My father [Joe Cooper] was very much involved in this operation with Hastings, whilst NCO I/C ASF at Lyneham, he first of all he helped set up a forward operating base [servicing] on The Canal Zone in Egypt before progressing to Eastleigh?? Were any of you involved?
I did one trip down to Kenya during the Mau Mau business taking an army detachment to help the locals. It was the only trip where we were issued with revolvers - but no ammunition!
I'd stayed behind to do some work on the Hastings while the rest of the crew went into town and there was no-one else in the billet. Suddenly gunfire erupted outside and I thought the Mau Mau were attacking! Panic over - it was only the MPs shooting stray dogs on the airfield.
A woman had been killed nearby in her bath by a servant a few days earlier so the crisis was very real to us
