Sqn Ldr (Keith??) Hanscombe

[Roommate]

Remembering Terry

My wife and I were next door neighbours of Keith at Marham in 75/76. I recall he was in recuperation at the time. I recall he was kind to us, helping us feel welcome in our new environment.
Terry Evans was my room-mate during navigation training and was my wife's groomsman at our wedding in 1973, escorting her to church. He will always be remembered in our home. He is there on our wedding photos as part of our guard of honour. We remember him with sadness at the shortness of his life and the tragic circumstances of his loss but with fondness, and a smile especially, as it was Terry who decorated our car with a red, white and blue roundal after the reception. He smiles at us whenever we watch the short video clip of our wedding day.

[iain2210]

L-R Bill Duncan and John Price, both 55 Squadron, at Luqa 1972/73

[Tankertrashnav]

Iain - I flew with your father a few times when he came across to 214. I saw him again at a V Force reunion at Newark some years back and he was telling me he had retrained as a pilot after leaving the RAF and flew on fisheries protection, or something like that? A good bloke to be with on a "run ashore" on detachment!

[iain2210]

He did indeed train as a pilot, CPL with twin rating. Ended up as an Observer (!) for the Fisheries flying Do-228 and F-27. Mind you that was after 12 years in the T.A., 2/51 Highland. He was almost full-time with them!
It would have been 2005 he went to the reunion: very glad I persuaded him to go, he met up with a few people he hadn't seen for years.
PM me your name if you wish; I'm seeing him soon and always like to jog his memory regarding those times.

[Tankertrashnav]

Email sent via PPRuNe Iain

[iain2210]

Hi tankertrashnav,

Just so you don't think me rude, can't seem to access email through forum and mods have not yet responded to request for info.

Cheers

[Tankertrashnav]

OK Iain I expect they will get round to it!

[Johns sister]

Originally Posted by iain2210

L-R Bill Duncan and John Price, both 55 Squadron, at Luqa 1972/73

Hi Iain

Great photo of my brother and Bill. I might have a few other photos myself.

[bloodaxe]

First on the scene

I was very tied into the Victor/Bucc accident as I had been on 55Sqn in the late 1960’s when Pete Slater was the AEO on my crew. I left the Sqn to become a QFI and John Price was one of the students I had taught on the JP. I then went to 206 Sqn on Nimrods and was airborne when the accident happened and was diverted to the scene to carry out a search. We found a large fuel slick and nearby the German coaster who we could talk to via our marine-band radio. The ship had seen Neddie’s parachute come down and positioned to protect him from the swell, I think he was in his one-man dingy. The crew could not get him onto the deck because of the sea state and Neddie’s injuries. They threw their own multi-seater dingy over the side and a couple of the crew got down to help Neddie. Meanwhile the SAR Whirlwind arrived and Neddie was taken to shore but the helo did not have enough fuel to get to the nearest hospital and landed on the shoreline where I think he was taken by ambulance to hospital. As we used to have our name written on our Maewest the German crew had told us Neddie’s name and I knew that Pete Slater was on the crew. Only later did I learn that John Price had been onboard as well. Needless to say we found nothing else in the area and the whole experience was very sobering and very tragic.

[Terrys-sister]

Victor crash 1975

Hi Room mate, I’m Terry’s sister, I have just returned from RAF Marham where they were saying farewell to the Gate Guardian Victor which is unfortunately going to be scrapped. This has prompted me to revisit this site and I came across your post. I was astonished to find your post and moved by your kind words about Terry. I remember him being in a guard of honour at a friends wedding. As the years go by I think these little things become very important and as I am the last member of the family still around it is wonderful to find someone who knew Terry. He lived a breathed the RAF and we as a family were immensely proud of his achievents for a boy from humble beginnings. I’m sure he would have gone far.

I met some very interesting people at the Victor Farewell but none who knew him. The event had been scaled down due to Covid and I suppose many people may have passed or moved away during the intervening years.

[Terrys-sister]

Hi, Craddie, I’m Terrys sister.

[Terrys-sister]

Originally Posted by Johns sister

Not sure if you did manage to organise anything for the 40th anniversary but
unfortunately as I live in Australia sadly I would not have been able to attend.

My recollections 40 years today are exactly the same as Steve Crowther -seeing the accident on the news and later that evening the phone call to my parents.No doubt my family & I would have met some of you at the memorial service on the base.

It has also been interesting to see how much the accident as well as affecting
the families of all the airmen lost that day - it also greatly affected everyone on the base.

My best wishes to you all.

I’m Terrys sister and it was the same for us. We heard it on the News on TV and then the BBC denied broadcasting it.

[Terrys-sister]

My brother was a Navigator on the Victor, Terry Evans.

[craddie]

Hi Terry's sister
I flew with Terry when he and I did the Victor course. Still have the photo. Please email me [email protected] and I will send details and a lot more I have found out about the accident.

Craddie

[Terrys-sister]

Hi Craddie, I have sent you a reply on the email provided.