VoyForums
[ Show ]
Support VoyForums
[ Shrink ]
VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

Wed, Jan 07 2004, 0:55:28 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 9/06/11 22:36:02
Author: Eddie Kench
Subject: Re: RAF Katunayake, Negombo, Ceylon SASF
In reply to: John Cooper 's message, "RAF Katunayake, Negombo, Ceylon SASF" on 4/03/04 8:06:05

On arrival at the airfield in Ceylon (early 1955) we were bussed to Ngombo, a very pleasant place, lots of greenery, bright flowers and gardens, a comfortable cinema and NAAFI and great swimming pool complete with women. We disembarked at the transit billet and awaited a roll call to determine which billets we were to go to, and where we were to work. At first I thought we were being called in alphabetical order, then I decided it must be according to our service number order and finally in just any old order, but when they had all gone and the sergeant was about to put his pad away I began to feel very lonely. “Who the ell are you airman, and what the ell are you doin ere” asked the oh so polite sergeant. “2730532 AC Kench, Serge” I replied, “Well you’re not on my list so what the ell are you doin ere”. “I’ve been posted to the signals centre serge, look it says so on my kit bag” I said. “I don’t give a toss what it says on your bleedin kit bag you ain’t on my list”, pause “Wait there”, and he departed into a nearby office. After a while he returned and said “you’d better put your gear in transit and get yourself something to eat while we sort this out”. So off I went.
The transit billet was my first introduction to tropical living. A thatched roof with an open veranda all round, no windows only monsoon shutters, and a house boy to look after me. The corporal in charge was very strange. He was accomodated at one end of the transit billet, in a large room decorated with indian rugs hanging around the walls and on the floor. His mosquito net was trimmed with lace ribbon and there was delicate chinaware all around. Carved coffee tables and a radiogram together with leather pouffes and easy chairs completing the scene, very comfortable. I was later warned that he was as queer as a coot (Gay) but he made a good cup of tea and never bothered me.
After settling in and a good meal, I returned to the office to find out if they had any news. “There has been an almighty cock up mate, you shouldn’t be ere you should be at the Singapore Centre of Signals”. “Not your fault, you’d better wait in transit until we can get you a flight out”. Six weeks later there was a CO’s Inspection and I was very foolishly still in the hut. The CO asked me who I was and was not a little surprised when I told him. The following week I was on the HMT Orwell bound for Singapore Island, shame. I had not wasted my time in Ceylon, I was able to improve my swimming and got a good tan so that I would not be a moonie at my next camp. I had also been able to hire a bike and explore the beautiful island and made good friends with the lads in the signal centre and a couple of RAF policemen, always a help especially since both of them were to be posted to Singapore six months later.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> Re: RAF Katunayake, Negombo, Ceylon SASF -- Sean Boulton, 12/10/13 17:25:26

Just a quick note, just came across this forum again, that Tim Cavendish-Boulton passed on April 2nd, 2007. He loved his RAF days, and I still have his RAF tie.

Lots of love.

Regards,
Sean Cavendish-Boulton (son)

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Re: RAF Katunayake, Negombo, Ceylon SASF -- SYLVIA HAMBIDGE, 11/11/13 23:18:58

Sean,
if you would like to e-mail me I will dig out some photos of your Dad which you may not have. You may have a wait!
Best wishes,
Sylvia.

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]


[ Login ] Create Account Not required to post.
Post a public reply to this message | Go post a new public message
 Note: This forum is moderated -- new posts are not visible until approved.
* HTML allowed in marked fields.
Message subject (required):

Name (required):

  E-mail address (required):

* Type your message here:

Choose Message Icon: [ View Emoticons ]

Note: This forum is moderated -- new posts are not visible until approved.

Notice: Copies of your message may remain on this and other systems on internet. Please be respectful.

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT+0
VF Version: 3.00b, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2019 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.