This is Terry's Story
I left Cosford and was posted to 38 group at Tangmere. It was a great time, dressed in combat gear and working on the mobile signals. Done NATO exercise in Turkey and a couple of trips to Cyprus. Then it was all spoilt as they closed Tangmere and moved us to Benson. From the relaxed (but efficient) attitude of 38 group to the bullshine of Benson, home of The Queen's Flight.
I tried several times to get a posting with no joy so eventually, in desparation, I remustered. TD became an MTD. Finally, I had managed to get away from Benson. I did my driver training at St Athan (where 38 group had sent me to learn to drive Summer of 70 - not
much good being on mobile signals if you can't drive a landrover).
Then I was posted to Linton-On-Ouse. A fabulous posting. I had a great time there and it
was there I got involved in Karting. For those who think of fun fair machines forget it. My 250cc
race tuned Bultaco could do 0-60 in under 4 seconds, could top 125mph (officially clocked at a
drag meeting) and ran at about 8mpg when racing - and all with vital parts just an inch from the
deck. But racing in UK was often in the wet so I applied for Cyprus again and got it. Karting was
a very popular sport there with hundreds coming to watch each race meeting. And it was hot and
dry so far more enjoyable. I won the joint services international championship there in 1974 but the
little difference of opinion that Turkey and Greece had spoiled another good posting. Mind you, it
was an interesting time to look back on. I was attached to a 'Jock' regiment as an ambulance
driver and I can assure you there a few stories from my 'M.A.S.H.' days there.
But all good things come to an end and I was posted back to UK. Back to B*****y
Benson again. I had met Susan in Cyprus but she had to leave when the troubles started. Once I
returned we met up again and in 1976 were married.
Life at Benson was as unbearable as ever and I'm afraid that I became a bit of a rebel.
Never did learn to keep my mouth shut and this led to a series of clashes with authority. It finally
came to a head at a disciplinary hearing. When I was asked by the MTO if I wanted to say
anything I asked for an application form to get out of the RAF.
They thought I was bluffing and I was too mad (and too stubborn) to back down so in
1978 I bought myself out. In retrospect I knew it wasn't the best idea I had ever had but enough
was enough. It wasn't really the RAF I wanted away from I suppose - it was the awful, petty
Benson Bullshine. I can assure you that if you ever heard a story about a group of airmen, in
combat gear, picking daisies from the grass in front of a hanger so that it looked greener when the
aircraft taxied past, it is true. I was one of them. Mind you, the boss wasn't impressed with the
length of the daisy chain we draped round his office.
I moved up to Lincoln and went onto long distance haulage (having at least obtained my
HGV 1 before I left).
Then in 1979 Nathan was born and I gave up the life of a trucker and worked for 3 years as
an assurance and pensions advisor. Three years of commission only was enough and I left and
went back on the road for a while. Then I worked for MFI (Yes. I admit it). After three very good
years I moved on to become the fund-raiser for a small charity for handicapped children. Even
though I had raised well over the target figure for the first year, I had a disagreement with the
directors over the future fund-raising policy and sadly parted company with them.
During my time with them I became a Christian (1988). I wasn't seeking it. In fact, far
from being even apathetic about it, I was very actively anti anything like that. Religion of any sort
really raised my hackles. But the Lord had other ideas and my conversion was a very very real, life
shattering, life changing and subsequently a very fulfilling experience.
From professional fund-raise I became the sales manager for an international business
exhibition company, but left after a year (1990) to go into full time work with a Christian charity.
That took me to Germany where I worked on an Army base in Northern Germany. The wall had
just fallen and as I had to go to Berlin regularly on business it proved to be a fascinating time to
be there. Then the gulf war started and so I worked with the military welfare for the families.
After two years there I moved to another area of Germany where I worked not only with the
military and their families but was also heavily involved with Anglo/German reconciliation work,
starting a very active German student group at the local university.
I also began to organise first world war battlefield trips to Flanders which I really enjoyed.
I ended my six years in Germany running a network of 5 shops and canteens on military bases
before returning to UK (Bournemouth area) to help set a up a chaplaincy team for the charity I
worked for. I covered an area from Dorset to Norfolk, which included the Channel Islands, the
Isle of Wight and part of Belgium. The Shell reward points came in handy at Christmas !!!!
However, that team was disbanded after four years and so I left to move to London and
further my theological studies. I was, at this time, already an ordained minister with an
independent church college, having studied mostly by correspondence while in Germany. We sold
our house in Christchurch, the proceeds paying for our first of two years studies.
A few months after arriving here, I was approached to help a struggling independent
church in a 'neglected' (the kindest word for it) part of Tottenham. The church was situated
behind a large grey security fence and as the church was painted grey to match the fence it looked
more like an annex of Alcatraz. (It's now a nice, bright two tone green - the fence is still
grey.) They only had four members and the Pastor there was elderly and in ill health and wanted
to retire. They couldn't afford to pay a full time replacement and asked if I could help. So I took
over pastorate in February 2001.
Since then, we have grown to about 30 members, from 9 nationalities, and now have a
morning service in English and an afternoon service in French. They can also afford to pay me a
part time wage now but as our savings ran out during the summer, and only have this small
income, we are having to 'live by faith'. Some will find it hard to fully understand or appreciate,
but the Lord really has provided for us - all the things we need and as we need them.
As the church continues to grow, as I'm sure it will, the amount they can pay will also
improve. However, having already moved house 13 times in our 26 years of marriage, we will
have to find somewhere else in the summer as our lease in the college provided flat expires then.
But we are confident that the Lord will also provide for those needs as well.
So. That's about it up to date. Mixed experiences, always varied, never dull. It has, and it
continues to be, a very full, exciting and fulfilling life. Our son, Nathan, is training at Mattersey
Bible College and preaches in my church during holidays so that is also a real blessing to us,
although it wasn't always the case. Like many ministers children, he rebelled and went through a
few years of drinking and drugs. All we could do was pray and the Lord returned him to us. He
now uses that experience which God allowed him to go through in his work with street people
where he has a wonderful ministry.
All that in 30 years. I have no doubt that each of us from 315 have a book full of stories to
tell. I pray that many of the others will tell a little of theirs soon and that as the future unfolds we
will be able to get together to re-establish friendships and spin a few yarns. (Pull up a sandbag and
swing the light. I want to tell you a story).
Well. I'll leave it at that for now. Maybe I'll add a photo or two soon, but remember, if
you're in London at any time, get in touch and we can meet up. And yes, I do still listen to the
Moody Blues and support Charlton Athletic.'
TD
09/01/2002
| 
