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Members
Gallery (K to O)
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Airman
First Class Terry Karselis arrived at Fontainebleau
in September 1957 attached to Det 2, 1141st Special Activities
Squadron based at Camp Guyenemer. Terry, as a GI, had the
distinction of playing in goal for the RAF soccer XI. Terry
left AAFCE in September 1959. He is a member of the US Fontainebleau
Veterans Association. Here he is pictured at a Vets Reunion
in New Orleans in May 2004. Terry is flanked by Airman First
Class Gerry Zitzmann and Tom Farman Terry lives with his wife
Judy in Chesterfields, Virginia. |
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Lance
Cpl Dave Keery is our earliest arrival in France.
Having transferred from the Durham Light Infantry to RM Police
he found himself in Paris in January 1946 with 285 Company.
His duties were mainly foot and mobile patrols and guard duties
at the British Embassy and other British Establishments. In
October 1948 Dave was posted to Toulon in the South of France
which was a transit base for troops going to and coming from
Palestine and other Middle East bases. Shortly after demob
in 1948 Dave applied to rejoin the RM Police and was asked
if he would stay in Derby to assist in the formation of a
RMP/TA Detachment to receive National Servicemen on their
release. He remained in the TA for the next 23 years leaving
with the rank of WO1 (RSM). Dave lives in Derby with his wife
Jean. |
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Cpl
Stuart MacGregor (Royal Signals) spent 6 months at
ALFCE following his training at Catterick, from April 1958.
Prior to his National service Stuart trained as a journalist
with the Scotsman and he returned to this newspaper after
demob as one of two Deputy Picture Editors and later as sub-editor.
Made redundant in 1996 Stuart continued writing freelance
and moved to Donegal where he now lives surrounded by beautiful
countryside. |
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LAC
Brian McNamara arrived at AAFCE in September 1955
to work in the Telecomms Centre as a Teleprinter Operator.
Brian left in 1958. Brian remembers a few of his erstwhile
colleagues. One was Londoner Bill Wilson who he last saw in
1959 as a bus conductor on London Transport’s No. 35 bus.
Phillip Morton with whom he shared a room came from the Midlands.
Brian took a while to settle down after the RAF before he
joined the then Southend-on-Sea Borough Police Force in 1964
and retired on Injury Police Pension in December 1985. Since
then he has had various part time jobs but in the main he
does a lot of charity work for Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen's
Families Association (SSAFA) which keeps him busy but he has
time to enjoy his 5 grandchildren. Brian whose son is a WO.2
in the Army now lives with his wife Sonia in Rayleigh, Essex.
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Peter Kinsley, who has
just published his twelfth book, The Shy Pornographer –
a comedy set in Ibiza, New York, Las Vegas, and Hollywood
– decided to have one last try to get photographs of ‘Gunner’,
the dog he knew in Fontainebleau during 1953 to 1955, so
he advertised in SAGA magazine. His phone started to ring
and he discovered the Fontainebleau Veterans Association,
their website, and heard how little Gunner – ‘a small dog
of genius’, Kinsley called him – had been buried in 1961
with full military honours by the R.A.F. lads in Camp Guynemer,
where the author had finished his National Service as a
Sergeant, having edited his army newspaper The Element Express,
and covered the big NATO conference in Bad Neunar, Germany.
He wanted the pictures, from a centre page spread by a French
magazine, to go with his book, Gunner Strikes Back, which
is Gunner’s story as told through a dog’s eyes (and ears)
of life with the Band of Brothers in Fontainebleau, and
how he was dropped, on the orders of the Corporal Major
at Quartier Chataux, in the middle of Paris to try and lose
him – and how he walked back to the lads’ barracks three
times, a distance of 60 kilometres! A true genius of the
canine world. But trouble starts for the lads when a visit
to the NATO headquarters by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,
is due to take place at the Palace, and it’s all bull and
drill until the big day, when Gunner sees his opportunity
to STRIKE BACK!
To purchase any of Peters books click
here
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Cpl Jeff Lester - I
was called up for National Service in April 1958. My sister’s
boyfriend had been in the Royal Signals, so when asked my
preference I indicated, “Royal Signals”. He failed to inform
me what basic training at Catterick Camp; York’s was like.
The day I set out for Catterick Camp,
it was snowing. On arrival, my feet did not touch the ground,
throughout the initial training period. Towards the end
of training we took clerical exams and I was told that the
first two past the post with highest marks, got a posting
to Paris. I put my mind to it and came second, my friends
were posted to CYPRUS, I was on the train to Fontainebleau.
My Royal Signals pal and I arrived in Paris, an Army Sgt
crossed our path at the station and advised we should not
be in uniform, not wise we were informed, local current
unrest, and military personnel were being targeted. Stay
here until train comes for Fontainebleau he advised, keep
your heads down, well three beers later we couldn’t care
less, we arrived Fontainebleau safe and sound at 11.30 PM.
Next morning, in daylight we were instructed
to scrub our webbing and change to a tan blanco colour.
