The au pair and a low-flying helicopter
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
. . . the staff, one of who(m) was chatting about how easy it was to get money out of the noise/low flying complaints system, saying that he'd put in a claim that his wife had spilt tea all over her dress and was therefore forced to by a new one due to the shock she'd had when an a/c flew low over their house! He'd been told to get a receipt, send it in and had had the claim re-imbursed. In his words "I told the wife not to go to M&S, but spend some serious money!".
That from someone who is supposedly RAF-orientated!
That from someone who is supposedly RAF-orientated!
around by the MOD he could see a way to his own back.
Now when that pair of Jaguars flew combat manoeuvres over my house for 20 minutes in 1979 . . . gave me real palpitations. Must be worth a claim now.
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Have and leak in your roof? Wait till the next helicopter comes past!
Originally Posted by Wg Cdr Trevor Field, an RAF spokesman
"We are not unsympathetic to the problems faced by Mrs Wallinger but the fact is she moved into a house that is directly under the designated flight path. There have been Chinooks at Odiham since 1982.
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A young lady friend I worked with had the same happen to her years ago. She lived within 2 miles of 40 Commando Royal Marines Camp Taunton.
She regularly was looked in on when sunbathing topless outside by helicopters from the camp. I think she was flattered as she never complained and continued to bronze herself.
She regularly was looked in on when sunbathing topless outside by helicopters from the camp. I think she was flattered as she never complained and continued to bronze herself.
Looking back at military damage to civilian property in the old days of RAF Germany and BAOR exercises were held in the projected area of operations. You looked at the map, decided where to camp out and flew in. Then you rearranged the site to suit yourself. The local populace had no say in it whatsoever.
Tanks were the worst. They used to charge through farmland crushing crops and fences to their hearts content. It was reckoned that they could more damage, in monetary terms, in a week, than they had during the whole of WW II. At ENDEX a civilian liaison officer would drive around with a big pile of money and settled up all the claims there and then.
On one exercise a tank drove into a hamlet, stopped outside the hostelry and the crew dismounted with the idea of imbibing in some liquid refreshment. They were refused. “No fudding Englischers here.” Somewhat miffed they climbed back into their tank, drove it up to the front of the building, stuffed the barrel through a window and loosed off a 105mm blank.
It had the desired effect, it completely totaled the bar. Half-a-dozen deaf, incoherent Germans staggered out from a carpet of glass and schnapps just in time to see the tank disappear round a corner.
They never did find out who did it but it was rumoured that the commander was a Hyde Park Lancer. Fortunately one of the customers had spilled the beans as to why the incident had happened so the inquiry was fairly informal. Meanwhile our liaison officer had fronted up the money to get the place rebuilt.
A year later it was exercise season again in the same area.. This time outside the bar was a big sign.
Der Englander Soldas ar Velcome
Tanks were the worst. They used to charge through farmland crushing crops and fences to their hearts content. It was reckoned that they could more damage, in monetary terms, in a week, than they had during the whole of WW II. At ENDEX a civilian liaison officer would drive around with a big pile of money and settled up all the claims there and then.
On one exercise a tank drove into a hamlet, stopped outside the hostelry and the crew dismounted with the idea of imbibing in some liquid refreshment. They were refused. “No fudding Englischers here.” Somewhat miffed they climbed back into their tank, drove it up to the front of the building, stuffed the barrel through a window and loosed off a 105mm blank.
It had the desired effect, it completely totaled the bar. Half-a-dozen deaf, incoherent Germans staggered out from a carpet of glass and schnapps just in time to see the tank disappear round a corner.
They never did find out who did it but it was rumoured that the commander was a Hyde Park Lancer. Fortunately one of the customers had spilled the beans as to why the incident had happened so the inquiry was fairly informal. Meanwhile our liaison officer had fronted up the money to get the place rebuilt.
A year later it was exercise season again in the same area.. This time outside the bar was a big sign.
Der Englander Soldas ar Velcome
I'm glad someone has mentioned that story, as I also heard it in RAFG some years ago.
Allegedly some German had said "Ve don't serve Englanders in this bar!"
