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TTEEAAMM BBRRIIEEFF The Official Magazine of the MAMS Association Electronic Issue No 12

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CHAIRMANS NOTES

Well time is passing quickly and it seems that summer, what little we had, has past and now

the nights are drawing in, before we know it Christmas will be upon us.

As this issue goes to print the next events happening with pass and present movers is the 64th

Annual Officers Movements Reunion in London on Friday 02 Nov and the 14th Annual WO &

SNCOs Top Table at the Sgt’s Mess at Brize on Friday 16th Nov. Full details of both events are

on our Website. Our first Meet & Greet at Brize in May was a tremendous success with old

and young movers meeting up in the 4624 Aux Bar (The Swamp). Picture below showing the

latest Movements WO (WO Tim Ketcher) along with a few old and bold. From left to right Me,

Colin Allen, George Lyons, Taff Wood, Steve Beaumont, Tim Ketcher, Martin Jones, Terry

Roberts, Sam Heaphy, Jim Brett and Mick Day.

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However the regular Meet and Greets held in the RAFA Club in Swindon numbers seem not to

be as well attended. So to try to encourage a more positive response we intend to hold the

next Meet and Greet starting at lunchtime at the Blunsdon Arms (Near the Big ASDA in

Swindon) on Thursday 20th Dec. So if you fancy in sharing a Christmas drink and a bit to eat,

you are most welcome to attend. Again full details of the event are on our Website.

In June this year a few of the ever growing Brize Movers took part in the British Heart

Foundation’s Annual London to Brighton Bike Ride. As in previous years the organiser of the

Brize contingent was WO Mik Gidney. It proved to be a great success with personnel

participating from Akrotiri JMU, 1 AMW, Brize Sqn, and JADTEU. May I take this opportunity

to thank all of those who gave generously in the collection at the 1 AMW All Ranks Dinner and

also the Dave Wall Golf dinner. Your contributions raised £432 in sponsorship for the British

Heat Foundation.

This year we have seen the RAF MAMS Association membership steadily rise and long may it

continue to grow. What we need now is to see a few more people digging deep in their

memories and PC’s or photo draw to make the effort to send a few more articles to JC the

Team Brief Editor.

Until the next issue be safe, and hopefully I will have the opportunity to see some of you at

one or more of our forthcoming events. Remember Movements is a family!.

Best Wishes to everyone

Yours

Tony Geerah

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Membership Secretary’s Report

Autumn 2012 Article

We continue to attract a small stream of new members to the Association. Since the last issue of Team Brief Philip Prately has joined. He served at Lyneham between 1955-56,Hickam 56-57 and now is a professional ‘layabout’, his words not mine. Neville Robinson who has served at Brize, Lyneham, Wildenrath as both a Supplier and Mover. He is currently a Driver Trainer for Engineers at Jaguar and Landrover after a 15 year spell in the Police. Malcolm Mclean who is still serving at JMS Akrotiri. Kim Arris who joined the RAF in 2005 and is still serving at AMS Brize Norton. She has also served at JHSU (now JHSS) where she has undertaken many detachments to the FI, Afghanistan and Jordan. Dave Roberts formerly of Oscar Team but he does not say when!, He is currently living in Thailand. Dean (Deano) Richardson who has had 5 tours on UKMAMS/1AMW at Lyneham and is now serving at JMS Akrotiri. Richard Hargreaves who is still serving and currently residing in Lincoln. Jeff Grean, Ex OC 1AMW now serving at DSCPM (Bristol) but is due to leave the Service in Nov 12. Good luck. Neil Woods who is still serving on 1AMW. Richard Lloyd, formerly a DAMO at Northolt in 1967 before leaving the Service to sell BAE 146 aircraft at Hatfield. He is currently a Consultant facilitator/trainer in IT/Aviation and the Oil and Gas Industries.

I have also had a request to trace an individual called Jimmy Goodwill who served on UKMAMS in the mid sixties. If anyone has any knowledge of his whereabouts please let me know at membership@rafmams.co.uk.

Despite my best efforts in Mail Merge the last meet and Greet E Mail did not seem to reach you all for which I apologise. The next Meet and Greet will be on the 20 Dec 12 in the Blunsdon Arms Swindon at 1300 hrs. I hope to see as many of you as there as possible for a Christmas Drink.

I am off to sunnier climes in Feb 13, six months in Ascension! Tim Ketcher has once again agreed to take on the Treasurer duties and hopefully Pauline Andrews will take on the membership whilst I am away. Pauline, if you’re reading this, let me know if that’s OK. The Tresurer duties will be handed back in Ascension as Tim will be my replacement!

