Requesting Service Childhood Memories/experiences

[Coton2000]

Hello,

My name is Debbie Purdy, Ex WRAF, born into the Airforce , joined up 1975, married and then left the Airforce in 1988. All in all I had 30 years of service life and experiences, but what Iam interested in is the memories and experiences of Scaley brats as we used to be called. People born into the services and how the life etc has affected them good and bad into adult life.

A very brief history from my own perspective, Born in 1958 at Chippenham Wiltshire, there for 6 months then through no end of moves, 22 schools from infants to senior. Father dies at 40 in 1974 whilst still in the Airforce 6 months before retiring after 22 years service. I then join up 1975 at 17 years as a Dental Nurse, get married to the classic RAF Policeman, Lots more moves for us all over, children,both girls both born in RAF Wegburg Germany, came back to the UK then came out of the forces 1988.

I have often thought about how life within the services as a child can affect your thoughts, feelings and outlook on life, obviously based on my own experiences and also to a lesser extent my daughters. Talking to them now at 29 and 26 years respectively they have expressed some of the same that I felt both good and bad.
Good memories are mostly the freedom to explore, meeting lots of new people, exploring new camps,new house, new bedroom : )) Going to foreign countries to live and learning so much about life and the world.
Bad memories, going to new schools and being the new girl AGAIN. Not knowing anyone, trying to fit in, march outs, off to the grandparents while quarters are prepared for marchout. Losing friends, gaining dwindling aquaintences. Being on a completely different planet/wavelength to civies who think you are 'making up stories' about true life experiences.
Its not all depressing, I now share the running of a successful business that has been paying the bills for the last 8 years from home. I would say a pretty good acheivement for someone who only JUST managed 8 CSE's none of which were grade ones, failing to get graded in Accounts and never left school understanding decimals and fractions. These were self taught at home to pass the entrance exam to join up : ))

What Iam looking for is to hear from other 'Scaley brats' who have had or are having interesting life experiences, good or bad. I would also like to hear if its any different for a child in the Army or Navy, compared to a child in the Airforce. Obviously I would prefer to hear from forces children who can give an outlook on what it was like for anyone in the 5o's through to the 80's. This gathering of info is to go towards a book of short stories based on real experiences.
If you wish to contact me directly, please do and Thank you, regards Debbie

 

[230Tiger]

Hi Debbie,

Welcome to the goat!

You might want to talk to Scaley Brat, I think he may have been one. It doesn't seem to have affected him (much!!!!!), that's what the doctors said anyway! DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[wgaf]

Don't wish to be funny and there could well be a perfectly good explanation, but could you tell me how you had 2 kids and managed to stay in the RAF in the 70's and 80's ?

 

[Coton2000]

Sorry, keeping my details brief, not making it very clear. I came out on marriage because at that time wives still in the Airforce were not given any consideration if hubby was posted.
My husband was posted and I was not allowed to be posted with him or near him, so although I loved my job I had no choice but to come out.
The girls came after.......

 

[Rectifier]

I'll volunteer my services, was a Pongo Scaley brat out in BFG in the 70's. PM me and I'll tell you what I can remember. Has been many beers under the bridge since then though - good luck with the book

 

[wgaf]

Coton if you want an upto date point of view I'll ask the kids, they have both moved all over the place with me and the eldest has a completely different outlook as she's at boarding school.
wgaf

 

[Coton2000]

Thank you very much for your kind offers to contribute. I will welcome the present day too as a comparison perhaps. I will get in touch with people soon to hear their own memories.

I would like to invite any memories that are really poignent or funny that stand out. Sometimes its the daft things that come to mind, like the old solid wooden packing boxes painted with Dads details and new unit address when we moved.
Me and mum on our knees prior to march out, scraping the top layer of wax of the old brown lino on the floor under the carpet that was not wall to wall. This seemed to go on forever but had to be done and then re waxed!!
Cleaning and laying out absolutely lots of kitchen ware and cutlery! Things like tureens and fish knives! all the cutlery with bone handles and everything with the V mark or crows feet stamped. We never used half the things we were allocated but still had to account for it and make sure everything was spotless.
Of course mother was never going to have a black mark against her name, and always believed it was because she did such good jobs cleaning the house for march outs she got such a ****ty one at the next place to clean up for the Airforce : )) She felt so appreciated!

