Royal Air Force
Administrative Apprentices Association

Multum A Parvo

Member Articles

Enjoy a selection of articles submitted either by, or on behalf of, our members. If you are an ex-RAF Administrative Apprentice, have served as a member of the RAF Administrative Apprentices training staff, are related to or have served with any ex-RAF Administrative Apprentices, you are welcome to submit an article for publication. To do so click the button below:

Submit An Article

Articles are required to be approved by our website manager before posting and those published will be catalogued by name of the contributor and their entry number if appropriate. They can be on any subject so if you have had an interesting experience either during or after your RAF Administrative Apprentice training or later as a civilian, we would be glad to hear from you.

Ewas Harold Incident – Grahame May (25th)

I was only half watching a TV programme quite recently called Escape to the Country when the above name was suddenly mentioned. I immediately took not ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Life So Far – John Berry (308th)

I joined as a Clerk Secretarial Administrative Apprentices at Hereford in 1967 and upon graduation I was posted to RAF Biggin Hill and then transferre ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Not Good Enough? – Grahame May (25th)

When my brother visited me in Wroughton Hospital in early June 1957 he told me he was considering leaving the RAF Education Branch and emigrating to t ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow” – Peter Culley (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

Pacemaker Saga – Grahame May (25th)

I was first fitted with a pacemaker in the middle of 2007 and never really worried about it until my 6th annual hospital check up in December 2013, wh ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Sqn Ldr Stanley Booker MBE – 55th (Ruislip) – Obituary – Daily Telegraph

  My grateful thanks to Garry Hoyland (Treasurer) for passing on the Obituary for Stanley Booker that recently appeared in the Daily Teleg ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Growing Wings – Grahame May (25th)

After the last school cricket match finished I had a discussion with the sports master (who had been PTI in the RAF) about my future. He had once put ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The School Cross Country Race 1953 – Grahame May (25th)

This annual 5 mile race was regarded as the highlight of the School sporting calendar and I was first able to take part in the 1952 event which was he ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Another Lousy Christmas – Grahame May (25th)

  Last year both the wife and I went down with Covid, despite having had all the jabs, and this year it was a flu like infection with plenty o ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Docking Lil – Barrie Loftus (41st)

  Over many years I have had the pleasure of reading the many perambulations of former Apprentices. Being ex-41st I was naturally particularly ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Never Go Back – Grahame May (25th)

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- by Alan Bell

Tale From a Village Graveyard – Peter Culley (29th)

(Something different. Written in 1972 when at S. Martin's College Lancaster. On a creative writing trip up Lune Valley, I walked round the ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

My Early Days as an Air Quartermaster (AQM) – Bob Danes (33rd)

  I had been an AQM on 511 Squadron Britannia’s for just short of three and half years when, completely out of the blue, I was posted to “ ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The More Things Change – Peter Culley (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

The Big Bust Up – Grahame May (25th)

A recent obituary notice in the local paper and a chance meeting with an ex- neighbour prompted me to recollect and recount , to the best of my failin ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Jet Age Museum Gloucester Big Band Event 2025

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- by Alan Bell

RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre – Research Facility – Barrie Loftus (41st)

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- by Alan Bell

Send In The Clowns – Peter Culley (29th)

  On 13 June 1944 the first of the infamous V1 rockets (the Doodlebugs) hit London to be followed on 8 September by the even more feared V2 ro ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Survival in the 21st Century – Peter Culley (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

January 1982. Minus 26 Degrees – Gate Guard Duty RAF Hereford – Tony Harte (Non Member)

Britain is in the grip of a vice-like winter not seen since 1963, with snow and ice squeezing the country’s tiny testes tightly. Before storms were ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

And All That Jazz – Roy Cleife (40th)

I was very lucky when in the Autumn of 1964 I was posted to the British Embassy in Washington DC. When I had attended PMC for my special duties interv ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Getting of Wisdom – Peter Culley (29th)

As a regular subscriber to the AATS Newsletter, to say nothing of my personal ambitions as an amateur author, I am invariably conscious of a certain p ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Name of the Game – Peter Culley (29th)

Funny how random thoughts and recollections pop into your memory unbidden at the most inappropriate moments. I was day-dreaming recently (its an age t ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Coincidences – Vivian Oliver – (38th Entry)

After reading so many articles in this great magazine I decided it was time I made a contribution. During my 12 years service in the RAF my postings ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The View From Here – Peter Culley (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

Ron Cave (40th) – A Proud Father! – Dixie Dean (40th)

21st June 2024 Ron Cave trained as a Pay Accountant with the 40th Entry at RAF Bicham Newton from 16th May 1960 to 18th December 1961. After passin ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Curse Has Come Upon Me – Peter Culley (29th)

I suppose it is fair to say that jealousy (the "green-eyed monster" identified by Shakespeare in his play 'Othello') constitutes one of the less attra ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre – Docking History Fair – Dixie Dean (40th)

The Docking History Group hold a two day History Fair each May Bank Holiday which has been supported for the last few years by the RAF Bircham HC whic ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Retirement Ups And Downs – Graham May (25th)

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- by Alan Bell

Working For The Yanks- Part 2 – Graham May (25th)

The yanks who were to ''shake us up'' arrived on cue and turned out to be a rather unpleasant pair. One moved, talked and acted like an amateur John W ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Working For The Yanks Part 1 – Graham May (25th)

I found this draft after my computer man recently updated my system to Windows 10 . I have not found Part 2, as yet, but am still looking. Monday m ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

“Pick a Card, Any Card ….”

