254 Squadron
G. Pitfield Ground crew
Dear Paul ,
I doubt you will ever know or realise the pleasure your website of 254 Sqdn's history has given me . I was with the sqdn from early 40's for about 4/5 yrs.after leaving Innsworth Lane School and as you can imagine I formed some affection for my colleagues .
I've no exciting or dangerous incidents to relate that I can recall being a ground crew member and of course it was some little time ago but I remember it was quite an eye opener.
I wish you every success with your endevours and as P. O. Prune said "all crashes you walk away from are good ones".........there are a couple of incidents that I remember whilst stationed in N. Ireland, Aldergrove, there was a period of time when at lunch there was cheese, biscuits, and dates freely available on the mess tables, which, coming from a not too affluent background was almost unbelievable, there was a price to pay " if you can call it that " and that was one's dress i.e. no gumboots, no black macintosh coats, and a general good appearance, at the other end of the scale, the food provided when boarding the boat for Sumbugh, Shetlands was a tin of W.W.1 M,Conichies meat and veg. and a lump of cocoa.
Another time was either at Dyce, or Aldergrove, a womens vol. group provided jam sandwiches, dipped in batter and fried, they were not only delicious but limited so every morning there was a rugby scrum with the women complaining that the counter was moving again, such was the crush there.
Although it wasn't heard of then, joining the R.A.F. was one hell of a learning curve for yours truly, and learning was the operative word, not only living cheek by jowl with every type of human one can imagine and a few outside the imagination but all that, was service life, the school side was another section altogether.
Sincere Regards and Wishes
as was 921687 G. Pitfield .