28 Years ago today

[penfold93]

28 Years ago I had stepped off the train at Newark and had been greeted by an LAC who directed me to a horrid white/orange/brown coach that had the most uncomfortable vinyl seats and a short time later was dumped at my new home to start my RAF career.

What followed is still quite vivid first was 2 weeks of drill, bed packs, GSK, PT and inspections before being let loose on the Regt. 2 weeks of SLR's, field craft, gas chambers culminating in North Luff, Thor run, and the worlds largest sleeping bags. Finally 2 more weeks of drill and room inspections, kit inspections and the final mile and a half fitness test all ending in the pass out parade and my mum being in more of the video than me!

The names of nearly all of the lads and lassies that all swore undying friendship are long forgotten yet remembering conversations is easy, the sound of 'Higher Ground' on the Jukebox, when you were senior flt asking the newbies what their 'middle 3' were and any stumble meant no entry to the NAAFI.

Too many dits and stories for a post but thank you to all those that I have served with both on here and throughout the RAF, some have sadly passed away but all of you have contributed and enriched my life in some small way. (Except S2, Kevin and ILLBW)

So at this time of Remembrance thank you all and Per Ardua Ad Astra.

 

[4everAD]

I would have been one of those you asked for their middle 3, my 28th anniversary is in 3 weeks time!

 

[Late & Tired]

Well done Pen (still a sprog though) - Next Feb would be 42yrs for me.
Them were days..

 

[Tin basher]

Well done Pen 28 years a fair stint. I have fond memories of drinking the odd beverage with you and some carefully selected ladies in the old Hossie Soc some 25 years ago. Damn time flies.

 

[rocket scientist]

Get some time in, you smally (actually I only beat you by 3 months, having joined up Jul'90)

 

[Dan_Brown]

I logged onto JPA earlier this week and had a notification that I qualify for my LSGC clasp; i thought there had been a mistake! (not because I'm a bad lad).

Apparently 15 years for gong then 10yrs for clasp not 15 - oh well.

5 more to push and i think i'm done. However, having just started a new role, i am not sure i will make the end of this year never mind another 5

 

[FOMz]

28 years later and you are still a sh1t nurse

 

[Kryten]

I'm just 5 weeks short of what will be my 29th anniversary of that trip to Swinderby.....

 

[ady eflog]

I would have been one of those you asked for their middle 3, my 28th anniversary is in 3 weeks time!

same here, my 28 is up on 27th Nov

 

[GD on Wheels]

34 years on the 6th of November.

 

[justintime129]

45 years next April

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[Lux_deluxe]

36 years for me. Left after 26 in 2008. Swinderby is all a bit of a dull haze. All that training at Locking though - great times. From all those people I joined with I keep in contact with one. I'd love to find out what happened to all the others.

 

[vim_fuego]

Most of what I can remember about Swinderby revolves around fiddling the system to be able to drink in the NAAFI at 17...The rolls of green tape you needed to make your name badge state you were 18 were in the DI's office at the end of the corridor in the block in his unlocked drawer...que cottage industry in turning our fake name badges.

If you were at Swinditz in this week in 1990 then the NAAFI bop would have been paying no.1 song 'A Little Time' by Beautiful South or the Righteous Brothers 'Unchained Melody'....That would have worked well I imagine for the crotch grinding at the end.

 

[Gonterseed]

41 years ago. Mull of Kintyre was number 1. It was awful. I haven't heard it for years so am assuming it is still awful.

The only thing worth reporting about my time in Swinderby was the 3 Lightnings that did a tail stand over our passing out parade.

 

[vim_fuego]

41 years ago. Mull of Kintyre was number 1. It was awful. I haven't heard it for years so am assuming it is still awful.

The only thing worth reporting about my time in Swinderby was the 3 Lightnings that did a tail stand over our passing out parade.

We were watching from a classroom another pass out parade for a course ahead of us when 4 lightings did just that. I nearly dove under a desk ffs! What the family and friends endured at ground zero must have been truly terrifying.

 

[needsabiggerfuse]

1 Nov 1971 and Rod Stewart was singing(?) about Maggie May. DT_Xtremez_42:

 

[GD on Wheels]

One lad on my flight put a handfull of coins in the juke box. All we heard was the Frog Corus for most of the night.

 

[rocket scientist]

The rolls of green tape you needed to make your name badge state you were 18

I can't remember wearing a name badge stating I was 18 at Swinderby? (I was 20) All we had to do was present F1250's.

 

[busby1971]

30 years ago soon, I was reflighted and missed out on being given my badge, managed to get in to newcomers, and managed to get a pint, but on returning from the toilet the door nazis just wouldn’t budge.


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[vim_fuego]

I can't remember wearing a name badge stating I was 18 at Swinderby? (I was 20) All we had to do was present F1250's.

This was in 86. Plastic oblong pin on badge with your name across the top. I think you only wore it when in civvies although I might be wrong. There was room under it for a strip of dark green tape which indicated you being over 18. If you just had a blank space then the bar staff wouldn’t serve you booze and you had to wait to get into Lincoln for a pint!