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B J Clement Jun 2014
Our next stop proved to be margially better. It was Karachi, a civil airport.
Surely there would be better amenties there, we were going to a brand new hotel! there were four of us in a room, I was first to attempt to take a shower, I stripped off and turned the shower on , There was a noise like a loud cough, and a horrible foul smelling watery mud blasted out. filling the room with an unbearable stench. Fortunately I Just managed to step back in time to avoid being sprayed with it. I dressed quickly and joined the lads in the bar. One of the aircrew spoke to me. What ever you do, don't drink the water, stick to beer.!  I had a serious Migrain problem, and I was not about to drink beer- it tended to bring on severe attacks. I and a corporal friend opted for bottled orange juice, not knowing that it had been (home made) in the hotel, using their polluted water, under the most filthy conditions. We were going to pay dearly for our mistake!
Our next stop was Singapore, This was a much nicer place. and we were given a good meal and settled in to catch some much needed sleep.
I began to feel ill. I was doubled up with massive stomach cramps. I managed to dress myself and headed for the doctors surgery, but collapsed before I got there, and ended up being stretchered in to the examination room. Gordon, my corparal friend was also there, and we found ourselves being admitted to the wards of the Isolation Hospital. !
                           more anon.
B J Clement Jun 2014
We reached the island in the late afternoon, it was no bigger than a cricket pitch to my eyes.  The runway was a sick joke. There was none!  There was a strip of land that was clear of jungle, (the runway) started in the sea, and finished in the sea, and was full of big potholes. It had been a Japanese airfield in the second world war, now it was covered in cows, goats and children.
We flew very low over the island twice to warn them of our intention to land.
We were very low on fuel and needed to land as soon as possible. "Here we go," the pilot grinned *hit or bust! we  almost landed in the sea, and bounced down the runway, we were less than fifty yards from the surf when we turned and trundled over to the refuelling station. I watched in trepidation as the second aircraft attempted to land, bounced twenty feet in the air and took off again, skimming the sea. It managed to land at the second attempt, bounced several times, and turned with it's tail wheel almost in the sea.  I turned to say something to Gordon and saw the pilot and aircrew looking up at the starboard engine and wing of our aircraft, which appeared to have gone green. "Looks like the reduction gears have packed in."  That was the opinion of the air frame fitters. "Can you fix it?" That was the pilot.
"Yes, but not here." the fitter said shaking his head, "It's stuck in coarse pitch so you'll need to take it easy." The pilot laughed. "If it's stuck in coarse pitch we will have to be flat out to get her off the ground!"
A little old man dressed in a loincloth, ragged shirt, and sandals manned the fuel pump and began to pump fuel into the fuel tanks located in each wing.
When that was done, about three hours later, the pilot  had him douse the wing and engine cover that was covered in the green grease, and we did our best to clean it up. As soon as the other aircraft was refuelled, we took off again. "Next stop Darwin, fingers crossed." He laughed. I could only admire his happy go lucky attitude and determination, I think he would have got us safely to our destination, even if we lost a wing!
B J Clement Jun 2014
I slept like a log, inspite of the pains from my blistered feet. Harry woke me at six thirty. "Time for breakfast, better jump to it or i'll tickle your feet."  The thought of that was enough to set me in motion. After breakfast we assembled for role call beside the waiting coaches. Then we boarded, and left the camp heading for the airfield. Every one was expecting to fly from RAF Lyneham, we had heard that we would be flying in the new Dehavilland Comet, the first passenger jet. It was not to to be. The comet had crashed into the sea, there were no survivors!
Instead of that, we were driven to a remote airfield in Wiltshire, I believe it was called Cliff Pypard,  there we boarded an ageing hastings transport and set off into the wide blue yonder heading on a more southerly bearing than one would expect for a flight to Germany.
I tried to keep an eye on our progress by following coastlines, it was difficult, clouds obscured much of the coast line. I had the definite feeling that we were travelling in a South Easterly direction, and I asked one of the aircrew about it. "Don't worry, I expect we'll take a turn to the north soon." A little later, I suddenly realized that we were flying over the Med- Germany via the Med, never in this world!!
We ate chicken wings lettuce and bread for lunch, still flying at a steady one hundred and eighty miles an hour at mid day, below us dessert! We were all confused. Where on earth were we going?
Our first stop was at a place called Idris, it was an airstrip in the Libyan desert. There was nothing there only tents, and a place to refuel. I was a squalid stinking dump, and that was all. We left early the following morning after a laughable breakfast that no one ate. Our ext stop was a similar one but even more so, It was a place alled Habanya, I think, I went to use one of the two toilet's and discovered that the horrible brown stains in the toilets were actually enormous heaving masses of huge cockroaches, I went out into the desert insted. when I got back to our tent I was told off. "this place is crawling with snakes, don't stray about!" we didn't need telling twice! The tents were just as bad, infested with huge spiders, no one slept. We were glad to leave it.
Dee Sep 2014
I hope there's a place, way up in the sky
For old aviators, when they say good bye!
A place where a fella’ can get a chilled beer
‘Chug-a-lug’ for a mate, whose memory was dear
A place where no doctor or lawyer can be a threat
Just an aircrew rest room, reserved for the very best.
A quaint little bar, kinda’ dark and full of smoke
Where they sing loud, and guffaw at a good joke
The kind of place where a lady could bravely go
Feel safe amongst gentlemen she would know
There must be a place where thoughts fly like an arrow
When the sortie is over, for landing airspeed gets low.
Where the whiskey is old, great are the ***** and ***
The songs are about group combat and one versus one,
Where you'd meet all fellows who'd flown the coop before
They'd call out your name, welcoming you through the door
Who would buy you a drink should your throat be parched
And tell others, "Here comes a new lad, lookie ye! all starched!"

