Woomera Visit

[Dave_Jr]

Hi All,

 

My dad was a Radio Technician in the RAAF and stationed at Woomera around the late 50's early 60's.

He is in his mid-eighties and would dearly love to visit the Woomera area while he is still able.

The usual tourist type activities and sites are obviously on his list but he has asked me to check

 if there is also access available to any of the restricted areas and what permissions would be required. 

 

Are there any other places he might wish to visit?

Key subjects would be Bloodhound missiles and unmanned aircraft such as Jindivic and Canberra.

 

Would you help with ideas from your knowledge and recent experiences please.

Planning is for May 2013 and travelling from NSW.

 

Thanks in Advance,

Dave

 

 

 

[Eric Golden]

Hi Dave, Did your dad work in Flight control ? My memory is a bit rusty now but as part of the RAF contingent I seem to remember name.

    Regards, Ric Golden

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[Meg Vertigan]

Was your dad on the radio during the Queen's/ Prince Phillip's visit?

Meg.

>>> Dave_Jr <dave...@bigpond.com> 15/01/13 4:17 PM >>>

[Patrick Bradley]

Dave, I was working on Range “E” in the late 50s early 60’s and have a vague memory of some of the service-men living in the Jazza and the Staff Mess but the name Dave Page doesn't quite  ring a bell. Some other names perhaps? I take the liberty to forward a copy of this to my friend Janet who also was on the range at the time. She has a better memory than me!

 

 

Patrick

 

Patrick Bradley
PO Box 306 Aldinga Beach
South Australia 5173
0408807058
+61 8 85563579

[Dave_Jr]

Patrick & Ric, sharp pick up on the name. :-)

Dad certainly had access to the range. I think his work may have had a
fair bit to do with Flight Control.
Mum (Maureen) wanted to work the cameras but, being married, she had
to settle for a job at the Post Office.
My younger brother Chris & I were there too, but I don't know exactly
where we lived.

Ric, interesting that you were RAF. Dad's next posting was to England
for Radar training.

Was your dad on the radio during the Queen's/ Prince Phillip's visit?
Meg.

Not that I know of, but I hope to get him on here to answer a few
questions.

All,
Line up a few questions so I can see his face light up as the memories
come flooding back...

DP Jr.

[Eric Golden]

I wonder if your Dad was sent to RAF Locking in Wiltshire for his radar
training. When I looked on google earth it looks as though the Flight
Control centre has been knocked down, just odd bits of the building. Your
Dad might remember Peter Lindsay (RAAF) he lived at 25 Burrimul St, another
RAAF guy was Cliff Selby. Ric

[Eric Golden]

Does your Dad remember this fellow? Ric

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave_Jr" <Dave...@bigpond.com>
To: "Woomera on the Web" <woomera_o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 1:04 PM
Subject: Re: Woomera Visit

[Dave_Jr]

Does your Dad remember this fellow? Ric

Thanks Ric,

The superman curl gives him away!!
I'm sure he'll remember who took the photo too!!


DP Jr

[Dave Page]

So here I sit with a bloke wondering where the VK5WC Radio Club photo
came from.
I have in front of me his own personal dog-eared copy...

Dad, Eric Golden & Pete Lindsay worked together in Ground Telemetry /
Flight Control 1958-59, names instantly recognised.
Patrick Bradley drew a blank.
Cliff Selby, another blank.
Royal vist was another blank.

Allan Anderson was the civillian in charge of Flight Control at the
time.

We lived at 17 Googona St.

Dad did Radar training at RAF Newton in Nottingham (NOTTS).
He was with 263 Squadron for a time.
We came back from England in 1962 to 30 Squadron at Williamtown.

Now he is hunting through old boxes for who knows what..

:-)
Dave jr

[Eric Golden]

Hi Dave, I took the photo although I wasn't a ham, another RAF lad was. He
was a red haired Paddy and I cannot remember his name. Attached photo shows
Paddy on the right and myself in the middle outside the ham shack. I wonder
if I got your dad to take the photo. Ric Golden

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Page" <101da...@gmail.com>
To: "Woomera on the Web" <woomera_o...@googlegroups.com>

[Dave_Jr]

The two Paddy's.

Red haired Paddy Eslor is the taller and operated morse on the ham
radio in the picture.
Dad is still working on the surname of the other Paddy.
He refers to them as the wild Irishmen.

Ron? Catmur was VK5FY.

Interesting that the pics are 016 & 021. Does that mean there are
more?

Regards,
DP & DP Jr

[Meg Vertigan]

Sounds interesting. I think the Queen stayed in Adelaide but the Duke visited the facilities in about 54?


>>> Dave Page <101da...@gmail.com> 17/01/13 11:29 PM >>>

[Dave_Jr]

 

In his box of memories Dad came out with a group photo from which I have taken the liberty of cutting out 3 groupings, left, centre & right, with enough zoom to pick out faces.

Looks Like I can only add one pic at a time.

See if you can recognise anyone  :-)

 

 

 

[Dave_Jr]

 

Centre group.

 

 

[Dave_Jr]

Right Hand Side..

Find anyone you know??

 

 

[Dave_Jr]

We were all amazed by Ric's photo but when dad said his was different we were astounded.

Probably consecutive on the roll.

[Dave_Jr]

A little bit of the hi-tech gadgetry used on the range.

 

 

 

 

[Dave_Jr]

Me and my grandmother when she us at visited Woomera. 

[Dave_Jr]

I thought I added this quite some time ago but I'll try again.

https://vimeo.com/142786964

Enjoy,

Dave 

[Dave_Jr]

Eric Golden was kind enough to share some photos. 

Inside the control tower I think.  Skipper & pilot but not sure of the third persons task. 

[Dave_Jr]

Jindivic showing what was under the hood. Mk1 Bloodhound behind. 

Probably in the Flight Control hangar. Family open day late 50's.

[Eric Golden]

I was the third person behind the skipper and pilot. The idea was that person would calculate the fuel usage, I don’t think this ever happened for real. This photo in flight control was set up for a publicity photo. 

Sent from Outlook for iOS

---

From: 'Dave_Jr' via Woomera on the Web <woomera_o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 8, 2024 8:53:02 AM

To: Woomera on the Web <woomera_o...@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Re: Woomera Visit

 

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