Hi Paul & Chris, Yes it's Al Hudson.

Paul, I've sent you a pic of the Det at APC the week before the crash, Tony & Nige hadn't arrived then but Colin Egan & Rog Whiteley are on the Pic. Feel free to put it on here, I remain a techno-retard.......

Al, you mentioned "Funkeltrumpets" name - cost you a crate I believe!!
He is coming to the 230 Sqn associations reunion next month - interesting!
lsh

But - surely there's no "F" in it; I'm sure I heard him say that in the crewroom at Odiham in 1979 or '80.

(One woof for yes, two for no).

Salamanca Puma Crash
 

Yes I remember now, but now I know I am getting old, I can see Carl and Kev Johnson from the Regt Flight, but I cant make out Colin, maybes its because he wouldnt have worn his Denison smock which I associate him with

regards

Chris.

Gents,

Attached is the photo sent from Al H showing the XW230 Heli which was involved in the crash. Hopefully this will bring back some good memories as well.
Thank you Al.

Regards

Paul.

http://i626.photobucket.com/albums/t...m/belize76.jpg

re:puma crash 1976
 

hi paul hope you dont mind me replying to your ad my name is mick egan my brother colin was also on that helicopter with your dad, my family have been trying for years to contact people & talk about what happened i was only 10 when it happened, and i found this site and read about your dad being in accident and that you were also trying to find some information

salamanca 1976
 

hi punchrock my name is mick egan, i colin egan,s baby brother just wondering if anybody could tell me what he was really like as i didnt see alot of him as i was only 10 when he was killed

Colin Egan
 

I served with your brother, he taught me 'hookups' with the Pumas.
We were both on the regiment section of 230 at the time.
I'm happy to chat about those times.

regards

Chris.

Colin Egan
 

Mick, feel free to e-mail me [email protected] (looks wrong but is right)

regards

Chris.

colin egan
 

hi chris, thanks for getting back to me i appreciate it & my mum will be pleased that i can finally chat to somebody that served with colin who also has very good & nice things to say about him.i have took down your e-mail address & will contact you soon. thanks again chris.

puma crash 1976
 

hi ewe lander hope you dont mind me contacting you but i,ve just recently joined the forum, just trying to find out information on the crash and talk to anyboby who knew my brother colin egan.

helicopter crash
 

Hi Paul
I have a copy of this photo My Brother Colin is 2nd one standing up front row from the one sitting down
Regards
Keith

Keith, Mick..

Welcome. If you want to find out more about Colin, try here:

RockNet, the Headquarters of the RAF Regiment Network • Index page

If Colin served on 2 Sqn, you'll see there is a Sqn area just for anyone who served on that particular sqn. However, it might be best to start off here.

RockNet, the Headquarters of the RAF Regiment Network • View forum - Remembrances *

Good luck - you'll get a warm welcome I'm sure.

Al.

Hi Al
Thanks a lot of security check on this site but will get there in the end.
Regards
Keith

.. it might help if you post the backlink to here, to give your story a bit of colour. I never knew Colin, but I served on a Puma Sqn so I knew of him, and the accident. Your photograph has the look and feel of one from decades before, the captured looks, the goofing around and the stories behind the people - time passes, but nothing really changes eh?

Per Ardua, and I hope you find out lots.

Hi all
just to let you no the MOD have turned down our request for the next of kins to be awarded The Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll on the grounds it was a training accident i have now been informed it was not and was inform night flight over the jungle were a no no at the time
i was told Sgt Matthew Glasgow Queens own highlanders fell ill and was medi-vacced by vehicle to salamanca he arrived late evening his condition deteriated and it was decided to fly him to airport camp that evening which made this flight an unusual occurrence.
do you or anyone you know
1 tell me the rules on night flights at the time
2 was Colin on operations and active services
may i ask you to post this for me

Regards
keith

I was in Belize in the spring of 1976 and 1977 and I was unaware of any restrictions on night flying with the Puma. Most of the night flying was training with a fair amount of Night Vision equipment which would have been somewhere in the sticks. Looking through my log book there were a few daily tasks that overan and so the return to Airport Camp was at night. As an example of there being no restrictions at night one trip I did was to bring the Combined Services Entertainment troupe back from Salamanca to Belize late at night after their show.
The night medivacs I did at night to and from Salamanca and San Pedro were tasked medivac flights so they did not come under training.
The AAC would not have been willing to fly over the jungle on one engine though we used to do it in Borneo with Whirlwinds. One Scout did do a night trip however; I brought it back underslung from San Antonio after a No 5 seal failure.

There was not a campaign medal awarded for the Belize operation. The Guatamalans were confronted to prevent tham taking over the country. There were no direct military operations so there was no war. Much the same way, except on a smaller scale, as the Cold War.

5th May; I have looked at the Elizabeth Medal website and it does not seem that they are qualified. It's a pity; I knew Rog Whiteley when he was an AEO on my Valiant Squadron.

