About Me
Potted History (RAF)
My name is John L Lawrence (1932788) I joined the 29th entry on 16th October 1956 as an Air Wireless Mechanic. My billet in I.T.S. I can't remember, but in Fulton Block it was 27 West, 4 Sqdn, 2 Wing, to the best of my knowledge all the occupants during my time there (26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd entries) were members of the 2 Wing Trumpet Band. I was first a Tenor Drummer then the Base Drummer before moving across to the Pipe Band as a Tenor drummer and finally in March 1958 I became the Drum Major of the Pipe Band. I Passed Out with the 30th Entry on 22nd July 1958.
I had joined Alcatel Telecom in July 1970 working as a Field Engineer and retired after nearly 31 years working for them in March 2001. I now idle my time away with designing and maintaining this and quite a few more websites, and as a Governor at the local Primary School and Chair of Governors at a large Secondary School (Academy).
(Personal)
I married June, my first wife, on the 11th September 1965, Lee our son was born in Nottingham on the 15th September 1966 (whilst stationed at RAF Syerston). Sadly June passed away after a long illness in February 1985. I married another June on 21st November 1987, but sadly she too died, in the January of 1996. I married for the third time to Christine on the 19th April 1997 and we have a son, James, born 12th September 1998. We live in Totton just a few miles to the west of the City of Southampton on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire.
My name is John L Lawrence (1932788) I joined the 29th entry on 16th October 1956 as an Air Wireless Mechanic. My billet in I.T.S. I can't remember, but in Fulton Block it was 27 West, 4 Sqdn, 2 Wing, to the best of my knowledge all the occupants during my time there (26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd entries) were members of the 2 Wing Trumpet Band. I was first a Tenor Drummer then the Base Drummer before moving across to the Pipe Band as a Tenor drummer and finally in March 1958 I became the Drum Major of the Pipe Band. I Passed Out with the 30th Entry on 22nd July 1958.
I had joined Alcatel Telecom in July 1970 working as a Field Engineer and retired after nearly 31 years working for them in March 2001. I now idle my time away with designing and maintaining this and quite a few more websites, and as a Governor at the local Primary School and Chair of Governors at a large Secondary School (Academy).
(Personal)
I married June, my first wife, on the 11th September 1965, Lee our son was born in Nottingham on the 15th September 1966 (whilst stationed at RAF Syerston). Sadly June passed away after a long illness in February 1985. I married another June on 21st November 1987, but sadly she too died, in the January of 1996. I married for the third time to Christine on the 19th April 1997 and we have a son, James, born 12th September 1998. We live in Totton just a few miles to the west of the City of Southampton on the edge of the New Forest National Park in Hampshire.
My A.T.C. Squadron - 424 (City of Southampton).
1953 to October 1956
1953 to October 1956
RAF Cosford - No. 2 School of Technical Training
October 1956 - July 1958
October 1956 - July 1958
My First Unit RAF Church Fenton (R.S.F.)
July 1958 to 1959
Unit crests and RAF badges are all Crown Copyright
July 1958 to 1959
Unit crests and RAF badges are all Crown Copyright
My First Squadron at RAF Church Fenton (19 Sqdn)
July 1958 - ?
July 1958 - ?
My Second Squadron at RAF Church Fenton, West Yorkshire
and RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire (72 Sqdn)
? - December 1960
and RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire (72 Sqdn)
? - December 1960
RAF Leconfield, East Yorkshire (72 Sqdn and Station Flight)
1959 - December 1960
1959 - December 1960
RAF Germany - stationed at RAF Wildenrath, Nordrhein-Westfalen (2nd T.A.F. Communications Squadron)
December 1960 - October 1963
December 1960 - October 1963
2nd T.A.F. Communications Squadron
December 1960 - October 1963
December 1960 - October 1963
Squadron moved to RAF Bruggen, Nordrhein-Westfalen for a short while, whilst the runway was renovated at RAF Wildenrath.
And also a short detachment to RAF Gatow, Berlin in August 1961.
And also a short detachment to RAF Gatow, Berlin in August 1961.
RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire (No. 3 Flying Training School)
October 1963- February 1964
October 1963- February 1964
RAF Yatesbury, Wiltshire (No. 2 Radio School) Air Wireless Fitters Course (AWF 236).
February 1964 - March 1965.
February 1964 - March 1965.
RAF Syerston, Nottinghamshire (No. 2 Flying Training School)
February 1964 and
March 1965 - September 1968
February 1964 and
March 1965 - September 1968
RAF Bicester, Oxfordshire (Parent Unit) 71 M.U. M.M.F.
September 1968 - January 1970
September 1968 - January 1970
Although not posted to RAF Abingdon, Oxfordshire, but on permanent attachment with 71 M.U. M.M.F.
September 1968 - January 1970
September 1968 - January 1970
Most of the time on 71 M.U. spent working during the day at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, and commuting back to Abingdon.
RAF Odiham, Hampshire (R.S.F)
January 1970 - October 1970, although started work with Alcatel in July 1970.
January 1970 - October 1970, although started work with Alcatel in July 1970.
Started civilian work with Alcatel Telecom (now Alcatel-Lucent) as a Field Engineer (Large Voice Systems)
July 1970 - March 2001 - officially starting in October 1970 upon demob.
Alcatel-Lucent combined two entities — Alcatel and Lucent Technologies — which shared a common lineage dating back to 1986. That was the year Alcatel’s parent company, CGE (la Compagnie Générale d’Electricité), acquired ITT’s European telecom business. Nearly 60 years earlier, ITT had purchased most of AT&T’s manufacturing operations outside the United States. Lucent Technologies was spun off from AT&T.
July 1970 - March 2001 - officially starting in October 1970 upon demob.
Alcatel-Lucent combined two entities — Alcatel and Lucent Technologies — which shared a common lineage dating back to 1986. That was the year Alcatel’s parent company, CGE (la Compagnie Générale d’Electricité), acquired ITT’s European telecom business. Nearly 60 years earlier, ITT had purchased most of AT&T’s manufacturing operations outside the United States. Lucent Technologies was spun off from AT&T.
John Lawrence Web Design Services.
April 2001 - April 2012
April 2001 - April 2012
Design and Contents © 2004-2014 John L Lawrence
Original site launched in July 2004