Being tucked under mums arm running to the medical centre for stitches to fix a split lip, after being pushed by my brother whilst pretending to be a tightrope artist balancing on the edge of the wooden box! Still got that scar!

Getting carted off as 'excess baggage' Mum and us three kids to Silloth when dad had to do 13 months unaccompanied in Bahrain in the early 60's, along with other service wives from the Army. I remember it being cold and lots of deep deep snow! Funnily enough visited recently and found the old house in Skimberness Drive, and what a lovely place when the sun shines in the summer!

These are just a few memories and I could go on..........

I will look forward to other contributions which Iam sure I will be able to recognise and empathise and also laugh at too....... Thank you.

 

[Scaley brat]

Hi Debbie,

Welcome to the goat!

You might want to talk to Scaley Brat, I think he may have been one. It doesn't seem to have affected him (much!!!!!), that's what the doctors said anyway! DT_Xtremez_30:

Get f***ed Tiger, there's f*** all wrong with me, I'm not paranoid your all against me :: DT_Xtremez_15:

Hi Debbie, why Coton2000 ?

 

[FOMz]

Guys (and gals)

If you want to contribute to Cottons short stories, can you please PM her.

Ta muchly

FOMz

 

[Coton2000]

HI ,

Thanks for your support. I must admit, there does not seem to be a lot of people who have answered upto now. Maybe there were enough that were put off being a 'child off' they decided not to bother staying within the services to see this request? : ))

My own daughters have both gone in totally opposite directions away from the services too, I do not blame them one bit. Things are so different now, but I know for certain that my upbringing, dragging along, however you see it, certainly affected my outlook on life. I still get itchy feet to move, and have done quite a bit since coming out.

As I'am a pretty positive person and although I was painfully shy through all the school moves, bullied for not having the same accent etc, I have always looked forward. Confidence came later after leaving school a long time later towards the end of my 30's. What I have found with this is a real enthusiasm to do new things and wether it fails or not, there have been some real expensive failures, but learning from them and moving on.
My father dying at 40 years and losing the retirement dream of starting a new life, career etc, must have played a part for making the most of what you have now.
I look back at the time as a kid in the airforce and we were so lucky too in lots of other ways, visiting and living in foreign countries, we were in Aden early 60's, Cyprus early 70's.
Cyprus was the best as a kid, with half day school, and down to the beach for the rest of the day. 9 week summer holidays, bondoo to explore, travelling as a family of 5 in a Fiat 500 with gear on the roof, up and over Mount Troodos, camping on the panhandle beach and falling asleep to the sound of the waves gently lapping (this was before the invasion of Turkey)
Watching water spouts hitting the cliffs at Episkopi from the class windows at St Johns Comprehensive and even being in the middle of a Tornado/Hurricane? during a Sunday Lunch at the Buffs where my dad was a member.
This Tornado/Hurricane ripped up the middle of Limasol, and caused lots of damage to roads, housing etc up to Akrotiri. We were scared when we were told to hit the floor after the sky had gone black and the wind got stronger blowing the windows and doors, giant hailstones falling outside. The roof came off where we were and landed on parked cars outside. All through this, a vision of my mother sat still with a brandy lemon in her hand : ))

Amazing experiences, never forgotten, then back to the UK to no National Curriculam, so back to the usual either top in year or bottom depending on subject and what level. Overseas education was always considered higher and better than the UK.

Not all bad being a Scaley brat, by the way, does anyone know where Scaley brat comes from or originated?? Is it short or slang for Scallywag perhaps??

I will look forward and hope that some of the recounting from myself may trigger a few more responses. Thanks again

 

[Scaley brat]

Not all bad being a Scaley brat, by the way, does anyone know where Scaley brat comes from or originated?? again

Scale E was the pay scale a dad went on when you were born. Brat for kid

 

[Coton2000]

Thank you Scaley brat for the explantion and someone asked me why Coton2000?
Not very exciting, working from home has enabled me to have a go at breeding dogs occaisionally and the breed I have had the pleasure of being involved with are Coton de Tulear's.
Next response is usually "say that again" or "what are those?" if anyone is intererested I have a website called www.cotonborne.co.uk and if you want to see them in all their best and worst, go to the gallery section.
They are usually described as little miniature old english sheepdogs or as one little 5 year old yelled to her mother " Look at the baby polarbear"

If you double click on any of the pics in the gallery, you will open more albums of pics to see. Warning though, dont let the kids see them because they are so cute!