We refused, an old sweat had told us that due to a battle
honour, Royal Signals webbing may be retained as “green
colour ” No” we said, not allowed, somewhere along the way
we must have been ill advised, the new colour did not look
so bad after all.
My room was on third floor of building
in ALFCE, British Army Element, Rue St Merry.
Life was good; small camp cinema, good food, and parade
ground around the edges of a tennis court, very informal.
During the day engaged on Top Security work at the Palace,
with French, German, American, Dutch, Officers and other
ranks. On 20th July 1959, WILLIAM E HELTZEL, Colonel, U.S
Army, and ACOS Communications., recommended me for promotion
to full Corporal. (I still have a copy of that promotion
today).
I became good friends with an American Staff Sgt and his
family, and on one occasion, enjoyed the luxury of an outing
to the local golf course in his Cadillac, much to the surprise
of a our British Colonel, who was amazed to see me on his
course and arriving in such luxury.
I rejoined civvy life in May 1960, returning to my pre-army
employment, as a “Cost Accountant” Shortly afterwards I
joined a major group company and spent 42 years as a Divisional
Human Relations Manager, lecturing and advising on Employment
Law, Health & Safety, Contracts of Employment etc.
I took early retirement
in 2002. My wife and I have two sons, our youngest son,
Darren lives in Brisbane, Australia (Gold Coast) and the
eldest son, Dean lives here in the UK. My wife and I have
just returned from our fourth visit to Australia, (March
2005) we now enjoy a quiet life in the West Midlands.
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Cpl
Alan Mackay arrived in Fontainebleau in November
1965 as a Telegraphist allocated to the US Army Depot in the
Chateau de la Boisiere. In March 1967 Alan moved with the
Unit to HQ AFCENT Brunssum when the NATO bases left France.
His next posting was to Haydock. After service in Shetland
Islands, RAF Stanbridge (twice), RAF Gan (Maldives), Instructor
duties with R Aux Air Force Edinburgh, RAF Shawbury, 11 Signals
Unit Germany, 840 SU Lindholme, 6 SU Rudloe Manor, RAF Gibraltar,
Falkland Islands and finally RAF Henlow. Alan left the RAF
having completed over 35 years service.
Whilst at Fontainebleau
Alan took up football refereeing (instructed by Group Capt
Harry King, a real gentleman), and continued this interest
for 23 years refereeing over 900 games with some very memorable
matches including several top inter-service games and RAF
Germany v Borrusia Moenchengladbach when Borrusia were in
their prime as a top European team in 1979.
On leaving the RAF Alan
took up employment with Mercury Communications in the quality
assurance field and met dozens of like-minded ex service
communicators. When Cable and Wireless sold Mercury to Siemens
Communications Alan continued this employment until full
retirement in June 2000. Along with his wife Olga he is
extremely active at bowls (indoor and outdoor) and secretary
of 2 clubs and is also an active member of the RAF Boy Entrants
Association who meet annually for a re-union dinner and
service of remembrance. Alan and Olga who live in Wellingborough
still enjoy travelling ~ not surprising after all those
years in the RAF.
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Pat Miles (nee Harvey)
the daughter of Sqdn. Ldr. A D Harvey arrived in Fontainebleau
with her parents and brother Kevin in April 1961. Her father
served in ACOS Logistics. Pat attended the International School
and later the Lycee. Pat who now lives in Hemel Hempstead has
written the following interesting account of her time in Fontainebleau.
(Please see Newsletter 46) |
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SAC Charles O’Neill arrived
at Fontainebleau in November 1954 as a ground wireless mechanic
at the Receiver Site where he remained until June 1957.
After Fontainebleau Charles was posted to RAF Rufforth near
York until it closed about September 59. From there he spent
12 months at RAF Gan in the Maldives. Following further UK
postings Charles was told in 1962 to report to a Canberra
Squadron at RAF Tangmere in Sussex and the only other information
was to draw every item of kit from Arctic to Tropical . On
arrival he was introduced by the Squadron Adjutant as the
new Air Traffic Controller who spoke Turkish – he was neither.
After working with the Squadron in Italy, Turkey and Cyprus
over the next 6 months Charles was informed that he was surplus
to requirements and was posted to RAF Middleton St George
near Darlington . His final posting was to RAF Toppcliffe
in North Yorkshire, then his contract with the RAF expired
and he started a new life as civil servant, retiring in 1995
at the age 60.
Charles now lives with his wife Eileen
in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
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LACW Joyce Osborne
served as a nursing attendant on the British Wing of the
French military Hospital in Fontainebleau from June 1955
to May 1956, when she married Ron Young.
After their marriage at
the Embassy in Paris, they had a church service and reception
on the camp. They then lived at 46 Rue de Bois just round
the corner from the hospital. Joyce remembers the following
colleagues Sisters Brown and Luce, Doctors K Hudson, Chris
?, Austin ? and other ward colleagues Geoff and Jock, Pat
Dutton, Margaret Laidlaw, Sheila Walthamstow and Joyce Holland.
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