Induction to the RAF - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times

National Servicemen and regulars were strictly segregated in 1953; in fact I didn't meet any National Servicemen until after I had completed my initial ‘square-bashing’ at Bridgnorth. But, first of all I had to report to the RAF Reception Centre at Cardington near Bedford. Seven of us travelled as an official group from the Recruiting Office in Leeds. When we arrived at Bedford railway station at about 1700hrs we met up with dozens more like us and we were taken on to Cardington in a fleet of RAF coaches. As soon as we arrived we were issued with 'hairy' blankets, knife, fork and spoon, and our bed numbers. It was all remarkably friendly.

After finding the bed that matched the number we'd been given, we had some afternoon tea and then hung around until 1930hrs (actually they told us 7.30 pm because many still did not know about the 24-hour clock) when we went to a gymnasium for a short medical examination. We learned later that this type of medical examination was called an FFI - free from infection. We took all our clothes off apart from underpants and stood in a line on long, low benches while the Medical Officer passed in front of us. As the MO approached each individual, a flight sergeant ordered us to drop our pants. The officer then closely inspected our genitals, moving them up and down and from side to side with the pointed end of a pencil, which he also used to make notes on a clip board as he went along. He was, he told us, looking for signs of what he called 'unmentionable diseases'. I'm sure he knew the correct word but he probably thought we didn't! When he'd inspected us all, and apparently found that we were all clear, he told us to get dressed and, while we did so, gave us a talk about Early Treatment rooms while we were doing so.

ET rooms were, the MO told us, located behind the main guard room at all RAF stations and the medicinal creams we would find in the cupboard in the room could be used, in confidence, at any time if we thought we might have contracted a venereal disease and were too ashamed to report sick. There was a book in each ET room that each user/visitor had to sign with number, rank and name. He assured us that was merely to keep a record of what had been used so that the medical materials could be replaced. Pull the other one, we thought! We learned later that FFIs always took place on return from leave when airmen, but not officers, were deemed to be in greatest need of them. ET rooms remained a feature of RAF life for many years.

Apart from the FFI in a gymnasium, everything at Cardington seemed to take place inside long, low huts that stood on stilts and were accessed by a short flight of wooden steps. Because we had not yet had any training we couldn't be marched from place to place so we were permitted to wander in a loose gaggle. We looked at each other in surprise - this was not what we'd expected.

There were about 50 of us in our group so everything took ages. After my troubles with a northern accent at the Aircrew Selection Centre at Hornchurch, I was both relieved and delighted to find that regional accents were quite acceptable. There were many in our group from Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham. I suppose that reflects where the main recruiting offices were. There appeared to be no-one from south of Birmingham - except Cardiff.

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