Music – We all wanted to be Tony Blackburn

Dear Ex Apps,

1971, 16 years old, cold January day, attested and required to take a shower.  Shown to our new home in Malcolm Block first floor left.  I remember thinking this is very clean, how nice it is that someone comes in and folds the curtains neatly at the bottom during the day…

Of course, that was just the start.

Looking back being an Apprentice was great.  Most of us did not realise it at the time, but important traits such as leadership, judgment, integrity and of course a sense of humour were being instilled into us. We had two RAF Regiment drill instructors, Cpl Tich Friend and a another Cpl I believe was Scottish.  I never saw or heard of any behaviour by the adults who looked after us which even today could be questioned.

The civilian instructor was an ex WO.  I don’t know who was more surprised him or me when at the end of the course I came 12th out of some obscure ranking system.

So, I can hear you scream, I thought this was about music!

Well, one thing the station had was its very own radio station – HBS.  I joined as soon as I could and regularly did the 7pm request show.  We used to go into Hereford on  a Saturday with the female Cpl who ran it and the RAF used to buy the latest 45s.

We all thought we were Tony Blackburn.  The best thing of course was that we could beat the 10pm bed check.

A brilliant way to becoming an adult.  I don’t remember ever being a teenager.  After Hereford there was Biggin Hill and then RAF Rheindahlen in Germany.  In the late 70s I joined the Police Service and retired as a Superintendent in the MPS in 2005.  I still work, as the Town Clerk at Carterton – yes, the one at the bottom of the runway at BZN.

I do a breakfast show on a Saturday on windrushradio.co.uk 9am until 11am. Text in for a shout out!

I came back from Germany with about 100DM, an MGB and a wife.  Still got the wife.

Ron Spurs

L8001465 App