Welcome to the Royal Air Force in Egypt, Eritrae and Aden during the late 1940's and the early 1950's as seen through the eyes and camera lens of 635341 Chief Tech Nigel (Ted) L Dudding Royal Air Force
"Footprints in the sand"
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THE ROYAL AIR FORCE IN ERITREA.  RAF ASMARA 1952
 
   Family Dudding returned from Egypt in 1949 and moved to RAF Calshot in Hampshire. My father worked on the Sunderalnd Flying boats whilst stationed there. In 1952 he was again posted and this time to Aden and RAF Khormaksar via a six month stint at RAF Asmara in Eritrea. As his family, we followed later by RAF Valletta (Varsity) aircraft from RAF Blackbush. Prior to going on to Aden my father, along with us and "family Brooks" who feature prominently in this site, stayed, as mentioned for six months at RAF Asmara in Eritrea. The photographs you are about to see are of the period spent in Eritrea and RAF Asmara.
 
WELCOME TO ERITREA AND ROYAL AIR FORCE ASMARA
 
 This booklet was issued to Service personnel and families on arrival in Eritrea
It contains information on local customs, shops, towns and places of interest
 
 1910 A.O.P Flight RAF Asmara 1952 (recognise anyone)?
(My father is on the end right front row)
 
 1910 A.O.P doing a little bit of field training 1952
(My father Nigel Dudding is on the end right front row).
 
Top photo is the Corso Italia in Asmara 1952
The picture above is the Great Mosque of Asmara 1952
 
ASMARA 1952
 
Asmara Corso Italia from the air 1952
 
Above Asmara High Stree from the Corso Italia 1952 
 
My sister Barbara in the High Street Asmara 1953
 
 
 
 Corso Italia - Asmara 1952
 
 Royal Air Forces Asmara Guides and Scouts 1952 (are you here)?
My sister Barbara is 4th in from the right middle row kneeling
 
  This lovely photograph of 'St Georges School' in Asmara taken in 1951
The school was for anglo/American service chidren.  Were you here?
Diana is in the front row (Left) first girl next to the boys!
Headmistress, Miss Hand, is the blonde lady centre with Mrs Young to her left.
(The Photograph is courtesy of Diana Miller (nee Burns ) who's Father was in the
Eritrean Police Force having arrived from being in the Palastine Police Force.
He finally finished working in Eritrea with the Eritrea Railways.
This was part of his remit towards the end of his tour).
 
Diana Miller at her friend, Jeanette Whitfield's, party in Asmara 51.
Diana is in the middle of the three girls in front of Jeanette's father who
is uniform. Penny (an American), Diana's best friend, is the next but one to right of
Diana. In the bottom right of the photo is Yolanda. 
(photograph courtesy of Diana Miller (nee Burns)
 
Another of Diana with Caroline (?) at the Christmas Party 1951.
It was great fun for the kids in those days!
 
Asmara Police HQ Main Street 'Via Roma' 1951
(courtesy of Diana Miller (nee Burns))
 
Another lovely shot of Asmara 1951. It was here you
could partake in wonderful Italian Ice Cream and Milkshakes
(photo courtesy of Diana Miller (nee Burns)
 
 An Royal Air Force Valletta (or Varsity) at RAF Asmara 1952
 
 
Our house assistant in Asmara (Ababa) 1952
 
 
A Squadron Club dance RAF Asmara 1952 (note the decor).
Top photo: Rowland and Joan Brooks on the right, Maisie Dudding on the left next to
Taff Williams and my father Nigel Dudding centre rear.
Bottom photo:  Taff Williams with moustache and my mother and father
 
 
View from our Hiring roof in Asmara at No 10 Viale Orero
 
The Dudding's and Brooks families 1952
 
Myself (Ian Dudding) and Martyn Brooks on the roof of our
Service hiring in Asmara.
(photo kindly supplied by Martyn 01/08)
 
A mixture of nationalities at our hiring 
No 10 Via Orero Asmara 1952
Middle photo: Martyn Brooks and Myself (in control) and
my sister Linda
 
Front row in our hiring in Asmara, LtoR: Rowland (Taff) Brooks, centre ?, my father Nigel.
Rear and centre individuals are unknown?
(photo courtesy of Martyn Brooks)
 
Crash site of Auster TW639
 
 This Auster was from 1910 A.O.P based at RAF Asmara.
It was practising bombing runs when it crash landed.
My fathers friend SGT  Rowland "Taff" Brooks was flying in this aircraft
 and was badly injured but survived along with the pilot.
 
TW639
 
TW639
 
 
This sequence of photographs gives an overview of a day out whilst serving in Eritrae.
My father hired a car for the day and the Brooks family joined us. 
A stop for a picnic at an Italian Cafe at Nefasit Eritrae
The Dudding's and Brooks
 
 
Same shot as the photo above but from higher up
(photo courtesy of Martyn Brooks)
 
 
My father bartering for fuel in Nefasit Eritrea 1952 (bet it wasn't £1.10p a litre then)?
 
 
Encountering some flood damage on roads
to Keren Pass Cemetery 1952
 
 
Asmara - Massawa Railway line 
Railway built by the Italians
 
Both families (Duddings/Brooks) seen here looking down into
the Keren Pass Eritrea 1952
(photo courtesy of Martyn Brooks)
 
 
 
On route to the Keren Pass Battlefield area and cemetery
Above an arab goatherder
Below. Us taking a cool padle in a "Wadi" Eritrae 1952
Myself, Martyn, Taff, Barbara, Maisie, Doff, Joan and Linda
 
 A bit more cooling off required
Rear: Nigel Dudding holding Linda, Martyn (holding something), Myself,
Barbara, Dorothy, (L) Maisie and (R) Joan
 
Same Wadi different passers by 
 
 
 
Keren Pass. The battle between the Italians and ourselves
The bolders have "SCOTLAND FOREVER" written on them.
This was done by the Highland Light Infantry at the Battle of Keren 
 
A repeat of the photo above but enlarged
 
Fot the Battle of Keren Pass this is the famous "Cameron Ridge"
 
 
Commonwealth Graves Cross of Sacrifice
at Keren Pass 1952 
 
 
 
Inside the Cemetery at Keren Pass 1952. My father asked the keeper
of the Cemetery if there was anything he needed - "water" was his response.
 
 
 
  Firewood women on the Asmara - Nefasit Road 1952
The walked miles down into the valleys to collect firewood in baking heat!
 
Typical Eritraen burial ground near Nefasit in Eritrea 1952
 
A pose for the camera on the Asmara - Nefasit Road
Dudding's (left) and Brooks (right) 1952 (you will notice Rowlands 'Taff's' facial scars
from the Auster crash earlier)
Left to Right: Babara Dudding, Ian Dudding, Maisie and Dorothy Dudding, Joan Brooks
Linda Dudding, Taff Brooks and Martyn Brooks
 
 
 
A damaged Stork at RAF Asmara (Martyn Brooks and me on the right)
 
 
A farewell dinner before our depature to RAF Khormaksar Aden
12th July 1952
 
 
Boarding and arriving in our RAF Velletta for our move to
RAF Khormaksar 1st August 1952 
Top photo: Departing Asmara. Joan Brooks, Nigel, Maisie and Barbara Dudding
Bottom photo: Arriving Khormaksar. Joan Brooks with Dorothy Dudding, Linda and Barbara Dudding Maisie Dudding and ?
 
FAREWELL ERITRAE AND RAF ASMARA
 
 
More RAF adventures during my 9 month unaccompanied tour as a soldier
with 603 Signal Troop on RAF Masriah in the Persian Gulf in 1972 can be found at: