John Crabb
Ground Wireless

A brief history of my activities since leaving Cosford in 1956:

On completion of my Boys service I was posted to the following Stations, as a ground wireless mechanic, during my total of fifteen years of service.

Henlow England, 18 months.
Cape Gata Cyprus, 9 months.
Amman Jordan, 3 months.
Troodos Cyprus, 18 months.
Henlow England, 18 months.
Iburg Germany, 12 months.
Jever Germany, 24 months.
Leuchars Scotland, 18 months.
Muharraq Bahrain, 12 months.
Thorney Island England, 30 months.


During my second stint at Henlow, I married Doreen, also from Southend, and during our time at Jever Germany our first daughter was born there and later our second daughter was born at St Andrews Scotland.
On demob in December 1969, we emigrated to Perth Australia, most of my wife's family having emigrated there some years earlier. It took some time to get a good job, but in the mean time amongst other things I joined the Australian Army (Reserve) Signals Regiment, for three years, could not keep out of uniform!!!!
After 4 years in Australia I got an excellent job working in a government research laboratory as a technical support officer, it was all to do with mineral exploration and mining. To cut a long story short, I ended up some twenty-three years later, as a Project Manager in charge of, Sample Preparation, Vehicles and Field Support, which ironically included radio communications, this was needed between Perth Laboratory and Field Vehicles working in remote areas. Though this was an excellent job I decided age 56 that there was more to life than working, and so I was lucky enough to be able to take early retirement. This was nearly eight years ago and I am very pleased to say that it was an excellent decision, with no regrets.
My wife and I are now living in a Retirement Village, run by the Royal Australian Air Force, in the northern suburbs of Perth, and we love it, we have all the amenities one could ask for, plus security and the friendliness of a village environment.
My hobbies now days are, golf, genealogy, fishing, reading, table tennis, computer, and generally fraternising with people living within the village.



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