry. My call sign here in South
Australia is now VK5DB.
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The following is a list of my postings during my RAF
service:
1954 |
Henlow. Radar Engineering Unit (REU). Maintained and serviced
Ground Radar Equipment. NT277, DU5, BTH Turning Equipment (CPN4) an American
radar equipment and other radar equipment, some of which I had never seen
before. |
1955 |
Wahn. Germany. Exercise Battle Royal. Maintained
and operated communications equipment during this exercise, then
back to Henlow. |
1955 |
Henlow. My C/O called me into his office just prior to
Easter and informed me that I had been posted to France, SHAPE
Headquarters, Fontainebleau. I was to take all my kit home with me
on Easter leave and report to RAF Ruislip at the end of my leave.
Imagine my joy as a young single lad. I think my reply was something
like “look out girls here I come!”
While I was on leave there was
a rail strike and we had to report to our nearest RAF base to
obtain transport. I reported to RAF Sopley, about 5 miles from where
I lived in Christchurch.
A F/Sgt RAF Regiment gave me a lift to RAF Ruislip. I reported to the Orderly
Room and told the clerk who I was and that I had been posted to SHAPE
Headquarters Fontainebleau. He checked the records and told me that I had
been posted to Ty-Croes. I asked him where that was in France. He
said he didn’t know. About 30 of us set out in a bus which took us to RAF
Fazakerley for a meal. From there we travelled in an open back truck with the
rain blowing in. We eventually arrived at Ty-Croes on the Isle of Anglesea, West Wales at 0400Hrs. Nothing like France! Even
had an Army guard on the gate, what a disappointment! But the girls in that
area outnumbered the lads by at least 3:1, so it wasn’t all bad news. It
seemed that none of us knew where we were going. |
1955 |
Ty-Croes on the Isle of Anglesey, West Wales.
(8JSTU) Missile course (approx. 6 months duration). Fundamentals of
aerodynamics and propulsion systems for ground-to-air missiles. |
1955 |
Wilmslow. (8JSTU) Just a boarder here - bed,
breakfast & dinner. Commuting by bus to Ferranti at Withenshaw.
Bloodhound Ground-to-Air Guided Missile course. Control and Guidance Systems
+ Test Equipment. Travelled to Aberporth in Wales to fire our missiles at a
metal sphere suspended from a balloon.
We departed the UK from Tilbury Docks in Dec.
1956 aboard the P&O liner Iberia bound for South Australia on
Bloodhound missile trials. The Suez cannel was closed so we
travelled via Cape Town South Africa. We spent all day in Cape Town
so I went to watch the cricket. England was playing South Africa
and Godfrey Evans was wicket keeping.
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1956-1959
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RAAF Edinburgh Airfield South Australia.
Commuting to Woomera Missile Range
as No 8 Joint Services Trials Unit (8JSTU) up on Monday and back to RAAF
Edinburgh on Friday. I once flew to Woomera in a Bristol Freighter, or as I
call it a Bristol Frightener, with one of our missiles on board. The noise
and vibration was something to behold. A wing fell off one of these aircraft
shortly after my flight and they were all grounded. Thank goodness! We
completed our very successful missile trials in late 1959.
I married my wife Mary in The Holy Trinity
Church, Adelaide, October 3rd and returned to the UK
in November on the P&O liner Orontes. After spending my disembarkation
leave at my Mother and Father’s house in Christchurch, Hants, I received my posting
to RAF North Cotes, Lincs.
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1960-1964
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RAF North Cotes.
Surface-to-air Guided Missile Base. Protecting the UK's East Coast against the
Russian Bombers that frequently approached our shores during the Cuban
crises, "and nobody knew they were there". Our CO was GC Bradley or
as he was more commonly known "MAD BRAD". To keep up his flying
hours he would take the Avro Anson, fly out to sea and come back upside down
about 500 feet above the runway. I remember one Christmas he and the local
policeman swapped uniforms. The GC arrived in the Sergeants Mess with two workers,
one handcuffed on each arm. They were absolutely paralytic, on their knees.
The local policeman rode off on his bike wearing the GC's uniform; goodness
only knows where he went.