All the Best

Steve Beaumont

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Bastion Combined Passenger Handling Facility

08 May 2012

New Combined Passenger Handling Facility opens in Camp Bastion

On 26 Apr 12 the new Combined Passenger Handling Facility for departures was

opened in Camp Bastion. The facility will now be the hub for all UK personnel

departing on fixed wing aircraft whether out of theatre on RnR, end of their tour, or for

simply utilising the tactical C-130 assets to Kandahar and Kabul.

The new facility now offers passengers a more comfortable environment in which to

relax prior to their departing flight. Fully air conditioned, it is a great improvement

from the previous interim-PHF (iPHF). The departure lounge hosts an EFI coffee shop,

pool table, a gaming corner including PSP and Wii consoles, a collection of books,

gaming machines, Paradigm phones and internet terminals, toilets and showers. In

addition, passengers can sit outside in the sun or under a sun shelter in a purpose built

enclosure looking over the aircraft ramp.

A new VIP lounge is located within the CPHF, this will be shared with our coalition

partners, allowing 2* parties and above to enjoy a more restful experience prior to their

onward movement.

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Located directly on the flight-line, passengers are now able to walk to their aircraft,

and conveniently situated next to the Arrivals facility which was opened in Nov 11, all

personnel travelling on British aircraft now arrive and complete their Bastion transit in

one place. As a result, the bus route on Camp Bastion incorporates the building as a

drop off and pick up point.

The building and the baggage build area is shared by the British military and United

States Marine Corps. The British element is run under the Joint Movements Unit which

incorporates personnel from the British Army, Royal Air Force and Danish Air Force.

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As a part of the JMU, the ATLO Det of 80 Squadron, 29 Regiment RLC and the RAF

movements staff from A Flt, 1AMW were the first to process passengers on 24 Apr 12

for an internal tactical flight, also known as a ‘Thumper’, to Kandahar. A lot of effort

was put into moving the terminal from the old to the new, overnight, to facilitate the

smoothest possible transition for our passengers and it has been a great success from

the very beginning. Our US Marine Corps colleagues have just recently begun to move

into their ‘side’ of the terminal, resulting in a 24 hour manned busy terminal with much

of the service and support you might expect from a small commercial airport.

The opening of the facility has been truly a joint effort from a great number of units,

including both the British and American Military. There are too many to name

individually but all had a common goal in mind; to create a better facility for our

personnel.

Flt Lt Fran Spencer

OC A Flt

1 AMW, RAF Brize Norton

DAVE WALL GOLF

Unfortunately we do not have any write up about this year’s tournament but I have added a few of the photo’s for you to laugh at !!

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Next year’s Tournament will be held at a different venue the “Tewksbury Golf & Leisure Club”

Anyone wishing to attend then please let either Jock Kennedy or Gary Mumford know.

If you are attending then you will need to pay the £50 deposit no later than 30 Nov 2012

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Camp Bastion – A JNCO’s Day

29 August 2012

“What time is it?” “0500!” Uhhh, time to get up for breakfast then. “Where are my flip

flops?”

“Oh is that them, floating at the bottom of the tent?! This will be the norm for the next

week.”

Welcome to Camp Bastion. Day 1 of the 3 month tour and it has been raining for a

good 8 hours, I have been informed by the night shift.

So, I have been volunteered, (sorry Sgt Robbie Collins) asked, if I would write an

article on a typical day at JMU Bastion. Where do I start? I know, Cargo.

A Flight, along with the support of 4624 RAuxAF Sqn has replaced E Flight just in

time for the Relief in Place and the start of Op HERRICK 16. Many things have

changed since I last visited Camp Bastion over a year ago, for a start the cargo yard has

moved down the road next to the brand new ATC tower. The new cargo yard is a

welcome change with a purpose built Dutch Barn and a concrete floor; no more NATO

pallets floating away with the heavy rains. Also the new CPHF is almost open and will

ease the congestion of passenger transfers to the old iPHF, making the journey in the

fabulous TATA much smoother.

Due to our new location we are able to hold far more freight than before. This has

made the Army, in particular, happy as they can forward more equipment to the

delights of the cargo dream team, consisting of Cpl ‘Snowy’ Winter, SAC ‘Jaffa’

Davies, SAC Tania Barr, SAC Aiden Hornsby SAC Liam Jones and the always

smiling SAC Jez Watkins, on his second tour in a year!

