RFI: Night CASEVAC: Radfan, Aden; 27 January 1964
 

I am an RAF Association welfare caseworker and I have been asked by a family member to visit a terminally ill RAF veteran who I am told served with 78 Sqn in 1964. I am planning to visit on Wednesday 25th April.

His daughter says he is increasingly anxious and disturbed about a particular mission he flew on 27th January 1964 - her summary of the incident are attached.

She has asked for my assistance with trying to find out about the 4 soldiers he rescued on this mission. She has apparently emailed and phoned the National Army Museum several times about it (without getting a response). She says her father needs to know whether these soldiers lived as a result of the risks he took that night - his mind won't rest otherwise. She says that the family have all reassured him many times that what he did was right and heroic, but he wants facts about what happened.

I have already approached the Aden Veterans Association but they are not able to assist as they don't hold historical records and I have also requested details of the patient admissions at RAF Steamer Point hospital on 27th and 28th January 1964 from the National Archives but that information will take weeks to arrive.

I really don't know where else to try to see if I can find some information to put this RAF veteran's mind at rest and give him the peace he so desperately needs in his final days.

Grateful for any ideas?!

Agatha

The report suggests that they went way beyond the call of duty at very great danger to themselves.
I know my thoughts won't help but, having done all they did, the survival of the soldiers was out of their hands.

Another great 100th Anniversary story.

Hi Agatha. Sorry, I can't help, and for some reason I can't pm you. However, I have sent a pm to one of our colleagues who may be able to help. Watch this space.

Hi Agatha, have put something on the PMRAFNS fb page.

Hi again Agatha. I'm sorry, but my contact was only involved at Thumier after the date you have there. Good luck.

Whatever the result, this seems a feat of airmanship that deserved an award, not a CM.
I'd have expected the Unit involved to have found a way to express their thanks, especially as it appears to have been a case of body bags if not rescued.

Whether or not you can ease his mind, please pass on the thought that what he did was in the real spirit of not just the RAF, but of all our Armed Forces, that they will do everything, including putting their own lives on the line to save others.

I wonder if there is a 78 Squadron Association which might provide more answers.

Nonetheless, please reassure him that what he did MUST have saved those lives. It wouldn't have been asked of them by the Army unless there was no other way. Like so many others, he was a brave man and put himself in danger, both at the time and possibly later if he feared some official censure (Why?) for this mercy mission.

We are thankful that men such as he are in the Armed Forces and prepared to do their best for the rest of us.

Thank him from me, at least, for his actions that day.

Is it possible that the soldiers were SAS and that their regimental association may be able to help?

Sincerely hoping for some closure here...

I've gone through the National Roll of Honour, plus the Aden Veterans' site roll of honour and one published in a 50th anniversary magazine for the same organisation; the Radfan campaign, is, of course, covered under their auspices. There are slight differences - I've taken the National one as definitive, using the others for service numbers which can be searched.

The following emerges:

1. No soldiers died at the end of Jan 64.
2. There are no deaths in February or March which might be men dying of their wounds
3. There is one death in April (Cpl Malcolm Davies, R Signals), where the circumstances of the death aren't easy to find online (not least as some sources put his death as May rather than the official record of 3 April) but the casualty is buried in what's now Yemen. Evidence from a death in October 64 suggests that repatriation to the UK of serious casualties took place, which makes me think that a two month gap between this death and the evacuation makes it less likely that this was one of the soldiers evacuated, although not impossible.
4. Only one death in May 64, Lance Corporal Wakefield of the RAOC, cannot be immediately attributed to an incident on the day of his death.
5. In June, Lt Handfield-Jones, RE was killed amd laid to rest in the Silent Valley cemetery. Again, one suspects that this is not related to the January incident.
6. Sapper David Asquith died in July, and again, the circumstances of his death have so far eluded an online search.
7. There are no deaths in August or September which could relate to the January evacuation.
8. There is one death in October, Bombardier Chapman, where the circumstances surrounding his death - like Lt Handfield -Jones and Spr Asquith - cannot easily be located searching online. S/Sgt Bourne died in the UK of wounds sustained earlier in the year.
9. From November & December, only Driver Smith (RASC) and Cpl Slater (R Sigs) could possibly fit (I've not had the chance to search for more detail yet, and shan't until tomorrow, I fear).

