An exercise on Tuesday morning taxed to the utmost both battered brains and aching eyeballs as it involved Ian Craig down on the ground in the low-flying area giving the chasps grid-reference points to go and make attacks on being mindful of bomb-lines and such. It was the first occasion on which Ian had acted for us officially as ACT and altogether it was not a very successful do.
The success of the Noise Evening for the Akrotiri Mess was so successful that a reciprocal party was laid on for us on Tuesday evening which, although quiet by our standards, was appreciated as a very kind gesture.
Cumulative hang-overs did not make for easier organisation on Wednesday when the big move back to Nicosia took place. Three large ungainly Beverleys arrived and were slowly loaded with all ground equipment and then
trundled northwards; our swept-wing pursuit machines made their way to Nicosia in groups of varying denomination but all managed to get in a low pass over Akrotiri by way of farewell. It is said, but has not been proved (or denied) that Roy King passed along the taxy-way at a speed which cracked the control tower's windows and which severely damaged the nerves of the driver of a land-rover who thought he had it all his way.
In keeping with morale on return to Nicosia the weather was wet and miserable and very uninspiring. In the evening eleven of the chasps went to a cocktail party at the home of the Deputy C-in-C, whilst those who were not on leave or living out stayed in the Mess and noticed that there was no welcoming party of any sort.
General unpacking and Kingdom sorting-out took up most of
the time on Thursday and there was little flying done. The weather continued stormy and it was during one storm as Pete Botterill was engaged in a telephone conversation a flash of lightning was seen very close to the Ops Room and Pete all but disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.
There was a further RAF/RN exercise on Friday morning 
and as before on Monday little was achieved. With a poor aircraft state and our own organised exercise in the Low-Flying area with Roy Offord as ACT aircraft were rather scarce and the other exercise did not help. It was whilst waiting to fly that a pair of hands fiddled and with digital dexterity fiddled the dread dinghy connection into the conveniently sized and obviously tempting G-suit connection; oh that 'Sir' should do such a thing.
Ch 2 - Nicosia/Akrotiri 21
trundled northwards; our swept-
the time on Thursday and there was little flying done. The weather continued stormy and it was during one storm as Pete Botterill was engaged in a telephone conversation a flash of lightning was seen very close to the Ops Room and Pete all but disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.
and as before on Monday little was achieved. With a poor aircraft state and our own organised exercise in the Low-