THE RESIDENT STAFF

Bill Waddington & Beatle Cuts

'Bill Waddington was the fondly remembered CPO when I attended the WTC in 1966. He was "of the old school" and the changing times of the "swinging sixties" had passed him by and one of the things that drove him mad was the popularity of "Beatle Cuts". One of the best "mopheads" in our group was Dennis Graham from Leith who was always getting encouraged to "get a hair cut lad"

Eventually one lunchtime, Dennis gave in to the demands and got a short back and sides. We were walking back up Victoria Avenue to Carby House but it was very windy day and Dennis's hat was seized by the wind and flew over a high wall onto a bowling green. Dennis shinned over the wall and as he returned he let out a stream of oaths that would have made a Leith docker smart only to find his mates standing to attention as "the Wadd" walked past with his stately gait

The Wadd looked at Dennis - Dennis looked at the Wadd. "Well" says Dennis. "You told me to get it bl**dy cut ...... Sir" - David Bowie

 

THE STUDENTS

'My Watch Stopped Sir . . . .'

'On my WTC course in 1966 the PM Lecture had started when the door burst open and a breathless Dennis Graham - he of the haircut story above - rushed in " Sorry Sir but my watch stopped." A couple of minutes later George Mahoney entered. The instuctor was starting to get somewhat irritated. "Sorry sir .....HIS watch stopped", pointing at Dennis, the course erupted in laughter! I was very impressed with the lads ingenuity . . . . .even if the instructor wasn't.' - David Bowie

THE TRAINING

The Vessel Familiarisation Visit

'I was not present when the following occurred, but half the course was sent to Tilbury on their "vessel familiarisation visit", presumably so the airport "hairies" would know the sharp end of a Ben Boat if it landed at Terminal 1 Heathrow.

The 36 sprogs milled over the deck of this vessel and one aimlessly kicked a pile of rubbish stacked by the gangway awaiting disposal. Out rolled half a dozen bottles of the stuff distilled in Scotland under British government supervision. The goods were secured and the instructor told the lads not to touch anything else and he would run and get the port rummage crew. Not for the last time in their service, the lads decided to completely ignore the words of a PO and the bus subsequently returned 36 very dirty but happy APO's to their Southend digs following the biggest mass deck rummage in the port's history.

I often wondered how they managed to get 1 seizing officer * + 35 assisting onto the C458?' - David Bowie