Some time after I had left, I looked back on those wonderful days I had in the Canal Zone. I decided that I had belonged to an extremely good flying club: HM provided the aircraft, servicing and maintenance, also food and accommodation. We pilots had only to provide the beer money and enjoy the flying.
In August, 1966, I had the good fortune to be given command of RAF
Muharra
q, Bahrain (1). The Persian Gulf was then a quiet backwater, although Muharraq was a major staging post on the Transport Command route to the Far East and Aden. Overall, the sta
tion was very much transport orientated with a Beverley transport squadron and a communications squadron with Pembroke aircraft. The presence of a fighter squadron with young pilots injected the life which I felt was just the right balance for the station as a whole. That it was 208 could not have been better for me. Just over two months after my arrival, the Squadron celebrated its 50th Anniversary and Sir Geoffrey Bromet, the first Squadron Commander, was the guest of honour (2). Towards the end of my tour, 8 Squadron came to join us from Aden. I then had two squadrons of young Hunter pilots enlivening the station. Despite giving me grey hair, it was a great life for a station commander.
I have had a close and very enjoyable association with the Squadron. I have attended the 50th and 90th Anniversaries and I much look forward to the 100th.
Meteor 1951-1952 Page 1 2
