Donaldson PMQ Fire - After a hard week it was customary to retire to the Sergeants Mess for a few beer’s on Saturday afternoons. As the F/S Fire Chief at 6 RD, it was always a big joke when the Depot siren would sound and of course being the Fire Chief I was oblidged to respond. Before I left the Sergeant’s Mess, one of the members, WO1 Donaldson kidded me …”There he goes again”. When the fire crew arrived at a PMQ in Middelton Park, we found the living room filled with smoke. We removed the burning chesterfield to the front yard and extinguished the fire. I asked the lady of the house (Mrs Donaldson) what caused the fire and she said she used a cigarette lighter to look for a spoolof thread and that was what resulted in setting fire to the chesterfield. After the fire I returned to the Sergeants Mess and advised the same WO1 Donaldson that it was his house that was on fire. To say the least he was embarrassed.

By Archie Graham, Flight Lieutenant, Retired