Glossary parts: 1250 – CSDE · Danesbury – KT66 · L Fitt AR – runs · SA – zobbit
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| L Fitt AR | Electronics Fitter, Air radar. |
| L Fitt GR | Electronics Fitter, Ground radar. |
| L Fitt GW | Electronics Fitter, Ground wireless. |
| L Tech AD | Electronics Technician, Air Defence |
| LA | Leading Apprentice. (See: rank, Leading Aircraft Apprentice). |
| LAA | Leading Aircraft Apprentice. Apprentice NCO, with one chevron. (See: rank). |
| lab | Laboratory where apprentices carried out practical course work. |
| laundry | RAF Locking had a contract with a large laundry in the north of England. The weekly laundry service was free for apprentices but only for RAF items. But there was a charge for civilian clothes. The cleaning process was very powerful and would stress all but the most rugged items. Often apprentices would receive notes in the returned laundry from the laundry girls. Similarly apprentices would send notes to the laundry girls in their laundry. |
| lay an egg | To lose temper. |
| leak | Urinate; Reveal a secret. |
| leave | Holiday. (See: 48, 36). |
| Lee | US make of denim jeans and jean jackets. They were of superior cut and made from thick material. In 1962 a pair of Lee jeans cost 30 shillings (£1.50). Illegal for apprentices. (See: Levis). |
| Lee Enfield | Type of rifle. Each apprentice had a de-activated Lee Enfield rifle for drill. Apprentices and airmen fired once a year at the rifle range. 0.303 inch (7.62 mm) bullet. (See: Bayonet, Bren, Sten). |
| left hand in pocket | When working on high voltage equipment it is advisable to keep your left hand in your pocket. That way, if you touch a high voltage, the current will bypass your heart and flow down your left arm. Of course, it’s all nonsense. |
| Levis | US make of denim and cord jeans and jean jackets. They were of superior cut and made from thick material. In 1962 a pair of Levi jeans cost 25 shillings (£1.25). Illegal for apprentices. (See: Lee). |
| Library, Weston | Excellent public library. Situated on the eastern end of the Boulevard where it joins Gerard Road. Old building with high ceilings. The second floor housed Weston Museum. Very stuffy staff in the 1960s. Before Locking camp closed the library was full of books relating to the RAF and electronics. The staff are now very pleasant and helpful, but the RAF related books are much reduced. Still there, essentially unchanged but Weston Museum has moved to a separate building. |
| lights out | Regulation enforced throughout the RAF. Apprentices had to have the main lights out at 2200 hrs and bedside lights out by 2230hrs. LAs and CAs were allowed an extra 30 minutes, the same time as airmen, but sergeant apprentices and warrant officer apprentices could keep their lights on until 0030 hrs. |
| line | Aircraft parking and servicing area. |
| liney | Person who works on the line. |
| Locking Moor Road | Part of A371 leading from Locking Road, at the Borough Arms, to Locking camp via the hump back bridges. Quite different now. |
| Locking Road | Part of the A370 from Weston town centre to the junction with Locking Moor Road (A371) at the Borough Arms. |
| Lofty | Nickname for tall person, often thin too; Ironic nickname for short person. |
| Long Bar | Longest bar in west country. Next to Grand Central. Same management as Grand Central and Toby Bar. No longer there. |
| lounge | Posh part of a pub; To relax (eg: “lounge about”). |
| lumpy | Slang for WRAF. Alludes to the shape of WAAFs (ie: lumpy airmen). (See: Women’s Royal Air Force). |
| lush | Short for luscious. |
| MACD | Maintenance Analysis Computer Department. Was Maintenance Analysis Computer Establishment. |
| Mae West | Flotation jacket with bulbous buoyant collar. Worn by aircrew and passengers in case of ditching in water. Alludes to plump 1920s movie star. |
