Tankertrashnav

See you PMs

Hi,
My childhood friend Terry Evans was a Flying Officer on board when this terrible tragedy happened. Reading these threads has sent shivers down my spine, because we were never told the truth about this accident, other than the Bomber went down in the North Sea killing all aboard and the bodies nor the plane were ever recovered. Now I know the events, it is very sad - such a terrible death for these brave aviators. Do you know if any relatives are still alive? His sister was Jennifer - I think both parents are dead.

Hi Nick Glynn, Long time no see. I,m Terry's sister Jenny(Jennifer). So supprised to see you on this site. I just stumbled upon it when I was searching info on Victors following a tv article about the v bombers. I am touch that you still think of Terry after all this time. Dad did die back in August 1991 but Mum is still very much alive and living up here near me.

Hello Steve, I,m Terry Evans' sister and the account we were given at the time was similar to those above. The buccaneer hit the victor in heavy cloud cover but returned unscathed. The victor exploded with no time for anyone to eject and the pilot was only blown clear and landed in the sea to be picked up by a boat. They said he broke his back.

Crash March 1975
 

Hi - just came accross your post - I was married to John Price the co-pilot on the Victor - the 30 year secrecy act is now up and the report is available - although nothing more comes out of it except that John was too short to reach the ejector handle - I do believe modifications were made after to accommodate shorter pilots under g force
Anne Knight (formerly Price)

Victor Accident
 

Kieth Hanscombe was my God Father and I visited him in Ely Hospital two days after the accident. I was born in 1959 and I guess in my teens- the accounts given are pretty accurate- a very tragic accident I'm so sorry that the RAF let you down by not giving you the full details. Keith was actually wearing a pair of golfing trousers under his summer flying suit and yes he was lucky to have been picked up by a passing ship. my father who was good friends with Keith may provide more details if that helps kind Rgds ian b

Mrs Lesley Taylor
 

I have just been looking for info on my brother in law Sq. Ldr Keith Handscomb, and I found a post from Madcat11 asking for the relative that returned Keiths uniforms to RAF Marham after he passed away in 2009. It was me Lesley Taylor, sister in law, I would be pleased to hear from Madcat11.

Hello Lesley,

It looks like Madcat hasn't posted here since 2009.

You could try and use the Private Message system which I believe will send an email to the address he registered here. If he's still using that address it should find him.

Click on Madcat's name in the first post and choose the Private Message option.

Good luck.

An unnecessary loss
 

Dear All,

The saddest thing about this accident was the sheer foolishness of it. The squadron concerned had asked for a 'phase briefing' for AAR, which was delivered, though only covered 'buddy-buddy' refuelling from a Buccaneer aircraft. That briefing was concluded with the strongest emphasis on the fact that any AAR with Victor tankers required the statutory course at Marham which, as we know, was not carried out. Instead, a Victor tanker was requested and the result was a totally avoidable and unnecessary loss of life.

The Cold War put great stress on a military system of which we can all be proud. Regrettably, it also resulted in some decisions of which we can be ashamed. This was one of them.

Steve PC
 

To Steve Crowther


I have only recently seen your comments made to this site in 2011. The last comment was dated the 17th June 2013. I knew your father Dave Crowther, Neddie Handscombe (the sole survivor and a Suffolk boy like me), Pete Slatter and Terry Evans (Terry and I crewed up together for the 232 OCU course prior to joining our squadrons) from my second tour on 57 sqn. I saw all the crew just before they climbed aboard the crew bus to take him out to XH618 (which we nick named the dream machine).


I would be very grateful if you would contact me david.card1@live .co.uk (or any relatives of Terry Evans, Pete Slatter or John Price). Next year will mark 40 years since this tragedy and I am sure that many of us would wish to meet, remember and pay our respects in an appropriate way.


Dave Card (Craddie)

To Dave Card
 

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.