The day starts at 0630 and, as normal, the cargo dream team crack straight on with

building pallets for the B747, much to the delights of RAF Brize Norton’s Imports

Section. A 3 month contract has been let to Southern Air who is operating a B747-200

series every other day between Brize and Theatre. With redeployment around the

corner, the pressure is on to fill every aircraft and the RSC has increased from 35% -

90% since Christmas; a huge task for the small JMU team. The every-other-day B747

also helps with the increase in unit freight during the RiP. To the obvious

entertainment of the 1AMW/4624 RAuxAF Sqn team, this involves 36 aircraft pallets

off and then another 36 back on. ‘Ooooh treat yourself!” I hear every mover say…

WO Cherry and Sgt Collins have the usual morning wake up brew and then crack the

whip. As for the Traffic Teams, the day normally starts at a slower pace with the usual

DIs before briefing the team on the day’s aircraft schedule. This can consist of 4 x C-

130s, 2 x C-17s, 1 x Tristar and a B747.

The pace of this tour is more of a steady stream compared to the manic periods of work

followed by longer breaks on previous tours. Due to the Tristar landing direct at Camp

Bastion, the C-130s are no longer full of passengers. As one Loadie said to me after a

full freight run; “It’s nice to do some loadmaster work with the winch…” this is also

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due to passengers having to complete the minimum 2 day RSOI briefs before the

onward move, to either Kandahar or Kabul.

RAF movers have, historically, helped to handle a large number of Danish aircraft. As

a result of this, a new partnership has been set up at the JMU, by embedding a number

of Danish movers with the British Army and RAF staff. This new relationship has

brought an enormous amount to the JMU; not least the Danes’ excellent driving skills

and direct approach to movements. However, while professionally very capable, they

definitely need to brush up on their darts skills. Luckily, FS Gino ‘The Power’ Green is

happy to show them the way it should be done.

One month into the tour, the morale is high and all are looking forward to the rapidly

approaching Afghan summer!

Cpl M Shearsby Simpson

A Flt

1AMW, RAF Brize Norton

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The short lived RAF Aircrew ranks 1947-1950

Now how many of you old Air Movers have heard of, or can remember

the short lived RAF NCO aircrew badges of rank, that were worn between

1947-1950? This was of course at the time of the Berlin Airlift which

took place between 1948-1949.

Aircrew 1

From what I gathered the reasons for the change to the

Aircrew ranks structure was because at that time,(1947)

The Air Ministry was aware that there were too many

aircrew Warrant Officers and there was growing

animosity festering between the long serving ground staff

Aircrew 2 Warrant Officers, and the quickly promoted aircrew

types.A solution to this problem was found by initiating a

new aircrew rank structure, which at a stroke seemed

to demote the vast majority of them.This of course was

very unpopular with the aircrew, but highly satisfactory to

those on the ground.

Aircrew 3 Aircrew 1…Master Aircrew, for those who had the

necessary seniority. Which equated to the ground

Warrant Officer?

Aircrew 2… Allocated (From Warrant Officer) to

equivalent of Flight sergeant.

Aircrew 4

Aircrew 3… Allocated (From Flight Sergeant) to equivalent of Sergeant.

Aircrew 4…That left the poor sod at the bottom of the pile, who was previously a Sergeant. Who was booted out

of the Sergeants mess to become the equivalent of

Aircrew cadet Corporal.

Make your own mind up about the Cadet?

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The above aircrew NCO rank system was eventually chucked out in 1950, after universal criticism- except for the Master Aircrew rank, which was retained.

Flight briefing, Alfresco!

Avro York, one of the work-horse’s of the RAF’s contribution to the Berlin airlift.

RAF aircrew of the late 1940’s, in discussions, re the best cooking method for their lunch!

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At the same time as these new Aircrew ranks came into being in 1947 it had become apparent that there were still too many SNCO aircrew. Lots had returned from overseas.

Many had opted for demobilisation; others were offered to continue in service at the same pay and rank, and were offered the choice of re-mustering into other trades.

Which of course put a stop to those corporals within those trades, standing any chance of promotion to sergeant?

This massif change in the reduction of aircrews came about when cessation of hostilities within Europe had stopped in 1945 and again when Japan surrendered in August of that year.

AG=Air Gunner..B= Bombadier..O =Observer..RO= Radio

Operator..S=Signaller..M= Meterogical Observer.

Trades on offer were Clerk General Duties; Air Traffic Control; Movements Assistants and Motor Transport Drivers.

There was also a new trade instigated as an Air Steward.

In 1945 a sergeant was paid 13 shillings and 6 pence a day; a flight sergeant was paid

16 shillings a day, the same as an Army sub-lieutenant.

In 1944 the Air Force had recognised that there was a need for trained personnel to turn around the Transport aircraft at the 200 or so staging posts and RAF airfields within the UK and throughout the World

Training for those selected for Movements Assistants was held at RAF St Mawgan,

near Newquay Cornwall. Where a 5 week course of instruction included surface movements, as well as the intricacies of air movements took place.

Unfortunately, initially there was not much practical experience gained at St Mawgan, as they did not have an airframe with which to practice loading with.

