Blue Camp '03 (RAF Leeming)
DAY 1: I arrived at the HQ 0720 to be picked
up at 0730. After 45 minutes of waiting around the coach finally arrived. The journey was pretty
uneventful apart from travelling past Duxford when we saw a Spitfire coming in to land. We arrived
at RAF Leeming at roughly 1400. Once all of the luggage was off the coach the Camp Commandant,
Flight Lieutenant Mortimer split us in to our tents. For the first night I only had 3 in my tent
because the 4th wasn't coming till Sunday. After we had settled in, we had our briefings and were
split into our flights. I was in A flight and Cpl Gardner and Cdt Meacham were in B flight. After
the briefings were over we went to dinner. The food on RAF stations is normally very good and
Leeming is no exception. After dinner we had a familiarisation exercise to do. This involved
answering questions about the station such as, "what is opposite hanger 3?", and we had go and find
out. After that we had some free time and then went to bed. I didn't get much sleep, as it was very
cold.
DAY 2: Got up at 0600 and had the warmest shower ever! Went for breakfast by 0700 and had, like most
people a full English! After breakfast we had PT (Physical Training) led by Pilot Officer Edwards.
This was fun! A lot of stretching off and playing rugby! Once we had got changed, we went to church.
The padre was a really funny guy whose humour was equally as funny as Rvd. Guest's. After church we
got changed in to civvies and headed off for the Eden Camp. This was a POW camp during WW2. It was
interesting if you like that kind of thing and a great place to take photographs, as you can tell
from the pictures that I have taken. Everybody slept on the way back to Leeming including me. After
dinner we could do what we wanted and then bed. It wasn't so cold that night.
DAY 3: Today we had our briefing by the Deputy Air Cadet Liaison Officer (DACLO) and 2 senior
officers on the base. The Station Commander would have done it but he had his hands full with the
Air Chief Marshall Sir Peter Squire. He is the Head of the RAF, so a very important person. He was
on base doing his farewell tour of all of the bases as he is stepping down from his post later in
the year. After the camp brief was over we then went to 100 Squadron. They are an in-operational
squadron that help with other aircraft's training sorties. We were given a quick history of the
squadron and then had a tour round the aircraft. After this we went to Air Traffic Control. Whist I
was there they had
an emergency come in. It was a Jaguar complaining of smoke in the cockpit and asking permission to
land. I was later told that this was due to a bird strike. We went for lunch after this and I had a
very nice, but hot, chilli. Once lunch was finished we went to the Photography section and got to
play with cameras and a cadets head! I better explain. Cadet Britton from 2243, had his photo taken
and then it was put on the computer had messed around with! After that we went to the Survival Bay
and we were told about the ejection seats and what type of equipment a pilot would take with him/her
in case of having to bail out. All of the Girls were swooning over the SAC that was giving the talk.
We
then went back to the camp and had an inspection and then dinner. After dinner we went bowling. Then
Bed.
DAY 4: Today we went to the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). Here we got to see all the ASRAM and
Sidewinder missile holders for the Tornado GR4 and F3. We were then shown a selection of small
arms. No not limbs of midgets, but side arms such as the Walther PP or the SA-80 - which is coming
down to cadet level soon apparently! Then we went to the AMF (aircraft maintenance flight) and we
were shown round a Tornado F3. We were marched round to 609 (West Riding) Squadron RAuxAF. We were
told about the Royal Auxiliary Air Force and about the most senior member of the squadron by rank,
Air Commodore William De Goat. After lunch we went to Catterick to do our swimming proficiency. I
failed my test but I'm not that bothered because I have past it previously. We came home and then
went to see the padre for an hour. He made up a situation for us,
about 5 people being in a Hardened Air raid Shelter and there only being enough air for 4. We had to
decide which one should be "Chucked Out". Once we got back to the camp we had another inspection and
½ hour of drill. After that we went to the Junior Ranks Mess for dinner and then the rest of the
night was ours.
