It is 1972 and Germany and the World are all hyped up about the Olympics being held in Munich. Alas, there is a terrorist attack on the athletes and several Israeli atheletes are killed by these terrorists. Then according to the intelligence reports, it is believed that the next target will be a NATO base. So the MOD in their infinte wisdom decides to fly in squadrons of Rock-Apes to ensure that the safety and security of RAF bases in Germany is not compromised.For our share, we managed to get 2 Field Squadron to look after our safety and security at RAF Wildenrath !!! The Squadron Commander of 2 Field Squadron commandered the guard room upon his arrival, from where he was to direct his Rock-Apes to ensure that the security of RAF Wildenrath was not compromised. All was well, until one day we had a Harrier come down with an engine change. The Station Commander, who by then was Group Captain George Black, decided that this engine change should be carried out under field conditions and the event photgraphed for posterity. So we towed the crippled Harrier to the revetments and prepared it for an engine change under the field conditions. In the mean time, Flt.Sgt. Jim Marshall had contacted N.C.O. i/c photo section and told him of our plan and that a photographer should be present with his state of the art Rollieflex camera to photograph the event. Eventually, we were all ready to pull this very poor sick Harrier apart and all the dignitaries, who had to be there, were present, except the Station Photo-g. After waiting for him patiently for some time, the Station Commander asked where was this phot-g? The Photo section was called and they said that he had already left the Photo Section and should be on site any minute.Another fort-five minutes went by, still no sign of the Photo-g. By this time the Staion Commander was getting a litle bit agitated ( there were no mobile phones in those days)!!!! Eventually, about an hour and a half later a seach party was sent out to find this photo-g. They finally found this poor photo-g in a very very poor state in the guard room. What had transpired was that after the Station Commander's orders, this poor photo-g was detailed to walk over to the 4 Sqn hanger, with his Rollieflex camera and additional roles of films and declare his availability. Unfortunately, for him, the poor guy got picked up by the Rock-Apes who accused him of being a Russian spy. They took his camera away from him and un-reeled all his films and then beat him up,tore his shirt up and took his socks and shoes away. After they finished with him, they then bundled him up from head to toe in a gunny-sack, threw him in the back of their Land-Rover, drove him to the guard room and presented him to their Squadron Commander, who then reverted to his Gestapo type interrogation mode. By the time we found the poor photo-g, he had been beaten up, all his clothing torn and stripped, his camera equipment destroyed, a jibbering wreck, and this was done by our own side!!!! To say that the Staion Commander and the Boss were not impressed by the resident Rock-Apes is an under-statement. It could only happen on 4 Sqn !!!
1972 Munich Olympics.
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