Then through the mist, you'd spot a grand old guy
The one missed for years, he taught you how to fly
He'd nod his old head, and grin ear to ear,
Saying, "Welcome, my son, I'm pleased that you're here
I forgive you; you botched up the last landing
But you led a life that was by far, outstanding”.
"Guys, he has come here to let his spirits fly and not groan
Skip the earthlings who lived lives like miserable clones
Politicians, lawyers, the Feds, the guys with little poise
Here, where it is ‘happy hours’ for our good ol' boys
Pass on that glass of rye, for he deserves a well earned rest
Cheers! This is ‘Heaven, my son’; this is your future nest!"
Dedicated to some fine aviator friends, somewhere upstairs, playing the harp.
A tribute to those who perished
James M Vines Feb 2016
From the gold wings of an aircrew man to the silver wings of the green beret, to the aviators wings of the fearless pilots who touch heavens heights. To the seals and submariners who fight with stealth and precision. Freedom rest on wings earned through sacrifice and discipline. It flies in the face of danger and adversity, with a shield and sword, it is borne by our sons and daughters who rush in to harms way. Wings of freedom still fly because of the sacrifice they make.
nick armbrister Mar 2022
Missile Ways
What's up the sky and the Russian planes?
Before they're splashed by Stinger missiles
Whoosh! Missile away go go go **** a jet
Or chopper bring it down in the water
Let the crew freeze or drown
Some burn alive or get killed in the crash
How dare they invade Ukraine!
Teach them all a lesson forever
Some things not to be forgotten
Like Duncan in Dune 2021 die superbly
Never surrender no matter what
This is how Ukraine is now
No matter what happens
Ukraine wins Russia loses
Splashed enemy aircraft
Dead aircrew Putin kaput
nick armbrister Apr 2018
The roar of the **** automatic guns

That threw their exploding flak shells

Mixed with the shout of our engines

And bone dry rattle of our machine guns

Gave the French battle scene life

As we strafed and bombed our enemy

To give our troops more time

Our biplanes were made to fight the last war

Not a Blitzkreig but a target was a target

We went after the ******* all the way

Our six Hawker Hector biplanes still had teeth

Four yellow painted 125 pound bombs

And two small machine guns aimed by both crew

City of Manchester Squadron grabbing their chance

Aircrew of the Royal Air Force serving King and Country

In the darkest hour as the **** war machine came

Seemingly unstoppable and utterly invinsible

Except when the RAF biplanes attacked...
Secret-Author May 2019
Don't be afraid.
The apostrophe is purposeful -
It connects you to your neighbour,
Although this is your terminal
You're permeable. Like the apostrophe.
I pass through you. Like aircrew
Only here for the flight, and not the
Destination. I digress. I must alight.
This is my terminal, and we are not connected.
Do not be afraid.
Hope is difficult to find, and even harder to bottle.
nick armbrister Jun 2018
Cookie Lucky
There goes a cookie
I'm feeling lucky!
Observed the RAF aircrew
When the huge bomb blew
An explosive filled dustbin
Made of little more than tin
Killing more ****** Germans
The blame was all Herman's
Sending the Krauts to Hell
Sound of the final bell
Dead in their beds at night
What an awful Satanic fright
We gave them a real blitz
Enough to make the Nazis schitz
For here comes the RAF!
Who don't give an eff
About carpet bombing the ***
At the time of no sun
Lancaster bombers flying high
Destroying without a sigh
Taking the battle far away
Determination knows no sway
They started this this ruck
We'd win with skill and luck
English and Empire men of skill
Who'd defend their sacred hill

— The End —