Very much enjoyed Sandy's reminiscences of his time with 781 Sqn and to know that he shares, along with my godfather, a number of handwritten notes from the late great Lord Louis 'Dickie' Mountbatten. (Ferranti's aircraft were at the Dickie's disposal for the better part of a decade and were, I suppose, the civilian helicopters he used most often).
I was sure the 'Green Parrots' would have frequented Battersea (given the nature of your work) - did you use the congested little helipads or remain out on the pier?
Earl Mountbatten arriving at Cammell Laird's shipyard in Birkenhead on 16th August 1962, courtesy of Fleet Air Arm Westland Wessex HAS1 XM923, to attend the launch of HMS Ajax (a Leander-class frigate which carried a single Westland Wasp on board)
[Of HMS Ajax; In 1964, she deployed to the Far East, becoming leader of the 24th Escort Group returning only in 1968. In 1970, she became the Gibraltar guard ship, a required deployment at that time due to the tense fears of invasion by General Franco. Later that year, Ajax began modernisation that lasted to 1973, having her 4.5 inch turret replaced by an Ikara anti-submarine missile system. GWS22 SeaCat (2x4) was fitted aft and 40mm guns were mounted amidships. Just prior to her decommissioning Ajax escorted the HMY Britannia during her 1985 tour of Italy.]
Looking at the Green Parrots, they seem to be fitted with the same VIP cabin windows as those used by the RAF's Queen's Flight in their day:
RAF Westland Wessex HCC4 XV732 of the Queen's Flight at Manchester's Ringway airport on 16 May 1975 (Photo: Shaun Connor)
Sandy mentions the interior of the Green Parrots and which, I suppose again, were similar to that of the Queen's Flight (below):
The interior of Wessex HCC Mk4 XV733 formerly of the Queen's Flight
As shown above, the Queen's Flights ships were not normally configured in a club arrangement, but one imagines that this could have easily been arranged if required.
I was hosted for a day at Benson in 1991 courtesy of their CO, a chap by the name of Hugh Rolfe, and got to see both 'Rainbows' for myself. A great outfit with a great bunch of chaps. Hugh mentioned that HM was not overly fond of the blitterblats (I believe she has warmed slightly to the 76 in recent decades) and that she rarely flew in them. However, some months prior to my visit, they had flown HM from Balmoral to BP when Gulf War One kicked-off.