National Service at RAF Buntingsdale Hall
I joined up for National Service in July 1954 and after trade training at RAF Yatesbury, I was posted to RAF Buntingsdale Hall - HQ 22 Group Comm Flight - in June 1955 as an Air Wireless Fitter - Junior Technician - and remained there until I was demobbed on July 21st 1956. Each morning we were driven from the Hall to RAF Ternhill - by a civilian driver 'Busty' - where the Comm Flight airmen looked after six Avro Ansons, two Percival Prentices and one De Haviland Chipmunk. The serial numbers were - Anson Mk 12 - PH 639 & NL 247; Mk 19 - VM 359 (the AOC's aircraft), and Mk 21 - VM 410, WJ 560 & WJ 561 (the last Anson built for th RAF): Prentices Mk 1 - VS 260 & VS 275: and Chipmunk Mk T 10 - WD 390 (which is still flying and owned by a syndicate in Lincolnshire) - happy times !
Among the personnel I remember were - Flt. Lt. Bremer, Master Pilot Handley, Chief Technician Little, Sgt Donaldson, Cpl Geldard, SAC Eardley, LAC's Empson & Stringer, Big Jock and many others. I am still in touch with some of my wireless/radar colleagues including Johnny Rose and Tommy Shaw.
I often drive through Market Drayton - to Buntingsdale Hall - but sadly the old billets and the Guard Room have gone and the Hall has been returned to private ownership - there is no vehicular way through to RAF Ternhill - via the lake road -which is now closed although it remains a stand-by airstrip for RAF Shawbury's helicopters.
Have any of your readers further memories of the mid 1950's at RAF Buntingsdale Hall ?
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