100th Entry Members PQ

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PALFREY, Michael (Mick)	687980 Ground Radar Fitter Nav	Essex UK Contact Web Site
On leaving Locking I was posted to GRIS at Henlow installing radars and airfield systems in Far East, Middle East, Near East, Germany and UK. Must have visited just about all the RAF stations east of Malta in the 5 year period. This was followed by a year on Gan as penance for enjoying myself too much. I was then trained as an Air Electronics Operator at Topcliffe and at the end of the aircrew training I Married Carol. We have now been together for 37 years. After the aircrew training I spent 6 years flying in Nimrods on 201 Sqn at Kinloss. Great fun until they cut the flying hours and brought in the simulators. I escaped the simulator and got back into engineering and went to Cranwell for a year and then on to Rapier with the Rock Apes at Laarbruch, followed by 2 years at Rheindallen. Both our daughters, Angela and Sharon, were born in Germany. Must have been something to do with the water or maybe the beer! After having a great time in Germany I was sent back to flight simulators at Finningly, followed by 2 years at CSDE working at Marconi Instruments in Dumfermline on the Nimrod MR2 full mission flight simulator. I left the RAF in 1984. When I left the RAF I joined Marconi Radar Systems in Chelmsford, where I still live. Marconi made us all redundant in 1998 and I then worked as a free lance contractor for a couple of years at various places and at BAe Warton working on the new Nimrod Searchwater radar. I then went to Raytheon at Harlow to be closer to home. Within 5 days I was in the USA (Dallas, Texas) and that set the picture for the next year. After that I was asked to go to the USA (Dallas, Texas) for 3 years, eventually staying 5 years as the UK Chief engineer on ASTOR, the latest RAF aircraft and ground system now named the Sentinel R1. While in the USA, at 59, I managed to do what I originally joined the air force to do. I learned to fly and obtained a Private Pilot's License and learned to ski. I left Raytheon in 2005 and have since continued to work as a freelance contractor for SELEX, Boeing and BAe, My most recent task has been installing a new ATC Tower to convert RAF St Mawgan into Newquay airport, so I'm almost back where I started in 1965.
Jul 1945	1964	2008

PATTENDEN, Mick (Pat)
Sadly, Mick is no longer with us. For further information, click on MEMBERS / NO LONGER WITH US.
	1964

PEARCE, Robert (Bob)	U0688009 Air Radar Fitter (Fighter)	Paphos Cyprus Contact Web Site
1964 to 66 RAF Binbrook, 1st Line on DFCS (Day fighter combat school) Hunter mk 9 and 10, (AFDS Air Fighter Development Squadron) Lightning 3 and 6; 2nd line in gin palace 1966 to 69 RAF Akrotiri 1st line 29 squadron, Javelin 9R and T3 in Zambia Ndola for first 1st 6 months, then on 56 squadron Lightnings when 29 disbanded. Then 3rd line 103 Maintenance Unit. 1969 to 69 30MU Sealand, 3rd Line, waiting for Flight Simulation training course for 4 months and fixing anything that was in short supply. 1969 to 72 RAF Topcliffe, two years Flight Simulation and computing courses at RAF Locking, RAF Newton, Solartron in Farnborough, Ferranti in Manchester and ICL in Letchworth and Acton. Then Air Electronic Operators Simulator at Topcliffe. 1972 to 1977 Simulator relocated to RAF Finningley plus various software language courses at Bristol University. RAF Locking and Cranwell. 1977 to 1983 CSDE Project Team at GEC Marconi in Radlett and Basildon and BAe at Woodford Manchester, plus part time HND and BSc at Watford tech and Hatfield Poly (The project work was pretty slow at times!). 1983 to 1985 CSDE Project Team (just me and a Jockey) at Ferranti in Manchester, Left RAF as Chief Technician. 1985 to 1991 Software Project Manager at Marconi Software at Stanmore. 1991 to 2003 Software Quality Manager at Bull Information Systems in Hemel Hempstead. 2003 to date Retired old fogey now living in Cyprus.
Aug 1945	1964	2006

POVEY, Michael
MICHAEL HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE WEB SITE.

PRIOR, Alic Stewart	P0688075 L Eng Tech (Air Radar Fitter G)	Brandon, Suffolk UK Contact Web Site
Did 40 years and 1 month (must have enjoyed it or was totally stupid), retired from Marham 18/02/02 as WO. Have been married to Jacky since 1968; one daughter, Caroline, is married to a very nice Kiwi and lives in Wellington, New Zealand. Currently healthy and enjoying retirement with a part time driving job.
Feb 1945	1964	2006

PUNDSACK, Brian	C0687982 Ground Wireless Fitter G	Devon, UK Contact Web Site
After Locking I went to RAF Pitreavie, Rosyth, then to RAF Eastleigh, Nairobi. Back in UK I returned to Pitreavie, then to RAF Tangmere. I had a bad road accident and, after two years in hospital, medical discharge. Worked for the Ministry of Defence for many years. Got married and had two kids. Currently widowed and retired.
Mar 1945	1964	2010

PYRAH, Eric	U0688043 Ground Wireless Fitter G	Bristol, UK Contact Web Site
Left Locking for High Wycombe, Gan (wonderful skin diving), 38Grp TCW at Tangmere (good fun), Rheindahlen (too much booze; but I coped!), Greatworth (boring), then to Cyprus in time for the Turkish invasion (more fun!). Back to TCW again; this time at Benson (yuk!). Changed wives & retired from the RAF in 1976 & got a proper job with ICL, working as an engineer on large mainframe computers. ICL now Fujitsu Services where I worked as a Support Manager to an engineering unit until I took early retirement in August 2009, wife two given way to wife three and I am happily married at last! Retirement is taken up with improvements to our Somerset cottage which we moved into in 2005, clay shooting, target shooting and messing around with the web site. Two children (grown up and flown, one to heaven) and five grandchildren, luckily not too close!
Aug 1945	1964	2007

QUARRIE, Ian	SO688024 Air Radar Fitter (Bomber)	Scampton, Lincs UK Contact Web Site
Passout - 1983 trapped in V-Force (Marham, Wittering, Akers, Scampton, Goose Bay, Scampton and Marham) 1983 - 1986 Involved with infamous Nimrod AEW as a result PVR'd to coincide with 22 year point. 1986 - 1999 Conoco (UK) oil and gas. Joined as Automations specialist, LOSlinks PLC controls etc. Progressed to Maintenance supervisor/Deputy Platform Mgr before taking early retirement/volutary redundancy. Retired but got bored, joined Civil Service 2001, age 55, currently running a test and validation lab. in the Defence Electronic Warfare Centre, Waddo. Married 1967 - divorced 1984, 2 daughters. Met Sally at a Bob Dylan concert in 1987, remarried 1988 Daughters have supplied 4 grandkids.
Jun 1946	Then	2006

PONTING, Nick
Sadly, Nick is no longer with us. He is listed on the Armed Forces Memorial roll of honour which is displayed at the Church of St Clement Danes in London. Click on the leaf icon to see his personal details. For further information, click on MEMBERS / NO LONGER WITH US.
	1962