Our first son Donald was born on 8th July 1960 and our second son Desmond was
born 4th June 1963. Both were born in the UK while we were at North
Cotes. |
1964
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1964 Henlow. May 1964 I was asked where I would like to
spend the last 6 months of my service. My answer was "as near to London Airport
as possible, as I intend to emigrate to Australia at the end of my 12
years service!" Once more back to Henlow. The workbench I used as a
Junior Technician was still there exactly as I had left it in 1955.
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1964
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Demobed. 8th Oct. Obtained a job at EL-Control in Hitchin as
a Service Engineer. Maintaining and repairing electronic boiler control
units. The RAF kindly allowed us to stay in our married quarter until we left
for Adelaide, South Australia, in December 1964.
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Post RAF Service.
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1965-1967
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After arriving in Adelaide, South Australia, I applied for a
position at Philips as a technician. Employed there until Sep.1967.
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1967-1999
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Applied for a position as Technical Writer at EMI within
the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE), Salisbury, South Australia.
I was accepted for this position and worked with EMI, Thorn EMI, AWA Defence
Industries, British Aerospace, Australia (BAeA) and 3 days
before my retirement in December 1999, BAeA Systems. This was one company,
which was taken over by several others. During this period (32 years) I was
employed writing Handbooks and Test Specifications for the Royal Australian
Navy, sonar equipment. Handbooks for an outer space tracking station in Western Australia and
finally Handbooks for the RAAF, P3C - ORION Aircraft.
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1999-2004
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Having a ball in our retirement. My wife Mary
retired October 18th 2001, and we are now enjoying our life together. My
hobbies include Amateur Radio, Genealogy and Writing my life story. (I will sell
you a copy at a reasonable price when completed.) Computer work and gardening
takes up most of the time. Mary and I intend to help in community work
e.g. meals on wheels (this involves preparing and taking meals to the aged
and infirm people in our district.
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Family
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Sons Donald and Desmond are both married.
Donald is an Air Traffic Controller at Adelaide Airport.
Donald and Sue have two children, aged 6 and 8.
Desmond has his own Truck Business. Desmond and Necia have two children, aged
7 and 2.
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Derek Died 26th January 2005
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Go to Top
Potted History - 586597 Victor Ludlow
My name is Vic Ludlow; I am ex-68/4M5 Entry, of Cranwell and
Locking. My Entry joined up in 1951 and we passed out from RAF Locking in 1954.
I was trained as an Air Radio Fitter and then did an NBS Radar Course in 1955.
I subsequently worked at the Bomber Command Bombing School at Lindholme until
1963, with the V-Bomber-NBS Ground Simulators and Hastings Flying Classrooms.
In 1964 I spent a year at a Teacher Training College
at Bolton and was then commissioned as a Technical
'Educator'. My subsequent 'exotic' tours took in Locking, Topcliffe and Locking
again, where I finished my time in 1976, as a Sqn Ldr. (I later did another 7
years in uniform, as an RAFVR(T) officer with 10(F) Luton Squadron of the ATC,
finishing in 1989). During parts of 1971 and '72, I took a Communications
Degree course at Southampton University, also courtesy
of the RAF, and was lucky enough to come away with an MSc Degree in Electronics.
In 1977 I worked for a year with EMI (Weston) Limited, on
Weston-super-Mare airfield, doing Radar Range measurements on models and real
objects, before hearing of a possible job in Iran with BAe. I only made 2 short
trips to Iran; the first time parts of Tehran
were set on fire, the second time there was the Revolution (I spent an
'interesting' month 'under fire' as a result of that!)
From 1978 until 1992 I worked for BAe at Stevenage
and Filton, in a variety of guises, quite a lot of it to do with training on
the Rapier Weapon System. I also spent 3 years of the time on the Polaris
Missile update program, Chevaline, and got to go to America 7 times, once for a Polaris
submarine firing trial. In the late 80s I went to Indonesia 5 or 6 times, in
connection with Rapier training. I finally got 'Special Early Release' from BAe
in 1991, after 3 years of pleading. (8-))
From 1993 until 1999 I was registered as Self-Employed - I
got involved in quite a number of jobs because of my 'multi-skilling' -
plumbing, picture hanging, electrical installations, portable appliance
testing, lawn mower and power tool repair being among them!
