Further Reminiscences of that Infamous 1 Group Anniversary Guest Night
The Editor is most grateful to Julian Grenfell and Tony Woodford for submitting what they remember of that calamitous Guest Night at RAF Waddington on 14th October 1965
From Julian Grenfell
My first recollection was of an extraordinary Officers Mess meeting being called by the Station Commander RAF Scampton in the 1960s, the exact date is faded by time. The Station Commander explained there was to be a 1 Group dining in night, and that all 700 officers in 1 Group would attend. The cost of attending would be (inflated to today’s rate) some £30 for each officer attending and some £2,500 from Mess funds. The Station Commander called for a vote, which was not passed, the members voting against the motion. The Station Commander vetoed the vote, saying all those not on duty would attend and the Officers’ Mess General Mess Funds would provide the necessary contribution!
A little on the background and the state of the armed forces at the time in question. The armed forces pay rise had been deferred more than once. The British Hunter and Sea Vixen replacement P1154 and the HS 681 Beverly and Hastings replacement were cancelled. The saying went ‘If you hear a bell clanging in the middle of the night, it isn’t the local church bell, but armed forces morale hitting rock bottom’.
There were two guests attending the dining in night which were of note to aircrew; the first, Air Chief Marshal Sir Charles Elworthy, the second Air Marshal Harry Broadhurst. From the first guest, aircrew expected to hear, in light of the cancellations, the future of the Royal Air Force. The second did not receive a warm welcome from Vulcan aircrew because of what had happened at London Heathrow in October 1956. The Air Chief Marshal’s speech did not mention the future of the Royal Air Force.
As has already been mentioned by Jon Tye and others, arrival timing was strict. Thirty two seater buses from all over 1 Group to arrive at the large marquees at Royal Air Force Waddington, the thirty two seater’s timing was said to be plus or minus eight seconds, two seconds more than a Vulcan select star crew’s time on target error!
Towards the end of the dinner I observed a candle of a three-candle candelabra being removed and replaced with a lit banger firework and the candle replaced on top of the banger. Logic says on detonation of the banger, the candle will go into orbit. Not so! The candelabra arm peeled like a banana and the candle fell on to the table top!
Others have covered the copious quantities of sherry and wine which, of course, aircrew were not used to. On leaving the dining in night, I climbed onto the bus marked Scampton, and spent what was left of the night at Royal Air Force Lindholme.
On a more serious note the cancellation of the P1154 and HS 681 could be attributed to the 1957 Defence White Paper, and that the design and manufacture of advanced aircraft such as the Vulcan, Victor, and Lightning were unlikely to be awarded to British companies in favour of American aircraft, such as the F-4 and the C-130. American aircraft were cheaper on economy of scale. Maybe the foregoing played some part in 1 Group Dining in Night.
There endeth my recollections of the 1 Group dining in night. However, for a few beers I will tell you of another dining in night called ‘The Great Chain Robbery’.
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From Tony Woodford
Dear Phil,
Thank you once again for the excellent 44 Squadron News Letter. It always brings many happy memories back. The reference to the infamous No 1 Group Dining In Night reminded me of a very outrageous evening. I will never forget standing alongside Bobby Robinson the following morning as the Station Commander harangued us in his office over our contribution to the chaos of the evening. Fortunately the most senior attendees did not seek retribution or Bobby and I would have remained in the rank of Flight Lieutenant for ever!
I recall that the weather that evening was fine and this led me to remark to a colleague while relieving myself in the nominated bucketed area that it was strange that it was pouring with rain. Someone rather more sober heard me and remarked that the rain was being provided by the local fire brigade hosing the marquees down!
With best wishes,
Tony Woodford
