Comments on: RAF Oakington – Cambridgeshire

By: Pete Smith

Pete Smith — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:15:51 +0000

Apologies..I should have mentioned RE Garwood perished in a Vampire crash on that date.

By: Pete Smith

Pete Smith — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:13:59 +0000

I visited the site looking for the son or daughter of R.E. Garwood aged 27 who died on 4 August 1960. I am related to the surviving pilot FtLt E.J. Shere.

By: Linda Cowling

Linda Cowling — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:00:41 +0000

sorry….I meant “Middle East” (obviously not the Far East!

By: Linda Cowling

Linda Cowling — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:50:29 +0000

Just stumbled across this site by coincidence. I am reading my Dad’s hand-written memoirs, and there is so much about RAF Oakington, where he was stationed 1941 to around 1947, that I looked it up. He mentions trips into Cottenham, Cambridge, Swavesey where he met my Mam, who was in the Land Army (Dad was from Hull and Mam from Leeds). He talks about the Lancs, and Mosquitos on photographic and met trips, and other “kites” as he calls them, and he mentions so many people – he was in ATC. I remember as a small child, at night sitting drinking cocoa and listening to him telling me and my sisters about when he was later in the Far East closing dromes down, making the stories really funny….wonderful memories. It is all so interesting, and now as I read I can picture it a bit better. Sadly he passed away 2 years ago – he was 85. Thanks for the page.

By: ray huyton

ray huyton — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:03:17 +0000

HI GEORDIE GOOD TO HEAR YOU .I REMEMBER AUCHTERLONIE .GOOD BIG CENTRE HALF IN THE SOCCER TEAM. I REMEMBER THE EJECTOR SEAT MODULE WE DEMONSTRATED THE USE OF IT WITH LIVE PILOT OFFICERS, THE HARGE WAS SET ACCORDING TO THE WEIGHT OF THE PILOT IN THE SEAT .BUT WE HAD A DIFFERENT TWIST, WITH A 13 STONE PILOS A SMALL CHARGE WAS SET AND WHEN HE TRIGGARD ,HE ONLY SHOT ABOUT 10 FT UP THE RAMP.HE WASNT HALF SURPRISED.WHEREAS A 10 STONE PILOT GOT THE FULL MONTY .GREAT MEMORIES GEORDIE, WE WILL KEEP THE SITE ALIVE CHEERS,,RAY

By: ron snowden

ron snowden — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:26:16 +0000

Hi Ray,
Nice to hear from you,Yes its a bit disappointing I would have thought that there might have been one or two more from our era,we live in hope, have been around the net a fair bit and haven’t found anyone that I know. a few more Geordies have come to mind, Stebbing (M/T),Robson (Bishop Aukland) I classed him as aGeordie & Auchterlonie (Gateshead) (Both Airmen mess) peeled the spuds for him at RAF Gravely, a Jackson in the hangers somewhere. Can you recall the ejector seat training modual that visited the station in 54/55 where was it parked? I remember all our lot wanting a try only to be told that the cartridge was too expensive. Kind regards Geordie

By: RAY HUYTON .

RAY HUYTON . — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:15:00 +0000

HI GEORDIE . GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU .THIS SITE APPEARS TO HAVE BITTEN THE DUST .I AM SURPRISED . AS IT WAS ALIVE AND KICKING TWO YEARS AGO .ANYWAY . HAVE A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR .. TAKE CARE AND KEEP WELL .CHEERS.. RAY HUYTON .

By: geordie snowden

geordie snowden — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 23:16:54 +0000

Wishing a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all the ex RAF Oakington Personel, residents of Longstanton and Oakington,also a big Thank You to Derelicte for keeping this page open.Nice to read that they intend retaining some of the station buildings.

I have been watching a video of the new Busway and stations & roads in the Longstanton/Oakington area,Quite remarkable,

Best Wishes from Geordie

By: Brian Whitby

Brian Whitby — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:40:50 +0000

Hello Brian,

I worked in GRSF on the ground floor of the tower, Nov 1964 to Jan 1966 and well remember Stan Chamberlain. The SATCO, at the time, would incessently squak for Stan if ever there was a comms problem and completely ignored the ground wireless mechs and fitters that manned the section until the Flt Sgt i/c GRSF ‘advised’ him accordingly!

By: Ken Rochester

Ken Rochester — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:17:02 +0000

Another sad memory from my days at Oakington.There was a station redifusion service mostly BBC stations.It was run by a tech records clerk called “Fred Simpson”,now fred hailed fromBermondsey and managed to get a “Press Pass”and at weekends he would do radio interviews with all the top stars of that time including the Beatles!!Imagine if those tapes were still in existance!Fred invited me and a guy called Willie Pope to his home once or twice for a weekend of fun.Not sure of the date but about 1966/7 fred was found to have hung himself in his room.You never find out why but a certain bachelor chief tech was suddenly posted ,so the rumours started,Funny as I met freds girlfriend and they both seemed a nice couple.Anyone remember?