Daneb
The group photo was indeed an RAF lunch and it was 16th Dec 1989. I'm on the front row, 2nd from the left and look about 12 years old!
"Seem to remember the lunch would go on until a Puma departed very low over the Mess!"
I was flying that Puma. My crewman was Sgt DS at the time and we'd just had to abseil Santa into the middle of APC for the Xmas Fayre. As I'd not been able to have a beer at the lunch, I thought it best that I made a point by trying to take the roof off the mess! Afterwards, I got a right bollocking from OC Ops (M McG) who had a bit of a sense of humour failure and threatened to send me home on the next VC10. As it was approaching Xmas and I had a wife waiting for me at home, I considered doing it again! However, the 1563 Flt Cdr (IM) was a lot more understanding and gave me a fatherly chat.....I think he was quite pleased really. I left a few days later on my scheduled departure date, never to return.
JJ