Jennifer referred to her file and said, “I suggest Corporal James Rogerson, sir. He knows Corporal Hill quite well. They were teamed together in the ‘Pembroke’ affair.”
“Fine, Jennifer. You know what to do.” She finished writing some notes in shorthand and left the office, shutting the door behind her. Air Vice-Marshal Denby then contacted Group Captain Clarkson, who was in charge of the Red Hawk programme.
***
The old Bedford bus drew up near the main gate of the RAF base and discharged a lone passenger. It was one of those days in September when the weather was unpredictable. Gray clouds were moving across the sky and you didn’t know whether it would be rain or sunshine. The acting corporal of the RAF Police watched him approach the guardroom. A substantive corporal of some experience, judging by the worn stripes on the T63 uniform he was wearing. He noted the crossed rifles on the sleeve. The corporal appeared to be in his mid-twenties, about six feet tall and slim, and he sauntered up with his kitbag slung over his shoulder. As he slid the window open, the young acting corporal wondered how far you would be able to push this guy. Reaching the guardroom, the corporal handed over his movement orders to be checked and then presented his F.1250 identity card. Corporal William Andrew Hill smiled in a relaxed way. The photo showed him to have slightly receding, wavy auburn hair, currently hidden by his uniform cap. This man was bronzed as though he had been overseas for some time. When he spoke, he had the trace of a North Country accent in a rather cultured voice. “Which way to the trials unit Admin, please?” The RAF policeman made an entry in the log to note Corporal Hill’s arrival. It was Tuesday, 15th September, 1960. Then he gave Corporal Hill a map of the base and marked the office location on it for him. “Thanks, mate,” betrayed where he had been recently and Corporal “Andy” Hill walked through the base gate and headed for the admin block. The old Bedford bus, that had dropped him off at the base from Louth, turned and went back down the road with the engine and gearbox whine peculiar to that model as the driver went through the gears.
Corporal Hill walked into the unit orderly room and presented his movement order to the SAC clerk on the desk saying, “I’m to report to Flight Lieutenant Gaskin.” The clerk excused himself and knocked on an office door before going in with the Movement Order. A minute later he came out and asked Corporal Hill to go in. Corporal Hill walked briskly into the office and, coming to attention, saluted the flight lieutenant sitting at the desk.
“At ease,” he was told. “Take a seat,” given with a nod toward a chair to one side of the desk. “As you can see, I’m Flight Lieutenant Gaskin, your section commander. What do you know of this unit’s work?”
“A general outline, sir,” Corporal Hill replied. “I’m reasonably familiar with the missile through tests at Woomera but not with the rest of the system.”
“Did you complete the formalities at unit HQ before coming down here?” Corporal Hill replied that he had.
“I was told that I was to be part of the advance party before the whole unit assembled here and to report to you, sir.”
“Did you get any disembarkation leave, Corporal?”
“No sir. I was told to report directly to the unit and disembarkation leave was deferred.” The last sentence was accompanied with a bit of a sigh.
Flight Lieutenant Gaskin then briefed Corporal Hill on his duties and explained in more detail the Surface to Air Missile system the unit was to evaluate. Hill’s role was to design and set up the recording and data analysis system for the trials and evaluation of the new equipment. It meant that he would have to travel to the factories of each contractor and sub-contractor as well as to the other locations of unit personnel. The officer then sent Hill off to settle into his quarters in the barrack block and report for duty the next morning. After he had gone, Gaskin picked up the ‘phone and asked the telephonist to get him RAF Low Fenton, near Doncaster. When he was put through, Gaskin asked for the JSTU adjutant and let him know of Corporal Hill’s arrival. “Do you know why his disembarkation leave was deferred?” Flight Lieutenant Gaskin asked.
“No, sir,” replied Warrant Officer Miller. “The order seems to have originated from Air Ministry.”
“Okay, Warrant. We’ll try and give him some leave when we have a lull in the programme. Talk to you later.” He then hung up.
When he had finished the telephone call, Flight Lieutenant Gaskin read Corporal Hill’s file again. He was mustered as a clerk statistics but in the Royal Air Force that trade group’s personnel were often used for unusual assignments. Hill was well-educated, having attended a well-known North Country grammar school and then a technical college before being called up for national service. He had failed the officer selection process, lack of leadership qualities being cited but had proved to be highly intelligent, with a first-class memory, observant and incisive in his conclusions. His mathematical abilities were very high. Hill had proved to be a natural at unarmed combat and had taken up martial arts after Basic Training. He was a marksman with rifle and pistol and did mountaineering as a hobby. His security clearance was of a high level and was given well before he joined the trials unit in Australia. Gaskin wondered why he had been posted to the No. 28 Joint Service Trials Unit when he had
