More Borneo Helicopter Matters

[Old-Duffer]

Ladies & Gentlemen PPruners,

The 25 Sep15 will mark the 50th anniversary of the loss of a 225 Sqn Whirlwind in Borneo, with its crew of five. Eight weeks later, a 103 Sqn Whirlwind was flown over the border into Indonesian Borneo, south of Stass and was promptly shot down, resulting in the loss of a pilot and his passenger. The RAF also lost a Belvedere in May 1963 in the Trusan Valley but this is the extent of fatal rotary wing accidents during Confrontation in Borneo 1963-66.

It is proposed to organise a low key commemoration at the Armed Forces Memorial at Alrewas, Staffordshire – possibly on Friday 25 Sep at 1100 hours.

Whilst there is already an established link with many of the aircrew who were involved directly or otherwise, there is scant information about the families of some of those killed.

If anybody has contact with people who know about these accidents from a family perspective (Paul Evans fiancee posted on this site two years ago), please respond to this Thread.

Old Duffer

[76fan]

" ........ but this is the extent of fatal rotary wing accidents during Confrontation in Borneo 1963-66."


Surely not. In the RAF maybe, but Royal Navy helicopters and crews also played a major part in the confrontation.


http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1963-65.htm

[CharlieOneSix]

.....but this is the extent of fatal rotary wing accidents during Confrontation in Borneo 1963-66.

I do appreciate the emphasis of Old Duffer's post is to remember those lost in RAF helicopter accidents in the Borneo confrontation but sadly the Fleet Air Arm also had its share of fatal accidents out there - my own remembrance is of John Morgan (Hiller 12E) on 9/4/65, and three days later Rod Robertson and John Hapgood plus six others were killed in a Wessex mid air collision as they approached Nanga Gaat. The surviving aircrewman, Ted Crispin, passed away recently. All the aircrew were from 845 Naval Air Squadron. Bruce Brown and three other aircrew lost their lives there the following December.

[Old-Duffer]

My apologies to CharlieOneSix and 76Fan, for the loose wording of my opening post. I knew what I meant to say but clearly failed to convey that I was only talking RAF!!

The RN losses were as summarised and the Army too. In fact the 25 Sep sortie was the consequence of a tasking to search for a missing Scout, flown by an Army SNCO pilot with a Gurkha soldier acting as escort to a terrorist, who was being moved.

I knew the story of Ted Crispin and how some unfeeling 'so and so' wanted to invalid him from the RN.

The focus of this proposed commemoration is very much low key and confined to a particularly small group. This is not to suggest any disrespect to either the RN or Army. As will be recalled, on Bulwark's 66-68 commission, she had at least three RAF pilots with 845.

Old Duffer