As a newbie to E-Goat I would like to make a few comments as to what Akrotiri was like in march 1961- november 1963 and compare then to what i have been reading on the different threads.
I was based at cape gata for 6 months then moved up to troodos for 18 months then came back down for my last 4 months aon the island,during my time there I had the most fantastic time,living in tents at Gata and then into the new Aden block at troodos and back to living in one of the old wooden blocks at akrotiri.
When I read about some of the questions being asked about what uniform to take with you on posting in todays RAF i am astounded with the replies! We had to take everything with us including our greatcoats and your allowance for all your kit plus civvies was 66lbs (thats old fashioned weights incase anyone doesnt understand).
You wore the old serge BDS in the winter and KDs in the summer with long trousers after 5pm and sleeves rolled down on the old aertex type shirts,long socks to the knee during daytime up to the knee,if you were lucky enough to get dets to places like El ADem,khartoum,Aden,doshan tapie baktar in Iran,Masirah,and any of the gulf states like kuwait then things got a little slacker and you could buy locally made KD uniform in any of these places and wear it on duty.
I got mine made in Tehran Iran whilst attached to the Imperial Iranian Air Force,in the soul that was beneath Farouchie fadowsie ave,I also had dets to all the other places mentioned.It seems to me that todays RAF is rather short on adventure and travel.
I was based at cape gata for 6 months then moved up to troodos for 18 months then came back down for my last 4 months aon the island,during my time there I had the most fantastic time,living in tents at Gata and then into the new Aden block at troodos and back to living in one of the old wooden blocks at akrotiri.
When I read about some of the questions being asked about what uniform to take with you on posting in todays RAF i am astounded with the replies! We had to take everything with us including our greatcoats and your allowance for all your kit plus civvies was 66lbs (thats old fashioned weights incase anyone doesnt understand).
You wore the old serge BDS in the winter and KDs in the summer with long trousers after 5pm and sleeves rolled down on the old aertex type shirts,long socks to the knee during daytime up to the knee,if you were lucky enough to get dets to places like El ADem,khartoum,Aden,doshan tapie baktar in Iran,Masirah,and any of the gulf states like kuwait then things got a little slacker and you could buy locally made KD uniform in any of these places and wear it on duty.
I got mine made in Tehran Iran whilst attached to the Imperial Iranian Air Force,in the soul that was beneath Farouchie fadowsie ave,I also had dets to all the other places mentioned.It seems to me that todays RAF is rather short on adventure and travel.