| magazine | rifle attachment containing ammunition; Periodical. |
| magnetron | An electronic device that generates high peak-power microwaves for transmission from radar antennae. The cavity magnetron gave the allies a major advantage in WWII. (See: klystron). |
| Maintenance Unit | Station or area of station where advanced servicing of an item is carried out. (See: MU). |
| march | All apprentices were taught to march by drill instructors. Requires coordination of arms and legs so that the left leg and right arm extend forward together. Novices can be spotted when left leg and left arm move forward together. |
| march, route | Defined march, often across open country, with back packs, etc. |
| Marshall of the Royal Air Force | God answers to him. (See: rank). |
| mash | Mashed potato. |
| Matchless Sports Twin | 650cc British motorbike. Solid and torquey. Always painted in Matchless deep red. Characterised by ‘jam-pot’ rear dampers. AJS produced a similar model which was always in AJS mid blue. |
| matelot | Royal Navy person. |
| MCVF | Multi-channel Voice Frequency. |
| MD | Managing Director; Medical Doctor. |
| Meat wagon | Ambulance. Also ‘blood wagon’. |
| medic | Member of the RAF medical corps. |
| medical | Inspection or examination carried out by the Medical Officer (MO). Involves terms such as ‘cough’, ‘bend over’ and ‘I wouldn’t put my walking stick where you have been putting that’. |
| Mekon | Large twelve-phase Mercury ark rectifier from the ‘Type 80’ series of high power ground radars. The name alludes to the monster of science fiction featured in ‘The Eagle’ comic. |
| mercury ark rectifier | Electronic power device for converting alternating current into direct current. (See: Mekon). |
| mess about | Horseplay. |
| mess up | Make a mistake. |
| Mini | Morris Mini Minor, same as Austin Mini. Miniature, front-wheel-drive four seater British car launched in 1959. Uncomfortable, unreliable, but cheap and economical. Minis have tenacious road holding and are great fun to drive. The Mini Cooper and Cooper S were enhanced variants, and the Cooper 1275S was a potent machine. |
| Ministry of defence | UK parliamentary department in overall responsibility for all UK armed forces. Previously called Air Ministry (AM) and, before that, Department of War (DoW). |
| missus | Wife. |
| Mk | Mark, usually of aircraft or equipment. |
| MO | Medical Officer, in charge of sick bay on a station. |
| mock | Dummy examination; Laugh at. |
| mod | Short for modification; Youth wearing smart clothes and stylish haircut. Often rode a highly adorned motor scooter. Opposite to rocker. |
| MoD | Ministry of Defence. |
| MoD PE | Ministry of Defence Procurement Executive. (See: PE). |
| Monty | Lord Montgomery of Alamein (lead UK forces in the WWII desert campaign); Howard Montague of RAF Locking; Nickname for person with surname Montague, Montgomery, etc. |
| Morris 10 | Pre WWII British family saloon car with 1000cc side valve engine. Separate body and chassis. Wire spoke wheels. |
| Morris 8 | Small brother of Morris 10 car. |
| Morris Minor | British family saloon car. Introduced in 1949. Good handling and economical. British version of ‘The people’s car’. |
| Motor Transport | RAF Unit responsible for all aspects of road transport on a station, including vehicles, drivers, and motor mechanics. (See: MT). |
| movements | Office where postings are organised. |
| MPN11 | GCA ground radar. Essentially same as CPN4. |
| MRBSSU | Mobile radar Bomb Score Signals Unit. |
| MT | Motor Transport. |
| mths | Months. |
| MU | Maintenance Unit. |
| muck and bullets | Going on about personal hardship. Dates back to trenches in WW1. |
| mucker | Friend. |