This is an imperfect piece of research. But it's a start. I would suggest that the evidence so far means that there is an high probability that if the four soliders were British (rather than Aden Protectorate Levies/ the FRA), the rescue effort saw them survive 1964 at the very least. Further research (the old fashioned way, using books) may allow the removal of some or all of the above names who might have died later as a result of injuries, and if anyone gets to Kew (which doesn't open until Tuesday), then the records from the hospital are likely to give the answer in due course. But for Tuesday, I'd say that the chances are that the evacuation did save those recovered, and certainly ensured that they lived for some time afterwards.

Posting a request for info in another place (A****) may possibly provide more details.

IG

Sounds like an incredible feat of airmanship and selflessness. I only hope that an answer can be found soon.

It's already there... and from which, we have the circumstances of the deaths of three of the men who might, in theory, have survived the evacuation, but died subsequently - and none did. While this still doesn't provide concrete proof of the casualties surviving to a ripe old age, it does increase the likelihood of at least some of the four casualties surviving for more than 12 months.

Where are the old Operational Record Books kept, National Archives? The one for 78 during that period might help.

There are no reports of deaths of British servicemen in the Times archive for that period. There is a report on 29th January, dated 28th:

"Two R.A.F. Hunter aircraft went into action yesterday and today against some 150 dissident tribesmen who yesterday killed two and wounded five Arab soldiers of the South Arabian Federal Regular Army (F.R.A.) in the Danaba area in the Radfan region, about 60 miles north of Aden"
so that sounds like the incident.

A very brave response and I think you can assure your veteran that there is nothing to suggest that his casualties died of their injuries.
As an aside, the RAF continues this - in Afghanistan at night there was a declared "no fly" period if the moon wasn't up, as visibility was virtually nil even with night vision goggles when the dust flew up on landing. The pilots for the MERT would always find a way to get in if needed for a casualty, no fly or not.

Given that the gentleman is in some distress and terminal, might it not forgivable if perhaps he be given the answer he desires to assuage that distress. Waiting for verification may take too long, and in any case, perhaps not provide his desired answer.

So, in short, in accordance with the highest standards of the RAF, he flew a mercy mission which undoubtedly saved the lives of those wounded men. No records exist to show these men died, so his prompt and unselfish regard for himself ensured these men survived.

Nothing to reproach himself for and had the RAF top brass known, he would probably have been recommended for an award, not censure.

A brave man and I hope this gives him the easing of his conscience he so badly needs.

I think you can find enough extracts from the information provided here to reinforce that "He did the right thing" so that he has the peace he desires.

Flt Lt James Buck, I salute you.

Seems somebody has written the squadron history. Not cheap to buy, but maybe the author knows something.

the UK price is £15.00

According to the blurb, and reviews, it's more a record of the squadron during WWII. I was tempted (ex 78), but I don't think it will cover the period when the unit was in sunnier climes.

Operations from Thumier in 1964
 

Operations from Thumier in 1964

NB Apparently Thumier was renamed Habilayn in 1966.

According to my very brief internet fumblings, because I am occupied elsewhere, Operation Nutcracker commenced on 4th Jan 1964 and ran for a couple of weeks. There was a pause then another op began right at the end of Jan. So the outstanding medal-deserving (including for Master Navigator Lee - is he still around ?) subject sortie probably took place in the ‘quiet period’ between the two specific ops.

Apparently British units did two month rotations at Thumier from Aden, and much of the campaigning was done by three battalions of the FRA based at Thumier. There were six FRA Infantry Battalions in all, plus other FRA specialist units formed from the earlier Aden Levies.

There’s a lot on the excellent ‘Radfan Hunters’ website Radfan and the Hawker Hunter

Below is a description of the early 1964 events - ROUTINE ADVENTURE | colonialfilm


See also - Brigadier Lunt - https://www.google.co.uk/search?clie....0.hfI-yPR8K5M

Two further points -
I have a copy of the 78 Sqn book on order. If there's anything relevant, I will put it up asap.

LFH-pere was doing ‘Radfan Hunters’ stuff with his 8 Squadron Ninak in 1927 or so.


Respect to all involved.


LFH



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