I was the Admin Secretary of the RAF Cranwell Apprentice
Association (RAFCAA) from 1992 to 1998 and I was at one time involved with a scheme called
Young Enterprise (YE) for 10 years or so, as well, where I was a Business Adviser
for 2 years. I was also a member of the North Herts Area Board of YE, and did
spells as Secretary and Treasurer before being elevated to the position of
Chairman, shortly before I resigned!
I have been a licensed Amateur Radio operator since December
1953 (as G3JLZ) but am not very active. I'm a lot more active with the
e-mail group Appsnet; I like to put my 'penn'orth' in on most topics.
Some Members of Appsnet, however, don't 'transmit' too often.
I play dominoes at my 'local', once a week and I am a Helper at a Signals Museum
that has been set up at RAF Henlow. That occupies 4 evenings a month, with
odd daytime sessions and weekend sessions as well. I also do a lot
of research on line for the Museum.
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Vic Ludlow - Last Updated February 2008
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Go to Top
April 24 1951 - May 1954 |
Joined No 68th Entry RAF Aircraft Apprentices Cranwell on 24th April 1951 (day
before 16th Birthday). Allotted to 68b class for basic radio principle training.
Elected to become Ground Radar Fitter prior to move to Locking in late 1952.
Graduated as Junior Technican from Locking May 1954.
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May 1954 - May 1967 |
Posted to No 4 Ground Radar Servicing Squadron (GRSS) at RAF Chigwell in the
company of Ray Wyles, Titch Butler, "Mibs" Marsh, Maurice Botley and
others of my entry. Mainly employed in 4th Line servicing of Air Traffic
AN/CPN-4, MPM 11, ACR 7, Cossor 787). Also involved in QO party activity Air
Defence Radar Units of CHEL and CH stations along south coast. Spent miserable
13 weeks at Yatesbury on an AN/CPN-4 course. Travelled extensively in Europe,
Middle East and UK.
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4th January 1958 |
Married Maureen Anne. We have 4
Daughters Julie, Pamela, Paula and Linda and seven and one half
Grand Children.
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November 1958 - June 1959 |
RAF Christmas Island (Central Pacific). 1st
and 2nd Line servicing of Radar AA 3 Mk 7 and Dobbie McGuiness plotting systems
used in the control of V force aircraft conducting Atomic Weapons tests.
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June 1959 - January 1960 |
RAF Chigwell (Detached to RAF Kenley) for servicing of ex-Christmas Island
Radar AA 3 Mk 7's.
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January 1960 - August 1964 |
RAF Henlow (REU). Refurbishment, maintenance and installation of a wide range
of Air Defence (T 13, T14. T 15 and RVT 510 Operations vehicles) equipment. Air
Traffic and Marine radar systems in UK and overseas Cossor, AR1 and
Decca equipment. Designed, developed, installed and maintained electronic
exhibits at the RAF exhibition stand at the Earls Court Radio Show in 1960 and
1961.
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August 1964 - September 1966 |
Located at 390 MU Seletar (Singapore).
Created 4th Line and Emergency servicing support for deployed Air Defence
Radars (T13, T14, UPS-1, FPS - 6 and FPS - 8), Decca marine radars. Area of
responsibility, Penang, Gan, Borneo, Hong Kong to Singapore.
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September 1966 - May 1967 |
RAF Henlow as Task Controller in the Engineering HQ. While awaiting OCTU
training course.
Final SNCO Rank: Chief Technician.
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Commissioned Service May 1967 - April 1985 |
May 1967 - August 1967 |
Completed No 168 OCTU course at RAF Henlow. Graduated Flying Officer.
Posted to RAF Bawdsey to undertake training as a Fighter Controller.
(RAF only accepted candidates with degrees for entry to the Engineering branch).
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August 1967 - April 1969 |
Qualified as a Fighter Controller and employed on Air Interception Duties with
Bawdsey operational Squadrons. Controlled Lightning, Phantom, Hunter and Canberra aircraft.
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April 1969 - May 1970 |
Posted as Instructor to the School of Fighter Control at
Bawdsey. Taught Radar Theory and Interception Techniques to Arab,
British, Iranian and Singaporean students.
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May 1970 - August 1972 |
Posted to RSRE Malvern (Worcester) as Operational Adviser to the Ground
Environment development specialists. Involved with development of Inertial-less
Radars, Underground Sensor Systems and Equipment to Counter Anti Radar
Missiles.
