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An update. January 2012

2012-05-17T14:57:46Z

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File:Card00190 fr.jpg

2012-05-16T15:02:14Z

uploaded "[[File:Card00190 fr.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-16T15:01:33Z

File:432566617 bb765e2edd z.jpg

2012-05-16T15:00:44Z

uploaded "[[File:432566617 bb765e2edd z.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-16T14:38:23Z

File:1527954.jpg

2012-05-16T14:37:38Z

uploaded "[[File:1527954.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-16T14:30:16Z

File:1 6ccbbf734a41f2117efee22943516a31.jpg

2012-05-16T14:28:56Z

uploaded "[[File:1 6ccbbf734a41f2117efee22943516a31.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-11T14:37:24Z

File:118248047 2773fa90c9.jpg

2012-05-11T14:36:28Z

uploaded "[[File:118248047 2773fa90c9.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-11T14:18:40Z

File:Lockheed constellation.jpg

2012-05-11T14:05:42Z

uploaded "[[File:Lockheed constellation.jpg]]"

File:Constellation andrewadman.jpg

2012-05-11T14:02:34Z

uploaded a new version of "[[File:Constellation andrewadman.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

2012-05-11T14:02:08Z

File:Constellation andrewadman.jpg

2012-05-11T13:59:12Z

uploaded "[[File:Constellation andrewadman.jpg]]"

An update. January 2012

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 The Lockheed Constellation
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 KLM brochure for flight

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 THE FLIGHT TO PANAMA
-We left from Cromwell Road terminal and took a coach to Heathrow. There we boarded a BOAC flight to Amsterdam and it was there that the reality of what we were doing finally set in. We check in and found we were travelling first class all the way. In the first class cabin the seats were 2 and 2 but there were only seven passengers for the ten seats so there was plenty of room. We were pampered with drinks and snacks and then took off for Zurich. From there to Lisbon and on to the Azores. Then to Curacao and finally (for Maurice and myself) Panama. Pat stayed on the plane to reach Guayaquil. It was a long flight. Some 36 hours including the fueling stop-overs. I cannot remember seeing the passengers in the rear of the aircraft, we were in our own little world at the front. We deplaned at each stop with vouchers for paying for meals and drinks. Stops were about an hour and then we were on our way again. We talked and we slept and tried to make conversation with Maria Bueno the Wimbledon Champion returning home. Finally we reached Panama.
+We left from Cromwell Road terminal and took a coach to Heathrow. There we boarded a BOAC flight to Amsterdam and it was there that the reality of what we were doing finally set in. We check in and found we were travelling first class all the way. We were ushered aboard the Lockheed Constellation and shown to the first class cabin. The seats were 2 and 2 but there were only seven passengers for the ten seats so there was plenty of room. We were pampered by two stewardesses and the purser with drinks and snacks and then took off for Zurich. From there to Lisbon and on to the Azores. Then to Curacao and finally (for Maurice and myself) Panama. Pat stayed on the plane to reach Guayaquil. It was a long flight. Some 36 hours including the fueling stop-overs. I cannot remember seeing the passengers in the rear of the aircraft, we were in our own little world at the front. We deplaned at each stop with vouchers for paying for meals and drinks. Stops were about an hour and then we were on our way again. We talked and we slept and tried to make conversation with Maria Bueno the Wimbledon Champion returning home. Finally we reached Panama.
 KLM brochure for flight
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-It was very strange arriving in a new country with different customs to one's own, different food, different temperature and away from one's family. I sat in my room that first day and started to write a letter while looking at the palm trees waving in the breeze and me sweating in the heat. This was indeed a change. We had been given a few dollars by the duty supervisor so Maurice and I walked down to the Clubhouse and purchased something to eat. We walked back and watched a little TV on a station from the Southern Command Network. The program was "The Andy Griffith Show". Then we went with two of the ex-pet techs down to a bar on the border and had a gin-tonic. Just the one and then we got an early night before facing the upcoming Monday morning. The next day we went into the Mangers office, told that we were here to work and to behave ourselves and were quickly sent out to the operating room to start our work. The new equipment was ready to start up and we got things going on a test basis. Everything was strange and it took a little while to get used to things. However, work wise there was no time to adjust, we were thrown in and that was that.
+It was very strange arriving in a new country with different customs to one's own, different food, different temperature and away from one's family. We were met at Customs by Kelly DiBella, a supervisor from Balboa. Not very talkative. Into his light green Chevrolet and then the long (17 miles) drive to the Canal Zone. Amazing sights all the way. Shantytowns on the outskirts then gradually, office buldings and stores and kids playing everywhere. Locals all dressed up in their Sunday best holding what I supposed were bibles and they headed for church. Then into the Canal Zone. So different from the republic of Panama. Whitewashed concrete and wood buildings. Few people around and those we saw looking cool and unconcerned. Green police vehicles with a red dome light on top and finally the Cable Office in Gavilan Road. DiBella showed us to our rooms, gave us $5.00 each and pointed out the way to the Comissary.
 I was fortunate that Al Cooper Jr., the son of the Station Electrician, befriended me and the following Sunday had two lady friends of his take me for a guided tour of the Canal Zone. Al Sr. the SE was a tall, gaunt old-timer who smelt suspiciously like mentholated spirits. From Al Jr's lady friends I learned the “social structure” of the Zone as seen by two senior high school girls. Which were the “best” places to live (they all looked pretty good to me, however, big-wigs had very large houses on Ancon Heights all around the Governors’ Mansion), who had the best jobs in the Zone (most of the 'big' jobs were located at the Administration Building). The military hierarchy, which kids had high ranking fathers in the Army, Navy and Air Force (Generals and Colonels) who had the hush-hush positions (Canal defense etc). What you could and could not do if you were not a Zonian (Resident in the Zone with Commissary privileges). Where to go, where to hang out, what to do on weekends. Where the “cool” places were, who were the key players on the high school scene. All together a completely different layout from the UK. It became pretty obvious, very quickly, that although we lived and worked in the Zone we were accepted but not really welcome. Why was this? Well read on for an explanation:

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 <BR><BR>
 ARRIVING IN PANAMA AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
 It was very strange arriving in a new country with different customs to one's own, different food, different temperature and away from one's family. I sat in my room that first day and started to write a letter while looking at the palm trees waving in the breeze and me sweating in the heat. This was indeed a change. We had been given a few dollars by the duty supervisor so Maurice and I walked down to the Clubhouse and purchased something to eat. We walked back and watched a little TV on a station from the Southern Command Network. The program was "The Andy Griffith Show". Then we went with two of the ex-pet techs down to a bar on the border and had a gin-tonic. Just the one and then we got an early night before facing the upcoming Monday morning. The next day we went into the Mangers office, told that we were here to work and to behave ourselves and were quickly sent out to the operating room to start our work. The new equipment was ready to start up and we got things going on a test basis. Everything was strange and it took a little while to get used to things. However, work wise there was no time to adjust, we were thrown in and that was that.

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 Before we left London we had trained hard for about 8 months. We would work 9a/3p training and then do a full shift from 3p/10p (no overtime was ever paid for this). It was a lot to do but we did it cheerfully and with the knowledge that this would eventually change our lives. We received a great deal of support from everyone on the office and all were anxious to see us make a go of things. We were looked at as kind of "mascots" and received a great deal of ribbing about what we would do when we arrived at the end of our journey. We dreamed about the day but we had no idea what was to happen. Before we left London we went for a long weekend to Weston Super-mare. There was Ron Baxter, A friend of Ron’s, "Jim", Maurice Hale, John Hayward and myself. We left on a Friday after work in a rented car and drove down that evening. I can't recall where we stayed but I remember we went to Weston Super Mare, went swimming at the beach and generally had a good time.
-The atmosphere in the London office was very friendly. We Latin American trainees were treated very well indeed and everyone went out of their way to help us. Because of the six hours of training each day we worked the late shift (3p/10p) which meant being very busy from about 4pm thru 7pm which was when the close of business traffic would occur. We were mostly assigned to the Tele-printer bays where we would work with three other operators and receive and check  messages coming in from the various regional offices. There was Ron Baxter, ex-air-force, tall  and with a small beard. His special friend was Joan Tyrell, another air-force operator who dressed quiet exotically (or so I thought at 18). Then there was Peter Morris, red-headed and very sophisticated. His story of the new barber at Kings Cross Station and his soft hands, had us in fits!  Mazie and Rowena and my favorite, Mary Jennings. Brian Stamp, another ex air-force man who wore the most fashionable suits and many others.
+The atmosphere in the London office was very friendly. We Latin American trainees were treated very well indeed and everyone went out of their way to help us. Because of the six hours of training each day we worked the late shift (3p/10p) which meant being very busy from about 4pm thru 7pm which was when the close of business traffic would occur. We were mostly assigned to the provincial termanal Tele-printer bays where we would work with three other operators and receive and check  messages coming in from the various regional offices. We would work there and after 6p, probably move to the other end of the office where the clients telex messages terminated. There was Ron Baxter, ex-air-force, tall  and with a small beard. His special friend was Joan Tyrell, another air-force operator who dressed quiet exotically (or so I thought at 18). Then there was Peter Morris, red-headed and very sophisticated. His story of the new barber at Kings Cross Station and his soft hands, had us in fits!  Mazie and Rowena and my favorite, Mary Jennings. Brian Stamp, another ex air-force man who wore the most fashionable suits and many others.
 There was a large Irish contingent. Dennis Sheehy, later to join us in Balboa. Pat Cleary, who I recall always wore a brown suit. Eddie Spillane who looked like everyone’s idea of a happy Irishman and John Barrett,  soft spoken and polite.  Bert Graham whose favorite expression was “Oh Chrisssst!).
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 ARRIVING IN PANAMA AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS
 It was very strange arriving in a new country with different customs to one's own, different food, different temperature and away from one's family. I sat in my room that first day and started to write a letter while looking at the palm trees waving in the breeze and me sweating in the heat. This was indeed a change. We had been given a few dollars by the duty supervisor so Maurice and I walked down to the Clubhouse and purchased something to eat. We walked back and watched a little TV on a station from the Southern Command Network. The program was "The Andy Griffith Show". Then we went with two of the ex-pet techs down to a bar on the border and had a gin-tonic. Just the one and then we got an early night before facing the upcoming Monday morning. The next day we went into the Mangers office, told that we were here to work and to behave ourselves and were quickly sent out to the operating room to start our work. The new equipment was ready to start up and we got things going on a test basis. Everything was strange and it took a little while to get used to things. However, work wise there was no time to adjust, we were thrown in and that was that.