DAY 5: Today I went flying. I had to be at the AEF for 0800 and we just sat around doing nothing for
roughly 2 hours. Once I got kitted up in my flight suit it all went very quickly. The flight only
lasted 20 minutes but I got some very good pictures. After flying, 2 other cadets and I started
walking back to the campsite when RAF police stopped us! I thought that I was in trouble until the
Officer spoke "Do you want a lift back?" So obviously we jumped at the chance and got a ride back in
an RAF police van! Once back at camp we sat around for ages waiting for the rest of the cadets to
return from what they were doing. We went to lunch after that and then I did my work experience at
the photo section. It wasn't that interesting but I got to take pictures of the Tornado simulator
and of aircraft including a Luftwaffe Tornado painted like a tiger. When I arrived back at camp we
had a visit from our Regional Commandant, Group Captain Hakin. We all sat around talking to him for
about an hour about what we enjoyed about camp, the cadets and life in general. After the Gp Capt
had left we sat around until 1715 and then went to dinner. After dinner we went go-karting and I won
my race, very easily!
DAY 6: After breakfast, 3 other cadets and I went to the RAF's Tornado F3 simulator. After waiting
for 20 minutes in the briefing room we were told "Sorry but you can't watch this sortie" so we had
to come back later that afternoon. I was in my tent waiting for the PT when I was noticed by an
officer, she told me that I was the only one on the campsite because everybody else was on section
visits. So I was rushed down to Mountain Rescue to join all of the other cadets. At 1030 that day we
went in to the gym for PT with the PTIs (Physical Training Instructors). We played Quick Cricket. It
wasn't that exciting but my team kicked butt scoring 60 runs off our first 2 batters. Our final
total was 92, where teams 1 and 2 scored in the 20s! After lunch we sat around until we could go
back to the mission sim. It was an interesting trip because the Navigator was in the pilot's seat
and the pilot was in the navigator's seat. It all went without a hitch - just a lot of laughing from
the crew. We went back to the camp after watching the sortie and then had our dinner. After this we
all got into our greens ready for the night exercise. This consisted of locating 5 "booby-traps",
disarming them and finding and deciphering the codes inside. It was a fun exercise made by Cpl Rob
Stuart of the armoury at RAF Leeming. During the night the weather was NOT kind to us as it started
pouring down at about 1045. When we went to bed at about 0000 it was still raining and when I woke
up at about 0500 it was still raining!
DAY 7: Today was brilliant. We weren't on site at all today. We went to York and first thing we
looked for was a McDonalds! We found the poshest one ever! We had a look round the shops and found
an African dance troop. First of all we watched and then the next time we saw them we joined in! We
had most of York city centre looking at us which included some of our staff! When we talked to them
they said that they admired our guts! That night we went to the weekly disco at the station's youth
club. There was lots of cool music being played and I don't know about the rest of the camp but I
had fun that night.
DAY 8: Last day of camp and lots to do including cleaning the campsite and last minute packing. We
left about 1030 and had a lot of fun on the way home watching videos. We got home at about 1530,
having made a lot of new friends.
Blue camp is normally the best week of a cadet's year and this was no exception. For only £45 it has a lot to offer so try and put your names forward for next year. You'll have fun, I promise you!
(An article with an image was also published in the Thurrock Gazette 12/09/03)
Flying/Aircraft |
Click on a picture! |
| V1 Flying rocket - Eden Camp |
 |
| Hawk of 100 Sqn RAF Leeming |
 |
| Tornado |
 |
| Cpl Bagshaw in full flying kit prior to flight |
 |
| Line up of 100 sqn Hawks |
 |
| Cdt Meacham In front of a Spitfire. In the background a Hurricane |
 |
| Yorkshire from a Grob Tutor Coming out of a Loop |
 |
| A Spitfire at the Eden Camp |
 |
Camp photos |
|
| Anti-Aircraft Cannon |
|
| RAF Bomb Disposal Memorial At the Eden Camp |
 |
| Cdt Meacham on sentry duty |
 |
All details and photos by of Cpl. Bagshaw