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After a while a Dakota airframe made its way to the airfield, but it had no floor in it.

This was later rectified. The addition of a second Dakota airframe, after quite some time, helped make the practical training more positive.

Then a Horsa Glider airframe was made available, with which to practice loading techniques; although it was intended to make this look like a C-87 Liberator Express. I’m not sure if this could have or actually was achieved

At times a Vickers Warwick was made available to practice loading techniques on,

This aircraft offered a payload of either 24 fully armed soldiers or 6710 lbs of Freight.

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Vickers Warwick

The air movements training was centred around the weight and balance documentation, and securing of cargos, with whatever was available..

Two American air force films on the subject were also shown.

There were from time to time other Transport aircraft which made appearances

at St Mawgan, including the RAF ‘Yorks.’

The school opened in November 1944, and was called No1 Air Traffic School.

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Incidentally the first 50 RAF Air Quartermasters (Later designated ‘Loadmaster’) came into being on completion of Course no.15, which commenced on 31st December 1945.

The No1 Air Traffic Training school was moved to RAF Bramcote near Nuneaton, Warwickshire on 20 November 1945.

The RAF pulled out of this station in November 1946.

There is on line a story written by one of the aircrew who was affected by all these changes to the aircrew trades in these early days.

If you have a mind and the time take a look at the nine chapters written by A.V. Quinnell,(Type in …avquinnell.) He took the opportunity to remuster from Air Bomber to Movements assistant. It’s a fascinating story from start to finish.

Enjoy.

Gerry Davis

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MAMS behaving badly By Kind permission of Jarvo

In this team brief we have had permission from David Jarvis MBE to re-print

the “Underground” magazine that was doing the rounds between 1996 & 1998.

First off I will add a little bit about “Jarvo” as written on his web site.

I was born in Gravesend, Kent in 1962 but was raised in Leicester from the age

of 6.

I attended Gateway Grammar school in Leicester and then briefly worked for

EMGAS before joining the The British Army Royal Engineers in September

1979. I left the Engineers in 1984 having served firstly as a Combat Engineer

and then a Field Survey Tech in such places as Nepal, the USA and a rather

large number of visits to Norway.

After leaving the safe environs of 42 Survey Engineer Regiment on the Friday,

I found myself in Chad on the following Sunday to work as a surveyor and

forward recce man for Geosource, an Oil exploration company. After 6 months

crossing between Chad and the Central African Republic I spent a year in the

Sudan before returning to the UK.

After a year driving an armoured van for Securicor I joined the Royal Institution

of Chartered Surveyors as a computer operator and stayed for 2 years

completing an HNC in computer studies part time before leaving to join

Wiggins Teape Paper as a programmer. At the limit of my patience with a nine

to five office environment, despite working with some great people, I decided to

join the RAF in Nov 1991.

I spent 16 years as a Supply Officer in the RAF almost exclusively as an Air

Movements Officer. Serving at Strike Command, As a Mobile Team Leader on

the Glorious UKMAMS at RAF Lyneham, Chf of Commerical Air Ops at the

RAMCC in Vicenza, RAFLO Nairobi, Air Ops at DTMA Andover, SO2 Air Movs

in the FMCC in Kuwait and Iraq during Op Telic, Air Systems Manager at

DTMA, Sierra Leone as a UN Military Observer and with NATO in Naples

where I was XO to the JOC Cdr and then a MOVCON Officer attached to the

African Union. I had an awesome RAF career and travelled the world causing

trouble and constantly apologising.

I retired from the RAF in November 2007 and I now live with my wife Karen in

the hills of Abruzzo Central Italy attempting to be as self sufficient as we

possibly can and enjoying each others company.

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If you have enjoyed this episode then please go to Jarvos website where you will find

loads of other interesting and funny blogs, you can also donate to “Help for Heroes”

His web site is

http://www.backintheboxjarvo.com

Further episodes in future Team Briefs

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FROM THE 540

By Ian Berry

1967 – 45 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Odiham – Exercise Overdale. PO PA Wiblin plus 4. Deployment of 72 Sqn

(Wessex) personnel and equipment on Beverley Flt 3191 and Argosy Flt 4431

to Geilenkirchen.

West Raynham – Exercise Overdale. Fg Off KF David plus 5. Deployment of

54 Sqn (Hunters) personnel and equipment to Germany on Britannia Flt 4430.

NOVEMBER

Woodvale – Exercise Lumpat Penjang. Flt Lt EM Coombs plus 5. Deployment

of personnel and equipment of 14 Lt Regt RA to Woodvale as part of

Airmobex.

Warton/Villacoublay – Special. Fg Off David Powell plus 4. Transferring of

Jaguar prototype from Warton to France.

