Cliff Steanson revisited his old airfield on it's 50th Anniversary OPEN DAY in August 1990 and thereafter became more than interested in how it had all began. I do not own the copyright to this video.
I did my basic at Swinditz in February '77, and looking at the demolition of the accommodation blocks a thought struck me. I wonder how many tons of floor polish those dump trucks hauled away after all of the bull nights laying layer after layer of the stuff down week after week, year after year. Those immaculate floors must have been at least an inch higher than when they were first laid. After 45 years I can still feel the weight of those side to side pivoted floor polishers.
I was a raw recruit at Swinderby, a long time ago. Loved it. When men were men, and women were women at Spitalgate. Happy days. Hope most of my Flight 7, are all well. God Bless you all Pals.
I would like to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and thank you all for your service to our country! Anyone who serves in the military is a hero in my book! God bless you all!!!!!
I am so pleased that the maker of this included the experiences of people who served there and some of the facilities they used. I think it is a shame that fewer people now have the opportunity to experience the military discipline, training and opportunities to develop in their chosen areas. I did my basic training in 1980 at RAF Swinderby, I have very little memory of the place so watching this has helped refresh some of that memory. Though I won’t forget bedpacks, boots flying through a closed window, the window that was supposed to be left open!. Bayonets ripping uniforms, marks on faces from SLR recoil, recruit fainting on parade time. The silent unseen approach as a drill sergeant selects his victim for thunderous rebuke followed by a relieved, “it’s not me this time” thought. The indoor assault course with the upturned bench between the wall bars, a narrow crossing quite high up. Messed up the weapons drill! more press ups. And finally loud music for another bull night, clean those brasses, wipe those windows, buff that floor!.
So many brave young men. So many destined to remain young forever. I am humbled an grateful at their bravery and sacrifice. Thank you Trevor, that was a wonderful visit to the lives of two of my uncles. They shall remain young forever.
I did my basic at Swinderby in the early 80s. I was fascinated by RAF history - and particularly Bomber Command - even then as a spotty teenager. I remember the sense of wartime history at this very special place. The war saw 300, 301, 50 and 455 squadrons based there before 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit arrived to see the war out. Just after it closed in 1993 I gained permission from MOD and the soon to be new owners Strawsons to photograph all the buildings, and metal detect on the flying site. I can honestly say that having the place to myself for a few days was a very special, very sad and very eerie time. The photographs are available to see on the The Airfield Research Group's forum. I've been back a few times since but will never go again. It's too sad to witness the undignified destruction and now virtual erasure of this once proud RAF station (the land will be quarried ), where many of Bomber Command's young men flew from - but not all returned.
@@whiterabbit1632 Ah...spoiler alert. It's not an ROC post, it's the airfield's Battle HQ (BHQ). All expansion period and most hostilities only airfields had one. Their purpose was to co-ordinate airfield defence if attacked by troops. The reason Swinderby's is uniquely up so high is because drainage was a massive problem at the location. Most BHQs were all underground except the concrete cupola with the all round vision slit. Swinderby's is the complete opposite.... everything is above ground level! (It has a unique interior too.) Glad it still survives. I hated it when I did my basic training because like every other recruit, I had to run up and down it several times a week...timwing4@gmail.com if you want to get in touch.
Swinderby was my first posting after graduating from Cosford. 1962. I spent a lot of my time in the 'Old Tower' particularly the room on the roof which was used by us to service ground wireless equipment. It was a good camp but very cold in winter. I hated the snow and someone must have heard my plea as my next posting was to Gan in the Maldives! One advantage of working in the old tower was mingling with the WRAFs who outnumbered me 20 to one! 54:02
Went to Swinderby in Dec '72, was in12 Flt, Instructors were Cpl Jack and Sgt Chester. A real nostalgic trip down memory lane. I often wonder what all my fellow recruits are doing now!
Lovely to have found this film, brought back many happy memories serving there 1960to1963. Shame it didn't say anything about 8 flying training school we were a happy camp. I worked in P2 section officers records in HQ. Station commander Grp cpt Bretherton and stn adjt F.O. Johnny Johnson. My desk was situated in front of the 3rd window from left of building on the ground floor. Happy days I would gladly serve again as it provided me with training for future life and met so many lovely people there. Thank you for producing this film. Pity it's not mentioned on the RAF Swinderby facebook site I am sure lots of people would love to see it but I don't know how to share it.
I was at Swinderby from the 1st April 75 to May 22nd 75 doing my basic training. I was just 16 1/2 years old. 12 flight Cpl Smith. great days i loved it.
I too had the pleasure of Cpl Smith: six weeks basic training. I still remember arriving at the base for my very first day of trainning, 14 August 1973.
Dear Cliff. Many thanks for this documentary. So sad that to hear that there was no one to welcome you at Swinderby. I have paused your intriguing and emotional video to write this. Thank you so much. Will commentate later.
Like others like ti thank Cliff for his trip down memory lane, or should that be Swinderby? I arrived at Swinderby in 1955, and so a bit earlier than most of those commenting.. I was stationed there after square bashing at West Kirby, and Instruments course at Melksham. The station was a generally happy station. I joined the station band on arriving. and not long after with others formed fairly respectable Skiffle group. It being all the rage , our first public events held at the Halfway House .Also involved in the motor cycle club , for those who may remember those days. There were initially Varsity's with Navigation school. Vampires came later in around 1956-7 as now flying training school for pilots to gain their wings, with a pass out parades for them a monthly event. Our station band was not deemed good enough so a Scots band brought in. This ended when a parade held in extreme cold weather caused a big upset when on the start of marching the reeds in the bag pipe chanter and drones had frozen. They were then replaced by the WAAF Central band. I left Swinderby in August of 1959, and on E reserve at 6encea day I believe it was but anyway it was all cancelled 6 months later.. Must just add The station appearance changed quite a bitt over the years as I remember it from my time . BUT Many thanks again for rekindling old memories , most of which were great . Brian Doust😂
What a lovely trip down memory lane. By the way, I was one of the graduating recruits in the pass out parade featured on that day 12th August 1990. Intake 15MP90.
