Ken Senar writes:- Bicycle polo was played on Saturday afternoons on the Officers Mess lawn after the usual lunchtime p-up. Spokes were broken and Warrant Officer Dale, the SWO, as Station bicycle inventory holder put in a complaint because of the damage done to his precious bikes. Mick Ryan can remember this pastime as well, five years later. It was mainly played using the RAF issue German Batwomen's bicycles which were stored in the Officers' Barrack Blocks while they were at work. The Officers' Mess Lawn Croquet mallets were used with a croquet ball. Unfortunately competition used to get very fierce. When all else failed a particularly effective way of stopping your opponents was to reverse your mallet and, holding it by the head, stick the handle through the front wheel spokes. Depending on the speed, this would strip out all the spokes, and the front forks would stick in the lawn, resulting in a spectacular unseating of the enemy by a somersault over the handlebars. Left to right: Unknown culprits. Anyone recognise them? I am not surprised the SWO complained about damage to his bicycles. I presume the Bat women were not over impressed either. I don't know how they then got home!
