First met Derek on 22 Sqdn at RAF Manston in 1968, that tour is not mentioned in the first post. Met up later at Redhill and again later still.
On 22, he came in the ground crew room and asked if anyone wanted to pick some mushrooms as he was going to do the early morning check flight on the Whirlwind. I said OK, strapped on my monkey harness thinking Derek was going to land near the mushrooms, he did, by doing several EOL's and no seats in the cabin, they were greasers and I was hardly shook up. We shared the mushrooms, they were delicious.
Regards, Derek.
F.