RAF CHANGI ASSOCIATION including HQ FEAF

Changi-ite wishes members
and their families a very
Happy Christmas and a
Prosperous New Year
RAF CHANGI ASSOCIATION
including HQ FEAF
December 2015
Issue No. 59
RAF Changi Association
(Including HQ FEAF)
Founded May 1996
The aim of the RAF Changi Association is to bring together all those who were
stationed at RAF Changi (including HQ FEAF) Singapore, in order to renew old
friendships and make new ones.
www.rafchangi.com
Chairman/Archivist: John Dicks
4 Langley Crescent, Kings Langley, Herts. WD4 8EW. Tel: 01923 400221 • john.dicks2@ntlworld.com
Founder Member/Reunion Liaison Officer: Mike James
12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY. Tel: 01934 833170 • raf-changi-assn@tiscali.co.uk
Secretary: Pat Holt
14 Burrowfields, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4XJ. Tel: 01256 477253 • pat.holt14@gmail.com
Treasurer: Richard Collins
Sandhurst Cottage, Corsley Heath, Warminster BA12 7PW. Tel: 01373 832789
collinsrcol@btinternet.com
Newsletter Editor: Les Davies
4 The Bryceway, Liverpool L12 3HJ. Tel: 0151 2289874 • changi-ite@outlook.com
Membership Secretary: Malcolm Flack
14 Highfield Close, Amersham, Bucks. HP6 6HG. Tel: 01494 728562 • memsecchangi@telco4u.net
Publicity/Press Officer: Brian Lloyd
32 Redwood, Burnham, Bucks. SL1 8JN. Tel: 01628 661005 • brianlloyd@redwood32.freeserve.co.uk
Webmaster: Tony Holt
14 Burrowfields, Basingstoke, Hants RG22 4XJ. Tel: 01256 477253 • patony144top@gmail.com
Regalia Officer: Dolores James
12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY. Tel: 01934 833170 • raf-changi-assn@tiscali.co.uk
Almoner/Medal Adviser: David Haylock
37 Pierces Hill, Tilehurst, Reading, Berks. RG31 6RB. Tel: 01189 425753
david.haylock37@btinternet.com
Liaison Officers
Iberia: Brian Morgan Tel: 0034 952 196446 • jbm76@me.com
Australia: David A. Wood Tel: 0061 2 8338 9103 • dawood1934@live.com.au
New Zealand: Brian Churcher Tel: 0064 7 549 4230 • brianbevinkati@compassnet.co.nz
© RAF Changi Association. No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying, without the prior written or verbal consent of the chairman or secretary.
Changi-ite Newsletter
2
December 2015
Chairman/Archivist’s Report
Editorial
MY thanks to all
who gave me
encouragement
and advice prior
to my first issue; and to
those members who were
kind enough to submit their
welcome, positive feedback
following publication.
I am reassured by the
number of contributions
received for inclusion, for
these are the lifeblood of
our Newsletter, without
which it would be difficult to
survive.
Our Publicity & Press
Officer Brian Lloyd has
been particularly supportive during these early
months and provided me
with a host of leads for
consideration. I am grateful
to him.
My apologies to all who
wrote between the 7th
September and the 14th
October and did not receive
a response.
Unfortunately, I suffered
a heart attack on the 7th
September, subsequently
had a by-pass procedure,
and did not return to my
desk until 20th October.
Hopefully, I will catch up
by the end of the year but
meanwhile thank you for
your patience.
Booking forms for the
2016 Reunion have already
been sent out by Isle of
Wight Tours, but for those
who didn’t receive one, a
copy is included inside this
Newsletter.
In
conclusion, my
thanks to Tony Holt, without
whose help I would have
struggled to get this issue to
bed on time.
Les Davies
December 2015
At our recent Kings Langley Mini Reunion, I took the opportunity to
update members, partners and friends on forthcoming events and,
in particular, our upcoming trip to the Far East when eight of us will
be travelling to Singapore and Malaysia in February 2016.
Five members of the Association marched at the Cenotaph in
Whitehall, on Remembrance Sunday this year, along with members from
the Seletar and the Butterworth and Penang Associations. They paraded
as the Far East Air Force.
May I take this opportunity to wish all members, families and friends
a very peaceful Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Secretary’s Report
On behalf of the Association I have sent out a few “get well” or
“thinking of you” cards since the last Newsletter, which the recipients
were happy to receive, knowing that we are thinking of them.
Sometimes I get an email thank you and other times I have been able
to chat on the phone, which I rather like.
Membership Secretary’s Report
Membership has held up despite the demise of quite a few longstanding members during the year.
However, we have been out and about – although again not so
successful as in previous years – to gain any substantial growth of
members which is now only to be expected. The present figure at
time of going to press stands at 1002.
Subs renewals are due on the 1st January 2016; as you will see, there is a reminder
“Flyer” enclosed. Cheques and cash are always welcome. Again, I am pleased to say
that a few more members have set up Standing Orders during this year which does
help with the smooth reconciliation during the New Year. However, it’s never too late
to request a form and all you need to do is to phone or e-mail me with your request.
May I finally extend a welcome to the eight new members of the Association who
joined up to 12 October 2015
Contents
Committee Reports ............3 Jalan Basar Stadium .........16
WRAFs Brave the Jungle ......4 My Singapore Car .............17
Postcards from the Past........5 Forthcoming Events ..........18
Changi Village that I loved..6/7 New Members/Obituaries....19
●
Moxey’s Changi Murals........8
Searchline .......................9 Centre spread pull-out
Hastings VIP Tour..............10 booking form for the 2016
Local Reunion Reports ...11/12 RAF Changi Association
20th Annual Reunion
Your Letters.............13/14/15
3
Changi-ite Newsletter
Blast from the past
WRAFs Brave The Jungle
Malayan Highlands hold no terror for
them as they go on a training course
By Ken Lund
LIVING in the jungle, wading
through streams and climbing cliffs is
a familiar life to troops in Malaya, but
recently, nine girls of the Women’s
Royal Air Force showed that the fair
sex can cope with these conditions
too!
At Fraser’s Hill, the RAF’s ground
service and passive defence training
school, located in the Malayan
highlands about 40 miles from Kuala
Lumpur, nine young airwomen from
Changi and Seletar spent a fortnight
on a jungle familiarisation course.
ey proved that they were equally
adept at looking after themselves in
the difficult conditions of jungle paths
and rough country as the airmen who
were on the same course.
Fighting fit
Since 1951, the school has trained
8,128 pupils on 409 courses and
taught them that it is possible to live
in the jungle and, at the same time, be
fighting fit.
e Commanding Officer of the
school, Flight Lieutenant H. C. Van
Wodenoljen, and the Chief
Instructor, Flight Sergeant Dan
McDougall, soon had the girls
climbing the steep slopes and teaching
them to make temporary stretchers
from vines and fern leaves so that they
could carry a wounded companion in
an emergency.
ey carried 24-hour ration packs
and cooked their own food when they
were on exercises. ey also had
ambush drill so that they were not
caught unawares.
e smart uniforms they normally
wore in Singapore at jobs as clerks,
teleprinter operators and nursing
orderlies had to be taken off and
replaced by jungle green and heavy
boots.
To the girls’ great delight the
Changi-ite Newsletter
evenings and nights were cold and
they had to sleep under blankets, and
light wood fires which kept them
warm.
“Just like being at home in
England,” they said, “and a wonderful
change from the tropical heat of
Singapore.”
ey soon became very fit and
learned among other things to climb
steep slopes in the jungle.
en when the training was
complete, off they went with the
airmen on long jungle hikes, with the
instructors in charge to see nothing
went wrong.
A great favourite of them all was
one of the school’s oldest members of
permanent staff, 13-years-old WO
Anjing Pudeh, who had served his
time as dog and mascot at Fraser’s
Hill.
He was awarded a GSM and
insisted on going with the pupils
during their expeditions.
e girls completed a tough climb
up a hill exceeding 200 feet, with a
stretcher, in 22 minutes, equalling the
previous record. e volunteer
casualty
was
LACW
Sheila
Lanscombe.
‘Exide’
One of the first in everything was
SACW Elsie Davies. e airmen were
so impressed by her energy that they
nicknamed her ‘Exide’ after the
batteries which keep going when all
the others have run out.