DECEMBER

Hickham/Mather AFB – Exercise Travelling Causeway. Flt Lt Bill Halford plus

2. Deployment of personnel and equipment of 210 Sqn (Shackleton) to Hawaii

and then picking up Protues engine and delivering to Mather AFB in California.

Britannia Tasks 6579 & 6582.

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Gutersloh – Special. Fg Off Nigel sanders plus 5. Recovery of Whirlwind

Helicopter of the Queens Flight from Germany to Brize Norton in Belfast task

6792.

1972 – 40 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Decimomannu – APC. Flt Lt Bill Wellman, FS Reg Carey, Sgt Eddy Leonard,

Cpl Dave Wilkie, SACs Harry Jones & Polly Parkin. Recovery of 15 Sqn

(Buccaneers) from Sardinia to Laarbruch and deployment of 12 Sqn

(Buccaneers) from Honington to Sardinia.

Benbecula – Exercise Strong Express. Flt Lt Gus Hatter, FS Ken Browne, Sgt

Ross McKerron, Cpls Ian Berry & Geordie Sanderson, JT Gordon Gourdie.

Recovery of 1 ACC from Outer Hebrides to Wattisham.

NOVEMBER

Bergen – Special. FS Tony Barrell, Sgt Bob Turner, Cpl Norman Poole, SACs

Boot Pratt & Jim Marchant. Deployment of personnel and equipment from 819

RNAS (Sea King) from Prestwick to Norway.

Cambridge – Special. FS Pete Underwood, Sgt Dave Wright, SAC Dave Moss.

Collection of 25K Condec from marshalls of Cambridge and delivery to

Gutersloh.

DECEMBER

Tengah – Special. Fg Off Tim Leaning, FS Dave Eggleton, Sgt John Bell, Cpl

Syd Avery, JT Ted Moore and SAC Jim Barr. Air Movs Reforce and recovery of

54 Sqn (Phantoms) from Singapore to Coningsby.

Managua – Earthquake Relief. Fg Off Aliostair Gallaugher, Cpl George Lynes,

SAC Ian Place plus 2. Delivery of relief supplie to Guatamala after an

earthquake.

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1977 – 35 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Rygge – Squadron Exchange. Flt Lt Geoff Elliott, Sgt Terry Titterington, Cpl

Bruce Oram, SAC Ian newlands plus 2. Deployment of 4 Sqn (Harriers) from

Gutersloh to Norway and deployment of 336 Sqn RNoAF (Starfighters) from

Norway to Germany.

Wethersfield – APC. FS John Bell plus 5. Deployment of personnel and

equipment of 56 Sqn (Phantoms) from UK to Luqa for Armament Practice

Camp.

NOVEMBER

Wittering – Belize Reforce. Flt Lt Mike Thomas, FS Bert Wilford, Cpl Gus

Cobb, SAC Colin Pay and Keith Jevons. Deployment of 1 Sqn (Harrier) aircraft

from Wittering to 1417 Flt in Belize.

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1417 Flight – Belize Airport

Nairobi – Exercise Grand Prix. Flt Lt Don Fell plus 8. Deployment of 1Bn KOSB

to Kenya and recovery of 39 Sqn RE from Kenya to UK.

DECEMBER

Melsbroek – Special. Sgt Ian Thomson plus 2. Recovery of 7k Transformer

from Belgian Air Force Base to UK.

Fairford – Exercise Arrow Express. Cpls Ian Newlands & George Lynes, JT

Stamp (MAMS Eng). Recovery of 25k Condec from Fairford to Lyneham.

1982 – 30 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Whenuapai – Exercise Fincastle. WG Cdr Chris Swaithes plus 2. Deployment

of personnel and equipment from Nimrod Sqn in Kinloss to New Zealand.

Puerto Rico – Special. Plt Off Simon Baxter plus 2. Deployment of urgent

freight for MV Cunard Countess and HMS Illustrious.

NOVEMBER

Ciampiano – Exercise Ponte Vecchio/Tower Bridge. Sgt Dave Roberts plus 2.

Exchange of units between the British and Italian Armies.

Laarbruch – Exercise Hawkeye. Fg Off Gavin Richardson, CPL John Purkis &

SAC Keith Jevons. Recovery of personnel and equipment of 41 Sqn (Jaguars)

from Germany to Coltishall.

DECEMBER

Gibraltar – Exercise Furbelow. FS Dixie Dean plus 5. Deployment of personnel

and equipment from 12 Sqn (Buccaneers) from Lossiemouth to Gibraltar.

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Seeb – Exercise Sandy Wanderer. Fg Off John Buchanan plus 5. Deployment

of personnel and equipment of 39 Sqn (Canberras) from Wyton to Oman.

