225 sqdn sarawak 1965

[forget]

See post No 5 here.

Flt Lt Canham and SAC Galbraith. - RafCommands Forums

Colin Coummings records this loss in his 'Lost to Service' volume of post-war RAF aircraft losses as follows:

25 Sep 65, XP327 Whirlwind 10, 225 Sqn, 45 m E Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, 5 killed.

Following the disappearance of an Army Scout helicopter, the Whirlwind was despatched to search for it. It carried the three airmen as lookouts. The main rotor blades became disconnected due to maintaince error and the aircraft crashed with the loss of all on board. A subsequent court martial acquitted the maintenance technician. Jack Canham had been one of the crew of a Whirlwind SAR helicopter who rescued fishermen from a French trawler off Lands End in 1962 for which the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Trevor Eggington, received the AFC and the winchman Sergeant Eric Smith the George Medal.

Flying Officer Samuel Philip SMITH, 23, pilot
Squadron Leader John Lorimer Neville (Jack) CANHAM, DFC, 43, nav
Senior Aircraftman Brian John LANGLEY, 19
Senior Aircraftman Richard Moore GALBRAITH, 19
Senior Aircraftman Paul EVANS, 20