A member of the course was Sgt
Dorothy Lewis, of the RAF Police,
who said that everybody regarded it as
a bit of fun – even if they did get cold
and wet!
This news item appeared in The Straits
Times and our thanks go to New Zealand
member Lloyd Stridion (M1244) who
kindly submitted the cutting.
4
What a
surprise!
THEY WERE as alike as two peas
in a pod. They could only have
been twins. Their almond shaped
eyes were like liquid brown pools
and seemed deep enough in which
to swim.
Long curved lashes fluttered
suggestively below pale blue
mascara, cunningly applied.
Vibrant red lipstick emphasised
exquisitely shaped lips. Sleek black
hair cascaded like silken waterfalls
to wasp-like waists.
Their long ankle-length silk
skirts were split tantalisingly high to
reveal sensuous thighs – and
red-tipped toes peeped shyly from
their sparkling sequined sandals.
We had all arrived early and
eagerly at the Malcolm Club to get
a good seat to watch the cabaret.
The Juke Box had been unplugged
and all the other entertainers had
done their turns and departed and
this was the final act.
A collective gasp had escaped
from the gathering as the two
dancers made their dramatic
entrance.
We were then treated to the
ultimate erotic and exotic sensual
gyrations of these two young
supple bodies.
Catcalls and whistles rang out
and our eyes followed every
sylph-like movement as the
musical beat increased in both
tempo and volume, rising to a
resounding crescendo as the
dancers completed their final sexy
flourish and bowed their heads low.
Nothing could have prepared
the applauding audience for what
followed. Slowly raising their heads
and, with a pair of cheeky grins
and a final flourish, they took off
their flowing wigs. There before the
stunned assembly stood the
objects of our lust – two young
teenaged boys in drag . . . what an
embarrassment!
Red faces all around. I
surreptitiously crept away like a
worshipper leaving church early.
Keith Armitage (M1845)
December 2015
Postcards from the past
Compiled by Mike James
My thanks to members who have forwarded old postcards for publication.
I currently have quite a stock – enough for several future Newsletters.
Bedok Beach, Singapore, in the 1950s. Courtesy of Fred (John) Irwin (M2007).
Snake charmers, Singapore, 1950s. Courtesy of Peter Chubb.
December 2015
5
Changi-ite Newsletter
The Changi Village that I loved
By Alexander Varghis
■ ONE of the places that I will
always have a place in my heart for
is the Changi Village that had
occupied the many weekends of my
early childhood.
It was a place that, like much of
the Singapore I had developed a
fondness for in my childhood, exists
only in the memories of those who
had known it as it had once been.
It was a place which offered an
escape from the hustle and bustle of
the expanding city, a world set apart
somehow from the rest of Singapore
with a laid back attitude and a sense
of calm which was disappearing from
much of the rest of Singapore. e
main street of the village was lined
with the two distinctive rows of
mainly zinc-topped wooden shops,
almost like a scene perhaps from the
Wild West, offering more than an
escape to some such as my mother,
who often enjoyed a lazy Sunday
afternoon stroll trawling through the
often colourful displays of goods at
the front of the shops before heading
to the beach to bathe in the cool
evening breeze. For many, there was
the draw of chilling-out after the
exertions of the beach, not so much
in Wild West styled saloons we might
have imagined were there, but in the
many chilling-out spots such as
Millie’s Coffee House, a household
name in Changi Village in those days.
It would probably be hard to
visualise how Changi Village might
once have been without photographs
that exist, and what we do see of the
remake of the village that (if we ignore
the weekend crowds), still offers an
escape from the concrete jungle that
Singapore has become; it bears little
resemblance to that old laid-back
village. Now, four low-rise blocks of
HDB flats that replaced the wooden
shacks in the mid-1970s dominate
the village.
Despite the more urban feel that
Changi Village now exudes, it is still
for many, a place to chill-out, with the
many food and beverage outlets and
the ever-popular hawker centre a big
draw. ere are also those little
Changi-ite Newsletter
How Changi Village looked before the four low-rise HDB blocks of flats replaced the two rows of
mainly zinc-roofed wooden shop houses.
reminders of the good old days when
the village was a hub of activity, being
a destination for the many RAF
servicemen and their families
stationed at the airbase in Changi.
Some of the shops that had existed
then are still present in one form or
another.
Shop in Changi Village shop c.1972
(photo: courtesy of Derek Tait)
ere are also similar shops that
existed as before, offering supplies for
the beach or for a spot of fishing, set
amongst the new world shops such as
the convenience stores that are more
commonly seen these days, and the
sight of inflatable floats and toys
colouring the shop fronts, much as
they did in the days gone by, still greet
the visitor today.
e memories that I have of the
village come from my frequent trips
there with my parents, and besides the
lazy Sunday afternoon strolls, there
6
were also many stopovers to pick up
supplies for a beach picnic or the odd
butterfly net with which we could
harvest the fruits of the sea that the
seaweed, sea cucumber and starfish
decorated sandy seabed offered those
who did not mind walking with a
soggy pair of sneakers. On several
occasions, trips there would have been
on the excursions from the holiday
bungalows that my parents often
stayed at during the school holidays at
Mata Ikan and Tanah Merah before
the idyllic coastline they were set in
was lost to land reclamation that
allowed Changi Airport to be built.
ere are still some of the
souvenirs of the strolls, which, in the
form of the photo albums that hold
some memories of not just my days in
the idyllic coastline, but also of much
of my childhood, are some of my
most treasured possessions.
One of the shops that I remember
– possibly for the unusual name it
had, was a shop named L Gee Lak; as
kids, some of the children of my
parents’ friends (with whom we
sometimes went on picnics) and I
would often poke fun at the name,
referring to the shop as ‘Lembu Gila’
(Malay for ‘Mad Cow’).
I have one particular memory of
sitting in the back seat of a yellow
Saab 96 that one of the parents
owned, which was parked right in
December 2015
front of the shop, and laughing along
to the chorus of ‘Lembu Gila’ that
rang out from my companions seated
beside me.
ere were also quite a number of
shops that offered tailoring services as
well; there would have been a big
demand for such from the members
of the British Forces that frequented
the village – and one that I remember
with a signboard that read ‘Singh
Tailor’ and at the bottom of the
signboard, there were the words
‘Proprietor: Baboo Singh’. e tailor
shop later moved into one of the shop
units at the foot of the HDB flats just
opposite the popular Changi Village
hawker, with a signboard that till
today still reads ‘Singh Tailor’ but
with the words ‘Proprietor: Baboo
Singh’ removed.
Another thing that gave the village
of old its distinct character were some
of the older buildings around – the
Changi Cinema, a 500-seat old-style
village cinema which stood at the site
of the present bus terminus.
Another was the old police station,
at the junction of Lorong Bekukong
and what was Upper Changi Road,
one that had a distinct country
Changi Cinema, which stood at the site of the current bus terminus, c.1972. (photo: Derek Tait)
flavour which served as a gateway to
another world that lay to the north of
the village – an exclusive area where
senior civil servants holidayed and
which would have only been
accessible with a visit to the station,
where one could get a pass to enter
the restricted area by sitting across a
wooden counter or desk from a police
officer to whom the identity card of
the person intending to make that
visit would have to be surrendered.
What lay beyond a fence that
restricted access across Netheravon
Road was certainly another world,
maybe not quite the fairy land that
the names of one of the places within
the area, Fairy Point, would suggest,
but one that was a wonderful world
and one I will never forget.
Alexander
Varghis,
whose father
was a civilian
at Changi, now
works in
Dubai. He has
many happy
childhood
memories of
Changi Village
and is in
contact with
our Press
Officer Brian
Lloyd.
He wanted to
share these
descriptive
reminiscences
with
Association
members.
Today dominated by four low-rise HDB blocks that came up in the later part of the 1970s,
replacing the wooden shacks that were demolished in 1973.
December 2015
7
Changi-ite Newsletter
The Moxey “Murals” - off the wall!
