Artificer Training Phase Two commenced after three weeks of leave following our passing out of basic training.
We had been given rail passes to the “ships” where we were to actually learn what our jobs were to be. My rail pass took me from the most easterly point in the UK to a town on the east coast of Scotland that was famous for smoked haddock and training Aircraft Artificers. I was to spend nearly 3 years at the concrete ship learning all the things we would need to be able to keep the front line strike aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm running smoothly and to continue training in discipline and teamwork.
Other duties consisted of main gate security and various other not so pleasant jobs. I quickly found a way around that, I joined the band. Band members were on “special duty” that meant only being in the band and travelling around performing in other “ships” and local festivals. Initially I was playing the triangle, yes it’s true but I soon found I had an aptitude for playing the drums and was soon “promoted” to side drummer.
The band was a great addition to my life in the FAA and had quite a few adventures performing around the country and on three occasions we actually appeared with the massed bands of the pipes and drums in Scotland, once at a highland games event, awesome!
Extensive schooling in the repair of airframes and engines was the order of the day and continued general education that led to a HNC (Higher National Certificate) Aeronautical Engineering. Still plenty of drill training, including the silent drill squad but managed to avoid that, band duties again! At one point I reached the dizzy heights of Drum Major in the band. Not adept at “tossing” the mace so did not try that whilst marching, dangerous to bystanders!
I was 16 and a few months when I had my first cigarette. Smoking seemed to be encouraged by the powers that be allowing us to buy 200 Blue Liners a month for about 5 shillings. (About 8 pounds in sterling terms today) I had originally sold them for about 5 times cost but then got hooked myself. They were phased out in the early seventies.
Blue Liners
Much the same with the rum ration available from the age of 18. Those that did not want it would trade their ration for switched duties or cash. It was “grog” for the junior ratings, a mixture of 1 part rum two parts water, quite disgusting. Senior ratings, Petty Officers and above were entitled to “Neaters”
““Neaters” were the undiluted rum served to the petty officers and above onboard ship; ratings (or regular sailors if you will), were served with a measure of rum famously known as the tot, which was a quantity of diluted rum mixed with water called grog, and if you don’t know the terms, well, brush up on your reading of rums.”
The Artificers at work!
