Hms Warrior/Raf Northwood in 1970
Written by Bill Irving
I met a WRAAF whose name was Joy Cox,
she was beautiful and so much fun to be with, she was engaged to be married.
But we became great friends, and were like brother and sister, inseperable.
I actually fell in love with her, she my first love, and I would have done anything for her, even married her.
She went off and got married and that broke my heart. I have tried to find her for years, to see how she is and what she has done with her life. she was my life and I missed her so much. But time is a great healer,, but I still
have her photo, and Just Would Love to Know Where She is and doing What??
It would make my days much brighter if I could hear from her just once!!!
RAF Northwood, in 1951
Written by Cyril (Chris)Jenkins
I arrived at Northwood after a cold and long over night journey from Pembroke Dock on the 4 February 1952. The greeting I recieved in the guard room was less than cordial but then it always was. I had been sent on attachment and so only brought with the minimum of kit the rest I had left secured in my locker at Pembroke and I had been lead to believe that I would only be here for a few days at the most.
I had time for a quick shower, breakfast and to put on a clean collar before I was paraded before the SWO, one Warrent Officer Hart if my memory serves me right. He was not at all pleased to see me or at least he gave that impression but I was to learn that he was the same with all new comers. After reading the riot act he sent me off to see squadron leader Luce. He turned out to be quite different from WO Hart and it was he that informed me why I had been summond to HQ.
I had just a few week ealier been on a coures at Melksham for the maintenance of a new form of link trainer and I had been chosen to lead a small party to tour the command repairing the equipment. I say small in fact the party concisted of myself one one other, a young lad that had travelled down from Kinloss by the name of Alan?? My brief was to vist all the command station to ensure that the link trainers were in good working order.
The job gave me a fairly free hand and I was able to arrange my tours to coincide with as much time at home as possible and over the next two years I was kept busy visting St Mawgan, St Eval, Pembroke Dock, Ballykelly. Castle Arcdale, Queens Univercity Belfast. Gibraltar,Top Cliff and Calshot and I met many friends during this time all of whom I lost contact with over the years
WO Hart had not finished with me for every time I arrived back on the station he was waiting for me and invariably he insure I did more than my fair share of NCO duties. I was always glad to be back on the move at least I was of the hook for a while.
The SWO was not a very well liked man but I do not recall one that was. He seemed to have it in for me. but was eventually retired, much to my relief and many other.
I made a lot of friends while at Northwood but have only manage to get in touch with one. If any one should read this and remember me please get in touch. I spent most of my time in Hut 52 along side the sergeant’s mess and I have posted on the gallery a number of photograph.