MAN-10265 MAGAZINE.indd - Mansfield College - University of Oxford

countries: examining one’s own culture to discover its
essential relevant values, while analysing critically key
concepts (respect for individuals, human rights, freedom,
equality, democracy and law). He hopes the book may be
useful to potential leaders of developing countries and help
others understand their concerns. His concluding remarks
address young China’s own search for identity in the current
‘spritual vacuum’. Continuing their ministry, George and
Jennie now serve as mentors to needy rural students in
Beijing, within a scholarship programme they run for the
Yale Club of Beijing.
George will be pleased to hear from Mansfi eld friends and
from anyone interested in discussing his book.
W: www.georgeling.com
E: georgefs5@163.com ●
John Whitley
“Saga of a Late Developer”
Ken Coombe
Geography (MSc and DPhil) 1990-96
Ken Coombe matriculated in 1943, and fi nally fi nished his studies
at Mansfi eld in 1996. Here, as well as describing the quintessential
college experience, he tells the story of a life spent returning to
Oxford.
In 1943 I was still at VIth form, and I had secured a place
at Oxford to read History – Hitler permitting, of course,
because, like all my male peers, I was liable for conscripted
military service. Miraculously, or so it seemed, there was
“a short university course” service scheme for all conscripted
males who had secured a university place. Such a course
would last six months, prior to complete service entry with
training in the service of one’s choice. Success thereby
would entitle one to return after the war to complete one’s
degree… In 1929 at the age of four, I had fl own to Paris
from Croydon, where the airstrip was a grass fi eld with
a tent for passenger boarding. I was taken by an intrepid
grandmother; my airborne memories of sitting on her lap
amidst an array of some ten or so basket chairs nonetheless
convinced me that one day I would like to fl y as a born
aviator, so my choice of the RAF was an utter sine qua non.
So it was that at Worcester in April 1943 I matriculated and
was thus joined by many other conscripts under the wartime
university short course, all of us wondering what lay ahead.
The scheme was intended for suffi ciently fi t undergraduates
who were able to do the basic RAF initial training syllabus
for pilots and navigators, on top of the ‘normal’ university
workload. This meant that all subsequent training was
shortened and hence operational conditions speeded up.
Thus in a period of six months we had to complete three
academic terms (without vacations), and do two full days’
military training per week in the University Air Squadron,
then in Manor Road. We had to be on parade for 7am
for physical training, prior to running back to Worcester
for breakfast, and then we
returned to Manor Road in
Uniform by 9am.
Uniform was standard RAF,
but with shoulder fl ashes
as ‘Oxford University Air
Squadron’, and our service
caps with white fl ashes
indicating aircrew cadets
under training. All other
days we dressed as civilians
with the usual undergrad
gowns. All tutorials and lectures had to be attended in
gowns, which also had to be worn in the street when going
between venues of such. At the end of our fi nal term we
took our Prelims (or ‘Honour Mods’ as they were variously
known) on the understanding that failure or success would
determine whether we could resume after ‘the duration of
the present emergency’ – the term under which we were
conscripted. Whether one came back at all was highly
circumspect, but at 18, optimism is widespread.
Life was indeed pretty full: two essays per week with the
necessary reading, tutorials and lectures, and the RAF
syllabus of Principals of Flight, Airmanship, Air Navigation,
Meteorology, Signals, Engines, Armament etc, together with
‘square bashing’ (drill training) et al. We had no service pay
of course, but my father was able to give me an allowance to
cover just my battels. College conditions were nevertheless
enjoyable – especially the food in Hall. Practically all of us
had come from boys’ public schools as boarders, where the
rationed war-time food standard was pretty low. We made the
most of Hall, having to dine in every night properly dressed:
gown, jacket and tie, etc. Drinks were liberal, due to the now
long-gone practice of ‘sconcing’ (drinking as a penalty for a
breach of etiquette), and it meant that one could get virtually
legless in College, but we were not allowed to drink in the
town pubs. The Proctors, replete in Bowler hats, attended
to such matters, and one could be sent down if so caught.
College gates were locked at 11pm, and there was no way
one could enter or leave by that route; others, however were
devised, of course. There were no mixed colleges – so perhaps
we probably had more fun than today, as the challenges and
attractions were greater, requiring more resource (and possibly
guile) than exhibited now.
September came, and so ended my fi rst Oxford sojourn and
following a week’s leave, I was in the RAF proper. After
various fl ying aptitude tests I was posted to Arizona, where
I did my fi rst (never to be forgotten) solo fl ight, and I
obtained wings on Jan 25th 1945. Thereafter I progressed
onto multi-engine aircraft, and fi nally served with four
Lancaster squadrons, being based in Italy when the war in
Europe ended. A posting to Egypt followed for re-grouping
and re-arming for the unsavoury prospect of operations in
the Japanese theatre, but the dropping of two atomic bombs
on Japan ended the hot war for me, and I then became
redundant aircrew, and spent eighteen boring and tiresome
➥
ALUMNI NEWS 20