Mark was one of the intrepid 1(F) Sqn pilots that came down with Atlantic Conveyor and cross-decked to Hermes on 18th May. None of them had any experience of shipboard ops and found themselves in a very hostile command environment. The Captain wanted to launch them into the fight immediately but we managed to secure them a couple of sorties to get used to ship's operations before they started operating over the islands.
We were very glad to see them as we had already discovered that ground attack in wartime was not the fun that it is in peacetime! Mark flew 20 missions during the conflict and was responsible for a successful attack on a couple of helicopters near Mt Kent on 21st May, during which he was hit by small-arms fire. On another, seemingly uneventful, sortie on 10th June, he returned with F95 photos of two Argentine soldiers trying to take him out with MANPADs. Good debrief point!
Sad to loose you too soon, mate.
Mog