Originally Posted by
Toadstool
Mort and RLE. Stu Atha, watched him work the room at the WOs&Sgts Mess invite to the Officers mess Christmas doo at Waddo. It took him an hour to get to the bar as every time he moved, he chatted to someone and knew their names, family names, everything. He came out to Red Flag and gave us a speech. I asked him a question about something and, despite having only met him once, he knew my name, nay, he knew everyone.
He also came to visit my Sqn a few years back when he was AOC. He terrified my Sqn Officers. On the way out of the Sqn he stopped by our work area, which is where I met him first before Ex RF, where all of us old MACr worked. Spent half an hour chatting about everything. None of it work related.Utterly personable, very knowledgable.
Osby and Stu Atha came to Waddo for a brief after a conference. It was great watching two 3 * s meeting and immediately taking the piss out of each other. Osby gave a fantastic talk about Russia. How prophetic he was and he held the room in the palm of his hand. Great leaders.
The only other leader who I ever saw come close was Dickie (Patroonas)? I did my pre-Afghan course with him then deployed together to the same unit. Fantastic guy. I wonder what happened to him.
'Dickie Pat' I was on 63/19 when he cam through on his TWU course. Another thoroughly nice bloke and a bloody good pilot to boot. Had a backseat ride with him when he got creamed off to instruct for a while, so very down to earth. I guess he has left the building?