ME AND THE COLD WAR
Posted by anthonynorth on November 16, 2007
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I’m soon to begin posting some of my experiences at the cutting edge of my service in the Royal Air Force. Hopefully you’ll find them interesting and often funny. It was a strange time.
I was in the RAF from 1975-84, and my trade was in administration – i.e. I flew a desk. But for five of those years I worked on two of the 20 or so air defence bases that protected UK air space. And sometimes that got very interesting.
At least once a month the siren would go off.
When this happened, we knew it was exercise time. My blue uniform was swapped for combats, beret for helmet, and pen for 7.62mm SLR. Because, when that siren went off, I was part of the defence of that thin blue line.
How important was that line? Well, British forces contributed 4 divisions to the effort in Germany, whilst the rest of the forces were responsible for UK air space and keeping the Atlantic open for re-supply from America.
The unsinkable aircraft carrier.
US forces first called Britain that during World War Two, and it was a fact that had the Cold War gone hot, Britain’s importance would have been just as great. For if British air space fell, then no American reinforcements or supplies could ever get to Europe, and the Soviets would have won.
Hence, that thin blue line of the RAF would have become crucial. Those bases would have become among the most violent places on Earth, constantly attacked by bombers, missiles and infiltrated Soviet SPETZNAZ special forces.
I was only a very, very, very small cog in all this, but that was what we were training for in those exercises. And they often got scary as well as very, very funny.
© Anthony North, November 2007
renaissanceguy said
Great story. I appreciate the service you did.
tobeme said
Tony,
I look forward to your stories. I served in the US Air Force for 22 years. For five of those years I served in Europe working on the Ground Launch Cruise Missile (GLCM) program. I was in England from 83-86 and RAF Greenham-Common. You are correct on the importance of England as a strategic location. I loved my time in England. Some of my fondest memories.
I salute you and thank your for your service to Queen, Country and the free world.
anthonynorth said
Hi Renaissanceguy,
Thanks for that. Many of the experiences I had were hilarious, which I hope I show. But there was a serious side to it, too, which I also hope comes through.
Hi Mark,
With regards to your last line, and you too, sir.
I had a couple of colleagues who took their turn on ‘the fence’ at Greenham. They advised the SPETZNAZ would have been easier. I later also knew some associated with ‘the camp’ outside. Intersting times.
I worked with USAF from time to time, and I remember a ‘jolly’ in a USAF Hercules, destination Lakenheath. It began with a tactical take-off, empty. Wow!
Enough said
tobeme said
Tony,
I remember the “ladies” of the camp outside of Greenham’s gate very well and the nights they tore down the fences and the mess they made. I respected then and still today their right to voice their beliefs, I do however question some of their methods. It was a very interesting time in this world. I was there to put the fist missle in Europe and I then managed the withdraw when we signed the treaty with the then USSR.
anthonynorth said
Hi Mark,
The controversies over those missiles were many, and I felt, and still do, that they were vital for putting pressure on the USSR. People have mixed views over the policy of deterrence, but I felt, during the Cold War, it paid off. And with spending the USSR to near economic collapse, the west finally prevailed.
To me the period from 1871 (the Franco-Prussian War) to 1989 (and the fall of Berlin Wall) was a continuing struggle between philosophies rather than nations. This is not always appreciated.
By the late 1980s I was publishing and editing a UK small press magazine, and many of my readers had sympathy with the ‘ladies’ of Greenham. Interesting times continued for me
moi on someone elses pc said
hi, i was googleing greenham peace camp and came accross the reference to greenham ladies. sorry to bother ya,especially since ya may see me as one of the ‘other’ side….but just wanted to say hello. i was one of those greenham ladies…or should i still say women or wimmin.. i was an impresionable late teenager who enjoyed learning about social and politicxal change while demonstrating at greenham 1985 to 1989.
i would like you to know that i now have an appreciation that i didnt then have for how you all have so much to do with the freedom i have to demonstrate. i knew others with bad experiences with MOD and squadies, but my own expereience only ever saw freindly plods who patiently escorted us back off the base. thank you for being part of my education in life.
whatever our veiws and however we may differ, i thank you for being part of that system that allows us to be so different. i pray that you all stay safe.
thanks for the memories. pleace and love ….moi
anthonynorth said
Hi Moi,
Many thanks for that. The Greenham Ladies caused quite a bit of trouble at the time, but that’s what freedom’s about – I think most of us realised that – whether we agreed or not.
I suppose the irony is, I now spend so much time blogging protests at the government. Issues change – freedom must not.