Ground Communications Junior Technician remembers 1969 Trans-Atlantic Air Race

In 1969 I was an RAF Ground Communications Junior Technician, serving on 38 Group Tactical Signals Unit (TSU) based at RAF Tangmere. In early May, a small team was selected from my flight to act as the defence communications squad, responsible for all radio communications between military and civilian entities involved in the Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race.

The race was to commemorate the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic 50 years previously. It was to start in London and end in New York, and the RAF had entered to showcase the vertical take-off and landing capabilities of its brand-new Harrier GR1 jump jet.

A disused coal yard at St Pancras station in London was chosen as the site the Harrier would depart from. On one side were high-rise flats, on another was a church.

In sporadic attendance at the yard was an ancient gentleman, who we thought was perhaps the caretaker, but may just have been a retired railwayman interested in what was going on. We soon ‘adopted’ him as our mascot, and ensured he was well-fed and watered.

In preparation for the Harrier’s arrival, high-pressure hoses were used to spray the yard clean of the six inches of compressed coal dust which covered the entire area. During this attempted clean up, our mascot would wave his stick and declare: “There’s 150 years of coal dust here, you’ll never keep it down!”

The Harrier descending into the disused coal yard

Another of our tasks was to hand-deliver leaflets to all flats and houses bordering the coal yard, recommending that windows be opened when the Harrier was due to land to minimise the chance of the jet’s exhaust pressure breaking any panes of glass.

By the time the Harrier arrived, a thick fog had come over the coal yard, and visibility was down to 500 feet. Because I was of a slight build, I was positioned on a communications caravan with an enormous strobe lamp and hooked up to the air traffic system. My purpose was to point the lamp in the direction of the approaching Harrier, until the pilot had a visual on the landing pad. However, as it came nearer, the pressure from the jet-wash imploded the lamp. It scared the hell out of me, but did the job.

Waiting nearby was a group of high-ranking military officers in full dress uniforms, and beside them a group of fashion models booked for a photo session with the Harrier.

As the aircraft came down to land, 150 years of coal dust rose into the air then descended onto those gathered below – just as our mascot had prophesied. The irate senior officers and distraught models stood covered in soot.

As the dust cloud expanded, residents who had opened their windows as instructed found their homes inundated. Even worse, outside the nearby church a wedding party was having photographs taken on the steps. It wasn’t a white wedding for long, and within minutes the bride, groom and guests had stormed the yard demanding blood and, preferably, someone’s head.

Our tactful squadron leader defused the situation by inviting the wedding party to have their photographs taken with the Harrier as a backdrop. Later that evening we were also able to soothe the ire of the soot-covered high-rise tenants – in the local pub.

Ritchie Stephen enlisted in January 1960, as a Boy Entrant in the 39th Entry and spent 14 years in the RAF, followed by a further 11 years in the RNZAF. His final military appointment was as Commanding Officer of the New Zealand Defence Communications Unit in Wellington. He is a member of the Association’s Global Branch.

 Ritchie Stephen today