Tentative suggestions for a celebration in the evening were vetoed for any prospect of Wednesday morning feeling the same as Tuesday morning or as abhorrent. There were many twisted complaining stomachs and throbbing heads to match that morning.

Very few aircraft were serviceable on Wednesday and so there was not a great deal of flying done; weather no longer presents a problem and it can be taken that unless definite note is made of the weather or something unusual happens it is SOP clear-type sky and sun. Tom Sheppard sweated with slide-rule, chinagraph and Perspex and produced a Planned Flying Programme and system which was explained when all pilots were assembled after flying at midday, as timing was of key importance in the new scheme Roy King warned that punctuality could, and would, be improved upon.

The goodies kingdom took a revolutionary step when on Wednesday Don Brimms distributed biscuits, pkts, 1 to each person and said that was ten days' supply, that we had eaten far too much, that there would be no more etc., in the standard way of all runners of swindles.

Planned flying was commenced on Thursday but owing to aircraft shortage and slow turn rounds things did not work out very well indeed. The brightest feature of the day was half-way through the morning when a dozen or so bashful (and hopeful) pilots made polite conversation to the young lady from next door who had been persuaded to have some of our squash and Old Man Ray's biscuits handed round by Abdul Hext.

The Station Easter Grant started at midday on Thursday but night flying had been planned to take place and with just enough aircraft to get by and Akrotiri held as a diversion the programme was carried out. Those who were not involved in night flying went to a discussion in the Mess on Internal Security in Cyprus at which Sir Hugh Foot was present.

Good Friday, the start of a four day break, was fine and hot and all the more enjoyable as we read that in England the weather was the worst for forty years. Four folk were tied down by the Battle Flight commitment (to be our 365 days-a-year lot for some time to come) and some remained in the Mess whilst the remainder, a party of thirteen, set off to visit Kormakiti GCI Station some forty miles distant.

Noel Evans during the week had been appointed Squadron MT Officer and sweated to produce the necessary forms to cover week-end outings, these were official liaison trips to other establishment. The party for Kormakiti set off at nine o'clock and arrived an hour later at the domestic site where a quick inspection was made of a splendid do-it-yourself cinema and bar under construction. The party was most hospitably enteretained with beer and cigarettes - attempting to light one of these ……

Ch 2 - Nicosia/Akrotiri 05

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