Saxa Vord – The Retail Experience

In the early days of the camp there were far more shops on Unst than in the later years. In the 50’s and early 60’s very few residents had cars – the Dr, Minister, District Nurse and one or two of the more wealthy people had vehicles– for the rest it was necessary to have a place to buy essentials within reasonable walking distance. Some of the early “shops” were just parts of crofts or houses set aside for trading and with limited opening hours.
The advent of more income (the RAF as the main employer) and the RoRo ferries in the early 70’s made it possible to make a return trip to Lerwick in a day and to stock up – especially with fridges and freezers running on power supplied by the camp. For a time the RAF ran periodic shopping trips to the mainland for the benefit of service personnel and their families. Today there is a scheduled civilian service from Unst to Lerwick, which runs 6 days a week and allows 4 hours shopping time in the town. It’s no wonder that many of the local Unst Shops found it difficult to compete after 1970 and a that number have closed down.

Now there are just 3 outlets supplying food stuffs:

1. The Final Checkout (P&T Coaches ex Mills Garage) on a site near where Hagdale Lodge once stood.
2. Skibhoul at Baltasound.
3. Ethel’s Shop at Baltasound (used to be Harry Henderson’s).

This section will contain pictures of those shops which were open at some time during the life of the Unit. They will start with The NAAFI and then those closest to the camp. (Left click on pictures to enlarge)

NAAFI

The NAAFI Shop for about 40 years

Rear of the NAAFI Shop (Kegs look like empties!)

NAAFI Christmas Article in the Saxa Voice

Following reduction in Unit Strength and NAAFI going into partnership with SPAR – the New Premises:

NAAFI Staff in 2001 from the Saxa Voice

Haroldswick Area

Mouat's Shop was the closest shop to the unit (near where Nordabrake was built). After it closed it became the Unst Heritage Centre until that moved to the Haroldswick School.

The Haroldswick Shop had the nearest petrol pump to the station

The Haroldswick Post Office was long famous as being the most northerly in the UK – that claim to fame transferred to Baltasound when the Haroldswick Post Office closed.

Alex Priest's Shop was located on the road between Haroldswick and Burrafirth, near the turn off to Quoys.

Baltasound Area

The Final Checkout is located with P&T Coaches (used to be Mills Garage) near what was the site of Hagdale Lodge. The first of the two pictures below was taken from the Heogs.

The Baltasound Post Office is sited next to Skibhoul, about 600m from SHE.

Skibhoul has been on the same site since 1885. The name is derived from a Dutch word meaning “a place to haul up boats”. Skibhoul has its’ own bakery.

Ethel’s Shop at Baltasound used to be run by Ethel’s father, Harry Henderson. Harry's Park, the field just south of the shop, used to be the Baltasound football pitch.

Uyeasound. Although there was little shopping done in Uyeasound in the later period of the RAF stay on Unst, significant numbers lived in the area in hirings in the early years, especially before SHE was built.

The Post Office at Uyeasound was by the Wester Loch (Scata Water) and has long since closed.

The Westside shop by the Uyeasound pier also closed a long time ago, it was owned by the Sandison's & then by Donald Ritch.

© Copyright Bob Embleton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

On the other side of Uyeasound, near the school, was the Eastside (Harold’s) Shop. I think that the first of these pictures shows the shop soon after closure, whilst the second shows it just before it was demolished a couple of years ago, to help make way for a new pier.

© Copyright Mike Pennington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Outside Unst

For those travelling to and from Unst there was always the shop at Ulsta, Yell:

And finally, for some – the height of shopping pleasure  - “The Street” in Lerwick (for some of the single servicemen in the early years it was the chance to visit a few bars!) . Those arriving on the St Clair or the Earl of Zetland and disembarking at the Victoria Pier normally entered via the Market Cross.