| mufti | Civilian blazer and trousers conforming to strict RAF Locking rules. |
| N | Many, in the mathematical sense (eg: “he had ‘N’ books”). |
| N good | Very good. (See: ‘N’). |
| NAAFI | Navy Army & Air Force Institute. Leisure area for apprentices incorporating, cafe, bar, snooker tables, table tennis tables, and TV rooms. NAAFI wagons would deliver snacks and drinks during ‘NAAFI break’ in the morning and afternoon on week days. The NAFFI girls were pleasant and very popular. |
| NACOSA | NATO CIS Operating and Support Agency. |
| naff | Poor quality; Undesirable. |
| naff off | Go away. |
| NAFFI | mis-spelling of NAAFI. |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. |
| NATS | National Air Traffic Services. |
| NBC | Nuclear, Biological and Chemical. |
| NBS | Navigation and Bombing System. Airborne radar. |
| NCO | Non Commissioned Officer. (See: rank). |
| NCSA | NATO Communications and Information Systems Services Agency. |
| NDB | Non Directional Beacon. |
| Newki Amber | Newcastle Amber. Strong light brown ale from the North of England. Really a beer. |
| Newki Brown | Newcastle Brown. Strong brown ale from the North of England. Really a beer. |
| Newmarket Bar | Slightly upmarket bar in Bristol. Popular with apprentices. |
| NHS | National Health Service. |
| NI | Northern Ireland. |
| nick | Steal; Prison. |
| nicker | Pound note. |
| Nissen hut | Low building with curved corrugated roof developed by a Canadian engineer in WWI. |
| No | Number. |
| no joy | Did not work; No cooperation. |
| Nobby | Nickname for person with surname Clark or Clarke. |
| nodding horror | Large height finder ground radar. Alludes to the motion of the antenna. (See: FPS6). |
| nookie | Sex. |
| Norton 650 SS | 650cc British motorbike. Impeccable handling. Based on the Dominator 88 (500cc) and Dominator 99 (600cc). |
| nose | Front, especially of aircraft. |
| nosh | Food. |
| number one | Best uniform. (See: best blue, SD). |
| number two | Working uniform. (See: working blue, battle dress, BD, beret). |
| NZ | New Zealand. |
| OC | Officer Commanding. |
| OCTU | Operational Conversion and Training Unit. |
| OCU | Operational Conversion Unit. |
| oggie | Nickname for person from Cornwall. Alludes to tiddy oggie. |
| OK | All correct; All right. The origin uncertain. |
| Old Pier | At the Weston end of the Toll Road. Now derelict. (See: Sand Bay). |
| ole lady | Mother; Wife. |
| ole man | Father; Boss. |
| ONC | Ordinary National Certificate. (eg: electrical engineering, electronic engineering, electrical and electronic engineering). |
| one eyed snake | Penis. |
| one over two pi root L C | After ‘ohms law’, ‘Kirchoff’s first law’, ‘Kirchoff’s second law’, the fourth formula apprentices learned at technical classes. It calculates the resonant frequency of a tuned circuit and provides the words for a 100th Entry drinking song. |
| oppo | Friend. |
| Ops | Operations. |
| Orange Putter | Aircraft Tail Warning radar. |
| other denominations | Religions other than Church of England. |
| over the wall | (See: AWOL). |
| overrun | (See: overshoot, crash barrier). |
| pad | Accommodation off camp. (See: digs). |
| Paddy | Nickname for person with first name Patrick; Nickname for anyone from Ireland. |
| pan | Tarmac area for parking aircraft, normally for servicing. |
| pan wash | Large sinks in a mess kitchen for washing pans etc. A task often given to apprentices on jankers; Sink of greasy water in the mess where apprentices ‘washed’ their irons and mugs after a meal. |
| panic | Intense activity (eg: “there is a big panic on, the Queen is visiting the station”); Worry to distraction. |
| pantomime | Shambles. |
| PAR | Precision approach radar. A ground equipment. |
| Para | Member of the distinguished British Army Parachute Regiment. |
