Welcome to the second edition of The Journal of The 81st Entry.

There has been a gratifying response to the first issue and the entire staff here at Publishing Head Quarters thank all those who have contributed. The policy of The Editor in Chief is to print all articles that are received, so if you don't see your work of art in this issue fear not, it will appear, eventually.(even your receipe Arthur!) Articles can be sent to my e-mail or home address. Articles received via e mail I copy and paste the lot into the Journal, those received via letters I try to copy word for word as I think that if a bloke has spent time and effort sweating over a hot keypad/pen the least I can do is print all his work and not have the arrogance to cut out bits here and there. I have no journalistic or editorial expertise so who am I to decide what should be binned and what should be printed? (also I am very lazy). I see my job up here at Publishing Head Quarters as arranging articles into some sort of theme , write a few snappy(or should that be crappy?) lead-ins and leave the rest to the contributors. Probably not as Boris Johnson does at 'The Spectator' but look what a mess he got himself into. Willie Keays, Our WebMaster Supremo, has put the Journal on to the Entry website for the delectation of the wider world .It is hoped that the Journal will be published quarterly so issue 3 should be appearing on the website May 2005.

Please send in any thing that may be of interest to the entry, even stuff that you may think will not be of much interest ; it will keep the staff here at Publishing Head Quarters occupied at least.
Mike Stanley

First Postings and Impressions.

Click on the links to access.

The next article covers slightly more than just the first posting after Halton, but as it is by Brian Spurway I reckon he deserves special dispensation for all the work he has done on our behalf over the past 25 years . Good on yer Brian!!!

'From the Latest to the Greatest' by Brian Spurway, Rigger

Don't really know what theme this next article comes under , unusual job ?, not taught at Halton? Strange tales?
Judge for yourselves. Ed

'In the S***, as usual' by ex-AA Willie Keays, 681459 (last of the 81st), Engine Fitter(S) u/t ex- 1931101 Boy Entrant Engine Mechanic 21st Entry Cosford.

Following a suggestion from Alan Humphrey : Any' pen picture ' received will be shown. A fuller account of your lives would be welcomed in order to keep the Journal going for more than just a few issues.

Another epic ode from an armourer(eat your heart out Pam Ayres)

A Cautionary Tale From the Annals Of 15 Platoon ( The Moose Hunters) 5 Queens TA

Whilst out on patrol one fine day
With the lads of 5 Queens TA
A 'Flash Bang' dud
Was found in the mud
That was destined to ruin the day

A ''Blue Smoke' Mk 1 it was
We knew this because
Our RAF friend Albert
Said he was an expert
At dealing with devices like this

Stand aside, stand aside, Our plumber friend cried
While I deal with that dud in the mud
He gave it a whack with a Landrover jack
The rest of us found it amusing
But the dud remained dead in the soil
.
Don't take the piss I'm an expert at this
Said Albert as he picked up his gun
With blanks I'll ignite it -get ready to run
Bang, bang he went till his ammo was spent
The dud on the ground still remained

I know what I'll do
I'll cleave it in two
With a shovel our plumber mate said
He clove it in two Exposing to view
Blue flash filling for all there to see

And with his boot gave a poke
Flash bang wallop blue smoke!!
Day turned to night and he vanished from sight
Like Paul Daniels doing his bit
And the dud in the mud was no more

From out of the mist did a figure appear
Ruddy of face sans eyebrows and hair
'Albert the Plumber' was singed and near fried
The rest of the squad just laughed till they cried
But the dud in the mud had it's day

The moral here that if ever in trouble
With UXD's that appear in the rubble
RAF plumbers are not the best bet
They'll whack it and shoot it cleave it and boot it
And blow them selves up like as not

Albert Hall ( AKA Nobby, Ginger, Bert, or Sweet FA) Armourer 81st 681220

Pen Picture No 2
A long short story
Martin McArthur Inst Fitter (Gen) 81st & 84th Entries

1955 - 1959 Halton Collaton Cross
1959 - 1960 Leuchar sInstrument bay then 151 Sqdn Javelins West Malling Wisbech
1961 - 1962 Aden 37 Sqdn;Station Flight;Chopper Flight Shackletons, Meteor, Sycamore, Valetta Karachi, Embokasi, Mauritius, Bahrain, Sharjah, Masirah and Mombasa on leave
1962 - 1968 Leuchars Electronics Centre then Target Facilities Flight Melksham on LOX course
1968 - 1970 Luqa 39 Sqdn . Canberra PR9 Turkey, Greece
1970 - 1972 Kinloss Air Electrical Bay then ASF Nimrod Newton
1972 - 1975 Luqa Nimrod ASF Nimrod
1975 - 1978 Scampton 617 Sqdn .Vulcan Luqa
1978 - 1981 Gutersloh Harrier Servicing Fligh t Harrier Field deployments
1981 - 1984 Binbrook Air Electrical Bay Lightning
1984 - 1985 Rheindahlen HQRAFG - Air Eng 3C1 Harrier
1985 - 2002 Yarrow Shipbuilders
2002 - 2003 Fully retired Over 3 months sailing west coast of France
2003 - to date Emmaus Glasgow

1955,THE 81st Entry, sweet 16, raw as-----, bold as brass, cheeky as sin. Aylsbury, The Wendover (cafe) Colonel Bogey, The March (Trog) to the Airfield, Three Years and all you guys thrown in.
Memories they just don't come any better, thanks to you guys.
Regards to One and All-------

Terry ( Nipper ) Fry in the Land of Oz