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Various Aden photographs Contributed by Sgt Dennis Pasco. |
Aden 1 shows the inside of my Aden motorcycle driving licence - which cost East African Shillings 7.50. I took my test on 24 March 1958, riding a Matchless 350cc scrambles machine that I had purchased from a civilan employee of the oil refinery at Little Aden. On completion of the test the examiner - an Adeni policeman - spotted a car driving the wrong way up a one-way road. He hopped on the pillion seat and directed me to follow the car. The driver pulled over for a suitable police quizzing and I rode off to RAF Khormaksar.
Aden 2 shows the cover of the licence.
Aden 3 is Crown Copyright, taken by a station photographer during the AOC's inspection of 20 March 1958. It shows the AOC - Air Vice Marshal Heath - shaking the hand of air signaller Sgt Dennis Pasco. I am standing alongside my navigator and captain; we three were one of 84 (Valetta)Squadron's VIP crews. On the left is Squadron Leader Bill Talbot DFC and bar, OC 84 Sqn; he died aged 79 in April 2002. I am indebted to Bill Talbot for actively encouraging me to remuster for pilot - which I did, and went on to enjoy the remainder of my 21 years in the RAF followed by 20 years with Marshall Aerospace.
Aden 4 depicts Valetta VW 822 of 84 Sqn, lining up for take off at the compacted sand strip of Beihan, close to the Aden/Yemen border. In the background is a DC3 of Aden airways.
Aden 5 was taken in May 1957 and shows the air traffic control building at Salalah. In Valetta VW 196 I was en route to Diyarbakir, Turkey. Next stop was Bahrein, then on to Habbaniyah, Iraq. We did not get to Turkey because the King of Iraq was assassinated during an army coup and we were ordered back to Bahrein from Habbaniyah. I believe that the ATC building got blown away some years later during a sand storm.
Museum Curator : Peter Jordan
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