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Editorial (Newsletter No. 36) MAY 2006 Click for printer friendly version

It has not been easy to enthuse about starting this Newsletter because of the loss of so many of our friends since the December edition but with summer fast approaching I must get down to it as there is so much to report. We are looking forward to our return to Fontainebleau in September and the Annual Reunion at Warwick in October. There are vacancies for both these functions.

WELCOME ABOARD

Having been in the RAF just under six month SAC Ken Jackson arrived in Fontainebleau in May 1951 as an LAC shorthand typist, ACOS Intelligence under Air Commodore R.N. Waite. Camp Guynemer was still being completed he was billeted on the fourth floor in Caserne Demene. It was used by the French National Servicemen and the smell of French army issue cigarettes and garlic was overwhelming. The “inmates” on the top floor entertained themselves launching balsa wood model aircraft out of the window whilst the French army was having their colour hoisting parade on the parade ground below. The offices were in the Chateau and Ken remembers being part of a Guard of Honour for General Eisenhower when he visited Allied Land Forces in an adjacent part of the Chataux.

During his AACE service Ken remembers detachments to Metz and Bad Eilsen for NATO air exercises and he once flew from Melun to RAF Buckeburg with Group Captain Gray in an Avro Anson which then flew back to Tangmere for a weekend where he got a bit of aggro from jumped up RAF Policeman (What are you doing here? Where do you thing you're going? What's that badge?) .
Ken was present at the opening of the Club and Cafeteria when Richard Todd and other celebrities attended.

Ken left Fontainebleau in June 1953 after demob at the end of 1955 he worked in the heavy steel industry being a victim of the shake out in our manufacturing industries in the 1980s. Having retrained as a computer programmer he retired at 60. Ken and his wife Lorna, now live Rotherham and spend time at their Pentecostal Church where they feed and minister to the homeless and down and outs. They have toured in caravans for over forty years and Ken enjoys coarse fishing.

May 1951 ~ HM Government agrees to pay the new OAP rates at 65 (Men) and 60 (women) and not 70 and 65 as planned.

We extend a warm welcome to Irene Healy, the widow of Joe Healy, who passed away in 2004. Irene who lives in Dunfermline enjoys gardening when the weather is suitable and swimming, aerobics calligraphy and Tai Chi. Irene will be with us at the Warwick Reunion in October.

Cpl James Don Conning, RAF Police served at AAFCE from January 1960 until January 1963. Leaving the RAF in 1964 after a short spell at RAF North Coates, he joined Thompson newspapers at my old trade - Press Photographer. Don was there for 2 years but found it very difficult to settle down in one place and was head hunted by Ilford and spent seven happy years, before moving to Kodak where his need to be moving around was well satisfied making 9 house moves in 25 years service! Part of the roles he filled was head of Government Sales and in this role was made as associate officer in the RAF Photographic Officers Division. Most of his work involved him at JARIC Brampton. When he retired from Kodak in 1996 he was Business Operations Director, Digital Imaging Africa & Europe for the parent company Eastman Kodak. Don says "It seems funny now but when he took on the role from which he retired there was no Digital Market of any significance and now see where it is? They were in some ways disciples selling the Digital concept! It was a great time and the closest thing that equalled his three years at AAFCE and the great people he met in Fontainebleau." When he left Kodak Don set up his own Business Management Consultancy company which he continues to work on albeit not as active as he was in 1996. Two to three days a month is more than enough now!! Don lives in Bedford and his partner Margaret Adams the widow of the late Cpl G F Adams who served alongside him at Fontainebleau, lives in Eye in Suffolk, to and from where he commutes.

January 1960 ~ The ”New Franc” is introduced and is worth 100 old francs

SACW Elaine Swift (nee Coult) was posted to the British Wing of the French Hospital at Fontainebleau in about May 1958 where she remained until May 1960.

After her RAF service Elaine worked in a children’s home in Leeds as assistant housemother before becoming deputy warden in an old peoples' home until her marriage after which she reared her family of two girls before twins, a boy and girl.

Elaine has always enjoyed crafts and art and was appointed an instructor with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. The work was mainly in day centres and with more disabled people in their own homes and day trips to garden centres, mill shops, seaside, and meals in pubs- anything to add quality to life for elderly and disabled people.

