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R & I in October or November 1959

Thanks to John Simlett T4254765 for this photograph of his R & I camp in October or November 1959.

John says "It rained and rained and the camp, which was supposed to last for one week, was washed away by a flooding river; we had to be rescued and returned to RAF Bridgnorth after two days.
In the picture, I (John Simlett) am at bottom left. The chap in the back row, second left, was named 'Bud' Westmore. His uncles were the Hollywood make-up artists, who's names appear on the credits of most black and white 'movies'.
We were in 'D' flight. In our billet we had; 'Bud'; two graduates from Cardiff Uni; a piano tuner.... but I was the only Shipwright! I had served a 5 year apprenticeship with the Admiralty and so my National Service had been deferred until I was 21. Due to a slump in ship building etc, I stayed in the RAF for 25 years - most of this time as aircrew, flying on the Comet 2 & 4, the VC10, Belfast and finally with the Phantom F4s at Wildenrath."

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