Beverley Driver Needs a Boost
The Beverly was our lifeline during Confrontation in Borneo during the early sixties. Everything we needed was thrown out of the back, predominately fuel. That used to come in four 44 gallon drums and the baseboards were the basic sheet material for our bashers. Food and beer used to arrive the same way but there used to be a few problems.
They started off by packing the aircraft the night before. This led to static buildup in the chutes which caused the fabric to stick together. When it came out of the back one or more would candle so you leading to a high, if not ballistic, rate of descent. The survivors, whether drums of fuel or slabs of Tiger beer would resemble short fat rotund barrels.
The other was the Snatch. This is where the parachute would snap open and the load would disintegrate in front of it. Fuel wasn't a problem but food was. Raining fish, meat, potatoes and beer was not conducive to good moral.
One had to admire how they threaded those lumbering beasts around the hills and clouds to line up for the next drop but they only missed a handful.
Not a good picture; faded somewhat; Sepulot, Sabah, North Borneo. Spring 1966.
They started off by packing the aircraft the night before. This led to static buildup in the chutes which caused the fabric to stick together. When it came out of the back one or more would candle so you leading to a high, if not ballistic, rate of descent. The survivors, whether drums of fuel or slabs of Tiger beer would resemble short fat rotund barrels.
The other was the Snatch. This is where the parachute would snap open and the load would disintegrate in front of it. Fuel wasn't a problem but food was. Raining fish, meat, potatoes and beer was not conducive to good moral.
One had to admire how they threaded those lumbering beasts around the hills and clouds to line up for the next drop but they only missed a handful.
Not a good picture; faded somewhat; Sepulot, Sabah, North Borneo. Spring 1966.
47 Sqn Beverley - 1958
Buster11
As your friend was on 47 at Abingdon he may like to see these photos I took at Gan on 28th January 1958. This Abingdon-based, but detached to the Far East 47 Sqn Beverley (Flt Lt Pete Dudley as the pilot), conveyed the first consignment of Pakistani workers from Pakistan via Negombo to Gan.
Nose of the aircraft emblazoned with Arms of the town of Abingdon and GSM Medal (Malaya)
Below a couple of shots of Beverleys I took a year later when I was stationed at Abingdon in 1959
I hope it brings back a few happy memories!
WT
As your friend was on 47 at Abingdon he may like to see these photos I took at Gan on 28th January 1958. This Abingdon-based, but detached to the Far East 47 Sqn Beverley (Flt Lt Pete Dudley as the pilot), conveyed the first consignment of Pakistani workers from Pakistan via Negombo to Gan.
Nose of the aircraft emblazoned with Arms of the town of Abingdon and GSM Medal (Malaya)
Below a couple of shots of Beverleys I took a year later when I was stationed at Abingdon in 1959
I hope it brings back a few happy memories!
WT
Last edited by Warmtoast; 16th Jan 2016 at 15:34.
Beverley Driver Needs a Boost
Belated thanks to Warmtoast, Archimedes and others who came up with useful links and ideas on this. All duly passed on to the relevant carer, so with luck it will help to trigger a few good memories.
It did look as this thread might morph into a WIWOB one at one stage, but we live in hope.
It did look as this thread might morph into a WIWOB one at one stage, but we live in hope.
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Former Beverley pilot
Filling in the asterisks, I have a name who flew Bevs and was a captain with Britannia Airways when I knew him, from 1988, for a few years until I left. Is this the person in the care home?
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Buster
If your mate was at Eastleigh and Muharraq it is likely he was on 30 Sqn as they moved from Kenya to Bahrein in early 65 and the guys were re-toured.... wonder why morale was so low for a while, esp amongst the wives
When I was posted to 30 I was told the Sqn was in Nairobi - they didn't tell me it was about to move and by the time I joined it was in Muharraq.
Plse see your PMs re J B.
If your mate was at Eastleigh and Muharraq it is likely he was on 30 Sqn as they moved from Kenya to Bahrein in early 65 and the guys were re-toured.... wonder why morale was so low for a while, esp amongst the wives
When I was posted to 30 I was told the Sqn was in Nairobi - they didn't tell me it was about to move and by the time I joined it was in Muharraq.
Plse see your PMs re J B.
Last edited by nimbev; 1st Feb 2016 at 21:43.
