As a Crew Chief on 55 Squadron in the early seventies we were required, much against our will, to do the sea survival training at Gorleston, Norfolk with 24 Air Sea Rescue Unit.
This entailed parachute lines and dinghy, off the back of the launch and towed at speed before releasing and getting into the dinghy. One of our number had routed the parachute lines such that when he came to release he was dragged sideways through the water and consumed quite a bit of the North Sea. He eventually released and climbed into his dinghy.
The Whirlwind that was picking us up in turn, developed a fault which required it to return to Great Yarmouth for a check and then returned about an hour later. Our hero had by now been bobbing up and down for over an hour and was presumably feeling a touch unwell.
When the winchman got him connected to himself and the lift started, about halfway up our hero was violently sick all over the grizzled crewman. The pilot being informed on what was on the end of the wire, stopped the lift and lowered the pair of them back into the water like a dunking donut. When clean they were recovered into the helicopter.
All subsequent drills were carried out in the swimming pool.
There is a very fitting memorial on the sea front at Gorleston.
Airfield Research Group - ARG Forum - GORLESTON - 24 Air Sea Rescue Unit Memorial (1/1)