After the tank had fired its blank, our Woopert reappeared and announced:
"You don't serve f*cking anyone in this bar now, do you Fritz?"
But being a Queens Own Chinless Pwancer, he did do the decent thing and pay for the damage!
Now that was style!
I also heard that, in the mid-50s, someone drove a tank quietly into the main street of some little German village at first light one sleepy Summer morning. Then fired a main armament blank.
"GOOD MORNING, LOSERS!" came a voice from a loudspeaker somewhere nearby.
In the '70s, several German farmers would actually quite welcome Woopert and Wodney wacing awound in their little tanks - the compensation was vastly better than their normal income. But the RAF, being slightly more politically correct than the dung eaters, found that the days of 'fishing' by lobbing a triple thunderflash into a dammed-up trout stream were long gone - the water baliff wished them well and told them that they could have their fish, but for Dm100- per fish!
Allegedly some German had said "Ve don't serve Englanders in this bar!"
After the tank had fired its blank, our Woopert reappeared and announced:
"You don't serve f*cking anyone in this bar now, do you Fritz?"
But being a Queens Own Chinless Pwancer, he did do the decent thing and pay for the damage!
Now that was style!
I also heard that, in the mid-50s, someone drove a tank quietly into the main street of some little German village at first light one sleepy Summer morning. Then fired a main armament blank.
"GOOD MORNING, LOSERS!" came a voice from a loudspeaker somewhere nearby.
In the '70s, several German farmers would actually quite welcome Woopert and Wodney wacing awound in their little tanks - the compensation was vastly better than their normal income. But the RAF, being slightly more politically correct than the dung eaters, found that the days of 'fishing' by lobbing a triple thunderflash into a dammed-up trout stream were long gone - the water baliff wished them well and told them that they could have their fish, but for Dm100- per fish!
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I remember there was a book which related all of the similar exploits of BAOR and a follow-up about the Falklands. Unfortunately they were lent out and never reappeared!
I wouldn't mind replacing them if anyone could remind me of the titles!
I wouldn't mind replacing them if anyone could remind me of the titles!
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Similar but roles reversed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/wo...394&ei=5087%0A
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/wo...394&ei=5087%0A
Under Siege, Blackwater Takes On Air of Bunker
By PAUL von ZIELBAUER and JAMES GLANZ
BAGHDAD, Oct. 24 — The Blackwater USA compound here is a fortress within a fortress. Surrounded by a 25-foot-high wall of concrete topped by a chain-link fence and razor wire, the compound sits deep inside the heavily defended Green Zone, its two points of entry guarded by Colombian Army veterans carrying shotguns and automatic rifles.
....
Inside the Blackwater camp, a crisp American flag is carefully raised and lowered each day in Baghdad’s dusty heat. In the closely stacked gray metal trailers that serve as living quarters, employees have 8-by-12-foot rooms and shared bathrooms. Recreation time is limited, and the employees eat among themselves. Many of the younger guards sunbathe on their trailer roofs — a few regularly did so in the nude, until female helicopter pilots flew overhead, saw them and complained.
.....
By PAUL von ZIELBAUER and JAMES GLANZ
BAGHDAD, Oct. 24 — The Blackwater USA compound here is a fortress within a fortress. Surrounded by a 25-foot-high wall of concrete topped by a chain-link fence and razor wire, the compound sits deep inside the heavily defended Green Zone, its two points of entry guarded by Colombian Army veterans carrying shotguns and automatic rifles.
....
Inside the Blackwater camp, a crisp American flag is carefully raised and lowered each day in Baghdad’s dusty heat. In the closely stacked gray metal trailers that serve as living quarters, employees have 8-by-12-foot rooms and shared bathrooms. Recreation time is limited, and the employees eat among themselves. Many of the younger guards sunbathe on their trailer roofs — a few regularly did so in the nude, until female helicopter pilots flew overhead, saw them and complained.
.....
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Sergeant Major titles x 2
11 copies of each available at www.abebooks.co.uk. Prices start at £9.70 for Don't Cry and about £3 Try not to to laugh.