Now that Elaine is one of the elderly, she amuses herself with a USA art group and a computer class. She also enjoys long walks with her dog and helps. Elaine fills in the rest of her time in her busy schedule helping with her 7 grandchildren who have now grown up. Elaine who is divorced lives in Rotherham.

Mme de Gaulle launches the world’s longest liner, the SS France

As a young 20 year old in the Royal Navy Leading Steward Alexander Sutherland was posted to the staff of Western Union at Fontainebleau in April 1949 and was billeted in the Caserne Demesme on the Rue St. Merry. He left Fontainebleau on New Year’s Day 1951.

April 1949 ~ Chocolate and sweet rationing ends in the UK

Lance Cpl Tony Hand, (Royal Signals) arrived in Fontainebleau in March 1952 and left in June 1953. He worked as a clerk in the Communications Directorate under Group Capt. Nicholls whose secretary was Miss Pike, the daughter of Air Vice Marshall Pike. Col. Videlaine was the French representative. who could speak and understand English quite well but refused to do so. The Brits had to speak French. The army officers were Lt. Col, Webb, Major Sells and Capt. Hensher. There was also a Belgian Lt. Adrienssen. A truly international Directorate.

After his army service Tony spent 30 years with the Port of London Authority before he took voluntary severance in 1983. He then took a job as caretaker at a school for handicapped children in Kent and retired in May 1998. Among his leisure pursuits Tony names sea fishing and gardening and is a member of the Kent Active Retirement Federation. Tony was discovered through Open Lines, a Newsletter for Local Government retirees, in which his article on his time in Fontainebleau was seen by Bill Powney.

March 1952 ~ The cheese ration in the UK is to be cut to 1 oz. a week from 20 April

Tony Hand introduced Cpl Ron Desert (RASC), who shared the post of clerk/shorthand writer to the Chief of Staff to the Chairman (Monty) at the Western Union HQ in London. The duties were covered in Whitehall and Chateau Fougeres, Fontainebleau. From July 1948 to December 1949 Ron made 6 trips to Fontainebleau – about 12 weeks in total. Ron spent all his working life in pharmaceutical distribution as depot manager for various companies supplying drugs and medicines to hospitals and chemists. Married to Sylvia they have 3 sons and live in Gillingham, Kent. Among his leisure interests Ron names photography, bridge, walking and touring. Having been diagnosed in the early stage of Parkinson’s he has been forced to slow up a bit.

July 1948 ~ The British Dental Association tells dentists not to join the NHS

OBITUARIES


Bob Allen received his final posting on 3 February 2006 after a short period of ill health. Born in Nottingham in 1931 Bob was brought up in Skidbrooke, near Louth, Lincs. and always considered himself to be a yellow belly.

He joined the RAF in December 1949 as a National Serviceman, but quickly signed on for 5 years when he realised he would get more money. He was posted to RAF Manby in 1951 and trained to be an MT driver. He met Jean in September 1951 and they married in July 1952. Bob was posted to Egypt in October that year returned in December 1954 when he was demobbed. He rejoined the RAF in 1958 and was posted RAF Bicester where he remained until June 1961 when he was posted to Fontainebleau. He remained there until December 1963 and again posted to RAF Bicester.

Bob then served at Riyan in 1965 on a years unaccompanied tour returning to RAF Bicester in September 1966. He later saw service in Malaysia, RAAF Butterworth and RAF Penang before returning again to Bicester in October 1971 and remained there until he was promoted to sergeant in 1974 and posted to RAF Abingdon. He was posted to RAF Waddington in June 1974 and remained there until being sent to RAF Guetersloh, Germany in August 1975. He retired from the RAF in
1977 and remained in Germany working for a German firm until 1982 after which Bob and Jean settled in Lincoln. Bob is survived by his wife Jean and their two sons Brynley and Leslie.

John Day served in the RAF Police at Allied Air Forces Central Europe in Fontainebleau from May 1953 until May 1955 passed away peacefully on 31 January 2006 aged 72 years, after a short illness.

Despite his public school upbringing Johnnie was one of the lads. Having been more interested in sport than anything else at school, he found time to play Rugby for the RAF team as well as taking advantage of the opportunities that being close to Paris offered!

