RNZAF Village Green

[Dave Homewood]

I see the RNZAF Facebook page has photos from this year's Village Green activities at their two bases. Looks like as much fan as the olden days when i was in during the 1990's, but they now seem to have theme dress-ups too! Great to see this is one tradition still alive and well in our Air Force.

www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.388425044625154.1073741891.143676209100040&type=1

Does the Army and Navy also have Village Green each December?

[phil]

Yes all services do it, although I seem to remember the Navy, typically, have a totally different name for it...

[Sonicjoe]

Here's the accompanying movie from Woodbourne:

[phil]

Clearly busy in WB.... Oh wait, it's WB.

[meo4]

Dec 17, 2013 6:30:14 GMT 12 phil said:

Yes all services do it, although I seem to remember the Navy, typically, have a totally different name for it...

The Navy version is called " The Champion of the Navy " (PC name ) previously called "Cock of the Fleet" (Rooster trophy) as known in most commonwealth Navies.

[beagle]

Dave, they always had theme dress ups.
They were usually lots of fun, most times on a sunny day so with all the water themed events was a good way to keep cool.
For me , it was usually a wake up the next day with a sore head and what trouble did I get into last night.
Some experiences I had were for examples,
1999, spent the day at Ohakea packing chutes for PTSU while they were assisting with filming for the tv programme Tribe. Anyway, we left there mid afternoon and remember flying back in the trusty Herk at no higher than 500 ft the whole way drinking stenlager down the back then did a beat up over the Village green back at Whenuapai.
Another time, was 1990/91 while a member on 40 Sqn, these were the days with water balloons a must for a bit of fun down tent row.
I remember I was on night shift that week and spent the morning at home filling up hundreds of water balloons, plus, plus I had stored a few dozen eggs under the house for a few months.
Anyway, during the drinking etc after all the sports were finished and things were getting thrown around etc, some medics were unhappy as they had nothing to throw then they found some ice. I got hit in the head with a bit and did a very good drama action of pretending it hit me in the eye and quickly with hand over eye, rushed back into our tent , hand into the bucket and pulled out 2 of these very nasty smelling eggs. Seconds later this medic came in looking for me to see if I was ok , when I slapped one of the eggs onto her head and the other into chest.
I remember seeing her later and she had said she had gone back to her dorm and had after numerous coatings of shampoo and soap still couldn't get rid of the stench.

Apparently ARS at Woodbourne in the early 1980's had a great one with, something about a bar in an old galleon ship or something. Someone will remember that and explain better.

[Dave Homewood]

You're a nasty man Beags. That poor medic!

I only attended two Village Greens, 1991 and 1992, both at Wigram. I cannot for he life of me recall any theme dress ups. I just remember mufti. Maybe you're right, not doubting it, I just don't recall theme costumes.

The only team dressed up I remember was the 1992 Red Checkers team plus I think some other CFS pilots all in full flying kit, helmets and the like, doing a brilliant 'aerobatic' display on bicycles.

[Dave Homewood]

Something else I recall from the 1992 Wigram Village Green was the PTS yellow caravan was on the green and some nasty buggers (I think No. 3 Squadron Detachment) threw some purple smoke grenades in it! Suddenly it erupted with smoke from every window and man was it a mess, a write off I think from memory. You'd never scrub that dye out.

[shorty]

The galleon ship was actually an ERS creation for the Christmas bar competition. The bow part of it was created by a set of Freighter nose doors "borrowed" from one of the SAFE hulks.
The bar competitions were notorious. I think I have previously posted photos from some of the ARS escapades.

[beagle]

oh, so that's what it was. gotcha. yeah, be great to see some images. are we talking about the years I was thinking ?

[shorty]

Yep, it was during Ross Donaldsons tenure as Base CO. Each section built a Christmas bar to a theme and the winning bar was awarded a keg of beer and a trophy. Ran for three or four years but so much time was spent on building them (months in some cases) that they ceased. Also after the event some guys went to Blenhiem in Nazi uniforms. Not a good idea!
ERS themes I recall were a shearing shed and the pirate ship. ARS did Bugis Street, Singapore, Colditz Castle and It aint half hot Mum. I'll try and find some photos of the last two although most people rapidly became incapable of operating anything as tecnical as a camera.

The village green concept seemed to come about at about the same time as a family picnic held at the sports area in the MQ area.

[ox]

Was 90/91 the year we built the "Chariots" for the Chariot race from the brand new squadron golf carts?

[stereoimage]

I have mixed dozens of bands at the Village Green events over the last 20 years! Always a very drunk yet behaved crowd, with the notable exception a few years back at Whenuapai when an intoxicated individual climbed into the cab of the staging truck and attempted to drive off in it... While the stage was on it and the band was playing... Not a good look!

[beagle]

well, who was the dickhead who left the keys in the ignition.