Remembering the Fallen
 

Apologies for the tardiness of this post but I had meant to post it the other day and then began a self imposed exile from the forum to get some work done!
We often say how 'we will remember them' but I thought I'd go one step further. Please humour me for a few moments whilst I ramble!
I remember an ITV documentary from about 1995 following an F3 Sqn through Maple Flag. Top Guns I think it was called. Anyway a Sqn Ldr pilot told how he'd known several people, maybe a dozen, who'd died in service and I, at the time, found it hard to believe. However as I sit here now it is terrifying how many mates and acquaintances have fallen along the way. So to add a personal note to my Rememberance Day I thought I'd list them. Some I knew better than others but I wish they could all be with their families right now.

Gp Capt Mike Seares
Sqn Ldr Ant Downing
Sqn Ldr Rimon Than
Lt Rob Dunn
Flt Lt Jon Egging
Flt Lt Sean Cunningham
Flt Lt David Sale
Flt Lt Steven 'Baz' Barrett
Flt Lt Adam Sanders
Flt Lt Hywel Poole
Flt Lt Andy Smith
Flt Lt Al Squires
Flt Lt Rachel Clarke
Flt Lt Manu Akhouri
Plt Off Steve Lawrence
Cpl Nick Lock

Apologies for the morbid nature of my post but when I say 'we will remember them' these are the faces I see.

Stay safe everyone.

BV

Lieutenant Marcus Case.

Lest we forget.

P.S, a great thread Bob.

The Roll of Honour in St Clement Danes might reduce you to tears or at least to a dark mood of quiet reflection. For those who died on duty, the panels of the Armed Forces Memorial at Alrewas provide an even more stark reminder of loss.


At present, I am seeking to get a name added to the memorial. He was a Master Pilot who died of a heart attack on the sea survival course at Mountbatten in 1966. The rub seems to be 'heart attack' but as it was induced by the cold water when he was undergoing training and on duty, I don't see the problem - outcome awaited!


Old Duffer

I was on the A14 and decided to find somewhere to pull in well in advance, a task which still proved almost impossible. Thankfully, I was in a Volvo 4x4 and decided to put some driver training to good use. The lay-by was full of middle aged blokes who looked broadly similar to me and after the two minutes, we all politely gave way to each other, drove off together and kept formation for a couple of miles, maybe subconsciously.. who knows. I sensed we had a similar background and the same agenda.

Well remembered Bob.

I lit a candle for bullseye, amongst other friends and family, in St Clement Danes early on the morning of the 11th. Audax omnia perpetti.

Lest We Forget.
Great thread, Bob, and well remembered. :-(

T.

BV - the TV program you're looking for is here: this is a link to one of the episodes.

It's a pretty poor facimile of what actually happened on Maple Flag. The book on the exercise, by Hugh McManners (ex RM and SBS with a MiD from the FIs), is so much better (in my opinion).

LJ :ok:

Yes, the first time I realised that this fast jet flying business was not a game was when poor old Phil "PMAR" Martin copped it at Chivenor very early on when I just started flying Hawks. I can also remember in the mid 90s it felt like I was going to funerals of mates 2-3 times a year. When I look to remember I find these websites help me remember the dates and their faces - it's absolutely spot when they say "they do not grow old" and it makes me realise how very lucky I have been with 2000hrs+ on Martin-Baker's finest without pulling the handle.

Hawk ejections

TORNADO ejections

LJ

LJ
 

I had assumed that if the worst happened that it would be mates on FJs that were most likely to come to grief. Sadly the first two mates I lost were on a Lynx and a Hercules respectively. It makes you realise that we all do a (sometimes) dangerous job.

BV

During the two minutes I remember Cpl Dave Williams. We were friends for but a few months during trade training but his loss shocked the Squipping world.
I also indulge myself in remembering PC Tony Jinks. He also served, albeit in a darker hue of blue.

And let us not forget the likes of Anne Marie Noble and wallah (Nick), both from this forum who served and lost the battle to that insidious enemy, Cancer. Their bravery was an inspiration to us all.

My Thoughts
 

For me, it’s the crew and pax of XV179; I felt (and still feel) honoured to have served with them.

It may be sobering to look at the wider picture.


Between 8 May 1945 and 30 August 2009, the RAF lost, through flying accidents and occasional enemy action, 9300 aircraft written off and there were in excess of 6000 fatal casualties resulting. Included in this last number are the (mostly) RAF pax in a trooping York, which crashed in Malta, and the parachutists - British and Italian - lost in a Hastings and a Hercules. It also includes the occasional casualty on the ground. The figures do not include military and dependents lost in another trooping accident over the Atlantic, nor generally does it include casualties in Korea. Until 1957, most Army casualties and aircraft losses are included in the numbers I have quoted.


If one studies the accident rates, in 1945 the RAF was losing up to ten aircraft per day and on a single day in March 1946, for example, 10 Sqn lost three Dakotas with their crews and air despatchers. If one looks at the MOD and RAF Museum websites, there is a copy of the RAF Historical Society journal dealing with flight safety and one of the papers deals specifically with post-war losses.


Old Duffer

Mike Harland was a true gent who was never too busy to speak to us groundcrew folk.

Teetering Towers is not a million miles from the National Arboretum at Alrewas, which I most strongly recommend. Too many mates' names inscribed there on the main memorial though. :(

"Too full already is the grave
Of fellows who were good and brave;
And died because they were."

Much dust blowing in the air there too ..............

22 June 1979. Flt Lt John Skinner, he was duty pilot in the morning and I at 17 yrs old was the local assistant. He as usual was trying to help me with the weather etc and then his face lit up. "Got a trip this afternoon Ian, USAF exchange officer can't fly" He was so made up, as he left he said "Enjoy your afternoon off, one day I will put you in the back seat"

The back seat happened but it sadly was not with him, (Jaguar T2 XX142)

Still haunts me, but every year I remember him.

Great thread BV, of course a few names on your list I knew as well, tragic that they were taken so early. Mike Harland as well, I was chatting to him as they signed for that aircraft to test it on that horrible day (worst ever in my RAF career), also Baz Barwood, who I was working with on 903. RIP all.

During my 8 years in the RAF I was very fortunate not to lose many mates - obviously as a nav' who went to the transport world I was somewhat sheltered from the harsh realities of pilot training and I knew hardly any of the fighter and bomber fatalities in my time.


IIRC 4 Shacks' were lost around late '67/early '68 and Dave Love (2nd nav on 205 Sqn's loss over The Indian Ocean ) was the only one I knew.


From my nav' course, 88, Harry Pittard died in a Canberra crash near Marham in '70 or '71.


Of the 3 Herc' fatal crashes, I only knew Tony Barrett, skipper who died at Colerne in Sept' '73 - I knew who Colin Harrison ( the skipper who died in the sea off Pisa, Nov' '71 ) was, and sadly saw the fireball from our Herc' 2 behind in the formation.


An old mate, Graham Young, died in the '93 Herc' crash in Scotland.


RIP you all - I still remember you.


Bob V


My Jag mate off-spring will have known several of those in your list - a name not there and one of the saddest unnecessary deaths was his best-man, brother-in-law and confidante, Grp Capt Tom Barrett - killed on his cycle by a white-van man outside Northolt.

May I respectfully give my condolences for all your losses.
As for yourselves, may the good Lord watch over you in what you do.
Be safe.

Frank Whitehouse (F6)
Peter Thompson (F6)
Graham Southard (C-130)