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August 1972 - November 1974 |
Posted to operational duties at RAF Buchan. Controlled Air Defence Fighter,
Tanker and AEW aircraft in the interception of Soviet Long Range aircraft entering
the UK Airspace. Appointed as Station Training Officer. Responsible for the
operational efficiency of all operational staff.
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November 1974 - November 1976 |
Posted to HQ No11 (Fighter) Group with Staff Operational responsibility for all
ground environment radar stations within the UK.
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November 1976 - September 1980 |
Held appointment as Ops Ground Environment 2 in MOD Whitehall. Responsible for
operational efficiency of all UK Air Defence Radar sites worldwide. Represented
UK in the final CENTO conference held in Teheran in 1978. Was
responsible for collating UFO reports and answering Parliamentary
Questions within my sphere of responsibility.
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September 1980 - December 1984 |
Posted to the RoNAF as RAF Liaison Officer. Responsible for the Tactical
Evaluation of all Norwegian Air Defence Radar and SAM sites. Located on the HQ
of the South Norway Air Defence Commander
(COMSORN) at Holmenkollen. Instructed Norwegian F16 pilots on the functioning
of the NATO Ground Environment Radar systems. Travelled extensively throughout Scandinavia.
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December 1984 - April 1985. |
Posted to RAF Uxbridge awaiting Retirement on the 26th April.
Final Rank: Squadron Leader.
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Post RAF Career. 26th April 1985 to Date |
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After major surgery to both legs worked for both Plessey and
Multitone as a technical author until 1990. Thereafter involved in the Finance
Industry selling the normal range of life and pension products for Pearl
Assurance, Sun Life and AXA. Initiated own company (DM Financial Services) and
am currently acting in capacity of Independent Mortgage Facilitator.
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Future Plans |
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Plan to move to warmer climes (possibly Costa Blanca) when
some of my building land is sold.
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Vic Mitchell - Updated February 2008 |
Go to Top
Jim Newman (586613) 68th (4M5) Entry.eview.
My RAF career seems to be remarkable in that it was
distinctly unremarkable! Compared with the esteemed and lettered(?) Vic Ludlow
I was hardly the brightest bulb in the 4M5 (68th) chandelier at neither
Cranwell nor Locking. I struggled with the electrickeries, even though I was
intensely fascinated by the magic of the stuff. The squeaks and squawks from
the TR 1934 series, and the tall "grass" growing rampant on my Gee,
led to many a burned and blackened screwdriver tip around the back! As the
chaps will tell you - I never lost my interest in the engineering side of
aircraft, and when I eventually left the RAF (courtesy of a drunken driver) I
armed myself with the appropriate piece of parchment in one hand, and a rag in
the other, so that I could slope off and do some real work on the Concorde, and
on one or two of BAC's sophisticated series of khaki-painted fireworks. I
suppose, in reality, I was BAC's "secret weapon" against the French.
Any way, in spite of my worst efforts the Concorde has shown great capability.
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Even though I was a keen aeromodeller I guess I was most
well-known in the entry for my artistic ability, producing cartoons of every
situation imaginable in the daily lives of the Apps. I know my observations of
various "types" did not endear me to some, but there it is...malice
was never furtherest from my mind. When I eventually went out into the
"Man's RAF" I managed to find time - and subject material - for my
pen, with the result that I became fairly well-known in the skill and earned a
degree of displeasure from my immediate CO, who felt that one of HM's little
lads in blue, regardless of rank, was doing something quite crass and
"suggested" that I adopt a nome de plume...which I did. I took up the
signature of Bot...Lord knows why but, it was short and snappy and easy to
remember. After a while, and being a little rebellious, I thought to myself,
"Screw it!" and decided to write my own name again. After all, I
reasoned, it was good enough for a Form 700 so why not for the bottom of a
cartoon? Sound logical.........? Any way - the world did not come to an end,
and I continued with cartooning for several motor, motorcycle, model and full-size
aviation magazines, including RAF Flying Review.