| Parlophone | One of the EMI Ltd group of companies. Music and records. The Beatles joined Parlophone in 1962, leading to many 1960s groups to following suit. (See: HMV, Columbia). |
| pass out | The formal action of completing a successful RAF apprenticeship. |
| Pat | Short for first name Patrick; Short for pattern. |
| patch up | Temporary, make-shift, repair. |
| pay parade | On Thursday mornings apprentices lined up in 3T block to receive their pay packet. In 1965 the pay parade was replaced by direct payment into individual bank accounts. |
| PDP11 | 16-bit minicomputer made by The Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). |
| PDQ | Pretty Damn Quick. |
| PDSO | Post Design Services Officer. Runs the contracts and makes sure that the company works to MoD requirements. |
| PE | Procurement Executive (See: MoD); Physical exercise. |
| peach | Very attractive young lady. (eg: “she is a peach”). |
| pecker | Nose; Penis. |
| pen pusher | Clerk. |
| Per Ardua Ad Astra | The RAF motto. No authoritative translation is possible but it is generally taken to mean: ‘through adversity to the stars’. Based on Latin. |
| phonetic alphabet | Internationally recognised set of words to represent the alphabet and numbers from 0 to 9: ‘alpha’, ‘bravo’, ‘charlie’…’xray’, ‘yankee’, ‘zulu’, ‘zero’…’niner’. Designed to prevent misunderstanding when using voice communications. |
| Pill box, the | WWII defensive pill box about 2 miles North of Locking camp on the East of Locking Moor Road (A371), near to Weston Airport. Now painted in black and white checks to attract attention to the helicopter museum. |
| pinch | ‘Steal’. |
| pint | Pint of beer; UK liquid measure (0.57litre). |
| pit | Individual bed space. |
| plastered | Intoxicated. |
| plod | RAF police; Military police (MP) (See: snow drop); Civilian police. |
| Plough | 99th Entry pub on Regent Street in Weston. Demolished in 1972. Now part of Marks and Spencer. |
| plumber | RAF technician who works on ground radar. Alludes to the similarity between waveguides and water pipes. On the V force, armourers were known as Plumbers. |
| point Percy at the porcelain | Urinate. |
| poke the fire | Intercourse. |
| pokey | Prison. (eg: “he is in the pokey”). |
| polish | (See: bull). |
| pom | Desiccated mashed potato; British person. Slightly derogatory especially from Australian. |
| pong | Smell. |
| ponse | Male poser. (eg: “he is a right ponse”). |
| Pony | Potent, cheap sherry drink in small bottle. Ideal for girlfriend; £20. |
| Poodle Pusher | Dog Handler. |
| poof | Homosexual; Effeminate male; Male poser. |
| portable | In the 60’s, anything that would fit in a wheelbarrow. |
| Portishead | Quiet seaside town on coast, 20 miles north of Weston. Often visited by 100th Entry. |
| POSB | Post Office Savings Book. In the first year, apprentices had to save a percentage of their pay. |
| Potty | Pilot Officer Thomas. |
| PPI | Plan Position Indicator. Display, normally round, showing radar map of earth’s surface. |
| prang | Crash, normally of aircraft. |
| pratt | Idiot. |
| pre- | Before. |
| prick | Pretentious person; penis. |
| Priddy | Village on the Mendip Hills near Wells. The site of 100th Entry exercises. The Queen Victoria was particularly popular after exercises, and to a lesser extent, was the New Inn. Both pubs are still there. |
| professionals | British Army. Alludes to long running television advertisement. |
| prop | Short for propeller; Position of Rugby player. |
| PT | Physical Training. |
| PTI | Physical Training Instructor. |
| pub | Public house; Publication. |
| pukka gen | Accurate information. (See: gen). |
| pull finger out | Do something after procrastinating. |
| pull his todger | Tease. |
| purloin | ‘Steal’. |
| Purple Harvest | ECM radar fitted to aircraft. |