Although one of us, he had a privileged upbringing at Sevenoaks School in Kent, followed by time at the University of Neuchatel in Switzerland where he soon became fluent in French. At 18, instead of 2 years National Service he volunteered for five years in the RAF. He was selected for the Russian Course but having failed the Morse Code examination had to change direction and joined the RAF Police and because of his language skills found himself in Fontainebleau as a police interpreter.

Of all the stories about Johnnie, the most notorious was meeting and marrying Lucette in Paris -first creating havoc by going AWOL with her -and receiving a lot of sympathetic and supportive coverage in the British, French and American press who considered it a very romantic story.

Johnnie lived life to the full. After the RAF he found himself penniless in Paris and enlisted in the French Foreign Legion. He undertook the rigorous training and was one of the few to complete the course and spent five years in Algeria and other uncomfortable parts of Africa, gaining promotion along the way.

Following this he was a bodyguard to the Jordanian Royal family before returning to Switzerland where he learned about watches and this led to him starting a watch importing business.

By the time we all met again through the Fontainebleau Veterans Association, of which he was an active member, Johnnie was writing stories, several of which were published and, having developed an interest in military history he began writing his 'epic' on the Battle of Waterloo. This is unfinished ~ so over to anyone who feels they can finish it - riches not guaranteed! !

He had also met Gwenda again and most of us know their romantic story -meeting first when they were about 14 years old! They next communicated when in their early twenties, again in their early forties and when Gwenda's husband died and Johnnie was in the throes of a divorce, by an amazing intervention of fate, met again and have spent a very happy nine years together. Their happiness was obvious to all who met them.

In the past year, whilst receiving treatment for cancer, he was reunited with his son Greg, discovered he had a daughter-in-law, Sofie and became the very proud grandfather of Tobias. Having become a loved surrogate grandfather to Gwenda's grandchildren, it was a great delight to add one of his very own.

We are all glad to have known Johnnie, to have been reunited with him, chewed over old memories and enjoyed a few more bottles of wine together. We loved him and we will miss him.

Doug Gale who was the Orderly Room Sergeant in the RAF Support Unit at Fontainebleau from April 1955 until March 1958 passed away in January. He is survived by his wife Pat.

John Yeo (RAF) who served as a Medic from May 1960 to November 1962 passed away in the Autumn 2005.

George Thorne MBE BEM who was a Sergeant in the Operations and Training Directorate from June 1951 until October 1955 was called to rest in February. George was a regular member of the RAF Football XI in Fontainebleau. He is survived by his wife Masie and 3 sons.

Zena Bennett received her last call in April after putting up a brave fight to beat her cancer. Zena was popular with all those who came into contact with her and was supportive of all the Association’s activities. We shall all miss her smiling face and happy disposition. A number of Veterans attended her funeral at Portishead. Zena is survived by her husband Dave and 2 sons.

FROM THE POSTBAG

Hello Folks, sorry for any inconvenience, I have changed my house address therefore had to give up Broadband for a while, worked on dial up (what a pain). I have only moved a few doors to a smaller house e-mail address still the same as you can see and phone number is the same also. Keep in touch. Cheers the nooo.

Johnny Hanlon (Falkirk)

Many thanks for your enquiries as to our situation - which is that "Larry" didn't pay us a visit, scenes of devastation were about 400 miles north of us. We have had gales and a fair bit of rain in the spin off from it, which last was very welcome, all the tanks filled up, though the dam is still a verdant bog garden! There is another cyclone hovering off the coast but the forecasters say it will track south and east away from us. That's what the Met Office says, so I'm prepared to bring all loose objects in and batten down the hatches .... At least it's brought cooler weather and grey skies, actually dropped below 30c for the first time yesterday, thank goodness. Regards all

Christine and Ronald Fraser (Clairinsh Queensland, Australia)

I was posted to the staff of Western Unionat Fontainebleau in April 1949 I was billeted in the Caserne Demesme on the Rue St. Merry. The Caserne was administered by the RAF and periodically they brought out a newsletter in pamphlet form giving general information about the goings on within the area, the reports were on soccer matches, social events etc. I would like to know if any of the readers have still got copies of the newsletters and could they help me to get my hands on them

Alexander Sutherland (Gillingham, Kent)

I attended George Thorne’s funeral service at 2pm today 16 February. Imagine my surprise as I took my place in the packed congregation and fielding questions 'was I of the family or a friend', no I suggested I was in the R.A.F. with the deceased. Then I opened the order of service etc and discovered to my horror I was at the wrong funeral/cremation service!! I managed to extricate myself just as the proceedings commenced! For the record George Thorne will be cremated at 2pm next THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2006 . AMEND SRO,s ACCORDINGLY.

