Life In The RAAF Part I

And so began my life in the Permanent Air Force.  Point Cook, in those days, was the home of the RAAF Academy as well as No 1 Basic Flying Training School (1 BFTS) so there was a lot of basic flying training activity going on and to my absolute joy, Medical Section was located directly opposite the airstrip providing a clear view between two hangars to the strip and surrounding airspace.  I’ve included a link to a site showing two Winjeels flying in mirror image formation – something I saw them practicing regularly from the Orderly Room window:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/public-record-office-victoria/3200561452/

I had informed the corporal in charge of our Orderly Room that the reason I had joined up was really because I was crazy about aircraft, loved flying, and was rather taken with marching – could have marched around the parade ground all day.  Most people thought I was a little strange when I said how much I loved drill and marching as this tended to be regarded as something of a bind by the majority – something to be endured on weekly CO’s parades etc.

One morning a Flight Lieutenant wandered into the Orderly Room and, to my surprise, asked if I was ACW H—.  When I rather hesitantly acknowledged my identity (wondering what on earth I’d managed to do this time!), he grinned and said, “I believe you’re rather keen on flying?  Would you like a flight in a Winjeel tonight?  We’re doing circuits and bumps with some of the Cadets.”  After I’d picked myself up off the floor, I think my own grin nearly split my face in two.  Would I like a flight in a Winjeel Trainer?  What a question!!  I could hardly ask an officer if he was pulling my leg, so I presumed he was serious, and so he was.

The Winjeel was an Australian designed and built two-seater trainer used by the RAAF for basic pilot training.  After graduating from BFTS, pilots were posted to the Advanced Flying Training School (AFTS) at Pierce, in Western Australia for their introduction to flying jet fighters. 

After gaining permission from the OIC WRAAFs, a pilot herself, I duly fronted up at the flight hut after dinner that night where I was greeted by my friendly Flight Louie and a host of other friendly pilots.  I was given a brief indoctrination into the intricacies of my flight suit – and my parachute!  I was so stunned at having to wear, and be expected know how to pull the ripcord, etc (visions of Ginger launching himself off the top of Bergin Ait in Baltic were madly flying through my brain), that I blurted out,

“Sir, are we likely to have to jump out over Port Phillip Bay?”

The room erupted into laughter and I was kindly informed, “I hope not, ACW, I hope not!”

This is one memory that has never faded – a night of flying (even if it was just circuits and bumps), sometimes in loose formation, sometimes just line astern, with my pilot very kindly explaining the cockpit instrumentation to me, and even, for a few exhilarating moments allowing me to hold the control column while we were flying circuits at a holding altitude above Point Cook.  Hmmm…I wonder in this current age of Workplace Safety if that would ever be allowed…..

Because of its operational and training purpose, Point Cook in that era, had a large number of officers – all of whom, of course, had to be saluted by we humble other ranks.  Naturally, they were obliged to return our salutes….so my friend and I used to return to work after lunch in the Airmen’s Mess via the Officers’ Mess so we could salute (and hence make them return the honour) far more of these exalted beings than normally crossed our paths.  (Everyone, including officers, removed their hats / covers inside Medical Section, so the most they ever received in the workplace environment was a respectful ‘sir’.) 

For some reason, which now escapes me, we thought this was hilarious and engaged in our regular detour via the Officers’ Mess for several weeks until it became rather old hat – or maybe the novelty wore off.  I simply remember that we both thought this was a sufficiently entertaining activity that we would walk a reasonable detour to corner our quarry.  I can now imagine how those poor blokes must have been muttering, “Oh no, here come those two WRAAFs who love saluting again!”  Yes, very young and naïve – but it was fun.

Another link which is of interest is to the memoirs of a former RAAF Academy Cadet who was at Point Cook in the same era as myself.  The author has given permission to include the link and I found this a really interesting read:

http://grapevine.com.au/~kwebb/18_Course.html