The witness was a local lad who was watching the helicopter at the time, and saw it dive from above the trees into the trees at the top of this high hill/low moutain ( I am not sure where one stops and the other begins). We gave him a model with which he demonstrated what he saw the helicopter do. Not a perfect witness but he was definite in that the helicopter nose dived. His observations were made to the Eng Off with myself and liaison officers and a translator, from the commando unit, in attendance. So yes there was a witness.
The SNCO in question, signed for doing a job to the servo link during the servicing, countersigned the entry and then signed the independant check for assembly locking and functional of the rotor head and controls. So no he didn't forge a name or use an alias. Yes I know it shouldn't have happened, but ......
happens.
I understand your sceptisism, but everything stated is correct as I remember it even after 45 years.
Interestingly to me, I haven't thought or talked about this incident since the CM and leaving Borneo. As a 21 year old going to his first crash sight it was quite traumatic, and I guess I put it out of my mind. It is only because of the original question which brought it a lot of it back, that I felt I should give some information. Even after all the various comments I still believe that there were 4 persons supposed to fly. If one didn't I wonder who he was and why he didn't go?