Changi Milk Bar
This delightful restaurant
with its air conditioning and
contemporary outlook, is
regularly frequented by the
three-meals-a-day service
personnel. The neat black wire
chairs, upholstered in deep red,
are set in fours around a table
bedecked with a white
tablecloth, making an attractive
sight against the decor of the
ceiling and walls. The food is of
the same estimable quality. The
large selection of foods reflects
the tastes of many, but Chinese
food occupies only a small
section of the menu. For a good,
satisfying meal, “tiffin” fulfils
the demand, the dover sole being
the more appetising portion of
the meal.
Penang Hill
The ascent is via the
funicular with a change of
carriage half-way up, the
height being 2,300 feet
with gradients of 1 in 1.96
and 1 in 1.93. Two cars
operate on the first leg
and cross over on the
single track by means of a
double line section. The
top affords a magnificent
view, majestically skirted
in the distance by the
Federation mainland.
A post office, restaurant,
and private residence
adorn the summit. The cool
air offers pleasant relief
from the humid
atmosphere below.
Changi-ite Newsletter
8
December 2015
Searchline
(Please respond directly to Brian)
No. 59
Compiled by Brian Lloyd
1. EDWARD LILLIE, F/S, 60/63, Airframe or Air
WRAF. NB from BWL. See Newsletter number
Engine mechanic. Any memories? Family
three, Spring 1997.
enquiry, went to New Zealand with large family.
7. Group Captain AFAF (Francis) Britton. Had
2. MARGARET WILSON, m/n PEARCE, 60/61
an American wife, 50/52. Any memories or
Typist HQ FEAF. Was cashier at Astra. Any
contact info. Wife has written a book about
memories of Margaret or any interesting
‘Life at Changi’. Quote this item to me.
stories or memories about the Astra other than
8. ANTHONY PAPPIN, M1342, 46/7. Clerk GD.
the FFI film and the late Tony Bullock who set
Now aged 90 years. Does anyone remember
up the interior in the forties.
Anthony? He was very tall and was always
3. W.O. MILLS, Administration, 58/9. Do you
automatically the WO’s number one flight
remember him? Daughter who attended
marker.
Changi Grammar school enquiring about her
9. SGT JOHN (Paddy) SEAN GANNON, Circa
father’s colleagues or members’ children who
Sixties at Changi. Worked on ‘V’ Bomber
went to school with her, class 5(A). Daughter
Fleet. Involved in Golf and Tug of War. Now
Patricia, was head girl with head boy David
deceased. Any memories for family.
Wright.
10. CHANGI SIGNALS 1958/9. Member TONY
4. BPO, 1946. Did you know member M2375
(TIM) HOLT, M2048, GWF, enquiring to see if
Margaret Ware, (m/n) Cpl/Sgt. now ‘Midge’
any faces recognised in the picture below of
Skene. Theatre Club, table tennis and lawn
trades GWF and GWM, which was taken at
tennis. Sailed from Ceylon with invasion flotilla.
MT section preparing Radio Vehicles for Riot
When the shipped docked at Singapore there
Drill exercise at Payar Lebar. Front row: far left
were Japanese POWs on the dockside to
Tony Holt, third left Taff Stevens. Top row: left
greet them. Margaret took part in a drama
Frank (surname unknown) and ‘Ginge’
event in the Astra in 1946 entitled “Petticoat
Parker.
Influence”. We have names of cast and back
room support group. If you were at Changi in
1946 did you see this play and remember any
names? ‘Midge’ took part, and at the time was
in the BPO section. The cast were known as
The Astra Players. Margaret’s (Midge) full
story for the whole of her tour in 1946 can be
found on our website. Go to website, then go
to “Memories”, click “Margaret ‘Midge’ Skene”
and scroll down - it makes interesting reading
about those early days of Changi, when in
later years we ‘had it so good’.
5. FOOTBALL, 65/8, Robin Philip, Pay Accounts.
Played football for Changi and RAF Singapore.
Any memories or pictures of the team at that
time.
11. CPL WRAF COSTELLO, 53 /55. Does anyone
remember her or know her current location?
6. WAAF and WRAF. Did you know WAAF
Requested by Member ROSALITA HART,
became WRAF in 1949? Do not make the
M0423, from ATC Changi and JATCC Kallang.
mistake of addressing a genuine WAAF as a
December 2015
9
Changi-ite Newsletter
Hastings VIP tour 1966
An account of a VIP tour in 1966 taking the Air Commander
of the Far East Air Force to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
■ ON October 27th 1966, a
Hastings aircraft left Changi, taking
the FEAF Air Commander on a VIP
tour to Australia, New Zealand and
Fiji. In case any problems were
encountered it was decided to send
a second aircraft. Ours was the
back-up plane – WJ325. e
captain was Flt. Lt. Poole and I was
the Flight Engineer.
We left for Darwin, a flight of 8hrs
30mins, and on landing taxied to the
RAAF base on the other side of the
airport.
While checking the aircraft I
discovered an oil leak under the
starboard wing; this was cleaned up
but after checking all the tanks no
difference in oil consumption was
apparent, so I decided to check again
at the end of the next flight.
October 28th: We took off from
Darwin destined for Sydney. It was
not a particularly pleasant journey
since the Hastings, being an
unpressurised aircraft, had to fly at
8000ft. across mostly desert country
which was very turbulent and hot.
We arrived in Sydney to a VIP
reception, much to the captain’s
embarrassment, as we were only the
back-up and not the real thing.
e oil leak was not so bad and
soon cleaned up.
e next day I went down to the
airport for a quick look around the
aircraft ready for the next flight. e
VIP aircraft had a small crew
restroom with a urinal attached to the
wall. For some reason I decided to
look under the floor area and
discovered that the tube from the
urinal was badly corroded and almost
non-existent, which meant the all the
urine was going down inside the
aircraft and soaking the sound
proofing. I scrounged a bucket of
diluted alkaline and a length of
15mm. hosepipe from the battery
room, poured the alkaline down the
urinal, fitted the new hosepipe and
replaced the corroded section.
Changi-ite Newsletter
Stephen March
By Gordon March (M2194)
Flight Engineer, F.E.C. Sqdn.
e other aircraft started its tour
of Australia while we enjoyed a long
stopover in Sydney.
November 4th: Our next
destination was the RNZAF base at
Whenuapai in the North Island of
New Zealand, a flight time of 5hrs
10mins. We had a day off here and
went to a nightclub in Auckland in
the evening.
November 6th: Next destination
was Ohakia, but the other aircraft had
developed an engine fault so we took
over the lead aircraft role with the Air
Commander on board. It took little
more than an hour to Ohakia, which
had a large RNZAF aircraft museum
nearby.
November 7th: A quick stop and
we were on our way to Wellington;
most of the towns in New Zealand are
not much more than an hour apart.
While in Wellington we had a ‘strong
wind’ warning and I went down to
the airport to turn the aircraft into the
wind.
November 8th: Our next stop was
Christchurch, down in the South
Island. During our stopover the crew
was invited out to lunch by one of the
local families. It was wonderful, never
seen such a collection of fruit
accompanied by delicious cream.
November 9th: Onward, down
south to Dunedin. is was only a
quick break, then back to
Christchurch for a night stop.
November
10th:
Back
to
Wellington via Ohakia. While there I
discovered that the rudder spring tab
was damaged – a split in the skin.
Another repair job. I drilled two small
holes at the end of the split and
removed the damaged skin, covering
up the repair with tape which was
doped over.
November 14th: After a break we
returned to the RNZAF Base at
Whenuapai. In the afternoon we flew
on to Fiji where the Air Marshal was
due to meet the Governor. e airport
at Nausori was very small, I had to go
down town to Suva to purchase some
oil for the aircraft, none of the correct
specification being available at the
airport.
November 16th: Onward to Port
Moresby in Papua New Guinea. A
night stop here then back to Changi
via Darwin.
A successful tour despite the odd
problems. e Hastings was a very
old aircraft and needed a lot of work
to keep it going, but that’s part of the
job of a Flight Engineer.
