A&AEE People

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 that ever worked at Boscombe Down but, as a consequence of my own age and networks its skewed heavily in favour of  Technical Services Division during the 1970s.However, I would like these list of people to be all embracing so if you send me an email providing names (and work areas, if known), I would be happy to add to the existing list or, if you thought it better,  create new lists.

Apprentices (All Periods, All sections):

  • Clive Barker (?)
  • Reginald (Reg) Buckingham (1966-1971)
  • Pete Burden (1970-1974 ?)
  • Victor 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)
  • Tony Farrington (1967-1971)
  • Peter (Pete) Foot (1964-1969)
  • Gary Forsey (1970-1974)
  • 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 (?)
  • Derek E Pickett (1965-1970)
  • Tom Prince (1968-1973 ?)
  • Mark (Podge) Richardson (1992)
  • Vaughn Reddick (1967-1972)
  • Pete Robinson (1968-1973 ?)
  • Dave Sheermon (?)
  • Jim Sparks (1968-1973 ?)
  • D I Spiller (?)
  • Pete Stains (1966-1971?)
  • Chris Stagg(1967-1971)
  • Chris Strickland(1967-1972) RIP
  • Graham Surman (1966-1971)
  • Eric M Toomes  (1964-1969)
  • Mike Tough (1967-1971) worked on at A&AEE until 1974
  • John Tucker (1966-1971) RIP
  • Keith Turner (1969-1974)
  • Roger Thurston (?)
  • Dave Warne (1966-1971)
  • Dave Warrick
  • John (BJ) Watson (1966-1971) – emigrated to Canada
  • Keith Wigmore  (1964-1969)
  • Myles Witt (1969-1973)
  • Will White (?)
  • Andy Wood (1967-1971?)

Larkhill Apprentices

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

Staff (All Periods, All sections):

  • Pete Adcock
  • Dave Barfoot (spelling?)
  • Sid Bateman (VHF Bay)
  • Dave Burford (spelling?)
  • Cid Blake
  • Ken Christmas (Keith Turners Apprentice Master)
  • 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
  • Pat Clayton (on the old 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)
  • Ian Fagg
  • Pete Fay (Fey?)
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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)
  • Henry Horton (175 retraining)
  • Geoff Johnston
  • Ken (Semicondictor) Jones
  • “Ginge” (C.T.?) King
  • Jack Last
  • Joe Lock
  • 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
  • Rod(?) 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)
  • Bob Seager (radio principles tutor)
  • Danny Scott ? (in Boscombe based band called ‘Force Five’)
  • Sid Sidebottom
  • “Smudge” Smith
  • Robert (Bob) Steer
  • Dave (Seagull) Stegall
  • Chief Tech Stevens
  • Ken Thorbon (Comms radio servicing)
  • Brian Raymond Tongeman (a placement student from Kingston University?)
  • John Tubb (175 retraining)
  • Geof Tuffen (175 retraining)
  • Stan Yem
  • Dave Wade
  • J.R.White
  • Pete Williams
  • Steve Wynn-Wernick

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

  • Barry (?)
  • Derek (?)
  • Frances (?)
  • Grant (?)
  • Laura (?)

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
  • Mr Maplin
  • Mr (Pete) Keel


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.