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My initial posting after Apps was to RAF Lyneham...where my
father was SWO..........OOps! With the speed of light I applied for another
posting and was sent to the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
at Boscombe Down, which was about 20 minutes (by Norton Dominator and Triumph
T-110) from my folks MQ. Handy, when I felt like a home-cooked meal. As you
might imagine, at A & AEE I was like the proverbial "kid in a candy
store", with an unlimited array of the latest toys with which to play,
including those not belonging to the RAF. I even got to play with some that had
a funny hook-on-a-pole at the arse-end, and got to fly in one or two as
well...albeit sitting back'ards for reasons which only a "fish head"
could 'splain. Figure this if you can...two RAF "types"...in an RN
aircraft...flown from a, largely, civvy establishment!
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I reached the dizzying heights of Sgt. and was given a
"kingdom" comprising five squadrons, and told to use my ingenuity to
keep them all out of trouble. This also included some Radio Trials aircraft and
a few "under the table" jobs for the civvies of Handley Page, Avro,
Gloster, Fairey, etc. who were notorious for not having any radio bods with
them. The up side of all this was that they would not allow me to sign for
anything, and that through rubbing shoulders with the civvy manufacturer's
people and some of the test pilots, I gained an enormous amount of knowledge
which was duly recorded and is still put to good use.
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The down side was that, when I took over responsibility for
the mostly First Line of five squadrons, they omitted to tell this poor sod
that many of my aircraft were in Khartoum, Malta, Hab, El Adem, Cyprus, etc.
Anyway, in a back-alley, Salisbury
antique shop I managed to find a crystal ball that stayed serviceable for the
rest of my career. Never could find where its battery went though!
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There was an even more enjoyable side to being at Boscombe.
It had an extremely active gliding club, the membership of which comprised not
only regular erks/NCOs/civvies, but also some of the test pilots, both civvy
and service. This worked to my great advantage since I found myself being
"invited" along for many rides on trials, and also being allowed to
take the pole for a while. Since they were twisting my arm so - and I can't
withstand very much pain anyway - I took advantage of the situation whenever
they pressured me so to do!
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I endured several attachments to various places within the
Min. of Supply, including the Parachute Test Unit at Henlow, and was in the
midst of taking my boards for C/Tech when I was hospitalised for several months.
On release to unit I found it difficult to be very effective while wearing the
most bloody awful corset that would have delighted Queen Victoria, so HM said,
"Sorry, Tosh....Out!" and I found myself once again pursuing my
civilian occupation of pavement artist.
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Incidentally, my mind boggled when told I was to be detached
to PTU. As a pilot - albeit Private and Glider - the idea of me, an innocent
Air Radio Fitter, jumping out of perfectly serviceable bloody aeroplanes did
not, at all, appeal to me.
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The aircraft industry had its ups and downs, (No pun!)
thanks in no small measure to Duncan Sandys and friend 'arold, so in 1970 I
came to the USA with the offer of a job within the hobby industry, and stayed
with the industry (where I was already well-known) for about six years before
starting my own graphics, tech. illustration and advertising business, and was
very successful in it. I guess I must have been since I did not advertise, yet
I had more work offered from the length and breadth of the USA than I
could handle!
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Following a disastrous marriage in the UK I eventually
married a most delightful, South Side Chicago-Irish lady who can field strip a
'27 Thompson with the best of 'em. She does pretty good at firing same from the
hip while hanging on to the running board of an equally vintage, cornering
Cadillac, too. We have some great kids...four at last count...hers, mine and
ours - who now have families of their own and who are scattered across Illinois
(NOT Illi-"noise", per-lease!) and Indiana.
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I retired about two years ago and we moved from the Chicago area up into Michigan,
just north of Grand Rapids,
where I now live on - and sort of manage - a small grass airport. Wife, Kathy,
is a fully accredited Pastry Chef and Cake Decorator and has won many awards
for her skills. Naturally, I am Chief Test Pilot for her products...........and
it shows!
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Jim Newman - Last Updated February 2008 |
Go to Top
A very brief outline
is that I migrated to Oz with wife and two daughters in 1964 when my 12 years
were up. I had been here twice previous with the RAF and liked it as the place
to settle down.
I was a technical author until 1976, then qualified in Social Work and worked
in prisons and corrections, mental health, community health and worker
rehabilitation until I retired in 1996.
Since then I've enjoyed volunteer work through various organisations that let
me 'interfere' in the lives of people who can use my experience and skills
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Stan Roulston - Last Updated February 2008 |
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