To view the pictures referred to, download the SLIDE SHOW (This may take a minute or two to download, and a few minutes if on 56k. please be patient. It also requires POWER POINT. if you do not have this Click here to download POWER POINT READER.

I had often thought after my pleasing visit to Belleek and Castle Archdale in Northern Ireland in 2002 that I would like to visit Gibraltar (see Pic 4 in the Slide Show) again, having made only one visit in 1963 since my posting there in the RAF 1942-1944. In particular since starting this page, to get a photograph of the Slipway at New Camp. Imagine my delight on discovering 202 Squadron Association and they were running a re-union in Gibraltar October 17th 2003. I hastily booked up for this and succeeding in getting a carer, Mr.Edward Curran, thanks to Maureen St.George, the Social Worker for the Local RAFA, as I am semi-mobile only capable of walking 100 paces.

However disaster occured on October 9th, eight days before the departure for Gib when I fell down the stairs, dislocating my foot and breaking my ankle. This necessitated my having a steel plate and screws inserted and a stay in hospital for three weeks!. Imagine my disapointment, I was devastated!

I contacted British Airways and cancelled the flight. After a partial recovery I phoned British Airways and told them I had a Doctor's note to say I was unfit to travel. They said they could not refund my money but offered a voucher for the value. I thought I need not waste it and having made arrangements for a suitable date with Eddie, I rebooked for April 23rd-26th

April 23rd came and I borrowed a wheelchair from the Red Cross and Eddie came to my home at 8:15. My Friend Don came with his Fiesta and took him, the wheelchair and the luggage to the airport and then returned for me. We got the 10:15 plane to Gatwick and had superb assistance from B.A. staff arriving Gatwick 11:15. As the plane to Gibraltar was not until 16:15 we had a look round and a leisurely Lunch and then sat in the observation area and watched the aircraft movements until it was time to board our plane. Again superb assistance with the electric Buggy (the wheelchair having been booked through with our luggage to Gib).

We took off at 16:30 and after a pleasant flight arrived in Gib (see pics 5-13). We were soon in a taxi arriving at the Caleta Palace Hotel, Catalan Bay (see Pics 14-16) at about 21:00 local time.

The next day after a very nice buffet breakfast at the Hotel, Flying Officer Wes Pead arrived as arranged to take us for a tour of the Airport. First he gave us a very concise presentation of the history of the airport, during which I mentioned my memories of the R.Es. blowing up the North Face of the Rock (pic 22) at 11:00am every morning in 1942 and then dumping the debris in the sea at the western end of the runway to extend it (pic 31) Note the road going over the runway(pic 20), The Control Tower operating barriers on the road whenever planes or anything wanted to cross on the runway. This followed by visits to the Flying Control, the Met Office and the Control Tower.(pics 19-22) and everything was explained to us. It seems we had to approach so far East when we flew in owing to controlled Military Airspace in Spain North of the Rock.

Immediately after a coffee we were taken to the Fire Department where the Fire Engine driver took us for a ride up and down the runway, needing the barriers to be closed, demonstrating how the vehicle worked and all the "Mod Cons" it had.(pics 23-25)

Afterwards Wes dropped us off in town and after a walk up the Main Street we stopped at a Pub "The Old Rock" and we sat outside, and on the next table was a young man and another man a bit older. Eddie and I was discussing buying "Duty Frees" and whether to wait until tomorrow which was Sunday. I said "well tomorrow is Sunday the shops may not be open", so I called out to the young man on the next table "Excuse me, are the shops open on Sunday?" He Replied "Some are", with that a conversation ensued and it turned out he was an Airman, SAC Garry Coan (pic 26)so we soon got reminiscing. I mentioned I was disappointed at not being able to take a picture of the slipway where I used to beach and launch the Catlina aircraft in the war as, I was told, it was no longer there having been built over. He said "This is a Pub used by service men and there are many wartime pictures of Gib in the war inside, Would you like me to show you?" so we went inside and I photographed a few of the pictures (Pics 27-33) The first Picture I saw was of an Italian Two Man Submarine.(pic 27). I remember this sub surrendering to us in the slipway after Italy capitualted and the tannoy announced that if we saw anything unusual in the slipway, we were not to mention it to anyone.It appears an apparently derelict Italian boat lying in Algeciras harbour had a hole cut in the hull under water and these two-man subs were operating from there against our shipping. Which reminds me of the time there were lots of loud bangs in the harbour whilst I was on board a Catalina and it was said there was sub at large in the harbour and the Navy were dropping depth charges. It felt like the bottom of the Catalina was being "hammered". This has been born out by the next pictures I saw (pics 29 & 30) which were Death Certificates of two Italian Sailors found in the water of the harbour and death is shown as "Blast Injuries".

