MoD Aquila (Part One)

Jamie: 7th Jun 2006 - 21:48 GMT

Apparently this is what the site now looks like. Good job you took all those photos Simon...

Swanky!

Michael: 8th Nov 2008 - 00:20 GMT

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47863116@N00/sets/72157602062402737/

Keith Bennett : 28th Feb 2010 - 10:28 GMT

My Farther,Leonard Bennett sadly died on the 16 February. He spent many years at MOD Aquila and was indeed in charge of the workshops and the Apprentice school. I an trying to locate a picture of the 'Aquila' badge.

BRIZ: 25th Mar 2010 - 07:07 GMT

I remember Len Bennett. He had a beard and was very much into the Social side. He put a lot into building the bar at the time I was there. Apprentice '68 - '72.

Bill Morris: 5th Apr 2010 - 10:11 GMT

Condolences to you and your family Keith on the passing of your father Len Bennett. I knew him fairly well and worked with him on the odd project and working party. He was,I recall,a Mechanical Engineer, very clued up on Metrology i.e. the science of precise mechanical measurement and good engineering practice. I was a Radar/Electronics man. We collaborated on a working party concerned with the inspection implications of products made on Numerically Controlled Machine Tools (or Computer Controlled Manufacturing) which was a new thing then that struck terror into the heart old traditional machine shop inspectors. I was brought into it for the reliability and accuracy implications of the electronics that controlled these fancy new machine tools. Len was a great asset to EQD and played a very influential part in the social life of the department by his work for the EQD Social Club. Re the EQD Coat of Arms or badge I have many images of this on various documents but they are only in monochrome (see attached pictures) but I do have a colour version in the form of an enamel badge which was part of a presentation gift I was given when I left Aquila. It is very small, little more than the size of a 5p piece but I will try to photograph it and post it.
A very large version of this badge was on the wall of the Apprentice Centre and this can be seen in many of the apprentice group photos posted on facebook.
I note that much of the interest in EQD Aquila comes from the apprentice generation but I suppose they are more computer literate than many of we oldies who were there in the 50's,60's and 70's. In any case there are fewer of us still vertical as sadly so many of my old colleagues are like myself getting on onto their 80's have passed on into the horizontal state.
Finally see also my comment posted on MOD Aquila Part 2 of this great website.

Keith Bennett: 23rd May 2010 - 15:59 GMT

Thank you Bill and Briz, I have now located a good picture of the Aquila badge. Dad was indeed socially involved, organising the annual barbecue, myself, my brother and sister where always roped in to help! I took Dad over to the site a couple of years ago, I don't think he could believe his eyes.

Russell Brett (known as 'Spike' Sept '65-'69): 17th Jun 2011 - 16:16 GMT

I am enormously saddened to see a relatively new building,the apprentice training school, destroyed, and to quote Neil Young, "All mt changes were there". It was a very well facilitated, and I wish that I had not become so embroiled in the 'hippy' revolution thing at the time, and had insted used the facilities and opportunities to develop as an engineer. I am now retired but working more seriously than I ever did on loudspeaker design, with some commercial success soon I think.
Surely an establishment such as Aquila, the apprentice school finished in spring '65 had more life in it. I would love to have that anechoic chamber now, and I still have some Stubbs needle files from the 1st (mexchanical) year of the apprenticeship in '65. Mind you, most of the societal changes since then sadden me; just wait until my studio is up and running in a few months, and hear me whinge about them in blues.
Best to all, and it was in many ways a great era.

Es Good: 20th Jun 2011 - 20:59 GMT

Well I was an apprentice here also from 68 to 72.. I know Spike and am sad too that all those block corridors have gone... I remember them strangely safe and homely !

Hey BRIZ, Are you Andy?

lee: 26th Jun 2011 - 11:01 GMT

Brings back memories! I was an apprentice there from 1989 to 1990 (moving after a year to R.A.W Woolwich)

John Slater: 28th Sep 2011 - 19:57 GMT

Sorry to hear about Len's demise, I knew him well having worked at Aquila from 1968 to 1987. Len's greatest achievement was getting Acker Bilk to play in the car park on a rather cold autumish evening. I was also very grateful to the workshops for designing a special box into which we could put the Teletype terminals. These were used as the input devices for the newly purchased HP timeshare machine (second hand at £0.25m and we bought it £10k at a time but that is another story), the boxes were urgent as the workers were up in arms about the introduction of the computer system as they did not want their work automated. The most obvious complaint was the noise, and the boxes solved this problem and enabled the used to access all the necessary parts like the paper tape reader and so so.

These picture really bring back the memories. (Hi Bill it is good to see you are well, remember the fun we had introducing software QA?)

BRIZ: 2nd Nov 2011 - 16:01 GMT

Es Good. Yes I am Andy. Nice to hear from you again. I remember going to a party in a mini bus down near the Kent Coast that I think you organised. I remember honking up in the back of the mini bus on the way back. Spike it's also nice to read your stuff. I remember you very well. Didn't you admit to some damage in the Apprentice School bogs to get our hobbies night back? It wasn't you but fair play for taking a bullet for the rest of us.

Es Good: 11th Dec 2011 - 14:48 GMT

Well Andy.. there appears to be at least four of you on Facebook... so maybe you can find me as there's only one of me!