1987 -25 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Newcastle – Exercise Priory. Fg Off Mark Stephenson, Cpls Dave Salmon &

Andy Vickery, SACs Dixie Dixon, Ian Harvey & Ray Roberts. Recovery of

Hawk Training Unit to Brawdy.

Nellis – Exercise Red Flag. Flt Lt Simon Fletcher, FS Mick Mahon, Sgt Dave

Roberts, Cpl Baz Murphy, SAC John Belcher. Deployment of Tornado and

Phantom support equipment to USA.

NOVEMBER

Fujairah/Jakarta – Operation Cimnel/Exercise Malins Glory. Fg Off Mark

Stephenson, FS Don Milburn, SAC Joe Wilkes. Resupply of RN Minesweepers

in the Gulf and recovery of 22SAS from Indonesia.

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West Freugh – Exercise Purple Warrior. Sqn Ldr D Thompson, Fg Off Fletcher,

FS Mick Mahon, Cpl Baz Murphy, SAC John Belcher plus 6. Support to 5

Airborne Brigade.

DECEMBER

Barbados – Special. Flt Lt A Gill plus 2. Recovery of personnel and freight of

1Bn Royal Anglian Band from Bahamas to UK.

Tanagra – Special. Fg Off Mark Stephenson, Cpl Tim Pyne & SAC Joe Wilkes.

Collection of F4J Phantom spares from Hellenic Aerospace Industries and

deliver to Naples.

1992 20 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Edmonton – Exercise Pond Jump West. WO Ian Berry, Sgt Tony Prout, Cpl

Geordie Gash plus 1. Rotation of Infantry battalions exercising at Wainwright,

Canada.

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Corlu – Exercise Alloy Express. Sqn Ldr Sean Culligan plus 6. IALCE exercise

in Turkey. OC MAMF eventually aeromed back to UK after landrover crash!

(This will also be the det that I forgot to pick up the Wg Cdr from the hotel..Ed)

1997 – 15 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Quebec – Exercise Bass Rock. FS Floyd Patterson, SACs Owen and Griffin.

Army Unit exchange between Royal Signals and Canadian Signals Regiment.

Honington/Watton – RAL Training. Flt Lts Damien Alexander & Beach, FS

Martin Jones, Cpls Gus Turney, Malia, Mal Paton, SACs Cunningham, Davies

and Andy Westgate. Rapid Air landing Training with 1Bn Irish Guards.

NOVEMBER

Altus – Exercise Gobi Dust. Fs Mick Maybery, Sgt Mick Cocker, SACs

Whitworth and Bru Brunell. Deploy elements of 39 Regt RA to Oklahoma and

recover elements of US Army Artillery Regt to UK.

Guyana – Exercise Guides Gallop. Flt Lt Dave Jarvis, Sgt Eddy Sunderajoo &

Bob Simmons, SACs Mellor, Jupp, Martin & Cheesewright. Recovery of 22SAS

plus a Lynx helicopter.

DECEMBER

Fagernes – Exercise Quadraped. FS Paddy Power, Cpls Blue Hughes,

Butcher & Williams, SACs Chris Quirk, Bevan & Green. Deployment of

personnel and equipment of 7 Sqn (Chinook) from Odiham to Norway.

Tindouf – Special. Flt Lt Beach, FS Paddy Power & SAC Waite. Recovery of

Virgin Challenger Balloon from Marrakech to UK.

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2002 – 10 YEARS AGO...

OCTOBER

Lvov – Exercise Adventure Exchange. FS Terry Davies, SACs Flaherty &

Sheppard. Recovery of elements of AMFL from the Ukraine.

Bahrain/Kabul – Exercise Pacific Boat. Cpl Baker & SAC Pickersgill.

Deployment of two RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boats) to Bahrain for HMS Cardiff

and recover of personnel of 32 Engr Regt from Afghanistan to Germany.

ROYAL MARINE BOARDING PARTY FROM HMS CARDIFF

NO RECORDS HELD FOR NOVEMBER or DECEMBER 02

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From: NEIL STURGES

Hi , As I'm reaching my old age (56) I thought it was about time to get to see and hear how

my old friends in the movements world are doing ?

Well, i think I've found the right place here? I'm trying to remember my time spent with you ,

but as it has been over 22years since i handed in my uniform in at RAF Northolt, names,

places, and times are slowly fading.

But joy of joys i found ukmams web site !

O.K. I didn't make it in ukmams , however i did manage to get around a few places as a

mover.(Cargo sheds and pubs mostly.) I think my 'down fall' which I've had many over the

years was always staying til closing time or even later !Sober now !

Anyway, I am now driving a bus the 160 Sidcup-Catford most days and nights, shift work , but

we all know about that.

When i was working at Gatwick Airport (1990-2008) on security, i did bump into a few old

movers. Spike Masterman, Ian Geordie Gash, working for the airport handling agents. Mac

Dermot is it Ian ? There must have been more, but as I've just written the memory is not

working so well.

I'll close now and leave you. But does anyone remember the English Bay Ascension Island

Christmas Day 1982? I do seem to remember having a very burnt offering from the mess tent!

As our RAF cook made it back to blighty before that day handing over to an army cook (two

choices ,take it or leave it !)

TTFN Andy, put it in the basket (chief) Sturges.

P.S Best wishes for the future to Tony (the gearbox) Geerah and Steve Gelder have a long and

happy retirement.

Hello John I am currently in Saudi on a short business trip and was browsing the web looking for my old haunts in the gulf and came upon the newsletter. I served at Sharjah (in fact was one of the last to leave when it was shut down most went home I went on to Muharraq) Started my movements career in Abingdon, went on to Antigua then the GULF and finally Lyneham where I was both station based (DAMO) and then UKMAMS Reading the articles certainly brought back memories Thanks Peter dilger

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Episode 2 of my Mobile saga

JOHN CONDUIT's UKMAMS TASKS 1989

Dates Route Aircraft Team Task

From To

4 Jan 89 5 Jan 89 Heathrow-Edinburgh-Heathrow 737 FO Gill, SAC Wark

6 Jan 89 9 Jan 89 Lyneham-Akrotiri-Dubai-Akrotiri-

Lyneham Herc FO Finding, SAC Carruthers

12 Jan 89 15 Jan 89 Brize-Bahrain-Nairobi-Harare-

Mombasa-Rome-Brize VC10 FO Gill, SAC carruthers

19 Jan 89 19 Jan 89 Lyneham-Bergen-Trondheim-

Lyneham Herc SAC Wark

22 Jan 89 25 Jan 89 Brize-Pease AFB-Albuquerque-

Pease AFB-Brize VC10 FS I’Anson, SAC Wark

28 Jan 89 28 Jan 89 Lyneham-Napoli-Lyneham Herc SAC Wark

2 Feb 89 4 Feb 89 Lyneham-Wittering-Bourge-

Coltishall-Lyneham Herc

FO Gill, SAC’s Wark, Carruthers, Hope, Cooling

7 Feb 89 4 Mar 89 Lyneham-Gardermoen-Brize Herc, VC10 FO Gill, Cpl Mitchell, SAC’s

Carruthers, Wark

32

11 Mar 89 14 Mar 89 Brize-Muscat-Akrotiri-Lyneham VC10, Herc SAC’s Hope, Warner

29 Mar 89 31 Mar 89 Lyneham- Fürstenfeldbruck-

Valley-Lyneham Herc SAC’s Wark, Carruthers

4 Apr 89 5 Apr 89 Lyneham-Laarbruch-Monte Real-

Lyneham Herc

FO Doherty, Cpl Howard, SAC Wark

7 Apr 89 8 Apr 89 Lyneham-Leuchars-Karup-

Lyneham Herc Cpl Howard, SAC Wark

12 Apr 89 13 Apr 89 Lyneham-Honnington-Lyneham Herc F/L Gill, FS Betambeau, Sgt Frewin, Cpl Salmon, SAC

Maidens

14 Apr 89 21 Apr 89 Lyneham-Goose Bay-Edmonton-Nellis-Fairchild-Edmonton-Clarke

AFB-Gander-Lyneham Herc F/L Gill, SAC’s Wark, Barker

24 Apr 89 24 Apr 89 Lyneham-Rygge-Vaerlose-

Lyneham Herc SAC’s Magill, Wark

30 Apr 89 30 Apr 89 Lyneham-Odiham-Lyneham Herc FS Breithaupt, Cpl Howard,

SAC’s Carruthers, Wark

5 May 89 17 May 89 Lyneham-St Mawgan-Gander-

Calgary-Gutersloh-Brize Herc, VC10

F/L Hawkins, FS Breithaupt, SAC Carruthers

33

23 May 89 23 May 89 Lyneham-Wittering-Albacete-

Lyneham Herc SAC’s Warner, Wark

24 May 89 28 May 89 TALO Herc F/L Gedge, FS Breithaupt, SAC’s Carruthers, Wark,

Warner

30 May 89 30 May 89 Lyneham-Rygge-Gatow-

Lyneham Herc SAC Wark

2 Jun 89 4 Jun 89 Lyneham-Lossiemouth-Bitburg-Lossiemouth-Bitburg-Lyneham

Herc SAC’s Carruthers, Wark

7 Jun 89 8 Jun 89 Lyneham-Marham-Lyneham Herc F/L Gedge, FS Breithaupt, SAC’s Carruthers, Wark,