Hi fareastdriver
I have seen you post thank you for taking the time. the mod have said the reason all 8 do not qualify for the Elizabeth Cross is it was a training accident but i believe this is not true i understand it was a night time medi-vac .also Belize in the mid 1970's was an operational.
best regards
keith

Hi Al
Thanks for directing me to the rocknet site i have revived a number of emails giving help and support and one from colin`s CO Roger Booth when he was with 1 sqd in laarburch 74-76 and he has been a great help with information i need .
Once again thanks
Keith :ok:

Nice one Keith, good luck and keep us informed would you?

Hi All
Just to let you all know i had a phone call form Lt Col R Lindsay (Belize) today as Belize is being scaled down The Cairn at Salamanca will be relocated in the next 2 months so it can be looked after and not lost to the jungle. he also informed me a new memorial will be built for all those who lost their lives in Belize.

Hi All a copy of an email from Belize :D :ok:
Dear Mr Egan

You contacted me a few months ago about the issue of memorials in Belize – especially that of your brother. I am pleased to be able to attach some photos of what we have done in Price Barracks – centralising the 3 locally located memorials and then, in conjunction with the RBL, constructing one large memorial.

Your brother’s original memorial is the Cairn on the left of the pictures, while his name is also on the main Memorial at the back. It is located within Price Barracks close to the BATSUB Head Quarters, which will allow for much easier maintenance.

I hope that you, your Mother and Family will be relieved to know that your brother’s memory will continue to be properly and formally acknowledged here in Belize.

Many thanks

Rob

Lt Col RH Lindsay | Comd | HQ BATSUB, Price Barracks,

Hi Keith, sorry for the late reply.

Our Crews were tasked by the Det Cdr at the time to carry out 'Training flights/pracise Medivacs' from Salamanca. It didn't happen at that time, I don't really know/remember why (I was a young Crewman then, and at the end of the 'comms chain')

We handed over to the new Crew, I joined my family on holiday in UK, then within a day or 2 the accident happened. Our Crew then returned to Belize after the Funerals.

As to NVG's, I doubt we had them? This was before the NVG family came into use? PNG's as issued to ground forces were available, but like looking down 2 dustbins into a glass of lime juice.

75/76 was a very busy period in Belize for the AAC/RAF, lots of Medivacs - but all due to training accidents/incidents. The AAC at the time operated a flight of Sioux, and we had 2 Puma's in station.

I'm still trying to find my other Det photo's of that time - all Black & White. The Regiment Lads were a great bunch on 230 - but took great delight getting the Aircrew on Jungle Survival/Warfare courses at Sibun and watching us suffer!! :}

I concur with this. I joined the Puma force (230 Sqn) in 1979 and that Squadron was still using PNG (awful) at that time. The worst thing about PNGs was that they came fitted into to a faceplate so there was no peripheral vision.We used to have to focus one eye tube on the outside world and one inside, on the instruments. This could be very disorientating. NVG (not so awful) came in a couple of years afterwards.

During my time night vision aids were not in use in Belize.

http://sn105w.snt105.mail.live.com/a...t=160&size=Att

Colins original memorial is the Cairn on the right of the pictures, while his name is also on the main Memorial at the back. It is located within Price Barracks close to the BATSUB Head Quarters, which will allow for much easier maintenance.

Puma Crash
 

Hi Mick and everyone else out there.

Don't know if you will remember me. I am Nigel's sister, Sheena. I met quite a few of you on a few occasions when I visited Nigel and June. For years and years I have been trying to find a site like this to meet up and chat with people that knew my brother and finally my daughter Sarah found it. Like all of you I am getting on now and technology is beyond me - thank God for the youngsters. I am reading all the comments and names are jumping out at me that I remember well, not just meeting you before Belize but also at the funeral and also Craig's christening. I am trying to work out who is who - ewe.lander - is that Al Hudson, Punchrock - Chris Woolley? and I always remember "there's no F in McArdle" - what is his nickname.

Please, please get in touch with me. I would love to hear what everyone is up to now. I live in Weston super Mare with my husband, and have 3 children and 2 grandchildren. I try to get to Odiham as often as I can. I am also very proud to have gone to the War Memorial at Alrewas to see the guys names on the wall. Very moving.

Someone mentioned a memorial at Odiham - is that in the camp itself. Also the memorial at Salamanca doesn't look anything like the photo we have. Is there more than one?

Please get in touch.

Just realised that as my daughter is the one that registered for this site is gives her age, not mine. If only I was that age again. I know a girl lies about her age but there is no way I could get away with pretending to be 25.

LOL


Sheena Jeffrey
[email protected]

photo
 

Hi,

When was this picture taken? and was Nigel actually on the crew at this time?

Sheena (Nigel's sister)

I came home from one detachment to APC in June 76 so the crew out there at the crash time must have taken over from us. I remember hearing about it at Odiham and being a Nav Insty at the time took particular interest in the details. As I remember it the fingers were all pointing at a pitch channel runaway in the autopilot as the system was prone to that. Even had a protection unit fitted eventually to prevent it happening.

The following year I was 'volunteered' to be part of the working party which disposed of the Puma's remains and those of the Harrier which also came to grief at around the same period. Two hours out into the Carribean on a navy landing craft and over the side with the lot!

Hi All
i have found this after about 10 years of looking for one

Can anyone tell me if this is the same as the one that Crashed apart from the number before i buy it .

Westland Puma HC Mk.1 ,XW219, 230 Sqn,
Brand: Corgi Product Code: COAA27001 Scale: 1:72
£52.99

Thanks for your help
Keith

Check the engine intakes of the kit. At the time of the accident Pumas had plain open intakes. From 1979 on they were fitted with the large filters in front of the engines.

Hi Fareastdriver
Thanks for that it has the filters on front of the engines. it is die cast so i mite not be able remove them

Keith:

Search E-Bay for combinations of Matchbox, 1/32, Puma,SA330.

It is exactly the airframe you are looking for. I picked one up a few months ago. It has the direct intakes without the PIPS Farestdriver is referring to.

Puma crash
 

I was serving with the Royal Engineers at Salamanca camp 1976/77 and I was a witness to the crash. I was facing east toward the landing pads with my back to the accommodation huts, the the puma was facing north, it lifted off and immediately turned east over the tree line (which was much closer to the pads then) gaining altitude. In less than a minute (approx) the engine noise suddenly quietened considerably and it began a banked left turn, I guess to return to the pads. The angle of the bank became more acute and the aircraft appeared to 'slide' across the sky, over shoot the camp area and crash into the jungle. The impact site from where I was standing was to the west side of the track and about 250yds north of the fuel hut. There was a very large explosion and fire on impact. We collected tools and hacked our way into the dense jungle from the road. I will gladly answer any questions about this sad event. BTW Airbourne Aircrew's drawing is almost as it was however the landing pads and fueling hut were 100yds further and the jungle started where the fuel hut is indicated.

Old 230 Squ - 1975/76
 

Hi All,

Not sure who is still viewing this thread, appreciate it is fairly old!
Just wanted to say hi and thanks to all of you who mentioned kind words about my Dad on this thread.

My Dad was Nigel Storey, I'm Craig. I was not even 1 year old when the accident happened. I see there are a few on here who actually knew my Dad, it would be great to hear from you and find out how you are getting on and here any old stories of my Dad's exploits! :-)

For those interested and knew us, my mum and I are doing well, still not far from Odiham.

Keep well and stay safe. If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]


Craig Storey

Craig.
 

I check back every once and a while, any 'Rock' that served on 230 at that time would remember your dad. He was one of the more likable characters of the Aircrews. He did save my bacon once! I will email direct more details.

Jaedmunds: Puma Crash
 

Did you by chance serve with a Mike Hanchett? He tells the same story. Cant tell you his rank at the time, I am still in contact.

Puma Crash
 

OMG didn't know this link was still going. Is there anybody out there still that remembers Nigel and the family. Would love to hear from you.

Salamanca Camp Belize memorial cairn
 

Sir's.
My name is Nommy Fraser, i served with the 1st Bn Q.O. HLDR's S coy Mortar platoon. I was in Salamanca camp from April to October 1987. I thought it might be of interest to you to let you know that it was our Mortar section that built the memorial cairn in around the july/August time of 87. I have the press and journal newspaper of Morayshire Scotland cutting and can post with names of men that built it. Also stones for the cairn were collected from the little burn that ran past the camp. When the memorial was dedicated, the padre of the battalion Ivan Warrick of Rothes Scotland performed the ceremony which was attended by support coy and head of BFB. Regards.
N. Fraser

Salamanca Camp
 

My name is Ian Morton and I live 20 miles from the Salamanca Camp which is now the Toledo ITVET campus.

I was out that way recently and was intending to pay my respect to the service men killed in the Puma crash which is still remembered by locals and with gratitude to all the servicemen who came to Southern Belize.

Although the cairns (for the Puma Crash and the Truck crash) have both been moved to Price Barracks in Belize City I had hoped that I would still be able to find the memorial sites. However the bush has grown so much that this was just not going to happen.
I was able to tour the camp and to take some photographs which I have posted to my Flickr page here – https://www.flickr.com/photos/hickat...57658654199734
Although some of the camp is in serious disrepair many of the building have been converted to classrooms and offices.
I have tried to identify the use of each building but would welcome corrections.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/645/2...d028220a_b.jpgSalamanca Camp 2015 - Gate - 69 by Ian Morton, on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5825/...29077998_b.jpgSalamanca Camp 2015 - Barracks - 37 by Ian Morton, on Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hickatee/22260338794
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hickat...7658654199734/https://www.flickr.com/photos/hickat...7658654199734/https://www.flickr.com/photos/hickat...7658654199734/

I can't believe it's been so long the last time I visit this site but have a bit of news I will be in belize for the 40th anniversary for a small service and laying of a wreath