A tragic affair. I remember it, Keith & Joan were our neighbours at Marham. My Dad was on 57 Sqn. My Mum first heard the news on the radio & quickly called the Squadron before the phones shut-down to be told that Dad was not on board.
The facts of Keith getting-out are documented, but he described pieces of aircraft falling alongside him as he floated down on his parachute. When he hit the north sea a nearby German fishing-boat helped rescue him. His survival Knife was mounted on a plaque in his hallway, presented back to him by the German boat crew who thought he was the pilot of an F-104, an aircraft which had a habit of crashing. The SAR helo was at maximum range and the SAR Crew were blowing into his immersion suit to bring his core-temperature up.
Neddy was a thorough gentleman and he & Joan were my surrogate parents when my folks were ever away.
ABS

Remembering 24th Mar 1975
 

Dear All,


It was 40 years ago that we lost some very good friends our thoughts are with them and their families.


I have a copy of the page in the St Clements Dane Book of Remembrance that records the loss of RAF aircrew in that month of March 1975 and details of the incident. Anyone wishing to get details try me [email protected]

I had the honour and pleasure to fly on Op Corporate with Neddy from May to July 82. Always a great time with one of nature's true gentlemen.

He also usually won "The Most Ridiculous Beach Shirt" competition.

HP Victor XH618
 

I was a crew chief on 214 at the time of 618's crash and at the time we had to check the Sdn aircraft for possible bombs


When I was researching for my Book on the Victor Published by Pen and Sword I was given a copy of the Court of enquiry by a Victor Captain who knew I was interested in the details of the crash .You will find a copy in Vol2 which deals with all the accidents to the Victor. The Navigator was supposed to be monitoring the pilot as he had been cleared to do that when on another Squadron I will not name him but he left the RAF as an Air Commodore and wrote articles on the "Men behind the medals." in Flypast


Manxman57

Founds a slide of John Price at Luqa
 

All,

I have known about this crash for many years, as my father (Flt. Lt. William (Bill) Duncan) used to fly as A.E.O. with 55 Sqn at Marham during the period it happened.

Recently I was home, looking through old slides and came across one of my dad with a pilot at RAF Luqa. I've never asked my dad before who was with him, I have no idea why.

'Why, that's John Price and myself' he said, '...at Luqa about 1972/73'.

He lived across the road from us in the O.M.Q.'s apparently.

It shows John larking about a wee bit. I thought it apt that a face be put to a name here; sadly I can't post attachments. Hopefully if this changes I can post the pic.

Yours aye

Paul searching
 

Hi Anne. I am a relative of John through the Price side of the family. I have been searching a long time to find family of John's he was my mother's cousin (Jeanne Price Bill's daughter from Cambridge rd) I hope you are keeping well, I understand if you do not reply as sometimes memories can be difficult anyway my email is [email protected] it would be good to hear from you and hear how you are doing. Take care Paul.

Bang seat handles on the Victor
 

I was on 55 1966/69 and remember the seat well.
There were two handles one above your head and another between the thighs. It was suggested to use the lower handle in a hurry but the upper if it was a premeditate ejection because the posture created reduced the severity of the inevitable back injuries.
The seat was designed when we wore flying suits only and when immersion suits with thick fleece inner overalls were issued the availability of the lower handle was reduced
I suppose a longer handle might have been introduced earlier but so might a great many of other improvements.

Village of Meldreth Connection?
 

I have read this thread with interest. My family used to have a connection with a village named Meldreth on the Hertfordshire / Cambridgeshire border.

I have a vague memory that one of the Victor crew lived in the village at the time, but due to the distance between Meldreth and Marham can't see that being correct. I have had this planted in my head since childhood. Any ideas out there?

TN.

I was the pilot of the SAR Whirlwind helicopter that picked Keith up and flew him to Scarborough hospital. If there are any family members around, I'd be happy to hear from them if they'd like to hear more about that rescue.
WW