I was copilot on the penultimate aircraft to leave Khormaksar on the withdrawal day. I was also 105 Sqn diarist and the following are extracts from an article written for the squadron magazine. The Argosy was XN 819 and the captain was Wg Cdr EC Rigg, OC 105 Sqn
...Helicopters from 78 Sqn, the RN, and the Royal Marines were operating a shuttle between the playing fields at the back of the Airmans Mess to the Commando carrier HMS Albion, anchored about 4 miles off the end of r/w 26. The operation was slick, and underslung loads made the pick-ups a matter of seconds. Through binoculars I could see that each chopper was armed with a large machine gun positioned to fire through a side escape hatch.
While all this was going on, Hercules were flying in from Muharraq every 30 minutes, taxying to the VIP pan, stopping three engines, and opening the rear doors. The departing troops entered the a/c by the rear doors and the para doors, leaving their kit on the rear door. The kit was then lashed down by nets, doors were closed, and off they went. The fastest time we noted was 7 minutes chocks on to chocks off, to load 75 equipped and armed troops.
Our Argosy spent 5 hours on the pan as a standby in case a Hercules went u/s, and for the last 3 hours we had two other a/c for company, both Hercules, orbiting at 10,000 feet.
Overhead, Sea Vixens from a second carrier, HMS Eagle, crossed the field from time to time, and appeared to be giving fighter cover to the whole operation.
At withdrawal hour - 5 mins the passenger carrying Hercules arrived for its engine running turnround, and while the VIPs were shaking hands and exchanging salutes, we, the Argosy, and a freight Hercules which was standing by to lift out VASF and the crash crews, started engines for a quick getaway. When the last VIP had boarded, the freight Hercules was off chocks, followed by the Argosy, the passenger Hercules being the last in line. A one minute stream take off was carried out in that order.
As soon as the three a/c were airborne the choppers from Albion who had been keeping an eye on the Khormaksar perimeter moved in to evacuate 42 Commando who had kept the perimeter secure throughout the day.
Last edited by bigjok; 14th Oct 2020 at 19:16.