Memories of a parachute rigger

While in the USAF in 1955-1956 I was stationed at Burtonwood England former RAF Base.
I was a Parachute Rigger (packer) This time was right after WW2 and there was a bomb hole near the NCO club.
When we went into town, the local town Warrington, (Pronounced “Waddington”) was too small so we went to Manchester on the weekends to chase the daughters of factory workers.
If we were dating one girl it was called “true lovin’, we called it “Dating Mavis”, which was a curious name to us.
The local movie for the cheap seats was a six pence, and you could get a small fish and chips for 8 pence more. This was in the street and was wrapped in a newspaper.
A big date for 2 could be had for 2shillings and 6 pence, “a half a crown” at the exchange rate, it was about 50cents.
The bean and spagetti sandwiches at the naffy were horible. We could flog our cigarette ration in town for 2 pounds. When we arrived we were given a speech by our CO. This is not “Bloke money” this is Pounds sterling, not “Bloke mail” but her majestie’s Mail.
The train station had advertisements for “Bovis, the slice of life” or “Wild Woodbines” cigs. The locals called us “Loove” or the phrase “I’m Lancashire Loove.”
At the base we had ‘operation local son’ where we employed blokes to replace some airmen.
We packed parachutes for all of the european theater. We also packed the drouge chutes for the B47 bombers that landed there. We had a bomber crew bail out with our chutes, (five were mine)>
The enlisted guys would send us thank you letters with a few dollars in script, (this was well recieved as you could buy Beck beer for a nickle a can on nickle-beer night at the club) the officers would put a commendation in our records. (“Due to the great skill of Airman Williams, we floated safely to the ground’) The parachute shop had a Sargeant, four airmen, and five civilians.
I became fast friends with George Cahill, a Liverpoolian. Yes, he a great sense of humor. We slept in WWII quanset huts six to a hut. When I left in November of 1956, I was a buck sargeant in charge of the parachute shop.
A few years after that I saw a friend and his “smashing” brit bride at Balboa Park here in San Diego.
I really enjoyed my time in England, and MY smashing wife and I go to London every two years or so.
Dr. David Williams
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