KJ333 – a Hastings VIP aircraft of Far East Command at Sandakan, North Borneo, in 1964. (M. Pattison)
10
December 2015
Hotel Information
Royal Air Force Changi Association
including HQ FEAF
Tillington Hall Hotel
Eccleshall Road
Stafford
Staffordshire
ST16 1JJ
●
●
●
●
●
91 Bedrooms
Restaurant
Lounge Bar
Private Function Room
On site car parking for
about 100 cars
All rooms have en suite
bathroom, TV, tea and coffee
making facilities, telephone,
hairdryer, wi-fi access
3✰ Best Western
Tillington Hall Hotel
Stafford
Tillington Hall is a recently-decorated and updated family
friendly hotel with 91 beautifully appointed bedrooms, stylish
restaurant, coffee lounge and lounge bar. Centrally located and
with excellent road and rail links, we are the ideal venue for both
business and leisure activities, with many major visitor attractions
within easy reach. Ample free parking is available on-site. Our
excellent restaurant offers an impressive range of skilfully
prepared dishes in a comfortable and stylish environment, while
casual lunches and light snacks are in our inviting and relaxing
coffee lounge.
RAF Changi Association Renunion – Friday 6th to Monday 9th May 2016
Isle of Wight Tours Ltd., 3 New Road, Lake, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 9JN
Phone: 01983 405116 • Fax: 01983 405584 • email: enquiries@iowtours.com
All information is for guidance only and details are subject to change without notice
RAF Changi Association Reunion 2016
Booking Form
To be held at the
Tillington Hall Hotel
A non-refundable
deposit of £10 per
person is required with
this booking form.
❊
Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16 1JJ
Friday 6th May to Monday 9th May 2016
Price includes:
1, 2 or 3 nights’ half-board accommodation
Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast and private Gala Dinner, Sunday breakfast and
Monday breakfast. All dinners have a choice of menu.
Those choosing the 2-night package leave after breakfast on Sunday.
Those booking 1 night receive Gala Dinner on Saturday plus Sunday breakfast.
Saturday Gala Dinner has a choice of menu with a pre-dinner wine reception.
All evening meals served to the table and in a private room for RAF Changi
members. Reunion bar deal all weekend. No single room supplement (limited).
Gala Night Dinner only £39
1 night package £95 per person
2 nights’ package £146 per person
3 nights’ package £181 per person
Travel Insurance
We recommend that
travel insurance is
taken. IoW Tours can
arrange this for you.
Phone for details.
❊
I enclose a deposit or
full payment* of
£...........................................
for .................... persons
(*delete as applicable)
or
Debit my
Access/Visa/
Switch/Delta
Account Card Number
❏ Saturday night only ❏
Friday to Sunday (2 nights) ❏ Friday to Monday (3 nights) ❏
Please book: Gala Dinner only
Saturday optional excursion to Severn Valley Railway including a freedom
of the line ticket £21 per person (includes entrance fees)
.................................................
❏
❏
(Please tick)
Switch/Delta only
Issue Number
Personal details
.................................................
Sunday afternoon optional excursion to RAF Cosford £8 per person
Name ....................................................................................... Membership No. ................................
Valid from date:
Address ...........................................................................................................................................................
.................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................
Post code.......................... Telephone (inc. dialling code) .....................................................
Expiry date:
Email address .............................................................................................................................................
.................................................
Names of other persons (with membership number if applicable) included
Signature
on this booking form...............................................................................................................................
.................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................
❏
❏
❏
❏
Number of persons
Rooms required: Double
Twin
Single
(While every effort will be made to accommodate all special requests, this will be done on a
first come first served basis and not guaranteed. Some disabled rooms are available.)
Special requirements (i.e. diet/walking difficulties) .............................................
All prices are inclusive of VAT @ 20%. Cheques to be made payable to IoW Tours Ltd.
Please return this form with your remittance to: Isle of Wight Tours Ltd., 3 New Road, Lake,
Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 9JN. Telephone (01983) 405116 • Fax (01983) 405584
Cardholder’s Name
.................................................
Security Number
.................................................
Royal Air Force Changi Association
Including HQ FEAF
Friday 6th May to Monday 9th May 2016
Tillington Hall Hotel, Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16 1JJ
Friday
1500-1600
Arrive by car, taxi, train, etc. at the hotel where the accommodation has already
been prepared for your arrival. All accommodation has en suite facilities, colour
TV and tea and coffee making facilities. Separate check in for all RAF Changi
members in the foyer. Dinner has been arranged for your party in the Garden
Suite at 1900. Rest of the evening socialising in general.
Reunion bar prices apply in the Garden Suite bar on selected drinks.
Saturday 0800-1000
Breakfast in the Restaurant.
Coaches leave for the trip for those who have booked to the Severn Valley Railway
where you will be given a freedom of the line ticket so you can ride on the trains
at your leisure
Coach returns to the hotel.
Wine reception in the Garden Suite.
Gala Dinner in the Garden Suite and socialising in general.
Reunion bar prices apply on selected drinks in the Garden Suite Bar.
1000
1630
1830
1900
Sunday
0800-1000
1030
1215
1630
1200-1400
1900
Monday 0730-0930
Breakfast in the Restaurant.
Annual General Meeting in the Garden Suite.
Departure of the 2-night guests. Please vacate your room by 1100.
Coach departs for an afternoon trip to RAF Cosford for those who have booked.
Coach returns to the hotel.
Or
At leisure to enjoy the town and surrounding area or enjoy a drink in the bar.
Bar snacks available from the Residents’ Bar.
Dinner in the Garden Suite.
Rest of the evening socialising in general.
Breakfast in the Restaurant and depart after a wonderful weekend.
Please vacate your room by 1100.
BOOKING CONDITIONS
Payment of Deposit
A deposit must be paid to secure any booking. This is
due six weeks after written confirmation of the holiday.
Deposits are not refundable, but the loss of a deposit
may be covered by your holiday insurance. The amount
of deposit is quoted per person and is dependent upon
the duration and destination of the holiday as follows:
UK – up to 4 days
UK – 5 days
UK – up to 8 days
Jersey, Ireland and Europe
£10
£20
£30
£50
Payment of Balance
The full balance of your holiday must be paid at least two
months prior to commencement of the holiday (three
months for holidays in Jersey, Ireland and Europe). If
the booking is made after these dates, full payment is
required at the time of booking.
Payment
Payment can be made by cheque payable to IoW Tours
Ltd. All cheques should have the Organiser Reference
Number noted on the reverse to aid identification.
Payment may also be made by credit card (a commission
charge may be payable). Payment may also be made at
any branch of NatWest.
Trust Fund
A Trust Fund is operated in accordance with the
European Community Directive 90/314/EC. All
customers’ receipts are safeguarded until their return
from holiday.
Holiday Insurance
IoW Tours Ltd is an Appointed Representative of ITC
Compliance Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the
Financial Services Authority. Holiday Insurance is
optional, but strongly recommended. IoW Tours Ltd
cannot accept any responsibilty for any loss that would
normally be covered by insurance. We can provide
comprehensive travel insurance at competitive rates.
Details are enclosed.
Change of Booking/Minimum Numbers
All holidays offered are subject to hotel and holiday
centre availability. Any changes to the original booking
will be notified to you in writing. We reserve the right to
cancel any tour that does not reach the required
numbers. However, we will make every attempt to offer
an alternative holiday.
Travel Discounts
If you are part of a group holiday that includes coach
travel, there is no discount available for making your own
way, unless prior arrangements have been agreed with
the Company.
Cancellations
You or any member of your party may at any time cancel
your booking by giving written instructions to notify us of
your intentions. The organiser or the person who signed
the original booking form must sign the letter of
cancellation. The effective date of the cancellation is the
date we receive written instructions. A cancellation
charge will be made dependent upon the amount of
notice given prior to the commancement date of the
holiday as follows:
Notice Given
14 days or less
15-27 days
28-42 days
More than 42 days
Cancellation Charge
100% of holiday cost
50% of holiday cost
30% of holiday cost
Deposit only
Please note that some or all of these charges may be
recovered through your holiday insurance dependent on
the reason for the cancellation.
Special Events
Terms and conditions for Special Events Breaks may be
different but will be provided with that particular Booking
Form.
Other Terms
Travel documents detailing pick-up arrangements will be
sent to you prior to your departure. It is your responsibility
to be at the correct coach pick-up point at the correct
time. We cannot accept any liability for losses or
expenses if you fail to meet the published arrangements.
We reserve the right to refuse a booking or terminate a
holiday due to unreasonable behaviour. In this instance,
full cancellation charges will apply and we will be under
no obligation to make a refund or pay compensation for
any losses incurred.
