John Langcake was born in the north of England and grew up for several years in a children’s home. He was a Grammar School boy, a keen sportsman and joined first the Army Cadet Force, then the Combined Cadet force and then the Air Training Corps before entering the RAF as a 16yr old Aircraft Apprentice in September 1957.

John enjoyed a career in the RAF as an Air Defence/Radar specialist spanning an incredible 38yrs. He served in many theatres of operation ranging from the Falkland Islands to Cyprus and Germany, and at various stations in the UK before finishing in St Athan near Cardiff. Warrant Officer John Langcake was honoured with the British Empire Medal and retired in 1995 following his final posting in St Athan.

John and his wife, Marie who is herself a former serving member of the Armed Forces, live near Aberporth, the site of one of John’s many postings. This account provides a chronology of John’s service in the Royal Air Force and finishes with a reflective short story from him.