Armed Forces Week Guest Blog: Johnny Ball and his happy RAF days

As a young man, I was dealt a mixed set of cards, some good, but some quite terrible. My dad inspired me in maths as we played dominoes with double 9's rather than double 6's. Then my brilliant teacher had us pleading for maths homework, aged just seven.

I knew I would pass my eleven plus, but a move to Lancashire when I was 11, plus two lengthy absences through illness, really messed up my secondary education and I left school with just two O-levels, even though I had scored 100% in maths.

I joined de Havilland Propellers Division and did a major cost on the Blackburn Beverley propeller calculating the cost of some 1,400 parts over seven weeks. I was only 16. I sat three more O-levels and joined their business course.

I was surrounded by lads who had just left the Forces, and their enthusiasm caused me to set my future path. So, when I was called for National Service, I opted for three years as an RAF regular, so I could choose my own trade.

I had heard that square bashing could be brutal but found that in just eight weeks a small group of lads had been moulded into a team that would do anything to help each other.

In addition, in that time I was the concert drummer with the station’s 40 piece brass band. Our first gig was for an audience of 4,000 servicemen at a forces boxing tournament in Liverpool. 

I chose the trade of Radar Operator, as the training was only six weeks, after which a deep overseas posting was possible - perhaps even Hong Kong or Singapore. I came top in my course and while everyone else went to Germany, I was also sent abroad, if you call Wales abroad!

Aberporth was a paradise with its pub on the beautiful beach. From the cliff tops, we operated the Radar that observed Missile Testing operations and I was surrounded by ‘boffins.’ 

Later I was in Germany where we watched the antics of the Russians on the border between East and West Germany. Little did we realise then, that we were on the frontline of the Cold War. But we became expert at identifying every aircraft on our radar screens, by their height and speed and the way they behaved.

At 3am some nights, our aircraft would suddenly turn and head over the border for Berlin. We’d start the watches and wait for the first MIG to show on our screens and then our aircraft immediately turned round and came back. The next night they’d do the same to us.

On demob, while I chose a show business career, three of my mates entered Air Traffic Control and one ended up I/C Heathrow Tower.

Though the Tower had a policy, not allowing television filming, through my mate, I did get permission years later, for one of my TV programmes, ‘Think It, Do It’ where I gave advice for kids who fancied a career in the air industry.

By then, I had had a seventeen year career as a successful stand-up comedian, during which I made 16 Combine Services Tours with stars like Harry Secombe and Pan’s People, visiting troops far and wide, including Singapore three times and a rather dangerous Aden just before we pulled out.

I suppose I am best known for writing and presenting my semi-educational shows like ‘Think of a Number’ from 1978 and ‘Think Again’ from 1981 – twenty series in all. I have also written nine books, some in over 40 languages and one – ‘Go Figure’ (US), also named as ‘All About Numbers’ (UK) is in the Chicago Depository of Great Books!

There is no doubt that it was my three years of wonderful experiences in the RAF, that instilled in me a self-belief which enabled all my later successes to be realised.

It was a huge honour for me to be asked to speak at the unveiling of the Bomber Command Memorial in Piccadilly on 28 June 2012, where I said: “Our thanks must forever be assured to those who gave their lives in those dark days of the Second World War, where for them and their mates, life expectancy was often down to weeks or even days.”

I also pointed out that over eighty years later, if and heaven forbid the same war situation were to arise again, then today’s boys and girls would still be motivated to do their bit - as it is part of what being a young person is all about. That will never change.

All our modern influences like the internet and mobile phones? They don’t matter. When the chips are down, young men and women will still make the same choices. If that means offering their lives for their country, it is what they would do.

I think some time in the military would really help many kids today, especially those who are drifting, disconnected, or feel they might be more capable than their school results suggest.

I’m now 85 and continuing my mission to encourage current and former service personnel to reach out to the RAF Benevolent Fund if they need assistance.

I’m so happy to be involved with the charity because it’s so very important.