The next picture (Pic 28) was of the massive amount of planes on the runway. This would be the morning of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa which was mounted at Gib. This Iremeber aircroft were taking off the narrow runway three abreast. Then surprise surprise there was not only a picture of the slipway (pic33) but it was taken during a beaching operation of which according to the date, 3rd August 1944, it would almost certainly have been me in charge standing on the far side of the lorry. The half round structures were the Nissen Huts in which the airman, 24 to a hut, including me as a corporal and a million bed bugs lived.The square building behind was the old married quarters and after I was promoted to Sgt. I was in the first floor room on the right sharing with another Sgt. - Sgt Dobbs, He was from Hull.

To combat the Bed bugs we used to stand our beds in little round cigarette tins with an inch of paraffin in them. The bugs got wise and used to climb up the wall, cross the ceiling and then drop on our beds. Once a week we would go round the bed springs with a light made out of a cigarette tin with a bit of string in it for wick coming out of the lid. This hopefully would kill any bugs hiding there and their eggs. It was a never ending battle that we never won!

Garry then told me there was a derelict museum at the top of the Rock which had been started by some Airman some years before but they had been posted away and nobody had cared for it since. He said there was a lot of photos up there and if we liked he would take us up there tomorrow. I hastily agreed and we swapped mobile numbers and he said he would ring us in the morning.

Sure enough, whilst having breakfast Garry called. He and his father, which turned out to be the other gentleman with him at the pub, Peter, was in the bay so I invited them in for coffee and afterwards they took us up the Rock. We stopped where the Rock Apes were and I was taking a picture of Algeciras Bay (pic 34) when an Ape walked in front of me. Not trusting them I put my camera out of reach and with the other hand instinctively stroked her. This was a serious error as you are not supposed to touch them and I received a bite on my fore-arm for my pains. Fortunately I was up to date with my Tetanus injections and we were carrying a tube of Germolene which Eddie immediately applied. A lady then appeared, she was a visitor from the US and she gave us a disinfecting towelette to wipe it with when it stopped bleeding and two plasters. She said she was a nurse, so I was very grateful to her.I kept pressure on it, as I am taking Warfarin, to help stop the bleeding this took about 30 minutes. We continued our journey up the Rock until we came to the spot where the aerial masts were and at the foot of these masts was a derelict bunker. Garry needed to break into this which was not difficult as there was already a panel missing in the door. Inside it was dark and eerie but fortunately the electric lights were still working. We went down a long flight of steps to the bottom. Here there were several rooms the floors of which were covered in rat droppings and on the walls and a table were big boards with photographs on them. One of these on the table was the prize - THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE SLIPWAY WITH THE CATALINA ON IT. I photographed it but then Garry took it from under its perspex cover and gave it me saying "Its better you have it, it will be better looked after by you than rotting down here". Boy was I made up. It made the whole journey worthwhile. He also found a photograph of a 202 Squadron Catalina (pic 39 -THE END) in flight which he gave to me.

We then descended from the top of the Rock after taking the picture of Eddie (Pic 36) and a picture of the peak of The Sierra Navada in Spain,peeping through the top of the clouds (pic 37).

Arriving back in the town, Garry and Peter left us but arranged to pick us up again in half an hour to take us to a Barbecue at the Ministry of Defence Sailing Club. This proved to be a very pleasant couple of hours spent with Garry, Peter, Cas (another Airman), Christine (Garry's girl friend who was a member of the US Navy) and Gilbert (a member of the Gibraltar Regiment.(pic 38)

The next morning we were leaving for the airport to return home Garry rang to wish us Bon Voyage which I thought was very kind and thoughtful of him. I do wish I could meet them all again sometime but feel my age makes it highly unlikely but I shall never forget them.

After a pleasant Journey home (apart for Eddie being called back to security at the airport. The x-rays had showed up a bottle in his luggage and he had to open it for them to see what it was! It was his bottle of duty free whisky!) We arrived back in Jersey at 19:15 and Don was there meet us. Eddie took a taxi home and Don tok me home ariving about 19:45, with a lot of very pleasant memories.

Both Eddie and I wish to give grateful thanks to F/O Wes Pead and the rest of the Airport Staff for making us so welcome. We would also like to thank Gary and his Father Peter for "adopting" and being so kind to give us so much of their time

Click for SLIDE SHOW (This may take a minute or two to download, and a few minutes if on 56k. please be patient. It also requires POWER POINT. if you do not have this Click here to download POWER POINT READER.

to My War Service

to Home Page