Barker

11 Jun 89 12 Jun 89 Lyneham-Bitburg-Kinloss-

Lyneham Herc

F/L Gedge, SAC’s Carruthers, Wark

18 Jun 89 18 Jun 89 Lyneham-Aalborg-Lyneham Herc SAC Clancey

19 Jun 89 21 Jun 89 Lyneham-Manchester-Waddington-Lyneham

Road SAC’s Ketcher, Hayes

23 Jun 89 24 Jun 89 Lyneham-Tirstrup-Lyneham Herc Sgt Ralph, SAC’s Wark,

Carruthers, Warner, Dawson

34

28 Jun 89 29 Jun 89 Lyneham-Marham-Honnington-

Lyneham Herc

F/L Gedge, F/O Stone, Sgt’s Ralph, Salmon, SAC

Carruthers

1 Jul 89 13 Jul 89 Brize-Bahrain-Singapore-Hong

Kong-Brunei-Bangkok-Colombo-Muscat-Cairo-Rome-Lyneham

VC10, Herc Cpl Beck, SAC Carruthers

19 Jul 89 22 Jul 89 Various UK places Road Various Ex Roaring Lion

22 Aug 89 23 Aug 89 Lyneham-Marham-Lyneham Herc FO Fogden, FS Giles, Cpl

Stacey

4 Sep 89 4 Sep 89 Lyneham-Chivenor-Lyneham Herc, Road SAC Wark

6 Sep 89 7 Sep 89 Lyneham-Gutersloh-Benbecula-

Lyneham Herc

PO Best, FS Brett, FS Fitzgerald, SAC’s Wark, Gash,

Thomson

11 Sep 89 14 Sep 89 Lyneham-Akrotiri-Sigonella-Dijon-

Wattisham-Lyneham Herc Cpl Burke

20 Sep 89 20 Sep 89 Lyneham-Wittering-Lyneham Herc, Road Various

2 Oct 89 3 Oct 89 Brize-Lisbon-Bruggen-Brize VC10 FO Licence, FS Breithaupt

35

7 Oct 89 11 Oct 89 Lyneham-Kinloss-St Johns-

Homestead-Gander-Lyneham Herc

FS Breithaupt, Cpl Howard, SAC Metcalfe

14 Oct 89 16 Oct 89 Various Herc Various 5 Brigade

25 Oct 89 31 Oct 89 Brize-Palermo-Nairobi-Brize VC10 FL Hunter, SGT’s Ralph, Liggett. SAC’s Thomson,

Metcalfe

4 Nov 89 4 Nov 89 Lyneham-Cagliari-Lynham Herc SAC Metcalfe

15 Nov 89 18 Nov 89 Brize-Calgary-Hickam-Auckland-

Hickam-Calgary-Brize Tristar FO Barth, SAC O’Neill

23 Nov 89 24 Nov 89 Lyneham-Benbecula-Wildenrath-

Lyneham Herc

FO Licence, FS Breithaupt, Sgt Salmon, Cpl Burke

26 Nov 89 13 Dec 89 Lyneham-Gander-Dulles-Belize-San Juan-Bermuda-St Mawgan-

Lyneham Herc

FS Fitzgerald, Sgt Hawson, SAC Wark

36

Nothing like advanced notice I say eh!

Apart from the Brize Meet & Greet in 4624 RAuxAF Swap Bar the last few in the

RAFA Club in Swindon have to say the least been poorly attended. So the RAF

MAMS Association Committee has come up with an alternate approach in light with

the recent successful Movers Lunch earlier this month, held in the Blunsdon Arms,

Swindon.

So put in your diary now the details below:

Christmas RAF MAMS Meet and Greet Thurs 20 Dec 12

Start time 1300- til ?

at

Blunsdon Arms

Thamesdown Drive Swindon, SN25 2NA

01793 729801

www.emberinns.co.uk/theblunsdonarmsswindon/

There is a Christmas menu available 2 course Meal from £9.95 or £12.45 for a three

course meal, there is also other bar food available, see the website above for full

details.

In light of it being the festive season can I ask if you intend dining to contact the

Blunsdon Arms yourselves with your order stating you are attending the RAF MAMS

Meet & Greet (I Have provisional book the date in their diary but they need numbers

to cater for the food.

Also so I can gage interest could you drop me a line if you intend coming just for a

beer or two or you intend to dine and drink.

Please feel free to forward to any one I have missed.

Hope to see you there

Cheers for now

Tony

37

Recently advertised on EBAY ???

Come on who bought them ????

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

And Finally

One for the ladies !!!!!!!!!

Yes Tim that is you !!!!!!