Graham Richardson: 27th Feb 2012 - 14:44 GMT

Hi, Spike and anyone else from the 1965 intake who is looking. I am still in touch with Paul Collins and could probably find John Riley. We were wondering about a 50-year reunion on 6 September 2015. If interested, please post a message on this site and we'll find a means of contact. I promise not to bore you with my MoD career: much more interested in sailing and being a grandad now!

John F Mills: 18th Mar 2012 - 17:22 GMT

Hi Spike
Remember me.
You used to cut my hair at Coed-Bel!
I remember you in the 2nd year Lab, spending hours polishing the wooden cabinet for the Ultra Sonic detector that was one of the projects.
Happy memories.

Peter Buller: 12th Jul 2012 - 21:17 GMT

Hello
I was an apprentice starting 1967, fantastic experience. Now retired after working in AV presentation and TV production. Still in contact with three others from that intake.

Dr. Bob: 24th Jul 2012 - 18:13 GMT

Just in case you wondered what happened to the large Aquila sign above the Apprentice school in the photos...

Dr. Bob: 24th Jul 2012 - 18:14 GMT

Russell Brett: 9th Oct 2012 - 23:06 GMT

Hi to Graham Richardson and to john Mills, my old insructor.
Yes Graham I am interested in a 50 year reunion.
John I rmember cutting your hair, and the panel was for a TRF.
Do you rmember the omlet at St. Mary's bay, and me nearly getting thrown out of a pub for being under age when I was 20 in'69.

John Williams: 28th Oct 2012 - 17:53 GMT

Apprenticed from 1969 to 1973, what an odd environment for an amazing training school, so many fond memories including the first apprentice year to wear hair nets, purchased by ourselves from boots! All because Mr Simmons insisted we got our hair cut!
Many of us were in Coed Bel hostel an old victorian school or large house. So much food people cannot imagine the food intake we had and never got fat, I guess thats the walk to and from Aquila every day.
Many of us are that sort of age now.

Roger Dow: 30th Oct 2012 - 13:36 GMT

I was also in '69 intake with JW above. Fond memories of the shaping machine heading toward record breaking length of cut threatening imminent self destruction under the competent control of Derham and Evans in the 1st year, and the happy glow of valves being tested to the point where the glass melted on that wonderful valve tester in 2nd year with mercury arc rectifiers guaranteeing adequate anode current. Exploding soldering irons that had been left with the cable wrapped around the element waiting for the central power switch to be turned back on after tea break, and the contest for who could boil a standard cup of water quickest, coming out of static inverter research, which I believe I won by simply plugging it directly into the mains.

Mark Pitts: 22nd Dec 2012 - 15:02 GMT

I was at Aquila from 1977 to 1981 and would like to meet with some old apprentices from that period

Chris Osborn: 26th Jan 2013 - 08:44 GMT

I was an apprentice at EQD (formerly EID if I recall) from 1967-71
The first year was spent in the mechanical workshop, metal bashing. The second and third years involved electronic construction and testing and the final year was either spent out in industry or in the various EQD labs.
I was 'seconded' to Small Electric Motors Beckenham, Muirheads Elmers End, Avo Dover and a place in Crayford who's name escapes me.
Internally I spent time in the Materials, Metrology and Calibration labs.
I remember Messrs. Philips, Simmonds, Stevens, Wandon, Craig, Deal and Griffin as instructors.
The other names will come to me after a little thought I'm sure.
Happy days . . .

Dr Barry Titmarsh: 27th Jan 2013 - 23:10 GMT

Yep I have there an apprentice from 1970 to 1974/5 I bumped into Ewen Binnie on a ferry in the outer hebrides last year. he told me about the meeting back in 2002 I missed it.
Since leaving I spent long time in in Scotland and later in Germany at ESA. At that time I was able to get my PhD MicroGravity.
It was a good time shame the old place has been demolished, I would have liked to look inside the "BlueStones Complex" often wondered what went on there at the time. I know now.grin.
any way Im now working for the USAF on interesting projects.
Barry

Dr Barry Titmarsh: 28th Jan 2013 - 00:24 GMT

Hey I just found a pic of me in the group 1974 on flicker
Aquila Apprentice Pics 017 The only two ex-app I have ever meet since I left was Ewen Binnie and Dave Hayes

Oh Well who knows might meetup with others one day.

Barry

Clive Standen: 11th May 2013 - 16:44 GMT

Hello
I'm another apprentice from the 1974 intake..I was at Fort Halstead but did the 1st year (Sept 74-Sept 75) at Aquila ...and also doing my C&G at Bromley College.
I've only been in touch with one chap who was with me at the time...over the last nearly 40 years too.

Clive Standen: 11th May 2013 - 17:03 GMT

Some of the instructors names I recall. Not sure if I am putting the right faces to them....was it Simmonds in the mechanical that would hold a steel square up to your work and had such a tremble that one could always see daylight. Also the chap that ran the bar at lunch times that worked in the mechanical shops..I remember it was about 26p /pint in 1974. Then behind the heat treatment shop and outside was the electronic shop...where us apprentices would make things. My multi-meter I still had to about a decade ago..it's in bits now but the Ever ready battery out of it is still about!