 

CONTENTS LIST
http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/contents-list.html

The Fire Section Part 2

When RAF Saxa Vord opened there were few vehicles on Unst and the Emergency Services hardly existed. There was a Doctor and a Nurse but fire fighting was of the self-help variety. The fact that there wasn’t a policeman based on the island for many years did not go unnoticed – should a policeman board the ferry at Gutcher in Yell the message went around Unst far quicker than it could on most modern social networking internet sites.
Right from the start the RAF Fire Section provided a service for the civilian population, subject always to service priorities. With the opening of the Unst Airstrip some civilian fire services were provided and from about 1985 a civilian retained service commenced. However, the RAF continued to provide a back-up service - this had to be on a formal basis with an agreement between the RAF and The Highlands and Islands Fire Brigade.

At one stage it was necessary for the CO to contact the press to remind the public to call 999 rather than calling the camp direct – see the copies of 2 press articles below:-

I have attempted to keep the articles and pictures below in a chronological sequence. The first picture is the property of Mike McEwan who published it on the "Service Pals" website some years ago, I have tried to contact him but so far without success, (thanks to Bob Jenner for locating this picture)

The following shot is of the Ground Defence and Fire Section on the Domestic Site taken about 1963 by John Courtis.

The next picture was taken in 1965 or 1966 – the CO, Sqn Ldr Stevens an be seen on the right of the picture and the presence of an AVM (with his back to the camera) suggests this is part of an AOCs Inspection.

The next 2 pictures are copies of Shetland Times articles from 1970. Sgt Fred Canham, mentioned in one of the articles, must have spent a fair time at Saxa. He was there during my tour (67 to 69). He was one of the few people on camp with his own motor car, a Vauxhall as I remember it. This was in the days before RoRo ferries so his car would have had to made the trip from Aberdeen on the St Clair and on the Earl of Zetland – it would have had to have been lifted onto both vessels using derricks. The reason this all sticks in my mind is that he would hire his car out at ten shillings a time! I was courting at the time and made use of this facility on more than one occasion. In true Shetland fashion, keys and remuneration were to be left under the drivers mat. (If you read this Fred – I hope there’s no problem with the Tax Man after 40 years!)

The AOC in C Strike Command Air Chief Marsha Sir Andrew Humphrey paid a visit to the Unit in 1972, flying in and out of the Unst Airstrip in and RAF Pembroke:

On 19 Jan 72 a significant fire broke out at Hillsgarth, Baltasound. Hillsgarth, usually  known as “Muttigarth” to Unst folk, is situated in the area of the Baltasound School and the GPs surgery. The property consisted of 2 dwellings, both taken on as hirings by the RAF. Fortunately no one was injured during the fire but extensive damage was done to the property. One of the families was rehoused on the Unit, the other, possibly near tourex, was posted to RAF Finningley. There is a note in the station F540 that one of the families received £300 from the RAF Benevolent Fund, partly as a grant and partly as a loan – not very much in todays terms but probably nearly 6 months salary after deductions for an airman in 72. The 3 pictures below were taken at the time of the incident. The CO, Sqn Ldr Woolston, is fourth from the left in the third picture.

The next 6 pictures are copies of arctcles on the press relating to a nomber of incidents.

The Fire Section were very heavily involved in the clear-up operations after the big storm a New Year 1991/92.

RAF fire support for the community continued for the life of the Unit. The last article I have is reproduced below:







Links to a few more pieces in the blog about the Saxa Fire Section here:

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/fire-section-part-1.html

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/fire-section-part-3.html

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.com/2012/02/memories-of-fireman-nick-broom.html

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/fire-practice-at-inner-skaw.html

http://ahistoryofrafsaxavord.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/neale-bulbeck-firefighter-saxa-1998-2000.html

 



CONTENTS LIST

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Presentations – Again

There are pictures of various awards in this section. Once again they are largely one off events and take place between 1970 and 1989... Some of the newspaper cuttings have been poorly looked after over the years and were difficult to read. I have done my best to edit them and I think they should now be readable to most.(Left click on pictures to enlarge).
The first picture shows the presentation of an AOCs Commendation to CPL Livingstone (PTI). It is somewhat unusual in that it the commendation is from the AOC 24 Gp, Saxa being an 11 Gp station.

