Nostalgia ?
 

Doing some logbook rummaging for a bit of 'research, and came across these . The CFS (H) was dated '69, and the Gardemoen 'triplets' were from the following decade.
Possibly some recognition among the members ?
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....711a3a3717.jpg


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6d8bb572e3.jpg

Clearly some wartime service amongst the CFS staff!

Indeed there was !
The chap in the dark uniform, on the far right of the front row, was the personal rotary instructor of our present King. He reckoned he, (Charlie) was good value and did a very commendable set of 'Goon' impressions, including, of course, 'Bluebottle' !
Two in from the right, back row was our USAT exchange officer. He was in charge of the other aircraft, when, as a pair, we went to do some cadet winching on Kinder Scout. We were caught in a nasty snowstorm and had to 'land out'. He later reported that he wouldn't leave the aircraft to 'stretch his legs', 'cos the ****** local sheep were savage ! :ok:
This was the era of the late George Puddy, the ultimate 'best boss' - front row seated, fourth from the right. Probably the best group I ever had the pleasure of working with !

When he was at CFS Ternhill, and I was flying a civvy Bell 47 temporarily based there in April 1970, he very decently came out in a Whirlwind and picked me out of a field when I had an engine failure and returned me to Ternhill. Also my boss in Bristow Aberdeen in the late 80s/early 90s.

Our paths may well have crossed !

At the mention of George Puddy....instantly smiled and enjoyed a flood of wonderful memories of that Man.

He was a kind, generous, warm, honorable and very decent person that added much to all he encountered.

When in his presence for official business or purely social (it being hard to tell the difference) he always had a happy demeanor and had all the time in the world for you.

Er, I assume that you mean the dashing and handsome Lieutenant Royal Navy....:uhoh:

Jack

I think Dennis Herret is third from the right, front row.

Dennis did my QHI upgrade from B2 to B1 in 1984 and told me the cautionary tale of how he once, as a B2 himself, during his student’s EOL in a Whirlwind 10 at around 300 feet agl, tried to place his hand on the collective to check where the student had it. He couldn’t find it so looked down and to his horror saw that it was at almost the fully up stop. Too late to recover, they piled in with very little rotor rpm.

SASless - Exactly so , and particularly in his unswerving defence of 'one of his men' when bullying attempts were made by 'starred' seniors !
Union Jack - ... of course ... and modest to a fault ! :D
Shy - spot on ! As good a Flt Cdr as George P was as a Sqdn Boss ! ...very happy times :ok:

"

That’ll be September 66. I was learning my Sioux checks in a briefing room in the Sunshine Hangar, glanced out of the window and watched that “landing”. It was a Wednesday; another Whirlwind went down in a corn field the next Wednesday. Being new to the rotary world, we assumed these regular events had to be part of the syllabus. I think Dennis’ student was later to become the first Mr Chinook.

I also recognise "Jim", the civvy tech instructor, bearded chap in the centre. Still there many years later.

Jim Poole - the master of the irritatingly correct question technique criticism.......

In the mid 90's a graduating QHI course did a fantastic skit with him being cavity searched by a customs officer who had dared to use the wrong question technique - bent over a trestle table the 'officer' removed a cyclic, a collective and finally a full Gazelle blade from beneath the tails of Jim's trademark lab coat.