IMPORTANT – read the following note before searching for names

The following lists were created based on names various ex-colleague remembered concerning people that worked at A&AEE Boscombe Down during the periods concerned. If you remember more names or If you spot any errors or omissions then please send me an email (or make a note in the ‘A&AEE blog‘) so I can make corrections (there are undoubtedly many errors as its 50 years on!).  Better still why not leave a message on the ‘A&AEE blog‘ so some of your old friends might be able to share your memory’s or reconnect. I will be happy to add lists of names for different periods and areas of Boscombe Down, if anyone cares to send me information.

Ideally, the following list of people would address all the people  who worked at Boscombe Down but, as a consequence of my own age and social networks, the following lists are skewed heavily in favour of  Technical Services Division during the late 1960s and early 1970s. However, I would like these lists of people to be all embracing so if you send me an email providing names, date and work areas, if known, I would be happy to add to the existing list, edit it or, if you thought it better, create new lists or structures.

Apprentices (in alphabetical order based on surname):

• Clive Barker (1971-1975)
• Reginald (Reg) Buckingham (1966-1971)
• Pete Burden (1970-1974) – remained at Boscombe Down going from from apprentice, to armourer, to chargie, to trials officer.
• Mike Burrell (1970-1974)
• Paul? Brown {1970-1974)
• Victor (Cal) Callaghan (1966-1971)
• Steve Canning (?)
• Roger (Cham) Chambers (1966-1971)
• Robert (Rob) Cook (1966-1971)
• Phil Cox (?)
• Barry Elkins (1966-1971)
• Martin Elliott (1970-1974)
• Keith Ellery (1970-1974)
• Tony Farrington (1967-1971)
• Pete Fay (1970-1974)
• Peter (Pete) Foot (1964-1969)
• Ian (Flo) Forrester (1970-?)
• Brian Forrester (?)
• Gary Forsey (1970-1974) (emigrated to Australia, working in semi-conductor design)
• Pete Frogget (1964-1969 ?)
• Pete Gray  (1966-1971)
• Gordon W Hind  (1964-1969)
• Ian D Huntley (?)
• Ralph Hursthouse (1966-1971)
• Doug Hussey (1967-1971)
• Martin Keany (?) (1967-1972)
• Trevor Keenan (1967-1971)
• Min Mathews (?)
• Derek (Max) Mulholland (1966-1971)
• M R Payne (?)
• Roger Pennells (1970-1974)
• Derek E Pickett (1965-1970)
• David Pike (1970-1974)
• Phil Plimmer (1970-1974)
• Tom Prince (1968-1973 ?)
• David (Rupert) Rowle (1970-1974)
• Mark (Podge) Richardson (1992)
• Vaughn Reddick (1967-1972)
• Pete Robinson (1968-1973 ?)
• Dave Shearman (1970-1974)
• Laurence Scivior (1970-1974)
• Jim Sparks (1968-1973 ?)
• D I Spiller (?)
• Pete Stains (1966-1971?)
• Chris Stagg (1967-1971)
• Chris Strickland (1967-1972) RIP
• Graham Surman (1966-1971)
• Bob Taylor (1971-1975)
• Eric M Toomes  (1964-1969)
• Mike Tough (1967-1971) – worked on at A&AEE until 1974
• John Tucker (1966-1971) RIP
• Richard Tudge (1970-1974)
• Keith Turner (1970-1974)
• Roger Thurston (?)
• Dave Warne (1966-1971)
• Dave Warrick (1970-1974)
• John (BJ) Watson (1966-1971) – emigrated to Canada
• Keith Wigmore  (1964-1969)
• Myles Witt (1970-1974) – emigrated to USA
• Will White (1971-1975)
• Mike Wilkins (1970-1974)
• Andy Wood (1967-1971?)

Larkhill Apprentices

• Gordon (Buggsy) Reid (1966-1971)
• Paul Devitt (1966-1971)
• Trevor Neuman (1966-1971)

Staff (in alphabetical order based on surname):