John Ross Aylward (Oakville, Rutland)

THE CHANGING FACE OF NORFOLK ~ GOODBYE R.A.F. COLTISHALL - HELLO EASTPORT
By Brian Hill

Barbara and I retired to Norfolk from Kent some seventeen years ago. We bought a house in Dilham some ten miles north of Norwich, moving to North Walsham in 1998. What we forgot to do when moving to Norfolk was to check up on aircraft movements - when we lived in Kent we only heard small aircraft. A few days after moving in at Dilham there was a vicious roar as a jet plane passed over our new home - the Jaguars had found us!

Years later, having moved to North Walsham, we were well acclimatized and accepted the flights of Jaguars streaking across Norfolk skies. On Thursday 2nd January 2006 we visited RAF Coltishall base with the local History Club, a group of thirty people hosted by the R.A.F. Community Officer. After an excellent two hour plus presentation in the R.A.F. History Museum, we toured around a Football-ground sized Hanger

In April this year the last squadron of Jaguars will have dispersed to other R.AF. Stations - no more fly-pasts around our homes - the camp school will only have 9 out of 100 pupils left and is to close. £20 million pounds per annum may be lost to the local economy. Norfolk Airport does not want to take up the recently renovated Concorde-landing-size Coltishall runway, it points in the wrong landing direction and aircraft would have to fly across Norwich City. While touring the Hangers and runways our host explained the history of R.A.F. Coltishall - the Bader,Stanford Tuck connections - the basis of the Squadron Number System.

During early WW II., Coltishall was first planned as a Bomber Command Station; and the M.O.D. has no further use for the areodrome at present, due mainly to the poor road layout in Norfolk.
In the Hanger there were parked a number of thirty year old Jaguars - looking forlorn and well used. Outside on the runway and flying by were a group of the latest Jaguars. Other squadrons had already permanently departed from Coltishall. The Jaguars are all to be replaced by the Euro fighters and other aircraft. Walking back to the History Museum,group members discussed the effect of aircraft demise - some people were glad to see the back of them although a sense of nostalgia enveloped us in thoughts of 65 years of by-past flying action.

HELLO EASTPORT

As Norfolk expands in population numbers and while part of its economy is reduced, then a different approach is required. Rumblings of a new Outer Harbour have been going on for years without any final decisions* The Transport Minister, Mr Darling, has finally given permission for a new 'Dover-Blip' type harbour fo be built at Gorleston, Great Yarmouth.

When completed around 2008, cross channel roll on/off ferries will ply through deep water Holm Channel to a Rotterdam, Holland Port. The problem with providing a new ferry harbour is that it generates more road traffic. Permission has been given for a third river crossing to carry the articulated lorries beyond Great Yarmouth, but once over the river they are confronted with a two carriageway road (A47) called the Acle Straight running some ten miles inland. Better roads to the South, West and beyond Kings Lynn to the North will be in great demand. With new harbour developments Norfolk should offer a new gateway to Europe. It should bring greater prosperity to the Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft catchment area -lets hope so! Meanwhile, Coltishall will gradually be forgotten and Norfolk/Suffolk developments expand to London/South East expectations. The old Coastguard Station at Gorleston is now manned by the National Coastwatch Institution.

After demob from the R.A.F. in February 1953, I am now back in uniform as a Senior Watchkeeper with some 40 plus colleagues - We have a grand-stand view of the New Harbour development on the North Pier - once a week on our individual four-hour shifts for the next few years. As with all dramatic changes, will it be for real or just a dream? Like it or not Norfolk is in for a turn around - I will keep you informed.

