I joined my first Squadron at age 17, in July 1972 , (No. 51 Field) at RAF Wittering.  After being there only a few months, I was sent on detachment (3 months) to RAF Salalah, in Oman. Our sister Squadron (No. 15 Field), also from RAF Wittering, and (No. IIF Parachute Sqn.) were all in the 'loop', relieving each other in turn.

The aircraft used at this time were always C130 Hercules; they were used because of their quick turn round capabilities and could take off quickly. The trip would always include a 'stop over', at RAF Akrotiri, in Cyprus, (in order for the aircrew to get their Duty Frees!) and the lads didn't mind this, as many old comrades from the two RAF Regt. Sqns. from Akrotiri 34 & 27 entertained us downtown. (This was my baptism with oozo and cockinelly).

RAF Salalah was about 5km from the town of Salalah, and the Sultan's Palace. The Camp was enclosed in a double fence, and  patrolled by the RAF Police and their dogs. On each stretch of fence a guard tower was manned by us with GPMGs and ZB 298s.(see hedgehogs) A battery of 25-pounders were also in situ just inside the camp perimeter. In Camp, facilities such as an 'armoured outdoor cinema, (a painted wall with 45 gallon oildrums as sides)  was used, along with a swimming pool. 

The NAAFI was well used with weekly Bingo being the norm, and I remember the "BATT" lads attending these sessions quite regulary. The snooker table was a hustler's paradise. I remember one particular shot by a player: aiming for the 'blue', I thought, no chance, but blow me if the ball did'nt take a diversion off a small, 'sand dune' on the table, run along a neat slash in the cloth and strike the 'blue' clean as a whistle and potted it! 

The snooker table also doubled as an 'air raid shelter', during 'hostiles' for those who had had a skin full and couldn't make it to the shelters.(each hut and tent had its own shelter) The living quarters on Camp were either huts or  tents - luck of the draw. I stayed in both, and many a time was unable to get out after a sand storm. On occasions at night,  it was not uncommon to be whisked to the Medical Centre to give blood, and people would be rushing round asking blood types.

For recreation, daily trips to Resuit and Ghwarif beachs were organised.Many of the lads using old "Shamooly" (1.5mm hand held flares) boxes as Beer carriers full of ice.We were escorted on these trips by the local "Ascaries"  with .303 enfields. We even had a Football match one time against the local side from Salalah Town. During the game however, I think we were winning, the game got abandoned due to "shell fire"!. The Adoo had "ranged in" from the Jebel, and landed a couple of 120 mm RCL's near the pitch.

The Jebel Hills were about 12km from the Airfield, with the main threat, (apart from direct fire from the Hills) being four wadis that ran down from the Jebel onto the plains. These were perfect avenues for insurgents to infiltrate and attack the Airfield and Sultan's Palace, as they were 'dead ground' from RAF Salalah. To combat this threat, the Royal Engineers built the  'Hedgehogs' on each of the wadis, about 5km from the Jebel, to command each approach.

The 'Hedgehogs' were built of 45 gallon oil drums filled with concrete and supported with sandbags. They reminded me of Foreign Legion forts containing sleeping quarters with a home made shower. Such names appeared such as 'Bravo's Compo Inn' and 'Delta Diner'. The firepower from these forts consisted of our .5 Browning MG in the AA mount, GPMG in the SF role, GPMG Light role, 2" mortar, and 2 x 81 mm mortars.

In the Command Tower was a ZB 298 ground radar. The ZB was used to locate and engage targets at night with a range and bearing finder.  Our comrades in arms, within the 'Hedgehogs', were Beluchi soldiers armed with a variety of weapons, mostly FN SLRs, and .3 MG's and they also had 60mm mortars. During my 'Tours' to Oman, I believe we came under hostile fire 5 or 6 times, by mostly mortars, but I know from many of the lads, especially Support Weapons Flight, that they came under small arms fire in the 'Hedgehogs' on more than one occasion.