.It is usual to associate our time at Halton and subsequent RAF service with aircraft and related activities. Rightly so, after all, we were known as Aircraft Apprentices. However, there was a small contingent in our entry, some 14 if I remember correctly, who ended up as ground electrical fitters. Incidentally this training ceased at Halton after the 83rd entry.

How I ended up in the trade is still a mystery to me. My first choice was engines where I was rejected because it was full. Radio was my second choice and I was somewhat smitten to be told that I would never succeed at radio if my preference was engines. Armourer springs to mind as my third choice though I am not sure after all this time. By now I was feeling a bit low and suffering queuing fatigue.
It was then that I saw a familiar face, Paddy Mullally, whom I had travelled over on the ferry from Ireland with, sitting in another queue. He was more informed than me about the ways of the world, having come from Dublin, whereas I had made my way from the remote rural backwater of Co Tipperary. Needless to say that the initial experience at Halton was a bit of a culture shock to me. So Paddy took me under his wing and bade me to sit beside him. It turned to be the electrical queue where I was accepted.
Several days into training at workshops, all E&I trainees were assembled for a brief by a corporal instructor, telling us of the merits of some training though his accent had me confused about the detail. Eventually he asked for a show of hands (volunteers). There was a considerable response that I remember, which prompted me not to miss out. So I was counted in the first 14 names be taken and thats how I ended up as a ground electrician.

On leaving Halton the trade turned out to be anything but repetitious. A series of rapid postings in the earlier years had seen me serving in all regions of the UK and included work on airfield lighting, ground equipment (Aldergrove), marine craft unit electrician (Holyhead in Wales and Drummore in Scotland), MT electrician (Thor missile base at Feltwell) Medical & dental equipment (Chessington 248MU), rotary convertor maintenance (Wittering) and ground radar turning gear (Locking).

In between I had completed tours at Gan and Hong Kong. It was at Gan that I had any real direct contact with aircraft, as I spent most of the tour on the pan team (TASF) committed to the rapid turn-round of transit aircraft for which it became renowned My remit was to ensure adequate availability of ground power, refrigeration and freight loading gear. On several occasions I was co-opted to help with the rewiring of engine changes on Britannia's which was a regular occurance. With plentiful recreation time and no female distractions, Gan also provided much scope for exotic activities and projects. I recall spending several months building a catamaran from empty packing crates and sails from barrack store sheets, helped by access to stn.workshops machinery. We successfully sailed to several of the islands that ringed the lagoon.

By this time I had completed the original 12 year engagement and signed on to age 55, as I was enjoying my time so much, including the sport and Mess life. The job also had its funny moments and diversions. One that springs to mind was an emergency call-out as Duty electrician to the Wraf block to fix the hair drier!!! On another occasion, I was dispatched on my duty bike to a public road outside the perimeter fence to fix the traffic lights which were stuck on red, at the end of the runway. To accommodate the irate queues of motorists that had built up by now at both sides of the lights, I decided to prise open the covers, propped up on the saddle, and remove the bulbs, as I couldn't remember any training at Halton to handle this scenario.

While in Hong Kong, I was tasked by the Air Commodore, via the chain of command of course, to rewire the ageing Cheshire Home on a remote part of the island. It entailed several months misemployment with a Chinese civilian of limited ability. The experience was both enriching and rewarding in more ways than one.

Promotion by this time had made me more desk bound and there followed tours in Malta, culminating in the enforced Mintoff withdrawal, recruiting (CIO Bristol), staff post (HQRAFG), GIG control (Odiham), where we lost several Chinooks and much hastily prepared support equipment on the Atlantic Conveyor in the Falklands.

I finished my time i/c a training hangar at 4Sof TT(St Athan), where I came to see the Halton experience from the other end of the training spectrum. After 4 years there and another posting looming, I decided on enough of travelling and to PVR in 1987 age 48 and settle at Weston-super-Mare, where I had bought a home in the early 70's.

I quickly found employment in the quality department of Bristol Aerojets. This was my first experience of the production world, which I quite enjoyed The only down side was that their solution to all deadlines and inevitable holdups was plentiful overtime, paid for a change I admit However, my goal was a nice steady 9 to 5 routine, so I applied after 2 years to the local Tech College for a post. With the backing of a lecturing friend, also ex Halton of an earlier vintage, I spent my last 9 years at work teaching C&G, BTEC and NVQ electronic courses until the approaching age of 60 prompted me to join the ranks of the retired, bowlers, golfers, etc..

The Halton and entry Re-unions over the years have been a much appreciated link to those Halton days for me, thanks to the sterling efforts of Brian Spurway, John Gornall and more recently the entry newsletter publishing staff My only regret is that I have no contact with the pals that I was mostly associated with at Halton. Who knows, one day they may return to the fold.