In 1972 the Communications Centre staff received an efficiency award from the Deputy Commander Elect Eng (Ground).

Sgt Tambling was presented with an AOC 11 Gp’s commendation in 1973.

The next (poor quality) cutting shows Nobby Clark receiving a Tankard on the occasion of his retirement. Nobby , an ex Air Defence Operator (TG12), spent 20 years working in Stores at Saxa.

Steven Saxby retired from his civilian post in MT in 1977. During WWII Steven had been in the RAF and had worked at the Flying Boat Station in Sullom Voe, Mainland Shetland. He has twice featured previously on this blog, the first time receiving an AOC’s Commendation in 1971 and the second receiving a gift from the Stn Cdr on the occasion of his retirement. This presentation took place shortly after his retirement and the article from the Shetland Times (4 Nov 77) and shows Steven receiving a second AOC’s Commendation, 6 years after the first.

Although remote and the weather not always perfect, there was still time for sport. The Saxa Open Golf Championship in 1978 must have taken place on the course at Burrafirth rather than on the earlier one at Inner Skaw.

Many people at Saxa had cause to be thankful for the inter-island flights provided by Loganair. One of the main motivators behind this service was Captain Alan Whitfield, many of those stationed on Unst flew with him. In 1978 he was moved to Glasgow on promotion and the community of Unst raised money for a farewell gift.

In Jun 79 Sgt Herd was awarded an AOC 11 Gp’s Commendation and can be seen receiving it in the photo  below from Sqn Ldr Pete Batchelor:

John Spence, from Haroldswick, was another civilian who spent many years on the base.  The article below from the Shetland Times shows him receiving a retirement gift from Sqn Ldr George Keith, the CO.

In Sep 79 the Barrack Warden, Mr B Wilson, left the Unit and the 2 pictures following show him receiving gifts at the time.

AVM Peter Latham was AOC 11 Gp from Sep 77 to Jan 81 – longer than most. He paid the last of a number visits to Saxa Vord in 1980. The picture which follows shows him being presented with a Shetland crook staff by Hughie McMeechan outside the CO’s Quarter, whilst Sqn Ldr and Mrs Keith look on.

Sgt Trevor Birch was awarded an AOC’s Commendation in 1982 and this was passed on to him by the Stn Cdr at the time, Sqn Ldr JD France.

John Jamieson received a Carriage Clock and a Smoking Set from OC Admin to mark his 25 years service. I’m sure the Smoking Set would not be considered PC in today’s service climate. The clipping below is from the Aberdeen Press & Journal dated 12 Aug 1893.

WO Walklate and Sgt Ray both left Saxa in 1985 and the Catering Section took the opportunity to present them with farewell gifts –it looks like the event occurred in the Penguin Club.

In 1988 an RAF Policeman, Cpl Scott Etheridge, on leave in Preston, managed to apprehend a thief escaping after robbing a jewellers shop. He was awarded a Commendation by the Provost Marshal. In the same year Sgt Jim Donaghie qualified for his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. Both awards were made by Sqn Ldr Peter Hunter in Dec 88. The first of the articles below is from the Evening Post from Jul 88 and the second is from the Shetland Times in Dec 88.

The next article from the 30 Jun 89 RAF News covers the award of an AOC in C’s Commendation to Cpl Trevor Frost for his charitable work and work with youth movements.

As mentioned elsewhere in the blog Shetland was the base for 3 sites of the NATO Ace High Forward Scatter Link.  These sites were manned by the Royal Signals Corps and one of the sites was at Saxa. In 1989 Staff Sgt Graham Reith, based at Saxa, was awarded a Commendation by the Commander of NATO’s Central Region Signals Group for his help in saving a child from a burning Quarter at SHE. The article below comes from the Shetland Times date 8 Sep 89.

The final picture in this section is a bit of a mystery. On the back of the picture it was entitled “Cpl Broad”. Unfortunately it doesn’t say what he has received (looks like a commendation) or when he received it. If anyone can add details my email is gordon.carle@gmail.com

CONTENTS LIST

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