| PV | Positive vetting. A form of security clearance. |
| PVR | Premature Voluntary Release. |
| Q | Qualification. Trade names were amended as technicians obtained additional trade qualifications (eg: L Fitt (AR) Q-RP was an Electronics Fitter (Air radar) who had successfully completed a course on Recce Pods). Other examples: L Fitt GR QCR (Ground radar Fitter CR), L Fitt GR QNA (Ground radar Fitter Nav), L Tech AD QSLR (Ground radar Fitter Nav), L Fitt GC QC CY1 CY4 (Ground wireless Fitter C). |
| QA | Quality Assurance. |
| QRs | Queens Regulations. |
| quack | RAF doctor, medical officer (see: MO); Civilian doctor. |
| Queens | The Queens public house and hotel. The 100th Entry watering hole in Weston. It was on the corner of Regent Street and the High Street, opposite Burtons the tailor. The Queens had a public bar and lounge bar. Behind the public bar was a function room, which was opened for the 100th Entry most evenings. It had a piano and small bar. Upstairs were hotel rooms and additional function rooms. The Queens popularity gradually declined once the 100th Entry left the area, and sadly, the building was demolished. Super Drug is now on the site. |
| Queens Regulations | The RAF Bible of rules and regulations. (See: QRs). |
| R Type 80 | Ground wireless equipment. |
| R/T | Radio Transmission; Radio voice communications. |
| R1393 | Ground wireless equipment. |
| RA17 | Ground wireless HF Receiver. Often seen in early James Bond films. |
| RAAF | Royal Australian Air Force. |
| RADAR (radar) | Radio Aid to Detection And Ranging. Acronym originated in US. Originally called Radio Direction Finding (RDF) in UK. |
| radio | The transmission of information by electromagnetic waves; RAF Trade Group 2, encompassing wireless and radar fitters; RAF term encompassing wireless and radar. |
| radome | Weatherproof cover over an antenna (aerial) which is transparent to electromagnetic waves. |
| RAE | Royal Aircraft Establishment. Located at Farnborough. |
| RAF | Royal Air Force. The air force branch of the British Armed Forces, formed on 1 April 1918. Letters pronounced individually or as a word. |
| RAF Brat | Son/daughter of airman. |
| RAF Locking | Number one Radio School near Weston Super Mare, Somerset. RAF Radio trade Apprentice training, which had started in 1922 at RAF Cranwell, was moved to RAF Locking in 1952. In 1964, the RAF’s maintenance policy changed from ‘maintenance by repair’ to ‘maintenance by replacement’. This was reflected, that year, by substituting the three year apprentice scheme with a three year ‘Technician Apprentice’ scheme and a one year ‘Craft Apprentice’ scheme. In 1965 all air radio trade training moved to RAF Cosford, leaving only ground radio training at RAF Locking. In 1966 the 106th Entry were the last Aircraft Apprentices to pass out from RAF Locking. |
| RAF Regiment | (See: Rock Apes). |
| RAFFTS | RAF Fixed Telecommunications System. |
| RAFG | Royal Air Force Germany. |
| raid | To raid junior Entry billets and cause havoc. Highly illegal. |
| Railway, The | Pub and rooms. Located to the west of the Floral Clock. Small public bar and small lounge. Not often visited by the 100th Entry. |
| Raglan Arms | Small quiet pub on the south side of Upper Church Road, nearly opposite the Criterion. Visited by the 100th for a short while. Became the 104th Entry pub. |
| rank | Awful. |
| rank, RAF airmen and NCO | RAF enlisted ranks. |
| rank, RAF apprentice | Aircraft Apprentice (AA): no chevrons; Leading Aircraft Apprentice (LAA; LA): one chevron on both upper sleeves of jacket; Sergeant Aircraft Apprentice (SAA; SA): three chevrons on both upper sleeves; Warrant officer apprentice (WOA; WA): badge on lower left arm. The WOA rank was only held for the day of the Entry pass out. |
