announced, in a broad Scottish accent, "This ward smells like an Armenian Brothel." We wondered how she knew! We all helped each other in the ward, fetching bottles, and so on. One lad filled not one, but two, pee bottles in one session, telling me to hurry up with the second one. I know, I emptied them in the sluice room.
While at Halton we saw the second Russian earth satellite go over. It was the one with the little dog 'Laika' on board. Also, some of us volunteered to pose in white coats, as doctors, in a room where there was a brand new prototype kidney dialysis machine, for press photographs to be taken. Kidney dialysis was a new development in medical treatment at the time, and the RAF Medical Branch was involved in the work.
I stayed at Halton until April 16th when I went before No.1 Central Medical Board by which I was categorised as A4GP and returned to my home address pending instructions.
On May the 15th I had to report to No.1 Personnel Holding Unit at Innsworth, Gloucestershire, for my final discharge and civilian documentation. Later, on July 11th, I received my last RAF pay, and on the 12th I relinquished my Commission. On the 14th of January 1959 I received my Commission Scroll signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
I had left the protective environment of the Royal Air Force. I was now working for my tyrannical father and confronting the ill-disciplined turbulence of civilian life.
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