The RAF in Suffolk

John Cooper · Administrator

RE: The Control Tower-Then and Now

lauriebe · Member

John Cooper wrote:

A Pilots uniform in MHAS Control Tower, I believe that the wearer was either Czechoslovak or Polish

John, I think almost certainly Polish.

The top row has the British issued 39-45 Star, Aircrew Star Europe, Defence Medal and War Medal.

The middle row has, left to right; RAF LS&GCM, Order Virtuti Militari (Polish), Cross of Valour (Polish), Cross of Merit with Swords (Polish).

On the Cross of Valour ribbon are three vertical gold bands. This indicates three other awards of the medal in addition to the original.

In the bottom row, left to right; Air Force Medal for War with 3 bars (Polish), unknown, Polish Air Force Active Service Medal. The last ribbon in this row could be the Wound Badge. A star was attached to the ribbon for each occasion that the wearer was wounded in such a way as to require surgical treatment.

-- Edited by lauriebe on Tuesday 22nd of September 2009 06:24:55 AM

John Cooper · Administrator

Thanks Laurie, like a lot of things these days I had forgotten !

tarkey · Senior Member

any of you visiting recently will have seen the bunker behind the CT has been cleaned out. Was this used during the RAF's time at MH after the Americans left?

corporal buckshot · Member

Tarkey, I can't recall this bunker; so much for the vagaries of memory. Was any of it visible above ground before it was cleared out? The trouble with yoof (and it's a generalisation, I know) is that they don't pay enough attention to what's going on around them. All I can remember from the area around the Tower was a nissen hut to the left in which we stored paraffin for the goose-neck flares and the glim lamps. Too late now to regret not taking note of my surroundings. I do remember night flying activities when we used to catch rabbits in the headlights of the Bedford 15Cwt and flog them to the sergeants' mess for 6d a time.
JM