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- by Alan Bell

Ah Yes, I Remember It Well! – Terry Waine (35th)

I was in the Royal Air Force for nine years, including my apprenticeship, when I purchased my discharge. I have no idea which Teacher at my school th ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

It Runs In The Family – Alan Bell (29th)

My youngest grandaughter has recently become the latest in our family to join the RAF. Including her, this will be 5 genrations of family involvement ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Some Recollections – Geoff Stevens (40th)

Some experiences and recollections after passing out on the 29th of December, 1961, as a Junior Technician, aged just 17 and a half ye ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

With All Due Respect Sir!

[caption id="attachment_22814" align="alignleft" width="126"] ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

From Russia With Love

To: ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Scales of Justice

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- by Alan Bell

So I Wrote a Book About It – Ian Baldie (322nd)

Having retired from full time employment in 2018 I moved to a part of the world I had known as a lad. This brought me to the parish of Kirkcolm at the ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Facebook Scammers – A Salutary Tale – Alan Bell (29th)

On 14th December, I was interested to see on Facebook Market, a site advertising parts for the early era Mercedes W123 and W124 series. I have owned a ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

First Christmas Away From Home – Bob Blundell (17th)

Just prior to Christmas 1953 I had been suffering from a mouth abscess and was being treated with antibiotics' which had resolved the infection. This ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Christmas 1948 – Harry Trumbell (29th)

Following on from my previous articles I have been looking at some old photos and found the one below. My father was posted to Bielefeld in Germany in ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Key to Long Life – Peter Culley (29th)

  Today began like any other. I woke at 7.30, sniffed the cold air, considered what ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

A Tale Of Three Cities – Peter Culley (29th)

  My son (almost 57) has just returned from a personal 'bucket list' trip to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. I envy him. In my day the very concep ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

A Visit To St Palais On The Gironde Estuary – Alan Bell (29th)

 

[caption id="attachment_22062" align="alignleft" width="602"] ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Not My World Anymore – Graham May (25th)

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- by Alan Bell

‘Stop the World!’ – Peter Culley (29th)

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- by Alan Bell

Time To Hang Up My Boots – Grahame May (25th)

I found this unfinished article in my old Draft Documents Folder and decided to submit it, after adding a few changes here and there, as dictated by m ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Through the Looking Glass – Peter Culley (29th)

[caption id="attachment_21985" align="alignleft" width="246"] ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Visitor To The RAF Heritage Centre Bircham Newton – Dixie Dean (40th

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- by Alan Bell

The Von Meck Solution – Peter Cully (29th)

I have always enjoyed writing (or scribbling as I should perhaps describe it) and hope that the examples of my work that I leave behind will be apprec ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Just a Minute – Peter Culley (29th)

During the period of my retirement, while we were living in Telford, I found part-time employment for several years as a Clerk to the Governing Bodies ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Life And Times Of Derek Bunce – 306th Entry

  Website Manager Note 12th June 2023: This article has also been published in the 306th Entry Scrapbook Page. The ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

My First 24 Hours In RAF – Peter Hall (33rd)

I cannot say that I came from a military back ground: my father had been unfortunate enough to have served in the Army in both World Wars. In the Firs ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Looking Back – Ted Huntley (24th)

After watching Alan Bell’s excellent 25th Anniversary video, I felt pangs of nostalgia and the years rolled away for a little while.  ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

Running – The Friendly Sport? – Mick Morris (44th)

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- by Alan Bell

My First Posting – Dave Williams 324th

I had never travelled much before joining the RAF, we had lived close to the coast and around an hour’s drive away from the Brecon Beacons to enjoy ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

A New Life For Us After Demob – Dave Williams 324th

We cleaned up the quarter in Wellington Square ready for marching out, we had expected a stringent inspection as the house had been recently refurbish ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

ANZAC DAY MARCH ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2023

ANZAC DAY MARCH 2023 The annual Anzac Day March took place on 25th April 2023 and is normally attended by Ian Bell, Tony Collins and David Brandon ho ...Read More

- by Alan Bell

The Last Hurrah! – Peter Culley (29th)

  I read the March Newsletter with a heavy heart. On the one hand the Editor lamented the fact he had received only a single article, and plea ...Read More

- by Alan Bell
✕

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Alan Bell, is unable to carry out his role as Website Manager, until further notice.

All website enquiries should be addressed to Steve Day, Newsletter Editor and Vice-Chairman; e-mail: newslettereditor@rafadappassn.org
Tel: 01427 787582
Mobile: 07855 193471

A further update will be issued in due course. Thankyou.