| rank, RAF officer | RAF officer ranks. |
| rat arsed | Intoxicated. |
| RC | Roman Catholic. |
| RCA [UK]Ltd | Radio Corporation of America. An American electronics defence contractor and music recording company. |
| RDF | Radio Direction Finding. |
| Ready Steady Go | ITV (Independent Television) live pop music show. Compulsory viewing for apprentices at 1800 hours before hitting the town on Saturday night. |
| Rebecca Mk8 | Airborne Navigation radar. Minor equipment for some apprentice trades. |
| Red Arrows | RAF aerobatic team formed in 1964. Used Gnat first and changed to Hawk. |
| Red Barrel | Bitter keg beer made by Watneys. |
| Red Steer | Aircraft Tail Warning radar. |
| red top | British Army military police. Alludes to the colour of the cap; Air-to-air missile controlled by airborne radar. |
| reesty | Dirty. Peculiar apprentices term. Possibly derived from a contraction of ‘revolting’ and ‘rusty’. Pronounced as spelt. |
| REME | Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Distinguished part of the British Army. Resourceful. Unofficial motto ‘can do’. REME often sorted out major structural problems with airfield and installations. |
| remuster | To change service. (“he remustered from the RAF to the Navy”). |
| REU | Radio Engineering Unit. Located at RAF Henlow. |
| reunion | Meeting of comrades, normally after a considerable time. The 100th Entry has held several reunions so far. |
| RFC | Royal Flying Corps. Formed as a branch of the British Army by Lord Trenchard. Forerunner of RAF. |
| rifle | Ceremonial and combat firearm. (See: Lee Enfield); Search through. |
| rifle sling | Webbing strap for rifle. (See: webbing, Lee Enfield, frog, Bayonet). |
| rigger | Technician who services the aircraft structure or ground aerial installations. |
| RN | Royal Navy. |
| roasting | Strong reprimand. (eg: “his wife gave him a good roasting”). |
| Rock Apes | Nickname for RAF Regiment, a specialist corps within the Royal Air Force, responsible for capturing and defending airfields and associated installations. The term came into use after an accident in Aden during 1952 when two Regiment officers decided to amuse themselves by going out to shoot some of the baboons, which are known locally as ‘rock apes’. In the semi-darkness one of the officers fired at a moving object in the distance but, on reaching the target, discovered he had shot the other officer. |
| rocker | Person with motor bike, leather jacket and boots, jeans, and teddy boy haircut. Rockers and mods were enemies and often clashed. |
| Roger | ‘Yes’, especially over voice communications. |
| Rolling Stones | 1960s international super group from UK. Specialised in ‘rhythm and blues’, and rock. Mick Jagger (lead singer), Bryan Jones (deceased) (vocals and guitar), Keith Richards (lead guitar), Charley Watts (drums), Bill Wyman (electric bass). In 1968, the founder, Bryan Jones was to die in mysterious circumstances. Very popular with the 100th Entry. (See: Beatles). |
| roundel | Round red, white and blue symbol of the RAF, although the white is generally not used on modern combat aircraft. |
| Royal Hotel | Posh, quiet hotel on Weston sea front. The ‘Blue Room’ was particularly so. Became The Berni Royal, owned by Berni Inns. It has changed hands about three times. |
| RRAF | Royal Rhodesian Air Force. Some apprentices were sent to RAF Locking from Rhodesia to train for the RRAF. Typically 2% of an Entry. The 100th Entry had 2 Rhodesian apprentices. |
| RSF | Radio Servicing Flight. |
| RTPS | Radio and Technical Publications Section. Located at RAF Henlow. |
| Rummer | Slightly upmarket bar in Bristol, near Bristol Bridge. Pleasant ambience. Popular with the 100th Entry. |
| runs | Upset stomach. |
Glossary parts: 1250 – CSDE · Danesbury – KT66 · L Fitt AR – runs · SA – zobbit