Smoking and consumption of alcohol is not permitted on
any coach hired by us to convey passengers.
Complaints
We hope that you will not find any reason for complaint
with our holidays. However, if you do have a problem the
first course of action would be to discuss it with the
coach driver or courier or directly with the
accommodation provider. Should the matter be
unresolved please phone IoW Tours as soon as possible
to enable us to attempt to resolve the problem. Should
the problem remain unresolved, please write explaining
the details to IoW Tours Ltd within 28 days of your return
from holiday.
Value Added Tax
VAT is included in the price of your holiday at the current
rate. Should the rate of VAT change, we reserve the right
to adjust our prices accordingly.
Local Mini Reunion Reports
Calne, Wiltshire
The Bremhill Social Club,
Bremhill, Calne, SN11 9EE
Friday, 10th July
Since the last issue of the Changi-ite we have
had four local reunions. The first of these was on
Friday, 10th July, at a new venue – Calne in
Wiltshire – a location well known to those of us
who did our trade training at Compton Bassett or
Yatesbury. About 30 members plus their guests
attended this very successful gathering, which was
arranged by Geoff Eatwell.
Romsey, Hampshire
The Royal British Legion Club,
Love Lane, Romsey
Friday, 11th September
The second of our reunions was the most
popular, as it always is. This was at Romsey on
Friday, 11th September, and was attended by nearly
40 members along with their guests. Anne Moore
was our local member who made all the
arrangements.
December 2015
11
Changi-ite Newsletter
Local Mini Reunion Reports
Hertfordshire
(Kings Langley Cricket Club)
Saturday, 3rd October
The Chairman welcomed 30 members, wives,
partners and friends and updated them on future
events, including the next Far East trip when a
party of eight will be travelling to Singapore and
Penang. Two new members present asked for
details and have since decided to bring the party
up to ten.
A full set of albums from the archives were
made available and were viewed by many of those
present.
Food and refreshments were provided by
Margaret, the chairman’s wife, and met with the
approval of all present.
Essex
(The 2004 Ltd Club)
Friday, 23rd October
Our last event of the year was held for the second
time in Hornchurch.
Local member Len Daniels made all the
arrangements and 15 members attended with their
guests.
Changi-ite Newsletter
12
December 2015
A trip down
with your letters and photos to Changi-ite
We welcome your letters, whether they express concern, offer advice,
present constructive criticism, or just recall happy memories or events from
Changi days. Please send your contributions to changi-ite@outlook.com
and include your name and membership number.
I WAS interested in the article about
the 1954 Parachute School in Issue
No. 57 of Changi-ite; I remember it
well!
I was stunned to see myself on the
photograph. Ray Hamps is to the
right of me and Pete Seddon on my
left. I’ve not forgotten the training.
ere was a fuselage with a wire for
the ‘D’ clips and we practised exiting;
shuffle with the left foot forward and
the right hand clasped to the right leg
and the left hand clasped to the right
wrist. At the door we put the left
hand above the door and when the
green light came on you smacked it
on the wrist and stepped out.
ere was a steel gantry with a
parachute harness suspended in the
middle which was pulled over to you
as you practised landings. I don’t
know how high it was but the mat
looked an awfully long way down.
I hadn’t realised that RAF aircrew
were not trained to use parachutes. Of
course it will now be ejector seats. In
the event of being blown out to sea,
it was difficult to estimate sea level
and we had to judge when it was
appropriate to release the big central
brass button to be free of the
parachute.
December 2015
When we finally flew from
Changi, I can remember stepping out
of the plane, the tail passing over me
and the sudden summer silence as the
plane circled. ere are 14 people in
the published photo but only ten on
mine (below). Ray Hamps must have
taken it because he isn’t in the picture.
Ray was my best mate but I have
no idea where he is today - or whether
he is still alive.
Mike Scully (M2355)
WITH reference to the picture of the
FEAF Accounts cricket team on page
14 of Newsletter No. 57, the
cricketers were: Standing (from left),
Bill Cheeseman (umpire), Jack
Davenport, Ron Hancocks, Tommy
ompson (deceased), Jack Sample,
Ken Evens and Leslie Rush (umpire,
now deceased). Front row: Don
Medhurst, Leslie Bradbrook, Pete
Beard (skipper), Bob Read (was a
Lancashire League player), Terry
Tilley and Mike Hytch (M1186 –
wrong number in the magazine).
Incidentally, the match was drawn.
Ken Evens and I are still in touch.
Some more sporting information:
we had an inter-camp table tennis
13
tournament in 1952, between Seletar,
Tengah and Changi, who had A & B
teams. Changi A won and it was a
great day.
We also had a good organiser of
matches and we played the Singapore
national team in 1952, and although
we lost every game we were not
disgraced. e Singapore team had
competed in the Swaythling Cup. We
had a wonderful two years’ National
Service. My wife and I have been on
holiday to Singapore five times, three
on the way to Australia, but the long
haul is a bit too much now.
Mike Hytch (M1186)
IN EARLY May 1955, myself and a
bunch of mates were sitting in the
Astra Cinema enjoying a Dean
Martin and Jerry Lewis comedy; we
watched anything in those days and
were regulars when the programmes
changed every few days.
Suddenly, on this particular night,
a notice was flashed on to the screen
informing all members of 19 Air
Formation Sigs to return to barracks
immediately. Catcalls and whistles of
derision came from the RAF
personnel in the audience.
Eventually we were all hurriedly
rushed into uniform and marched to
the armoury where sten guns and
rifles were issued, then marched to
the MT Square and allocated space in
a convoy of three-ton trucks.
It transpired that rioting had
broken out in the city and army
personnel were put on high alert. e
sun bounced up from the horizon at
its usual hour and we were still there!
We hadn’t moved an inch.
e lot of us tired and weary from
boredom and lack of sleep, and fed
up with listening to the incessant
croaking of the bullfrogs, and the dive
bombing of mosquitoes all night.
e trouble had started with a bus
Changi-ite Newsletter
workers’ strike, followed by other
militant factions crippling the city
and hordes of disaffected students
soon joined them. e hard-pressed
and undermanned police force had to
break up a crowd of about 2,000
using water cannon and tear gas.
e mobsters retaliated with
bottles and stones. Police cars and
other vehicles were overturned and set
alight, many people were seriously
injured, and there were a few
fatalities.
is culminated in all military
personnel on the island being
confined to their various barracks.
Married men with families, living in
rented accommodation outside camp,
also had to stay indoors. NAAFI vans
were then deployed to provide them
with the essentials at their doorsteps.
Eventually, I was one of the ‘lucky’
ones assigned to escort one such van
and, after an uneventful drive around
the rented quarters of service families,
we breathed a collective sigh of relief
and set off back to camp.
However, returning up Changi
Road we came across a rope stretched
across the road and, as we slowly
approached it, a barrage of stones and
bottles rained ferociously down on us.
Managing to escape unscathed was
down to the skill of our driver who,
after suddenly gathering his wits,
jammed the accelerator to the floor
and drove straight through the rope.
We were armed with sten guns but
I’ve no idea why as we would never
have been allowed to open fire on
civilians! Later we found the broken
remains of one of the bottles on the
floor of the jeep, it contained dregs of
the acid that it once contained.
Keith Armitage (M1845)
I ALWAYS look forward to the
Changi-ite newsletter and read it
cover-to-cover as soon as it arrives.
Issue 58 is, as usual, very interesting
and informative.
I am responding to Nick
Hodshon’s piece on page 11 and his
Jungle Survival Experience.
Every aspiring member of the
parachute rescue team had to take
part in an escape and evasion exercise,
the ‘enemy’ in my case being
Changi-ite Newsletter
members of the local armed forces. I
was also captured when only minutes
from safety and, along with another
‘prisoner’, we were very roughly
handled, stripped to our underpants
and bundled into what had been a
steel gun turret with a door, lockable
on the outside, and a slot where the
gun had been.
rough this slot cold water was
poured until we were thoroughly
soaked and the water getting higher
and higher until it was above our
knees.
After several hours we were
ordered out and taken to a room to be
interrogated by two male and two
female officers, immaculately dressed,
who were ranting and shouting and
extremely threatening.
