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Picture of 21 Flt, 'B' Sqd in the Spring of 1962

Thanks to Tex (Peter R) Waite K4271754, for this photograph of 21 Flt, 'B' Sqd in the Spring of 1962.

Tex says he was "known as 'Elvis' from B'north 62 - RAF Gan (Maldive Isles) 65, and thence 'Tex' to the present).
I arrived at Bridgnorth just before Easter, prob 5th April 1962 & joined 21 Flt, 'B' Sqdn, 'managed' by Sgt Jackson - later to become one of the RAF's best known SWOs (Halton, Cosford etc). I was a real thorn in his side, because my 6'4" frame thinly covered by only 10.5 stones of meat, meant I had to have a uniform specially made. So for the first 2 weeks, I was 'sans uniform' - which makes me rather easy to spot in the photo! Everyone else had had their civvies sent home in a parcel.
About three weeks after the start I contracted (double) pneumonia somehow and spent a few weeks off comprised of a week plus in sick quarters, a spell of sick leave and then a few weeks in Holding Flight waiting for a vacancy to recommence basic training. Eventually, I joined Sgt Taff Harvey's 15 Flight (also B Sqdn) - which was MUCH BETTER. We actually passed out on Bridgenorth's last AOC's inspection - must have been about 2nd week of August (62). As I remember, we had previously won the 'Drill Cup' with a new % record, something like 95% - which had been previously set by Sgt Jackson's (my old) 21 Flt a few weeks earlier. Somewhere, I have a hut photo of me with my new 15 Flight mates, with either Cpls Murgatroyd or Nankivell (both mentioned in the site). We could not have wished for better bosses and our high score at drill was the direct upshot of the very high morale in the Flight. I should know, being one of the few to have sampled more than one.
Bottom row, third from right is 'Crocker' Cronin. He had joined the RAF with days to spare before the maximum age limit. Like me, he joined the very last entry (163) of Airframe Mechanics to pass through RAF Weeton before it closed. Because of my pneumonia, he got there long before me, but they couldn't start the course until I got there, so they all had to wait around for a month or so!"

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