Language Aptitude Test - Tony Cunnane's Life and Times

Early in March 1976, while I was still serving on Victor Tankers at RAF Marham in Norfolk, I had a telephone call out of the blue from my Desk Officer at the Personnel Management Centre (PMC) located at RAF Innsworth, near Gloucester. The ‘Desk Officer’ was the chap who looked after postings and was always thought by officers at the squadron and station ‘workface’ to have more influence than he probably actually did have. (I had been one myself earlier in my career.) The Victor Tanker Mark 1A aircraft that I flew were nearing the end of their days in RAF service and I knew my time as Officer Commanding the Victor Standardisation Unit was consequently almost at an end. A posting, therefore, would soon be coming my way and so I was happy to speak to my Desk Officer.

"I see from your personal file that you’re keen on learning foreign languages, Tony," he said by way of introduction.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, rather mystified.

"You indicated in one of your annual confidential reports in 1965 that you would like to learn Russian," he replied. "I have it here in front of me."

I thought back. Then I remembered. In late 1965, following the demise of the Valiant, I had indeed included in my preferences for next posting a wish to go on the Russian language course with a view to being posted to Moscow as the Assistant Air Attaché. That was the time when most V Force aircrew would clutch at any straw to get out of the V Force and back into the 'normal' air force.

"That was more than ten years ago," I said, rather lamely.

"We’ve a long memory here at PMC," replied my desk officer, sounding very pleased with himself. "We like to please. Anyway, I’m sending you for a language aptitude test at North Luffenham next week. These days we always put potential language students through an aptitude test before sending them on a full-time course. Saves wasting time and money on someone who can’t hack it. Hope you enjoy it."

"Does that mean I’ll be posted to Moscow if I pass the aptitude test?"

"There are postings other than in Moscow that need Russian speakers," he said, mysteriously. "Just get through the aptitude test. The full-time Russian course lasts at least 12 months. By the way, it won’t be easy learning a new language at your age. You know that, don’t you?"

I didn’t, but with that rather unkind and worrying barb, he rang off leaving me pondering. I had from my schooldays always been keen on foreign languages, not just Russian, but I was actually more keen on learning about languages and their grammar than learning thousands of new words. Still, ever since my tour in Pakistan back in 1969 I'd fancied a tour in the diplomatic world.

During my drive on 16 March to the RAF’s Language School at North Luffenham in Rutland for the aptitude test, I heard on the car radio the astonishing news that Harold Wilson had just announced to his stunned Cabinet and country that he was retiring as Prime Minister.

The aptitude test was interesting to say the least. It was conducted entirely in a language laboratory - the first time I'd experienced such a thing. Part of the test required candidates to memorise lists of words read out to them and then repeat them back several minutes later. I thought a synthetic language was being used but I learned later that it was one of the rarer Asian languages – Tibetan or Vietnamese or something like that. I've always found that in order to learn lists of vocabulary I need to see the words written down and then I need to write them down myself. I never found learning words merely by listening was easy although I suppose I must have managed that when I was a baby. I reckoned I did particularly badly on that part of the aptitude test and not much better on the rest of it.

Before leaving North Luffenham I mentioned to one of the staff that I thought I might have failed the test.

"Don’t worry about it, sir," said the cheerful sergeant. "No-one fails – not senior officers anyway. You were sent here by Innsworth so they must have decided already where they’re going to post you. Nothing we say will make any difference." Then he added as an afterthought, "You won’t find it easy learning Russian at your age!"

As it happens, he was correct on both counts.

Some weeks later as the Station Commander, Group Captain David Parry-Evans, came in to ‘Morning Prayers’ at Marham, he handed me my Posting Notice, without comment, before taking his usual place on the front row. The Posting Notice stated that after successfully completing the long Russian Course I was to be posted to Berlin as Officer Commanding Number 26 Signals Unit. I'd never heard of 26 SU and had no idea what its role was but the prospect of a posting to Berlin was enticing - even at my age!

That posting notice was, however, wrong in one important respect.

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