@White Rabbit yes. I was at the centre front of the 3rd column, (number 3 flight). As it happens I have just recently transferred that very parade in full onto RU-vid, however currently working to improve the quality and resolution as best as I can and repost soon. Time stamp 33.07 you will see me.
@White Rabbit I got the original VCR copy put onto a Flash drive and I've used NCH Video Pad and Audio pad, Audacity to edit sound as well. Also DivX and Now Topaz video editor. The latter is slow going due to my antiquated machine, but getting there. Got it to 1920 x1080p in MP4 HD just ticking over enhancing the quality using AI. Going to post as soon as it's done. Any suggestions other than that I would be grateful for. As the tape was a little aged, there are just some things I can't iron out. Tried de-essing and de noising the audio initially with Adobe Premiere plus but it shortened the audio and put it out of sync.
I'm on an old archaic ASRock motherboard with 8gb ram as high ghz as it can be, but only got a quad core i3 CPU. Hopefully getting a new build in the near future.
Very well, arranged,sad and informative, it included personal memories and relationships, historical with technical data, it was informative entertaining and Nostalgic.and brought back memories.
Remember it well, I done basic training there, but also a ATC summer camp a few years earlier where we wandered all over the old bomber areas of the airfield. My only problem with the RAF was it removed from the uniform the shoulder eagle, the people who decided that should hang their heads in shame, I never had any pride after that and i served 23 years disgusted what a bunch of *********
Removing Eagle and the belt was a despicable decision. We likened the “new” uniform to that of a bus conductors uniform. Staybright buttons replacing brass ones was another one. A ball ache to clean but much more uniform like, and I’ve still got my good old button stick, clothes brush and shoe polishing brushes (yea I know, sad bstard) all issued in October 1969, 12 Flt Baker Carr Block. Fond memories.
@@jonnen7567 Yes I saw it start to return onto uniform after I left, but during my service it was not part of my uniform. The only time I wore the one eyed shitehawk/eagle/ albatross was in the cadets in the 70s. After that they dumbed down uniform, from batttledress to jerseys etc, I may have been mistaken for being a RAC employee on many public events.
Thanks, Trevor for putting this video up. It brought back so many happy memories that were forgotten at the back of my mind, in particular when you showed what was the Airmen's Mess. I remember the long queue mentioned going out of the door, and for newb's on their first day attending their evening meal, we were greeted with the Laurel and Hardy song played at the start of each of their movies. It was whistled by pretty much every recruit sat having their meal and quite embarrassing when looking at the long hairstyles of the time. Puffy John as he was nicknamed (the camp barber) soon put paid to that the following day, politely asking us how we would like our hair cut and then sheep shearing us all the same. A week later it was our turn to ridicule the next intake batch. It was the best 6 weeks of my life (I am now 70) when I served at RAF Swinderby or "Swinders" as it was so often called. August 1972 with intake 17 Flight. We had Sergeant Rowe as our Flight Senior NCO, along with Cpl Cluston and Cpl McDonnell and Cpl Bennett as assistants. We were bunked in the H Block demarked Gray if I remember correctly on the upper floor. Having spent 8 years in the Air Training Corps as a cadet and ending up an NCO, I was designated as a Room Leader along with some other old mates Scotty Murdock and Brian Burns who was "Senior Man" (he carried the can for anything that went wrong when our NCOs were not there). If anyone else was there at this time in 17 Flight it would be great to hear from them.
Dear Cliff. Just finished watching your video. Would be amazing if you could do a follow up on how life has changed for recruits who enlisted from 1969. I would be a willing participant. Thank you. Swinderby 1969-70.
Sorry Trevor,to long ago but if the pub was the nearest to camp then probably. Mostly used the good old Naafi. My flight were all Scots lads like myself and most went on to St Athans as UT Riggers or Eng Mech’s and then again most of us ended up posted to RAF Lynham working on Brits,Comets and later Herc’s. It was great being with the same bunch of lads that had known each other since joining up,in my case 3 years until I wangled a posting to RAF Akrotiri (my dad is buried at Dhakalia military cemetery)and was with 1563 H flight S and R Whirlwinds till I was demobbed in 1971 and came home to Bonny Scotland and resumed my persuit of the river Clyde’s trout ha ha.
Hi, I am the air traffic controller at about the 2 minute mark. By any chance do you have more of that celebratory air display? If so, I would love to get in contact. Swinderby was a most enjoyable experience. My father was in Bomber Command all around Lincolnshire, for WW2. Your video was quite moving, to say the least.
Hi! Unfortunately I do not have access to any of the original footage used in this production. However, it would be nice to see what didn't make it to the final video. I will do some investigating and se what IU can find...
And the echoing words of command that were impossible to understand! Thank goodness by passing out time they were already etched on the memory! Incidentally the Mosquito in the passing out hangar is now at the RAF Museum Hendon.
That last lot of recruits was a shower of shit !! Never would we have been allowed to be so awful!!! 77 was a good year and my flight won all but the sports cup , six in all !!
