I'm getting older, but my mates who died on that aircraft are not. I live in a street near to where Gibbo lived, every day I return home and think about him as I pass his turn off. Gary Nicholson, Bob and god bless them, the rest of the crew. We do remember them !

Smudge

Not Forgotten
 

Never Forgotten, I lay a memorial for them every year in York, I pass it every day I go to work...

Glass raised once again. Once again a surprise that another year has passed so quickly. Once again a reminder that some memories don't fade.

God bless.

RaPs
 

The correct date was Sunday 30th January 2005, 9 years ago yesterday.
Remembered every day. Thanks Airsound for that fitting tribute.

For anyone here who doesn’t know RaPs, I would just like to say that they epitomise the highest order of courage, dignity and steadfastness under extreme sorrow.

It has been a huge honour to have been involved with them and their tragedy, even from my distant periphery.

airsound

Long years ago I put Gary back together after a harsh training "experience". It was a pleasure. He made me laugh; life was for living - and we did. We were bollocked by the Sqn Cdr once for "conduct unbecoming" after a TACEVAL, and I had massive difficulty not bursting out with laughter at the look on his face. The last time I saw him was when we delayed out of Akrotiri to bring his crew home after their latest sojourn to he sand. When I went back to talk to him he was asleep. I didn't have the heart to wake him to catch up.........Oh! how I wish I had done so. Sleep peacefully, Gary, I shall hoist several in your memory in Swindon tonight.

Thinking as always of them.

XV 179
 

Ah yes - 179. Of all aircraft, that should be the one to cause the demise of those
guys. It used to be the bane of my life in the old days when we did the Changi slip and it WAS in the days before we carried a ground engineer.
Gary was a student I flew with during one of my tours as an instructor.
Always brings it home to you when you know one of the people concerned.
We lost a few people in the earlier days but you never get used to it.