Brian Hill (G) NR289YA

TRIP TO FONTAINEBLEU 12 ~ 16 SEPTEMBER

There at still seats available on the coach for our 5 days (4 nights) pilgrimage to Fontainebleau. The cost including all transport (ferry from Dover to Calais) to and from London or Sevenoaks is £270 per person sharing a twin/double room (single supplement £110). Accommodation in Fontainebleau is on a Bed and Breakfast basis at the IBIS. There will be a visit to Paris where those who wish may join the Parade to rekindle the flame on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe. It is hoped that we shall be able to visit Camp Guynemer and the le Quartier Chataux. If anyone is interested please contact the editor on 023 8040 2846.

ANNUAL REUNION AND DINNER ~ OCTOBER 2006

Bookings for Warwick this year are below our normal number and we are unlikely to take up all the rooms that the hotel has put at our disposal. At £59 per person per night for Dinner Bed and Breakfast it offers great value. The weekend provides an excellent opportunity to meet old colleagues and meet some new friends. The hotel has offered a tasty menu for the dinner on Saturday – this will be circulated shortly.

MERCHANDISE

Our stock of AAFCE ties and enamel lapel badges were recently replenished by our suppliers. All our merchandise items are now well stocked.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

For those cricket lovers among our ranks ~ 'Bearders - My Life in Cricket' by Bill Frindall will be published by Orion on 1st June. For details please visit Please visit www.beardedwonder.co.uk

MEMBERS SNIPPETS


Brian Gibbons is currently in Estonia helping his son set up and furnish his accommodation. He will be back in the UK in time to attend the Warwick Reunion.

Brian Moulding came back to his native Preston to for his father’s 100th Birthday celebrations.

Bob Drewett has finally undergone surgery in Kings College Hospital, London to renew his hip replacements.

THE CATON COLLECTION

Another in the occasional series of anecdotes contained in correspondence received by Ted Caton since the publication of his “An Erk’s-Eye View” (which is now sold out).

From T of Sheffield:

We arrived at Istres at 8 am. I had been on my way 23 hrs with only a few biscuits and a bottle of very expensive pop for sustenance. … When we got to the gate there were French national service men on guard and as neither of us could understand what each other was talking about we were getting nowhere. Someone somewhere must have phoned to the RAF liaison party as a Flt Lieutenant (we were later to find out he was the CO) turned up and smoothed the way for us. He took us to our quarters, which turned out to be a small hotel. We were allowed to have a shower, given breakfast (continental of course) and told to report in later in the day as we had been travelling so long. We just crashed out on our beds and died for several hours. Can you imagine being allowed to do this at Hednesford/Padgate? We eventually arose and made our way to SHQ, a fenced off corner in a hangar. Here the CO greeted us and told us we need not salute, as he was the only officer on the strength. Altogether there were about 24 on the staff made up by a mixture of regulars and national service men …

I quickly got into the routine, including a bar in the hangar. Yes, we had a bar in the hangar and it was open all day. It was something to do with the fact that this airbase also doubled as a civilian airport. Don’t ask me how but it was only a few years since the end of the war and it had been in Vichy so the runways and hangars were still intact. Perhaps this was why there was a Junkers Ju 88 in one of the hangars still complete with Nazi insignia. …

There was only one wine bar and by good fortune it was run by the local schoolmistress (no, she was too old!) and she could speak good English. She liked us to visit as it gave her practice in speaking English. Not being wine connoisseurs we used to start on the bottom row left hand side and see how far we got till the money ran out or someone fell under the table. We then walked (staggered) back to the hotel and crashed out till morning. On one occasion one of the mob went to the village on his own, after returning so far and being much the worse for drink, he decided to have a rest and climbed on a haystack. He promptly went to sleep and woke up next morning an hour after he should have reported for duty and was still a mile from the camp. He arrived in his civvies looking dreadful and the CO had to charge him for being AWOL. He was fined five bob and told not to go out on the booze on his own again. He couldn’t have been put on jankers as we could not spare the manpower. Besides which we did not have a guard room. … “

There are more photographs added to the 'Photo Gallery' courtesy Peter Chatten & Bill Rudman

AND FINALLY……………

Dave Bloomfield does an excellent job as our Webmaster but is conscious of the fact that there may come a time when he is unable to give this his full attention due to health reasons. We therefore seek a person with the necessary aptitude to train as a deputy. Are you suitable and willing ~ if so call David Rogerson on 023 8040 2846.

FONTAINEBLEAU VETERANS ASSOCIATION- COPYRIGHT 2004 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED