Old Git Warmongers Knowledge Required.

[Smoggy]

I lost my Mum last weekend and now have the horrible job of clearing a housing partnership house, I feel like a looter doing the job but found this beast below.

I know my Mum was a civil defense warden back in the 70's and my grandad was an anti aircraft gunner during the war as a bit of background, but what the flip is it?

I'm thinking possibly more to do with the in flight crew possibly bomb aimer at the moment.

Any enlightenment gratefully recieved.

[Bikertov]

So sorry to hear of your loss Smoggy - may your mum Rest In Peace 

[Mouldy]

Sorry to hear of your loss, Smoggy.  I lost my mum last year and have yet to deal with some of the things we found amongst her possessions - they’re still in storage whilst I drum up the enthusiasm and frame of mind to tackle the task.

Maybe when I’ve finished decorating our living room . . . . . .

[Smoggy]

As a side note I also found this to much merriment. 

I have a feeling it was something my uncle bought into a pub my olds ran back in the 80's to wind up the village idiot and got kept.

It's about 3" long and made of silicon.

[kpnut]

Sorry to hear your news Smoggy. Not easy. But clearing  the belongings does throw up interesting oddments (I won’t comment on the above!)

I have no idea really about the photos but they straightaway conjured up pictures of navigation tracking equipment of some sort to me. 

[Lulu]

So sorry Smoggy about your loss. 

I’m asking my dad  about the first photo.  He use to fly and I seem to recall seeing the wheel thing or something similar at home when he did flight planning.  (definitely not showing him the other picture 😂) 

[YnysMon]

Sorry about you loss Smoggy. It must be heartbreaking sorting through everything.

I’m just glad my Mam allowed us to do that when she was still with us, after she had decided she couldn’t cope and had moved in with us. I’m still in awe that she did that. We brought her most treasured possessions to our house (china mostly) and rearranged our house to accommodate them, but mostly she just left everything else behind, and allowed us to sell her much loved home once she recognised she wouldn’t be returning to independent life. That’s completely the opposite of what we are currently experiencing with Graham’s Dad, where he’s clinging on to his independence, though past being able to cope. 

[SwanR]

I can only add my condolences and thoughts to those already posted above. It's a strange feeling being in your parents' home without them. But you'll work it through.

[Lulu]

3 hours ago, Smoggy said:

I know my Mum was a civil defense warden back in the 70's and my grandad was an anti aircraft gunner during the war as a bit of background, but what the flip is it?

I'm thinking possibly more to do with the in flight crew possibly bomb aimer at the moment.

Any enlightenment gratefully recieved.

Dad has said they are aviation calculator and altitude plotter 

[Karizma]

Hi Smoggy - I use to have my PPL - its a Flight Computer used for working out flight tracking and being able to offset wind effects.

Something like this ..........

https://www.flightstore.co.uk/product/pooleys-crp-1-flight-computer-560

[Karizma]

PS: sorry to hear of your loss.

[Gracie]

Hi Smogs, so sorry to read of the loss of your mum, condolences to you and your family

It's heart warming that your wicked sense of humour still shines through, bless you 

[floydraser]

Oh dear, soory to hear about your loss, we are still doing the same same with my MIL's stuff. Not found anything interesting like that though.

Like Karizma has pointed out, it's an old fashioned flight computer but the broad arrow, or "crowsfoot", shows it's ex military. I think they've been superceeded by electronics now but I believe the student pilot has to learn how to use one just in case... So therefore still useable? They are used for estimating wind drift among other things. A pilot could tell us, I have one in the attic somewhere along with a WW2 bomber sextant. 

[addicted]

My mother died many years ago, but before she did so she moved into residential care. She made the arrrangements to do so herself and  I had no doubt she would be very happy in the home of her choice as my father had spent  3 years there prior to his death so my mother was already very familiar with it and knew most of the staff very well but to be on ther safe side I left it for a year before disposing of her home. When I did so, because she was still very much alive I felt very uncomfortable sorting through her possessions it felt so invasive and  disrespectful.

I'm so sorry for your loss Smoggy  It must be a  very painful time or you.

 

Carole

[Smoggy]

People keep asking how I am which I can appreciate but I don't know as I have not had time to find out, it's a huge learning curve and the house needs clearing so far too busy to work out how I feel.

May have next weekend off and check on the boat then I may find out but who knows.

I'm still in the mindset of no carers or carehomes involved, no bums wiped, a week and a half ago she was in my home town on the community bus with her zimmer bike and chatted to an old mate of mine so as far as I'm concerned that is a good exit.

[CambridgeCabby]

I sadly lost my mother on 02/10 three weeks ago , still feeling numb even missed my weekend afloat as I didn’t feel like it.

Like you I’ve got a house full of memories from 90 years to sift through and clear , without Katie at my side I would be lost 

[RumPunch]

Condolonces on your loss

Re the computer, if she was ROC or similar in the 70's, I wonder if these were issued / used to plot fallout from a nuclear strike ?

[kpnut]

1 hour ago, CambridgeCabby said:

I sadly lost my mother on 02/10 three weeks ago , still feeling numb even missed my weekend afloat as I didn’t feel like it.

Like you I’ve got a house full of memories from 90 years to sift through and clear , without Katie at my side I would be lost 

Oh Simon, that’s sad. Sending love and hugs to you. The numbness is a way of your body protecting itself I think. You’ll find your way through.

To you and Smoggy, Just keep the lines of communication open with family and friends and talk openly of your mums and your feelings. It helps to normalise it. 

This time last year I found everyone on this forum very supportive when my mum died so suddenly. My thanks to all of you. 

[YnysMon]

6 hours ago, kpnut said:

This time last year I found everyone on this forum very supportive when my mum died so suddenly. My thanks to all of you. 

This forum was my lifeline when my Mam was slowly leaving us in 2017.

In some ways a sudden departure is more merciful, but whatever the circumstances it’s not easy for those of us left behind. 

My condolences to Smoggy and Simon. 

[MauriceMynah]

Since I joined this forum nearly 20 years ago, my father has died, my mother has died, my sister has died, my friend who, with his mother, took me in, has been taken into care, and his mother has died.

Without this forum, I'd probably have thrown in the towel. I was looking at homelessness in the face and prospects for me were bleak. This forum allowed, or at least forgave, me my somewhat weird sense of humour.  It allowed me to smile in my darker times.  It has provided me with friends and support. 

Now here I am, a libation or two too many,  worried that Gracie or Hylander might take me too seriously,  that Vaughan or Meantime might not take me seriously enough or that Griff or Ray- Regulo might think I actually know what I'm talking about. 

I need this forum, it's a major thing that keeps me going. 

Enough maudling, time for another drinkypoos... well it is only 01:00.  :-)  

[Regulo]

I'm still up too, MM, so I'll raise a glass to you (well OK, hot chocolate), and to all those recently bereaved. I lost my mum over 20 years ago, and found it unbelievably difficult. Being an only child of a single mum, we were very close. My mate Dave pulled me through the darkest, and light gradually dawned as Rene and I got together. When I lost Dave, who I thought of as the big brother I never had, I knew I had good friends to support me. I include all the people on this and the other place, although most I've never met in person. Sometimes just carrying on as normal is the best way to cope.

[MauriceMynah]

6 minutes ago, Regulo said:

Sometimes just carrying on as normal is the best way to cope.

Agreed, but what's normal?

Anyway cheers To you, I raise my glass back to you.

[Smoggy]

6 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

my somewhat weird sense of humour.

That's what half of us come here for, keep it up.

6 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

worried that Gracie or Hylander might take me too seriously,

Unlikely.

6 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

that Griff or Ray- Regulo might think I actually know what I'm talking about. 

Highly unlikely.

6 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

Enough maudling, time for another drinkypoos...

Absobloodylutely!

[Vaughan]

6 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

that Vaughan or Meantime might not take me seriously enough

John, my friend, I think I might take you a lot more seriously than you may think.  But then, I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting you on a few occasions, either at forum meets, or just while cruising about the place.  We have shared a few drinks and a few great discussions while "putting the Broads to rights"!

I also very much understand the way of life you have chosen on the rivers.  I was raised on a houseboat myself.  That was a bit different, as it was attached to a boatyard, but I knew an awful lot of people back in the 50s and 60s who were living on boats on the rivers.  It is a perfectly normal thing to do, from my viewpoint.

Does anyone here remember Charles, who lived in Dydler's Mill, up from Horning, on the way to Salhouse Broad?  He was a great character - much like yourself in many ways - who was always great company in a pub of an evening.  His little outboard launch, rather like a faithful horse, could find its own way back to the mill from Horning Swan, in the pitch dark!

I agree about the forum as well.  I have been a member for a few years myself now and it has given me great pleasure, being able to keep up with events from a distance and contributing odd bits of history here and there.  There are many friends I have met as a result and hope to meet more.  Others I may never meet in person, but they all feel like friends, just the same.

I do get a bit grumpy at times but I hope that is only over serious subjects, that I might take a bit too seriously!