Because I refused to give any
information I was handcuffed behind
my back and frog marched into a bare
cell, the door slammed and I was in
total darkness. I kept reminding
myself that this was only an exercise
but I was kept in that cell for seven
hours. e door was opened and my
clothes were flung in: I was ordered to
leave and when dressed I was escorted
from the compound.
I had to get a bus to Changi and
immediately reported my experience
to O i/c Rescue Team. who passed it
on to O i/c RAF Changi who passed
it on to the AOC. As a result, the local
Army was no longer used as the
‘enemy’.
On a lighter note, Nick was quite
correct when he reported that my
parachute descents were relatively
leisurely. My jumping partner was
John Horner, a well-built Remedial
Gymnast. I left the aircraft first, John
somewhat later so that we would
reach ground at the same time.
Peter Humphries (M340)
heat, and the men who had to remain
were tearing down timber from the
roof for fuel.
e toilets were out of action,
having frozen up. In the end, the
Medical Officer said he would not be
responsible for us and we were sent
home (in my case to a frozen home in
Wales).
is experience prompted me to
volunteer for the somewhat warmer
climate of Changi in Singapore – and
the following winter I was there!
While in Singapore, I went for a
few days’ leave to the Cameron
Highlands Leave Centre.
I took a train to Kuala Lumpur
and a gharry, travelling in the
mountains for several hours. But I
went missing from my unit for a
further three days and there were no
mobile phones in those days to warn
anyone. e delay was due to no
armed guard being available for the
train from Kuala Lumpur to
Singapore.
Although other people were
affected, I was the only one from Base
Accounts at Changi. ey were
certainly pleased to see me back in
one piece. I remained in Singapore for
13 months.
Vera Chard (M66)
I WANT to inform my dear friends
that I am still alive at 93 years of age.
I served in India as a convoy leader
for a period of nine months, driving
every kind of vehicle imaginable; if it
had wheels, I drove it! Bombay to
Calcutta in three weeks and then
three days back on the train. I visited
every city and military establishment.
I was transferred to Rangoon on
my own on the Nevasa, sailing from
Calcutta. I stayed in Rangoon for six
weeks before travelling, again on my
own, to Singapore four weeks before
I WAS at RAF Innsworth, Christmas 1945 on the Dunera,
Gloucestershire, in 1947 when we where I was stationed at Kallang
had a dreadful winter. Even the male Airport until Changi opened.
Appointed to be in charge of four
recruits in 6RC (6 Recruiting
Company) were sent home as they ambulances and a jeep, it meant that
were unable to drill on the square. As if any upper class officer needed
a clerk in Pay Accounts I had to transport I had to take them.
I had a rather nasty job when three
remain to send out money, etc.
Conditions were awful. We had no Japanese prisoners were operating a
coke for the stove, our only source of hot tar boiler to start to lay the first
14
December 2015
runway at what is now Changi
International Airport.
Suddenly the boiler bath opened
and covered them with boiling hot
tar. e first one died on the spot and
I took the other two in an ambulance
in which the second one died during
the journey and the third was almost
dead on arrival at the hospital.
I approached a Japanese officer
who bowed to me and saluted. I said:
“Come quickly, you may save him!”,
but I doubt very much whether he
did. I enjoyed a few nights in the
Happy World, next to Kallang.
A young Chinese lad asked me if
he could have a shower and I invited
him to use mine. On seeing his back,
I noticed it was covered in lash marks
and badly scarred.
I later discovered he had been
stealing food to take to our prisoners
in the infamous prison camp and they
had lashed him with a barbed wire
lash.
ere is so much to say and I will
write to you again. God bless you!
Joe Tyler (M320)
THE article Singapore 50 Years On
was very interesting, but what about
the Singapore riots in 1953 - and
possibly 1954?
I recall being dragged out of bed at
2am, issued with sten guns and rifles,
put on a truck and sent down to
patrol the docks. e Chinese in
particular were very anti-British.
Split into pairs, we were advised to
trust nobody. As we patrolled, it
became obvious that all the civilians
became very, very friendly. I wonder
why?
Eventually, the Army put up
banners advising the local population
to return to their homes or face the
consequences – a bayonet! is did
the trick, but we were not released
until midnight the following day.
After the riots the European
community treated all servicemen
very differently.
John Young (M62)
Editor’s comment: During its time as
a Crown Colony, Singapore experienced
riots at various times between 1950 and
1956. e article in question referred
specifically to the race riots of 1964
between the Chinese and Malays.
December 2015
cases it had gone to Flagstaff House
with the officers’. Consequently, I was
left with a pair of black shoes and
socks and a pair of shorts!
Fortunately, Roy had had the good
sense to pack an extra pair of slacks
and an old T-shirt and luckily we were
more or less the same body size. I
spent my first three days in Hong
Kong in a pair of grubby slacks and
an old T-shirt, but it was worth it, and
it didn’t stop us doing the town over!
It’s a time that has stayed with me and
become a treasured memory.
ere was was, however, one
set-back and that was the beds in
transit where we were billeted; they
were home to 10,000 bed bugs and in
the morning my back looked like
pink bubble wrap. I have never
experienced anything quite like it –
but even that didn’t stop us having a
great time.
When one is young nothing can
stop you in your tracks and I always
thank my lucky stars for getting me to
Changi.
David Wood (M2196)
I WAS interested to see a picture of
the Snake Temple in Penang
(Postcards, Issue No. 58), and enclose
a photograph of myself at the
entrance sometime in 1958.
Incidentally, if any of our members
are thinking about having their GSM
or PJM medals mounted, I can
recommend Worcestershire Medal
Service Ltd. eir address is:
56 Broad Street, Sidemoor,
Bromsgrove B61 8LL
Tel. 01527 835375
www.worcmedals.com
Ring for a quote, put them in a
jiffy bag, send them Recorded
Delivery and you get them back in
about a week. (It would make a very I WONDER if any other members
nice Christmas present.)
recall the occasion in 1958, when the
Allen Baggoley (M589) airmen’s mess was closed and dinner
was served as a hog roast on the beach
by the pagar swimming area.
MY name is David Wood,
Mike Smith (M1524)
Australasian Liaison Officer for
RAFCA, and I’m living in Sydney,
Australia. I worked in SASS at RAF
Changi from May 1956 to October
1957, some of the most wonderful
days of my life. While in Changi we
were always looking for what we
termed ‘gash trips’. My lucky day
arrived sometime in1957 when two of
us got a chance to go to Hong Kong
with the C-in-C in his Hastings
WJ326. Roy Clark and I were to go
as stewards, or air quartermasters; we
were given a pair of white overalls
which we donned over our shorts. We
had a great time serving food and
drinks to the air crew and the C-in-C
Copies of Air Commodore
and his staff. Before we left I had
Henry Probert’s book
purchased a new suit case (bad move),
“The History of Changi”
as when we arrived in Hong Kong,
are available at £5 per copy to
all the luggage was unloaded and
when I went to get my nice shiny
members and £8.50 to
case, it wasn’t there. Because it was
non-members
better looking than any of the officers’
Please submit any items
to be considered for
inclusion in
the Newsletter to
changi-ite@outlook.com
and please include your
membership number
15
Changi-ite Newsletter
Memories of Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore
■ JUST wondered whether any of
our members remember playing or
spectating at this venue. My
memories go back to 1956 when I
played there for the Station side.
ere wasn’t much of a crowd or
atmosphere at that game and I recall
every part of the woodwork in the
two small stands had been painted
white, which somehow gave one the
feel and appearance of a cricket
ground. I was told at the time that the
stadium dated back to 1929.
I subsequently re-visited the
ground immediately prior to the ’56
Melbourne Olympics when some of
the footballing nations competing in
Australia had a stop-over and played
against a Singapore Select team. I
remember one of these matches in
particular because it starred a friend
of mine from RAF Changi chosen to
captain the local side. His name was
John O’Neill. John was more than
just an outstanding player at Service
level: on his return to England a
number of Division One clubs were
waiting to offer him professional
terms. (e demands for his services
on the football field for representative
sides in the Far East were such that he
was issued with a 24-hour pass, which
included the rather bizarre condition
that the Royal Air Force held first call
on his services. Not surprisingly, it
was a condition that was never
enforced.)
e match in question was against
the USA and on this occasion the
floodlit ground was packed and the
atmosphere fully charged. e match
was in its closing stages at 2-2 when
Singapore were awarded a penalty and
John took the spot kick. He missed.
e ball twanged off the crossbar and
the game ended in a 2-2 draw.
