Winter 2025 15 We took over the defence of the Station immediately, laying out our defensive positions in the best traditions of the RAF Regiment. (NAAFI, WRAF BLOCK, MESS HALL, in that order, only joking) and we soon had patrols out in the desert looking for signs of enemy presence. By the end of the second day, we had the defence of the airfield covered and the Station relaxed to some sort of normality- (whatever that was) although we were a lot more aware of being in a hostile situation and the old routine of patrols had resumed. On one such patrol, together with Wilcox who was also from Birmingham, we came across an Arab walking across the desert towards the town of Salalah. We of course challenged him in the prescribed way and got the usual reply - NOTHING! It was only when I cocked my rifle that we got the response we wanted. After a quick search we could see he was just a traveler, as all he had was a small bag containing food and a water skin but the three-foot broadsword he carried did worry us a bit, so we let him go and carried on with our patrol. As we approached the domestic area around the control tower, we could hear cheering coming from the buildings ‘Hooray the Rocks are here!!’ It was the moment I could hear the bagpipes wailing and see the officer with his swagger stick. After all the training was now to be put to the test One evening, it was decided that due to our presence on the station, there was no longer any need for the Station personnel to always carry weapons with them. There had been some incidents of small arms being fired off, accidentally of course, so we were detailed to go to the billets and collect in all the weapons from RAF personnel. The temperature was over 100 degrees’ when we left Bahrein but here in Salalah, it was the monsoon season and the temperature was only about 60 degree’s and very misty but I was still sweating. We were greeted at the compound around the control tower, by a a sight I shall never forget. Besides the RAF personnel, mostly clerks, cooks or fitters, the Station was defended by local tribesmen, (Dhofan’s) and was made up of all age groups, young boys of 12 or 13 and old men up to about 80 years of age. They were all dressed in traditional costumes, with curved knives in their belts and Shamacks on their heads, just like in the movies. To this day, I am not sure which scared me most. The enemy, or Penguins sleeping with Stirling Machine Guns under the blankets. Our presence at RAF Salalah obviously had the desired effect on the rebels, with our patrols out, they could not get close enough to attack the airfield again during our time there. We had arrived at RAF Salalah after 10 weeks in Bahrein and we were very tanned, some of us could actually have passed for Arabs as long as we didn’t speak but after 10 days at Salalah, we were as white as the day we had arrived from the UK. We were eventually relieved by (I think it was) 15 Squadron, who were diverted to Salalah instead of Bahrein. We flew out of Salalah to return to the UK via Bahrein, where we held the traditional Mahsalam party at the Moon Rocket Club (the NAAFI at Muharraq at which copious amounts of ‘falling down water’ was consumed). (I never liked that part!). Those of us who had been ‘blooded’ could reflect that real soldering was not like you see on the TV or on film but 1 hour of action and 23 hours of routine boredom. AND THE TV SHOTS OF CRATER IN ADEN AS MY CORPORAL SAID TO ME, ‘WHY DO THINK THEY CALL HIM MAD MITCH’? (I can’t understand Tom not liking ‘falling down water’ then, as he has developed a healthy interest in it since, he MUST be joking). Editor: Just a note to say that Tom Magee has been doing an excellent job as National Association Treasurer for many years. Our sincere thanks Tom for all your hard work - it is much appreciated by all members.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTA4ODM=