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Extract from the
reminiscences of Aircraft Artificer 4th Class (Ordinance)
Maurice Ayling, formerly of 1843 Squadron,, working up in
Australia as a part of the reserve No. 3 Carrier Air Group.
"Nabswick" 16th - 28th July
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...Our next move [from Maryborough] was ordered for July 15th...
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This time we flew, to Jervis Bay, courtesy of
the newly formed Transport Command of the R.A.A.F and its
Dakotas. This was a major exercise, requiring packaging such as
we had never before experienced. The Dakota, in which I flew,
with a load of Sqdn ground equipment and personal baggage, had
"City of Portsmouth" painted on its nose. It turned out to be a
rather unusual experience. It was very hot when we emplaned, and
we were in shorts and shirt sleeves. Not long after take off, a
Flight Sgt. told us that there was bad weather ahead and that
the pilot had decided to fly above it. It was later asserted
that we had been to 12,000ft; however high we did go, as the
Dakota was unlined and un-pressurised, hoar frost formed on the
inside skin. |
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We were sitting in un-cushioned, tin paratroop seats, and were absolutely
frozen. The weather was bad all the way to Jervis Bay, but as we
descended, so the frost melted and dripped all over us. It became
obvious that we were approaching landing through the clag, but
suddenly the throttles opened up again and the aeroplane climbed.
The pilot had made a close approach to a gravel extraction site,
mistaking it for the runway on which we eventually landed, wet
enough before piling out into pouring rain.
Although I believe that "Nabswick" moved to Jervis Bay in May, there
was little evidence of it on our part of the airfield. There were no
buildings but I suppose the MONAB equipment was scattered around the
place.
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I seem to recall some assistance from the Australian Army. We were
divided into batches of half a dozen or so, each batch being given a
tent to erect. We could all pull a Corsair to pieces and re-assemble
it again, but a tent was beyond most of us. I am sure it was
soldiers who assisted in this operation, but it was a terribly soggy
caper. There were camp beds and duck boards and it appeared utterly
incongruous to me to have my kit bag, hammock, green case, and tool
box among them. There cannot have been many sailors who had their
complete hammock clews, nettles, lashing, mattress, pillow, and
blanket, stretched out on a canvas camp bed! MONAB personnel had
their Army type mess traps, but the Sqdn lads had only their knife,
fork, spoon, and mug. |
I forget now just how we fed, but there was a field kitchen type of
arrangement at which we queued in the rain, taking the offering to
our tents and eating it sitting on our beds. However, in local
parlance, it was 'bonza tucker'.
I am afraid that
all I can remember about "Nabswick" was the squalor, and that we
thought it to be an out station of Nowra for which we were destined. In retrospect, we were probably using "Nabswick" as a MONAB was
meant to be used. Although all other MONABS used by the
Squadron were recorded on my Service Certificate, there is no record
of "Nabswick", it being recorded as part of my "Nabbington" time. We
never even saw Jervis Bay!
We moved out, by road, about ten or fifteen miles to Nowra, also in
the rain.
Maurice Ayling
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