Disappointing of course but no one
Changi-ite Newsletter
cared too much about the result
because it had been an exciting game.
No post-mortems or recriminations.
Don’t forget it was almost 60 years
ago when winning was not the sole
aim of playing!
Whenever I met up with John in
later years we often talked of football
in Singapore and, without any
prompting from me, he would
invariably mention that USA game
and the missed penalty.
In 1998 – some 42 years later – I
took it upon myself to apply some
belated therapy treatment. With John,
Norman ‘Wingco’ Webb and our
wives we returned on a nostalgic trip
to Singapore. Shortly after we arrived
I checked with our hotel that Jalan
Basar had not disappeared beneath
the concrete following the large-scale
rebuilding to which Singapore had
been subjected.
Nigel Springthorpe
(M677) Clerk 55/7
“Yes,” I was told, “it’s still there!”
Unaware of what I had planned, I
advised John that we were in for a day
of sightseeing and it would make
sense for us both to wear some casual
footwear like, say, trainers. We duly
arrived at the ground in mid-morning
and found a gate open. e white
paint had disappeared and given way
to rust. e field now surrounded on
three sides by high-rise blocks. We
walked out on to the pitch where
some youngsters were training at the
other end. We joined them –
explained about the penalty and asked
if they had a ball to spare. ey
obliged immediately. e guy in
charge explained that he was coaching
for ‘e Bobby Charlton School of
Football’.
We moved to the other
goalmouth, where the original penalty
had been taken. I put the ball on the
penalty spot and took my place
between the sticks. John had an
opportunity to re-write history. I was
now in the role of substitute for the
USA goalkeeper of ’56 and decided I
wouldn’t be too fussed about making
16
a save. I needn’t have bothered. e
ball was struck with venom and flew
low and hard into the bottom corner.
Perhaps this should be seen as
nothing more than a couple of silly
old buggers rolling back the years, but
I know that as the ball nestled in the
corner of the net it brought a smile to
both our faces. At this time John was
not in the best of health and I could
see that this had given him a real lift.
A moment to remember.
So what of Jalan Basar in 2015?
Well, it’s still there in the same place
and still called Jalan Besar Stadium,
although it’s since been treated to a
massive makeover. In 1999 rebuilding
began and it re-opened in 2003 with
an increased capacity of 8,000, with
seating for 6,000. Interestingly, the
position of the pitch has been retained
in the exact same position as the
previous stadium. In recent years it
has been the venue for friendly
matches between Singapore Select
and the visiting sides of Burnley and
Atletico Madrid.
Currently the ground is the home
of Singapore Lions, a local league
team whose games are shown live each
week on Starhub Cable TV. Close by,
now stands the much bigger National
Stadium, with a 55,000 capacity,
which was opened in 2014 and hosts
the major soccer games. Despite now
being dwarfed by the more imposing
new stadium, Jalan Besar is still
regarded by locals as the birthplace of
Singapore football. Happy days!
To close on a topical note, can I
whisper that in 2008 the stadium’s
pitch was relaid with an artificial
surface at a cost of 400,000 US
dollars. e cost was borne entirely by
FIFA!
Let’s leave it at that, shall we?
December 2015
My Singapore Car
From Peter Humphries (M340)
for the brutal treatment of Allied been removed and the walnut
POWs during the Japanese period, dashboard treated to show the grain.
had reverted to being a civilian prison But it was the work done on the
and the authorities operated several engine which really impressed.
It had been de-carbonised, the
workshops, making use of the wide
range of skills possessed by inmates at valves re-ground and re-seated. New
piston rings had been fitted, also new
the time.
ere were leather workers, gaskets, water and oil seals. e
carpenters, printers, etc., and car timing chain had been replaced, etc.
workers in almost all the trades. I As I read down the list I was seriously
spoke to the workshop manager and concerned about how much this was
said I would like a refurbishment of going to cost: the bottom line was
my car. Fortunately, this could be over the page and when I turned over
done, but it would take a month: not and saw the figure I was amazed to see
really a problem for me as my family an end amount of £31 15 shillings. I
was expecting treble that.
would not arrive for six weeks.
I drove to the prison, handed over
Happy Man
the keys and waited. Four weeks later
I drove away a happy man and
I received a call, went to the prison by
taxi and was taken to a compound used the car for the next two years and
five months without any major work
outside the wall.
Was that gleaming limousine my needed.
I sold it on for £40 and reckoned
car? What a transformation. e rust
had gone, the holes in the wings had that I had had good value motoring
disappeared, the chrome shone and during my tour in Singapore. I asked
my son, now aged 61, (then aged 7),
the body had been re-sprayed.
Japanese characters
if
he remembered the car. He recalled
e hydraulic jacks had been
e log book and owner’s manual serviced and inside, the leather seats that it had running boards, could
were still in the glove box and it had had been treated and trim replaced transport eight of his classmates and
been in Japanese hands during their where needed: the Japanese strip had that it had a “funny” smell!
occupation, the evidence being a
metal strip screwed to the dashboard
with a string of Japanese characters,
and two holes drilled in each wing
which presumably were where the
Japanese officer’s flag was fixed.
e first owner was Chinese,
registering the car in 1937, and then
requisitioned by the Japanese; but
there were no more entries in the log
book until 1947 when it was owned
by an Army officer. From then on it
was taken on by nine service people
who came and went, so I would
become the twelfth if I bought it.
We haggled a bit on the price and
eventually settled on £28. I was not
too happy about its looks, but I
The car illustrated (right) is not my car but one from the same assembly line: I am
grateful to Jon Bennett of “Jon’s Pics” for permission to use it.
discovered that Changi Jail, infamous
■ IN MARCH 1958, serving in the
RAF as a Warrant Officer, I was
posted to RAF Hospital Changi for
a full tour, working in the
Pathology Laboratory. I flew out,
but my family was sailing out in the
Troopship Nevasa, which would
arrive in two months.
I was allocated a hiring at Bedok,
some eight miles from Changi, so I
would need a car.
Meanwhile, I lived in the
Sergeants’ Mess and, in the car park
was a large saloon car, clearly pre-war,
which was for sale. I called the
number on the card, spoke to the
owner, met him at the car and went
for a test drive.
e engine was very quiet,
everything worked, there was a slight
oil leak but the bodywork and interior
were quite tatty. It turned out to be an
Austin 20/6 Mayfair, made in 1936
and with an interesting history.
December 2015
17
Changi-ite Newsletter
Forthcoming Events for your diary
April
Friday 8th
May
Friday 6th to
Monday 9th
Friday 6th
Saturday 7th
Sunday 8th
Monday 9th
11.30am
7.00pm
10.30am
KENT Informal Local Reunion
The Nevill Golf Club, Benhall Mill Road
Tunbridge Wells TN2 5JW
Local Member: Peter Mersh (Tel. 01892 862643)
Members in the area will be notified.
STAFFORD 20th Annual Reunion
Tillington Hall Hotel, Eccleshall Road,
Stafford ST16 1JJ
Arrivals
Gala Dinner
14th Annual General Meeting
Departures
OTHER EVENTS ARE BEING PLANNED. Not one in your Area! We need more local reunions.
So why not consider arranging one. Help from the committee and guidelines are available on request.
Malcolm Flack, our Membership Secretary, was one of put into operation by the organisers. One of the biggest
the Association’s team at the Shoreham Air Show on headaches was providing an alternate exit route for the
that fateful Saturday in August. He has submitted this vast volume of spectators and exhibitors.
At 1800 hours a major announcement summarised
short report for the Newsletter.
the whole situation and the cancellation of Sunday was
OUR team pitched the gazebo at Shoreham on Friday declared.
We closed down the stand (another great team effort)
evening ready for the Show on Saturday. Arrival on
Saturday morning was a bit hectic, having to negotiate to join the queue to exit the site via crossing the main
very heavy traffic, despite us having a separate entrance runway and through a ‘crash entrance/exit’, out on the
channel. Business started off quite briskly and then the A27 west of the airfield. Myself and my two WRAF’s
tragic event stunned all present. ere was an air of arrived back in Worthing around 2030hrs with John and
silence which went on for many hours, while the Tex back at Seaford slightly later.
