Date Posted:24/02/04 8:48:46 Author:John 'Gary' Cooper Subject: RAF El Adem
Anyone serve on this station, one thing comes to mind here, ZIFT as they say in Arabic. I worked on Staging Aircraft Servicing Flight from Oct 1963 to August 1965, for 15 months I lived in the Palace Hotel, Tobruk in a hiring.
Would like to hear of anyone else's experience of the place El Adem aptly meaning 'The End'
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Re: RAF El Adem -- John Cooper, 31/03/04 15:47:03
...............and another one today! Two in one day is too much! Pinky (Peter) Walton Engine Fitter TASS 1963/64 before going to SAR Nicosia. Peter now runs a guesthouse in Datmouth, Devon
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Re: RAF El Adem -- Alan Langford., 8/12/05 11:22:10
I remember"Pinky" Walton.He was with me on 1564 Flt (Sycamores)in 1964.
I have some 8mm. film of him goingnout to the shower room - what a sight!!
I am now semi-retired but still doing a bit in aviation with a Maintenance Company, ATC Lasham, Hampshire and living not far away in Alresford, near Winchester.
B/rgds,
Alan Langford.
We must have been at EA at the same time. I was there from late '64 to late'66. I also was on TASF. Can't remember which shift. Bernie Byrne was the Cheify I lived across the road from the mosque in August Square. (Dustbin Alley) on the back path to the sailing club. My eldest daughter was born in sick 1/4s at EA . Regards Briggers.
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Re: RAF El Adem -- Ted Marston, 9/04/05 16:30:48
Stationed at El Adem June 56 to Jan 59. With 62 and 1 Field
Squadron RAF Regiment. I am in touch with 50 of the 'Lads'
(We were then) and we have just had a re union. I think
it was El Adem that has kept us pals.
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Re: RAF El Adem -- Doug Lovatt, 20/05/06 21:27:39
Posted in from Akrotiri Mar.57 to TASF(air radar mech)until Aptil 59,then to Marham(El A.with grass).Memory shot now,but names remembered are Ron Chidgey,Lionel Nanton,Barry Egerton,Sgt.Lyons.Anyone who is relevant to this period please get in touch.
Hi Fellas,
Our paths must have crossed. I was a fireman at El Adem from 62-64. I was I/C the crash crew when the Canberra came in gushing fuel out of the side of the port engine unknown to the pilot. When we told it to halt, the engines were still running until the pilot saw the lake of fuel his plane was standing in, which was almost an inch deep. I break out in a sweat now when I think of the risk I was taking by not flooding the area with foam.
But I knew Kero is not as inflamable as petrolium and as long as nobody caused a spark we would be OK. We pushed the plane out of the puddle to safety.
I also knew the damage the foam could do to the A/C.
Well it paid off and I got a pat on the back by the TASS crew. I can only imagine what was said by the fire section out of hearing.
I love the dessert country so much I requested another posting there as safety equipment fitter and was there again I/C safety equip sect. 1969 till Kadafi asked us to leave.
I lived in one of the high rise blocks of flats on main street in Tobruk with a view over the harbour.
I live in Australia now with a view over Moreton Bay.
Look me up if you are ever this way.
All the best.
Bert Webb
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Re: RAF El Adem -- Ken Patchett, 17/05/07 13:28:16
I was at El Adem 1964-5 working on TASS and worked with a lot of the names mentioned and also see Jim White (engines)in Emsworth. I am now self employed on a contract with BAA at Gatwick and South east airports
I served with Air Movements ELA from Jan 61 until Jan 63, and can remember the Hasting crashing flying Maltese REME back home after an exercise and loading coffins into a Shackleton through the small entrance and having to turn them on their sides, not a nice thing to do. I was a Corporal in charge of a shift during that and we used our coach to search the Bondu. I also had to fit stretcher columns to a Hastings flying other bodies back to Malta.
Another time was the first Gulf war, when all UK and Cyprus aircraft met at ELA for fuel and food. We worked around the clock for two days. What about the transit of Swedish J29 aircrfat on UN duties to the Congo. I lived in a hiring in Misurata Street, opposite the Palace Hotel near the Gazoosa bottling plant. Good days down the Lido on the Airmen's beach.
Frank
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Re: RAF El Adem -- Allan Walker, 5/10/08 9:48:54
I served as DAMO in the Air Movements from 60-62 and remember the Hastings crash. Flt Lt Adams was DAMO the night it happpened and was suspended from Duty until after the Court of Inquiry was completed. I was also on Duty DAMO the day they eventually returned the bodies. At that time we had no coffins at El Adem and the bodies were wrapped in stretchers covered with sheets. A week after the accident a Beverly arrived and was stacked full of various sizes of coffins.
On a lighter note during this period there was a spate of writings which appeared as "OGG" on all ground equipment, vehicle and eventually on some file covers. I eventually got out of one of my shift that it meant "Oggie has Got to Go." The Oggie in question was Chief Tech Ogdon on TASS who bored his shift constantly with the fact thta he could "temper & tension any steel strut" no doubt because he was considerably oder than any of the Shift.
Another memory is seeing OC TASS a 6'3 Flight Lieutenant struggling across the "pan" on his little motorbike with knees akimbo.
Coming across this site has brought back many memories and will post a detailed report later.
Hello all you Ex-El Ademites.
I was stationed in El Adem 65-67 in the Fire Section.I had a lot to do with Football,playing for the Station Team and sometimes running it.I have a few photo's,of which some are on the "TEARS"radio Web site.
Anyone remember each section building there Bars at Christmas time?What a time we had.Do you remember they had to chain the wagons in the MT Section bumper to bumper,in case anyone decided they'd make a get-away.Remember Friday Bingo nights on TEARS,one of my Mates a Ron Christian(who later became my best man)well he won £90 on the bingo,all i can remember we had a great party on the Airmans beach in Tobruk.
I am in touch with a Brian Higgins,he was a CPL promoted to SGT before he left El Adem.He is now retired after 39yrs finishing off as a WO.
I have enjoyed reading all the posts and will certainly pay some more visits to this site.:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_:)_
Re: RAF El Adem -- Ted Marston, 9/04/05 16:30:48 
Re: RAF El Adem -- Dave (Taffy) Foulkes, 15/10/08 11:49:08