Wigan Album

Hello Spanners,I went to Gib, but I thought it was'76,mind you the old memory is not what it was.It was in February and in January I broke three bones in my foot and had it in plaster.SSM Stevens told me I couldn't go because of the plaster 'cause they wouldn't let me fly.Ihad the plaster removed early Feb.,went to Gib and was excused parades etc all the time we were there.I also remember the Hercules we came home on.The original plane tried to take off three times and aborted due to a warning light saying a door wasn't closed properly,and if I remember correctly they had to send a plane fron RAF Lyneham to get us home.We should have taken off at 12.00.dinnertime on Sunday but ended up 12.00 midnight and getting into Ringway as it was called at about 05.30.I reached home about 07.30, got changed and went to work....Happy days but knackerin'.

Hi Les,

I always wandered why you were with the DS Staff and not on excercises with us. I remember when we did the beach landing and I got stuck half way up the cliff. You and a Green Jacket threw a rope down for me so I could clamber up.

Also at the flag lowering ceremony at Four corners guardroom, when the Green Jackets had crimped the toggle so I couldnt take the Union Jack off the rope. You marched over dead smart and cut the rope with a knife like a drill movement. It was all rather embarrassing with all the tourists watching. Happy times.

All the best
Spanners

ps. Do you still play Blue Bells are Blue on your guitar.

Hello spanners,Iknew it was your favourite tune, that's why I used to play it so much.....

I am the guy on the left as you look at the photo, Paul recently came back to Wigan for a visit and a bit of a reunion with a few of his old DLOY Comrades - my best mate Terry Malone sadly passed away far far to soon several years ago - the TA ‘shaped’ me so that I could become very successful in my career and life in general as a family man