Not often much connection between F4 crews and helicopter pilots (except in FI), but that wasn't my connection with the incident.
I was a "Barnwood Desky" at the time of Mongo and CJ's crash, and that night was Duty Personnel Officer (DPO) at Innsworth, an overnight duty shared by all the deskies, and responsible for the Kinforming and associated stuff.
After the event Mongo's preganant wife (in Wildenrath) was needing her mother - and it fell to the DPO to fix it,as ma-in-law was an "additional contact" on the NOK form we had to find her and get her out to Wilders. She was not at this time aware of the crash. The address was in Salisbury, so (such was the power of the DPO!) I got hold of the Staish at Boscombe to get him to do the Kinforming to mother-in-law.
Suitably in his No 1, + Mrs and maybe padre, off he goes, to discover Ma-in-law has moved! Fortunately new tenants (it was a flat) were mates who knew of her new address, so it was sorted, and we got her flown out to her daughter that night to be with her.
There's another twist to the story which I don't want to post publicly, but if any family/good mates want to know - feel free to PM me.
Just shows how good the RAF was (and I hope still are!) at this unfortunately frequent duty .........
[and guys and gals, please make sure
all the addresses on your NOK forms are up-to-date
]