• Pete Adcock
• Dave Barfoot (spelling?)
• Sid Bateman (VHF Bay)
• Nick Bennet (Tech Services Managment)
• Dave Burford (spelling?)
• Cid Blake
• Ken Bowles (IC Tech Services Air Traffic Control)
• C.S. Buck (T.S.D)
• Brian Buss
• Ted Bray
• John Brent-Jones (PTO1 – I/C Tech Service Division [T.S.D]) (RIP)
• Jack Chamberlin – a bit of a boffin
• Ken Christmas (Keith Turner’s Apprentice Master)
• Pat Clayton (worked on the Sabre beacon bench)
• Derek Colby
• Roy Dafter (was initially running E-Lab then an equipment checking in/out desk in ‘Electronic Workshops A’)
• Paul “Bricker” Day (serving out final RAF posting)
• Brian Buss (or Bues) (magical touch on fixing aircraft comms systems)
• R.J.Davis
• Philip Walter (nickname ‘Walt’ – or ‘digital’) Denby (RIP) E-LAB (in Boscombe based band called ‘Force Five’)
• Len Dickson (E-Lab)
• Roy Dixon
• Wesley (Wes) James Elton
• Mr H.H. Earney (T.S.O I/C apprenticeship scheme)
• Ben England (Air Traffic Control)
• Ian Fagg
• Roy A. Flint (in Boscombe based band called ‘Force Five’)
• Mike Foster (1966-1983; : Lyme bay 1970 -1973,  EWS’A’  1976′(ish) to 1983)
• Pam Foxe
• Nigel Garnet
• Ed Garman (HSO – Radex)
• Paul Goodfellow (store man)
• Les Grant
• Sue Green? (worked with Roy Dafter)
• Sticky Bun (union rep – what was his real name?)
• Doug (Dougie) Grey
• Ian Grey (IC Apprentice Training Centre)
• A.W. (Jock) Hadden (PTO2 – I/C Electronic Workshops A) RIP
• Gary (Slim) Halsey (surname?) (serving out final RAF posting)
• Gordon Hind (worked in radio section with Alan Mayhew)
• Barry Hodgson (eLab) Martin Elliott’s Aprentice Master
• Dave Horsfall (PTO II Air Traffic Control)
• Henry Horton (175 retraining)
• Geoff Johnston
• Ken (Semiconductor) Jones
• “Ginge” (C.T.?) King
• Jack Last
• Joe Lock
• David? (Perry) Mason (Air Traffic Control)
• Pete Marshall
• Brian Mathews
• Min Mathews
• Alan Victor Mayhew
• Pete Melling
• Dave Merryman
• Dave Mesher (ex RAF)
• Mick (the crunch) Mcgucian (Spelling? – worked on CCW bench)?
• Les Moy
• Dave (Spud?) Murphy
• Sean Nicel (A & B1 Squadrons)
• Nick Nicholson
• W.B.Parkin (assisted MR H.H. Earney? in managing Apprentice scheme)
• John Paton (PTO3 ? I/C Radar Benches in Elect Workshops ‘A’) RIP
• Brian Perryman
• Bob Pittman
• Ricky Polden (Apprentice Training School)
• Rodney(?) Pope
• Bob Prichard
• Frank Rawlings (spelling?) (PTO3 – second in command ‘Electronic Workshops A’)
• Jack Retter (PTO2? – I/C Electronic Workshops B)
• Mark (Podge) Richardson (1992-2019)
• Geoff Rook (Air Traffic)
• Bob Seager (radio principles tutor)
• Danny Scott ? (in Boscombe based band called ‘Force Five’)
• Sid Sidebottom
• “Smudge” Smith
• Robert (Bob) Steer
• Dave (Seagull) Stegall (0n CCW bench)
• Chief Tech Stevens
• Mr Swatteridge (Mr Earney’s assistant)
• Ken Thorbon (Comms radio servicing) – Vic Callaghan’s Apprentice Master)
• Brian Raymond Tongeman (a placement student from Kingston University?)
• John Tubb (175 retraining)
• Geof Tuffen (175 retraining)
• Stan Yem
• Dave Wade
• J.R.White
• Mr Witt (Main Strores – Myles Witt’s father)
• Pete Williams
• Steve Wynn-Wernick

Incomplete Names (if you can remember them, let me know)

• Frances (?)
• Derek {?} (on radar bench Electronic Workshops A)
• Grant (?)
• Laura (?)
• Mavis (?) -Tea Lady at Apprentice Traning Centre
• Quinn (Air Taffic Control)

Note:  If you worked in ‘Electronic Workshops A’  (part of Technical Service Division) during the 70’s) you might find this list of signatures interesting (from two farewell cards). If you can identify (and send to me in an email)  the names marked with blue spots, that would be most helpful (since some names I couldn’t read and others had surnames names missing).

Salisbury College Of Further Education Tutors:

• Mr Turtin (Senior Intructor)
• Mr Maple-Dorum (Intructor)
• Mr (Pete) Keel (Instructor)
• Mr (Beefy) Barks
• Ernie Lucas

Personal Note: We all need a little help (and good fortune) to make it through life. During the Boscombe Down phase of my life, my first piece of good fortune was having an amazing apprentice master, Ken Thorbon who, not just gave me a great practical education but also looked out for me and made sure I was retained after finishing my apprenticeship. My second piece of good luck was having a fantastic boss, Jock Hadden who, with the support of his boss, John Brent-Jones, created the opportunity for me to go to University for which I am eternally grateful. Since those distant days, we have all walked our own long roads and will have encountered many different people and times; wherever life has taken them, I hope they met people along the way that were as kind to them as they were to me.

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