A scholastic history can be found elsewhere in my site but suffice it to say - I moved around when in 1962 when my Fathers posting was to Jever. It was good timing as I was getting over my first experience (!!!???!!!) - which had altered my feelings towards girls, through betrayal, temporarily for the worse - although I laugh about it now.

I was 16 in that year doing my GCE "O" level exams with the N U J M B in the June and this was Feb. The UK was locked into one of the coldest winters since 1946 - even the sea froze in places. The trip to York was frought with problems and we were delayed in getting to York, however, the train at York was held up and still there to take us on our way. From London we flew to Hanover. As we flew into Hanover the plane before us skidded off the runway so we had to circle before it was safe to land. The thrill of being in a different country, catching the train to Wilhelmshaven and the arrival at our first house.

In a way it was fun sitting at the back of classes - not being a part of that class but being present. It was also decided to keep me as a Day pupil as a result of my previous experiences at boarding school. The aim was for me to self study for my own exams. It did not work out so well as for subjects like Biology, Chemistry and Physics since the N U J M B had a practical exams which PRS was not organised to cope with. The London exams did not have practical exams except in Biology. Also my specimens were different and were not available to me for my exams.

The outcome is a matter of history - surfice it to say I was about to re do my 5th year for the second time which brought its own embarresments since I was now a year older than my fellow students.

• The day started at 08:15 as we went to catch the Bus in Beton Strasse.
• The driver who had blue reflective glasses who took delight in driving whilst watching the passengers and not the road. How he never managed to stay on the road and miss the cars beats me.
• The adult minder who travelled with us to keep us all in order - If I remember was Irish and very friendly - we had many enjoyable conversations to and from Wilhelmshaven - Whatever happened to her?? She was always trying to get the driver to face the front.
• The bus collected us at the end of the day.
• Getting home it was time for homework which was only broken by supper around 19:00 hrs.

As we were in the winter term football was the sport of the season but I had only ever played Rugby. To my delight I was told to go swimming - I think that was because I could do less damage in the pool, once my abilites at playing football had been experienced. It was not so bad as it was with the girls but they saw me as an outsider and ignored me.

As I was left to my own devices I made friends with the German teenagers that regulalry visited the pool and eventually made friends with Jutte Lemke. She spoke very little English and I no German but we met each week and kept each company. Eventually I managed to ask her home to Tea. My Father took me to pick her up from her home - her parents were not happy about it from what I can remember and the next week Jutte was not at the pool. The girls had obvioulsy noticed what was going on from the comments they made voicing their disapproval. As a day pupil I could get away from it at the end of each day.

It was about this time that I met Terry. What brought us together I cannot remember but we were inseparable each lunch time as we walked around the playing fields talking to each other, reciting from the Goon Show, talking about our lives.

• Socialising with the teachers in the Mess at Jever. Attending meals and dances. Getting into trouble for being on the Mess veranda with a young lady unaccompanied - doing nothing - honest!!!! at the New Year Ball.
• My entanglement with the Morman Missionaries in Jever - upsetting to my parent but great fun for T and myself. Weekend retreats - meeting other missionaries - Pizza and other goodies.
• Being banned from an out door pool in Celle for teasing a couple of Frauleins and me in a white swimming costume that looked more like a piece of string - My defence is that it was T's ? fault..
• Working as a projectionist in the RAF Jever cinema. Since I could not be paid we came to an agreement - getting paid with Bacardi and cigarettes. Private showings at weekends to school chums whilst improving my change over techniques. Getting the 6th Form permission to see Tom Jones as it was a set book for the the "A" level Literature class.
  Having to announce the assasination of JFK.
• I had got involved with the Patrick Moore and the British Astronomical Association working for its Satellite Observation section calculating the track of the Satellites especially Echo 1 & 2 and reporting my sightings back again. Listening to and recording the of space flights such as from the Mercury Atlas & Gemini Titan flights. Some of which I still have.
• That year I grew a beard during the summer holidays but was seen by several teachers who voiced their opinions.

• 6th General - Little to do as waiting to go back to the UK. Studies finished I was not allowed to do A levels having failed English at O level. To keep me out of mischief did things like Economics with Mrs Pennington, Economic History gues who with ?? etc.
• Studying in the Library - being called to stand in on classes when teachers were called for meetings - attempting to keep the pupils quiet.
• Being asked to find female stickle backs for the Biology class - never found out how to tell the sexes apart - of the fish!!
• Decorating the 6th form club.
• House Athletics teams and House Swimming team
• Assistant Scout Master for the Scout Troop.

• What is that I hear - no comments about the pupils you were slowly getting to know - as a Monitor having a room in the house so I could carry out my occasional duties - Mr Batty as House master.
• Getting caught in the back row off the Cinema with a 3rd former and my arm around her and me in the 6th. tut tut.
• A trip to a retreat and one of my crushes next to me on the coach trip but I had promised her boyfriend to look after her - so close and so near - my honour stopped me from doing what I had dreamed off.
• All the girls who were cleverer than I- being too unsure of how to approach to approach them - many received valentine cards - courage anonymous. One young lady still has 2 of them.
• Being caught on Main site by John Meredith - after erecting the swimming pool is was waiting to be collected to go home when I decided to get my own back on a couple of you ladies who had been taunting me all evening - was it a case of being chased or just water bombs!!!!!!
• Being warned away from one young lady, my sister was over protective of my innocence, because of the style of this young ladies bra - was it true . I never found out but at reunions still see her and wonder!!!!!!!.
• Eventually I had a couple of dates I can remember 2 clearly but the 3rd I am not sure if it is imagination. None lasted long. Too shy to get involved with the Mikado and living to regret it. Loving the Boyfriend I now have the Tape to listen to.
• Going on a sports trip - on our first night and pairing up with a young lady and T and his young lady going to the cinema as a foursome- a little reluctantly on my part. At the beginning of the film it was obvious to me that the projectionist had not done his home work and assuming something was wrong kept re starting the film..Yes you've guessed it I left my date and proceeded to the projector room to tell the projectionist what his problem was and stayed there to help him show the film.

• What of my Brother and Sister - they seem to have a great time.
• Having to explain to my mother when she found a letter in my brothers room what a phrase meant in reference to this young lady and why she had liked his attentions so much - I went to my sister to ask -- so naive.
• The time I arrived home ahead of my brother after a sailing trip to be confronted by my mother and on being asked where he was said "lost overboard and not found" and expecting a laugh was faced with tears - hysterics and an uproar that did not calm when he walked in - the slipper from my father was still sore.
• My sister seemed to be the darling of eveyone and my brother the joker.
• The time my sister and I were to do a Cha Cha demo and I got it all wrong - did not help win a popularity contest with my sister. Yet we had done this so many times. I now have my gold Metal in Latin American Dancing.

• No one of my own age and the only suitable young lady was at school in Reading.
  • I remember she did not like my sense of humour but witha few carefully chosen words from her soon changed that.
  • The visits to the Swimming pool in the GAF base
  • My admiration went to more than being with her and eventully summoning all my courage tried to persued her that as she was studying Art at A level she would have no problems getting undressed but no matter what my arguments I could not get her to see my point of view in the depths of the woods at Jever.
• There were a couple of Americans on the base but never mixed.

• Thus much of my time was spent in the woods watching the F104's from the German Air Force - I still love the sound and the sight of the F104 so much that I am passively involved with a F104 pilots chat room.
• Going into Jever to get a curry wurst late at night for a mark - I still miss that.