UP THE 'FLEA'
THE GIRLS GOT THERE FIRST
As Remembered By Ivor Peters
Having spent a year at RAF Deversoir, I was duly posted to RAF Fayid as Cpl in charge of the DF station (signals). Off duty there was not a lot to do so one fine Sunday (20.02.54) one of my mates – Chas Lee from Croydon – suggested that we hike to the top of Mount Abyad or 'the Flea' . I said it was really farther than we should attempt but was persuaded by Chas and Tom Keeling to go. We were fit, bronzed, heavily booted with water bottles and looked like mercenaries!
Off we set on a straight line from Fayid to the Flea. We had been walking for some time and the mountain foot seemed to be not too far away. Finally we arrived and started to climb a fairly steep incline when all of a sudden the ground fell away to the original level!! We had only just begun the journey!
Eventually we made the actual foot of the mountain and started to climb. It was very rugged and not what I would have called easy. By chance I was in the lead with the others who were panting and puffing some distance behind. I could see that the top was near and finally made it onto a small plateau which formed the mountain top. Now bearing in mind what I said about “us tough guys”, imagine my thoughts when I saw three very attractive girls sat in the middle of this area dressed in tennis shorts, shirts and shoes!! I checked that it was not the sum then turned down to my mates, who were by this time out of wind and cussing heartily. and shouted “Hey, mind your language, there’s three girls up here!!” Obviously they did not believe me and I can still see the look on their faces when they clambered over the edge and saw the girls. We felt very stupid in our tough boots etc.
The girls, Joan Bremner, Iris & Chris, were WAAF’s from a station not as far away as Fayid but far enough. We spent a very enjoyable time chatting and eventually returned to level ground, walked the girls a decent way back and said our farewells before making our weary way back to Fayid