Rtn Bob Kendall

MORPETH ROTARY PAST PRESIDENT JOB TALK ON THE RAF 

In the early days, the jobs, trades and professions of members, were an important aspect of Rotary membership and meetings ‘rotated’ around their places of business. Talks about jobs are still a feature. 

Past President Bob Kendall began his working life in the RAF. At the age of 16½ he reported to RAF Cosford in Staffordshire for 12 months of training. It was the first craft apprentice intake following the end of the ‘Boy Entry’ scheme. There were 21 photographic trainees like Bob and 41 telegraphy trainees. He was welcomed by a very polite Flight Corporal who called him Mr. Kendall. The atmosphere changed as soon as he had signed on for 12 years. He was immediately told to get outside at the double and start to drill. Uniforms were fitted, civilian clothes sent home, short haircuts provided and there were boots to be polished until you could see your face in them. It took four weeks just to get the boots right. There were job rotas for every type of cleaning. Each room had 16 trainees with a leading boy to ensure that every billet was perfect. Bob took up every sport he was offered and became deputy head boy for the course. It was to be three months before anyone was allowed off camp. He got a night off to see his parents in Liverpool. Travel was easy and cheap, just wear your uniform and hitch-hike. The proudest day of his life was the passing out parade. 

He was a boy corporal, parade adjutant and got the sportsman of the year trophy.

A first posting was to RAF Cottesmore in Rutland to work with squadrons of Vulcan bombers. He worked on base photos for passports and identity cards, operational radar films and 35 mm film cassettes. Films had to be developed and networked. There was a lot of preparation for the annual NATO bombing competition where the RAF Vulcans usually won. Sometimes the radar operators left the cassettes in the cockpit and they had the pleasure and wonder of exploring the five seat cockpits of the legendary aircraft. They were the workhorse for the Falklands conflict where they were refuelled in mid air by Handley Page Victor tankers. Even without conflicts there were always two battle ready aircraft at the end of the runway and ready to go. He was sent to RAF Episkopi in southern Cyprus, before the partition of the island and was there for 2½ years. He joined 120 photographic staff with 70 photographers and the rest on interpretation. Most of the photos were from the Akrotiri squadron. Vast numbers of photographs were processed, wearing masks so the images were not corrupted They worked in factory conditions from 7 am to 1.30 pm then the rest of the day was free. The uniform was mostly khaki shirt and shorts. The beach was half an hour away, there was ‘Happy Valley’ recreation area, a sailing club and skiing in the Trudos Mountains. There were personal challenges for Bob with almost fatal glandular fever and news of a serious car crash in Scotland where his mother died and dad fractured his back. At the end of the posting he had the wonderful adventure of driving back to England overland. Next he went to RAF Grantown joint air reconnaissance and intelligence facility. While there he met his wife Mary who is this year’s Morpeth Rotary President. She was a student teacher living near his parent’s home in Liverpool. Then came a 20 week conversion course to be an air camera fitter before a posting to north Devon where he passed his sergeant’s exams and signed on for a further 10 years. At RAF Chivenor he got a small flat in Barnstaple for himself and his wife. His next posting was RAF Wildenrath in Germany working with Harrier jump jets. It included exchange periods in Norway with NATO F5 jets. They had large convoys of four ton trucks with 120 personnel, supplies, fuel and spares and had to practice hiding mobile air units in forests. Then back to Cyprus before to move to 60 Squadron on Pembroke transport planes in Germany. The country was still divided and in the grip of the ‘Cold War’. They sometimes had to fly in to Berlin along the air corridor. There were accidents including one where they lost a pilot. He had to eject but his second charge did not go off and he fell back into a burning plane. They had three years in Germany before a posting to RAF Wyton in Huntingdon where they bought their first house at St. Ives. Instead of staying on for 22 years he decided to leave at the end of 12 years. By then they were expecting their second child and his next tour was to be in Northern Ireland. The posting was delayed and he left before receiving orders to go. Mary got her first teaching job and Bob took an HGV course and passed. He was all set for a new career. He had enjoyed his time in the RAF and valued the discipline and teamwork, especially when working with a squadron. 

The vote of thanks was by Michael Duffy.