Malcolm Flack (M119)
realisation of the scale was assessed and emergency plans
In response to Stuart Renshaw (M2369) Searchline No.
58, Item 2, RAF Detachment to Car Nicobar, Peter Mersh
(M1768) has made direct contact with Stuart and writes:
I was there as a Wireless Operator from 23 March to 1st July
1956 and probably sent many of Stuart’s met reports to overflying
aircraft.
Peter attached a few pictures, including the one of the hand-over
parade (left).
Left: Field Marshall
Montgomery, arriving at Changi
on his way to Australia after the
war in 1946.
✇
Right: Inspecting the
guard of honour.
Changi-ite Newsletter
18
December 2015
WELCOME ABOARD!
It is good to see that ex-Changi personnel are still joining us and we offer a sincere welcome to the
following new members who have joined the Association since 16 February 2015 up to 24 June 2015
Rank or
Mem. No. First Name Surname Maiden Name Service No. Father’s Rank
2364
David
Gant
2740503
LAC
2365
David
Bale
F4060427
Cpl/Flt Sgt
2366
Ronald
Watson
J5028604
Cpl
2367
Peter
Bishop
X4197177
Sgt
Trade
Sqdn/Section/School
Wireless Op.
Changi Signals
MT Fitter
MT/ Det. Labuan
Supplier 2
Arrival
August ’55 Nov. ’56
Block No.
144 (Top)
June ’58 March ’59
Supply Movements Dec. ’64
General Fitter Station Workshops
Departure
July ’58
July ’67
Dec. ’60 14 Wittering Rd.
2368
Paul
Edwards
P8071608
SAC
MT Driver
MT Section
2369
Stuart
Renshaw
2729206
SAC
Meteorologist
Met. Office
2370
Denis
Turner
Q1945142
SAC
Clerk Stats.
Scientific Advisers
Nov. ’66
May ’67
131
2371
Carol
Thorpe
Dempsey
K2844041
SAC(W)
PA to Gp Capt Smith
HQ FEAF
April ’68
Dec. ’70
117 (WRAF)
2372
Phyllis
Wilson
Pearce
2830550
SAC(W)
Typist
HQ FEAF
Jan. ’59
Dec. ’61
117 (WRAF)
2373
David
Bowen
4277594
Cpl
Supply/Air Mov.
A.M.S.A.
Jan. ’67
Oct. ’67
116 (Top)
512727
Flt Sgt
Admin
Feb. ’58
Dec. ’59
Lloyd Leas
449747
Cpl/Sgt (W)
Clerk G.D.
Base Personnel Office April ’46
Dec. ’46
2374
Patricia
Brain
Mills (daughter of
Charles Mills)
2375
Margaret
Skene
Ware
August ’70 Nov. ’71 116 (Above Mess)
Feb. ’55
June ’56 151 (grd) & 140
OBITUARIES
It is with deep regret that we report the deaths of the following members.
We offer our sincere condolences to their families and friends.
Mem.
No.
First Name
Surname
Rank at
Changi
Service No.
Trade
51
Leslie
Nichol
LAC
4040086
Air Wireless Mech
657
Alwyn
Slatcher
Cpl
B4144831
RAF Police
964
Kenneth
Mitchell
Sgt
3061401
1259
Alan
Dewar
LAC
1616
John
Dawson
1735
John
1828
Squadron/Section/
School
Arrival
Date
Departure
Deceased
Date
June ’53
Dec. ’53
May 2015
Main Guardroom
June ’60
June ’62
Aug. 2015
Radar Mechanic
48 Squadron
Jan. ’47
3055526
R/T Operator
SHQ Signals
April ’46
April ’47
May 2015
AC1
2366527
Air Radar Fitter
Wireless/Radar Section Sept. ’48
Oct. ’49
July 2015
Powell
Cpl
F4252350
Air Frame Fitter
Target Towing Flight Sept. ’67
Kenneth
Bevan
Cpl
E4169399
RAF Police
HQ P & SS (FEAF)
1983
Howard
Perry
Flt. Lt.
58560
Pilot
2286
John
Brett
LAC
2732816
Wireless Operator
March ’48 Sept. 2015
March ’70 May 2015
Aug. ’58
June ’68
July ’50
Aug. 2015
110 Squadron
Aug. ’55
June ’65
Feb. ’49
Comcen Changi
June ’55
June ’57
Oct. 2015
July 2015
Veterans’ Hip and Knee Replacements
David Haylock,
A service for military veterans to have their hip or knee
arthritis assessed and, if appropriate, have joint
replacement surgery has been launched. It is led by Lt.
ere is an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Col. Carl Meyer, Military Consultant Hip and Knee
programme based in Birmingham. e programme is Arthroplasty Surgeon at Oswestry Specialist Orthopaedic
offering men who are due to turn 65 a free scan, with Hospital. Lt. Col. Meyer is a regular serving officer, who
those over this age able to contact for an appointment. is Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon with 16 Medical
e scan allows a determination whether the person has Regiment, Colchester. e service is open to anyone who
an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a condition that has no has been in regular military service, INCLUDING
symptoms until it potentially ruptures, in which case National Service. It is based at the Robert Jones and Agnes
around 85 out of 100 people die as a result of the rupture. Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
e area covered is wide in the Midlands including (RJAH), Oswestry, Shropshire, a centre of orthopaedic
Birmingham, Sandwell, Solihull, Staffordshire, and excellence, specialising in lower limb replacement surgery.
To obtain an NHS referral please ask your GP to make
Burton-on-Trent. If you are interested in a potentially
life-saving screen, visit the National AAA screening a named referral to Lt. Col. Meyer at the Veterans’ Hip
and Knee Surgery Service in Oswestry.
website at www.aaa.screening.nhs.uk
the Association’s
Almoner, writes on . . .
December 2015
19
Changi-ite Newsletter
Royal Air Force Changi Association
Regalia Catalogue 2015
(Ver 3)
Members are reminded that a Regalia Catalogue is now available and can be sent free of
charge either by post or email (pdf format). e Association is able to order items on an
individual basis, such as clothing, for ladies and gentlemen, in several colours and sizes.
To obtain a catalogue, please contact:
Mrs D. P. James (Regalia Officer), 12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY
Telephone 01934 833170 or email raf-changi-assn@tiscali.co.uk
Changi-ite Newsletter
Back Issues
All editions of the Changi-ite Newsletter are available from Mike James
at 50p each, plus a donation for postage.
e first few editions are printed direct from a computer, but most are
printed copies. All issues from No. 1 to the latest edition are available.
To obtain back issues please state number(s) of edition(s) required.
Cheques should be made payable to “RAF Changi Association”.
Please contact:
Mike James, 12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY
Telephone 01934 833170 or email raf-changi-assn@tiscali.co.uk
RAF FEAF Tea Towel
e FEAF Tea Towel is a replica of a wall hanging which depicts conflicts between 1948 and 1966
which involved the Far East Air Force (FEAF) branch of the Royal Air Force in the three areas of
conflict, namely e Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), the Brunei Rebellion of 1962 and the
Indonesian Confrontation (1963-1966). e eight aircraft shown in silhouette around the FEAF
crest are typical of those employed in the transportation of troops and supplies to the various
theatres, some of which were also used to drop supplies, to broadcast voice messages and in the
distribution of leaflets over the jungles of Malaya and North Borneo. e aircraft, shown clockwise
from the top, are: Handley Page Hastings, Bristol Freighter, Bristol Britannia, Scottish Aviation Twin
Pioneer, Armstrong Whitworth Argosy, Vickers Valetta, Blackburn Beverley and Douglas Dakota.
e wall hanging was produced by Mrs Margaret Dicks and was presented to the Changi
Museum by the Royal Air Force Changi Association on the 17th February 2012.
Tea Towels are available at a cost of £4 from
Mrs D. P. James (Regalia Officer), 12 Shiners Elms, Yatton, Bristol BS49 4BY
Telephone 01934 833170 or email raf-changi-assn@tiscali.co.uk
Changi-ite Newsletter
20
December 2015