stevef
Indeed Sir, a true story. One Friday evening, 10th January 1964 Shackleton XV 710 from 120 Sqn took off from ISK, then headed west. Some 20 minutes later they suffered an uncontrollable overspeed on No 3 engine, which subsequently fell off the wing. The No 4 engine then caught fire and the captain, Flt Lt, later Sqn Ldr 'Pop' Gladstone, carried out an immaculate forced landing, wheels up, on Culloden Moor, with the landing lights and the flames from the burning Griffon to guide him, as well as his co-pilot calling height from the Radar Altimeter.
The crew of ten all survived without major injury, but, one young Sergeant ran off to get help without telling anyone. When Pop and his co-pilot, one Jimmy Lee, got out and held a head count, there was one missing. Without hesitation, Pop and Jimmy went back into the now blazing aircraft to make sure that there was nobody trapped in the fuselage. Courage indeed!
"Flt Lt Gladstone's calmness, leadership and gallant behaviour undoubtedly saved the lives of his crew and prevented loss of civilian lives and property." (From Pop's citation.)
Jimmy had transmitted his 'Mayday' on Kinloss Approach, which was he frequency in use. The Kinloss fire crew drove along the main Inverness road until they saw the flaming wreckage, then went cross-country directly to the burning Shack. Apparently they managed it in an astonishing time. BZ to them.
Pop Gladstone was awarded a well-deserved Bar to his AFC for saving his crew that night. On the other hand, Jimmy was castigated by the Board of Enquiry for not making his first call on Guard. Wrong!. The SOP was, and is, to make the first call on the frequency in use.
The locals remarked, with respect, that Pop and his crew were the first Englishmen to fall on Culloden Moor since 1745.
How do I know all this? The story was still a legend when I joined 120 Sqn in 1966, but in 1965, on the Varsity AFTS at Oakington, I had the privilege of flying with one of the finest QFIs I have ever known, James Aloysius Lee.
Yes, the 120 Sqn Crew did end up that night at a local Caelidh for a dram or twain. Also, the Station Duty Officer at Kinloss had the nous to order the bars in both Officers' and Sergeants' Messes to remain open until the Crew had returned and been suitably refreshed after their ordeal!
All's well that ends well!!!