MY MOST ENJOYABLE JOURNEY TO SUEZ
As Remembered By Mike Knott, RA 71 HAA
We left Woolwich at 10:00 on Good Friday 1952 by coach to the London Assembly Centre on Tottenham Court Road. Now this was supposed to be one of the deepest air raid shelters in London consisting of several old railway tunnels self contained with cookhouse and ablutions. It was disconcerting to say the least to hear the underground trains rumbling along above. Access from the street was via a nondescript doorway with an old iron lift facing you and stairs both sides. We reported to the guy in the cubicle and he allocated us a floor – I think mine was ‘3’. With all our kit we made our way to the designated bed space. Now these were small circular tunnels with one row of bunks each side. Ken and I skived off to the pictures in the afternoon and enjoyed ‘Colt 45’. It was extremely hot and humid at such depths and none of us had a very good night so it was an early breakfast, then a struggle to the surface with all our gear and at 09:00 on Saturday 12th April boarded a coach for the airport.
We were headed for Blackbushe in Hampshire some 50 miles distant via Bagshot and the Southampton Road. There we were documented and our kitbags taken from us before sitting down to a good dinner. We were bussed to dispersal where an Avro York ‘squatted’ on the runway. This was a three tail fin, four engined veteran of the Berlin Airlift operated by Airwork of Hurn Airport, Bournemouth.
The entrance door was at the back end of the fuselage and quite close to the ground. Our kit was being loaded aboard and we once again debussed and formed up into two ranks. We were called forward in pairs, climbed aboard and walked forward to where a sergeant in the RAF was allocating seats. I was on the right hand side under the wing and where I could watch the undercarriage being raised and lowered. The most surprising thing to me was that we were facing backwards which it was considered would reduce casualties should there be a prang! Full speed ahead backwards so to speak….
Now this was the first time any of us had been near an aircraft of this size, let alone been in one, so we were somewhat nervous to say the least. Anyway, all aboard and off we went. After a while a chap came around asking if we would like drinks – Beer and Guinness were FREE, Whiskey and Brandy 1/- (5p) a tot and Players cigarettes 1/6d (7½p) for 25.
We had a scheduled refuelling stop at Malta where supper would be laid on but after about three hours or so dozing to the drone of the engines I became aware we were turning and, looking out, saw a coastal line and ocean. This isn’t Malta I thought as we approached low over extensive marshland. We touched down and taxied for ages along this track with wrecked WW2 aircraft bulldozed into the marshland at each side. We had in fact landed at Istres – a French Air Base near Marseilles – for emergency refuelling as strong headwinds heading south had depleted the tanks. Eventually we stopped and were ordered out while the plane was being refuelled and directed to a low time frame building which turned out to be a canteen of sorts. Here we sat on foldaway slatted chairs – four to a table which had freshly picked flowers in a jar. To our great surprise and appreciation a team of elderly ladies then appeared with plates of steak and chips and bottles of red wine. Honestly the amount of steak was a months ration back home and although a bit chewy was a treat to say the least. The chips were thick and juicy – just as I liked them, and the wine – well …. We had two hours at Istres according to the Sergeant and when we’d finished our meal could go outside and stretch our legs but not to wander too far. He also told us where the toilets were – which was a relief in itself.
Yet we still had treats to come. As we left the canteen there were two ladies by the door handing out small cardboard boxes with a ‘Bon Chance’. In these boxes was an orange, a sticky cake, some sweeties and other eats and a moist napkin type thing. I think we all had tears in our eyes at this kind gesture – I know I did. I’ve no idea whether trooping aircraft diverted to Istres on a regular basis but for these ladies to give up a large part of their Easter weekend and to treat us so kindly was something we weren’t used to.
Anyway I wandered down the track way where I had spotted a FW Condor without wings lying at an angle. It was still painted matt black and was the four engined scourge of the Atlantic convoys. It also had the carrying frame on top where a recce plane was housed. The ground was littered with spent ammunition – mostly squashed but I did find at the edge a 20mm cannon shell case in good condition which I illegally kept as a souvenir. I was to find a bullet which fitted it exactly in the sand under the Control Tower at RAF Kabrit the following year.
Back on the aircraft again we took off for Malta at 18:00 hours arriving at RAF Luqa at 23:30. While the aircraft was being refuelled we were taken to the Mayfair Hotel where a superb supper – chicken – was laid on. Although by now ‘whacked’ we did stretch our legs outside again but there was warm misty rain which curtailed too much wandering. Taking off again at 02:00 hours we slept for a while until the rising sun brought us to our senses and we arrived at RAF Fayid at 08:30. Here we were documented yet again and, while our kit was being unloaded, we were taken for a big fried breakfast – the only one I had in the Zone as far as I can recall. These RAF chaps certainly lived well ….
Our kit duly collected we were released into the vehicle park where various types of unit transport awaited. There were 40 of us on Draft DBQHV and of these only five for 71 HAA Regiment RA. We soon spotted a 15cwt truck with the 71 Tac sign and, as we approached, we were greeted by the driver – “Where the …. have you lot been? – I’ve been waiting two hours and who’s going to sign my Work Ticket?” No one had thought to tell him of our two hours delay in France.
What an adventure though – for our first flight it was more comfortable than expected apart from the period over France when the aircraft rocked a bit.
(Istres airbase has been in recent news bulletins as it was the base for the
USAF U2 spy planes during the conflict in former Yugoslavia and it also was
the main European diversion airfield for the Space Shuttle as it has huge runways)