 

[Scaley brat]

Thank you Scaley brat for the explantion and someone asked me why Coton2000?
Warning though, dont let the kids see them because they are so cute!

That would be me DT_Xtremez_30:

Oh boy they are aren't they ! SB jnr isn't seeing those pictures or he'll want one to keep our Jack Russel company

 

[Coton2000]

Would you believe I have just had a call from Research Department BBC wanting to talk about my dogs and wether I will be showing at Crufts this year.
I have pointed her elsewhere because we had a go showing for a short while and did not like it OR the politics that are involved!!
You can go from one end of the country to another to shows and unless you are on the same comittee as the judge, or take them (judges) for meals the night before etc etc, you have no chance and its a lot of effort for nothing!
Not only that but to know you have the better dog and you lose to one that is not so good because the judge does not know the breed is also hard to take.

We want to have a go at agility because its fun and also there is no question if you win or lose.......its totally your own efforts and not the judges opinion.

Sorry, still on my high horse............

 

[TheHogwartsBEngO]

I must remeber to send you a PM Coton2000. I was a Scaley Brat and lived in Gutersloh (BFG) '83-'86. My sister and I have a few tales of those 3 years - some of the happiest of our lives.

Funnily enough, your posts did jog some slighly more painful experiences of returning to the UK in 86 (when I was 8) and as my parents bought a house in a non-RAF area, I went to a 'non-RAF' school. Arriving as I did from Germany I definately felt like 'the odd one out' - something that didn't seem to go away until I was 14 or so - and for the first year or so was teased (bullied?) for being a German and a 'Nazi'. Very narrow-minded people.

However, my BFG schooling was excellent and I came back to blighty as one of the top of my class in maths and science-type things (another reason to be bullied by the narrow-minded laws of the playground). Still, it set me up as an Engineer and my dad taking me into the hangars sealed my fate as a life-long lover of military aircraft!

 

[Coton2000]

Hi HogwartsBeng,

Your PM will be really appreciated and I look forward to it. Both my daughters born in Germany, suffered the same 'Nazi' bit too but I only found out when they were older.
Its the school memories that seem to be the main ones as it would be, being such a big part of life at that age. The majority of my schooling was in non RAF schools where most of the negative side of being a Scaley brat was felt for me.

I do remember a good one a long time ago at RAF Church Fenton aged 5 years. The weather must have been bad and however we went to school? must have been on a bus, not very clearly remembered, but this one day we had to pile into the back of a 3 tonner to go to school in the village. So the RAF came to the rescue that day and wether you loved or hated school, I suppose it would influence how you felt about that event and the RAF's help.

I know I thought it was great fun, and remember being lifted into the back, then placed onto a wooden side bench inside and a slow careful journey to school.

 

[Scaley brat]

for the first year or so was teased (bullied?) for being a German and a 'Nazi'. Very narrow-minded people.

Try moving back to Wales age 9 with an English accent and large vocabulary ! That was fun let me tell you.

Still, it set me up as an Engineer and my dad taking me into the hangars sealed my fate as a life-long lover of military aircraft!

Good grief BengO, we have something in common after all DT_Xtremez_15:


Canberra's and Vulcan's with my dad when he transferred to Saints.
Lightning's at Wattisham back in the days of scrambles to intercept the red Bears. Front line station and predominately scaleys in the various schools I went to. Biggest bug bear..... being told the French I was learning in England wasn't taught until comp in Wales. Then being told I HAD to learn Welsh. ::

Fcuk that, didn't learn it, still don't speak it DT_Xtremez_14:

 

[propersplitbrainme]

Try moving back to Wales age 9 with an English accent and large vocabulary !

Ha! Try moving to Scotland as a 13 year old with an English accent and English nationality...thats tough I tells ya DT_Xtremez_14: