INSPECTOR OF MOUNTAIN RESCUE(IMR) WHO WHERE BASED WHEN Group Captain REG Brittain Air Ministry 1952-1954 Squadron Leader David Dattner OBE, AFC HQ Coastal Command 1954-1955 Sqn Ldr ‘Sandy’ A R Gordon-Cumming (a) Air Ministry 1955-1958 (b) RAF Staff College 1958 (c) RAF Leeming 1959 Squadron Leader John R Sims Air Ministry 1959-1967 Squadron Leader J D Cooke Ministry of Defence 1967-1970 Squadron Leader David Lofts Ministry of Defence 1970- INSPECTOR OF LAND RESCUE(ILR) Squadron Leader David Lofts Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b -1974 Squadron Leader John Vernon Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1975-1979 Squadron Leader Gordon J Blackburn Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1979-1985 Squadron Leader Richard aka Dick Foster Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1985-1988 Squadron Leader William aka Bill Gault MBE Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1988-1991 Squadron Leader Brian J Canfer Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1991-1995 Squadron Leader Colin Miller Ministry of Defence Main Building Room 2192 SAR1b 1995-1996 SO2 MRS- (replaced the post of MoD SAR 1b/ILR) Sqn Ldr Laurie Clarke HQ 18 Gp Northwood 1996-99 Sqn Ldr Tim Payne do 1999-2001 Sqn Ldr Chris Abbott do 2001 Sqn Ldr Shane Spence do 2001-3 Sqn Ldr Brian Mennie do 2003-4 OC MRS - post change due to move of MRS HQ to RAF Valley Sqn Ldr Brian Mennie RAF Valley 2004-5 Sqn Ldr Al Copeland do 2005-9 Sqn Ldr Marshal Kinnear do 2009-11 Sqn Ldr Paul Lipscomb do 2011-13 Sqn Ldr Steven Foulkes Do 2013- CHIEF INSTRUCTOR(CI) Sergeant Hans Pick Air Ministry 1944-1947 Warrant Officer Pitcairn Air Ministry 1947-1948 FS J D Archibald Air Ministry 1948-1950 Warrant Officer Alister Haveron. MBE, BEM RAF Kinloss/ MoD Main Building Room 2192 SAR 1c 1992-96 FS Nick Sharpe RAF Stafford 1997 FS William ‘Bill’ Batson RAF Leeming then RAF Stafford 1998-2003 FS Dave ‘Biffa’ Wilcox RAF Stafford then RAF Valley MRS HQ 2003-2008 FS Rusty Bale RAF Valley MRS HQ 2008-2013 FS Iain ‘Jocky’ Marr RAF Valley MRS HQ 2013- SO3 MRS Flight Lieutenant Chris Haward HQ 18 Group Northwood SO3 MRS 1994-1996

FLIGHT COMMANDERS Flt Cdr MRS (North) Warrant Officer Alister Haveron MBE, BEM RAF Kinloss 1996-97 Flt Lt Neil ‘Danny’ Daniel RAF Leuchars 1997 Flt Lt Ted Atkins RAF Leuchars 1998-2002 Flt Lt Dave Booth RAF Leuchars 2002-4

Flt Cdr MRS (South) Flt Lt P Lucas RAF Leeming 1996-98 Flt Lt M Shuttleworth RAF Leeming 1998-2000 Flt Lt J Dunn RAF Stafford 2000-2 Flt Lt S Beverley RAF Stafford 2002-4

MRS Flt Cdr (Logistics)/(Ops Support) – MRS HQ Flt Lt Marshal Kinnear RAF Valley 2005-7 Flt Lt Morwenna MacGillivray do 2008-10 Flt Lt Nicky Hey do 2010-2012 Flt Lt Paul Wright do 2012-Nov 2013 Post changed to Flight Commander wef Nov 2013 Flt Lt Paul Wright do Nov 2013-cMay 2014 Flt Lt Gareth Pattinson Do C May 2014-

MRS Flt Cdr (Operations) – MRS HQ WO Pete Winn RAF Valley 2004-9 WO David ‘Biffa’ Wilcox do 2009-2012 WO John Roe do 2012-Nov 2013 With the closure of the RAF Leuchars MRT in November 2013 the MRS HQ staff were restructured and this post was renamed WO MRS WO MRS WO John Roe Nov 2013-May 2014 WO Mick Morris May 2014 - TEAM LEADERS in alphabetical order of teams RAF Akrotiri Name and rank where known Dates as Team Leader Date Q awarded i.e. post 1952 George Bruce 1964-6 1962 David J ‘Curly’ Betteridge 1966-9 1955 John Hinde 1969-73 1961 Peter McGowan 1973-75 1965 Eric Henry 1975-76 1971 The Akrotiri team was withdrawn in 1976 RAF Aldergrove Knowles 1949 N/A The Aldergrove team disbanded in 1953, no further details have been researched, yet!

RAF Edzell Nelson 1953-54 J McKinley 1954- 1953 Jim Bulmer -1956 1954 In 1956 the team moved to RAF Leuchars on the closure of RAF Edzell RAF Harpur Hill Flt Lt David Crichton 1942-46 NA Jones 1952-54 NA N Didsbury 1954-55 954 Harry ‘Hammy’ Appleby 1955-56 1955 Peter G Davis 1956-57 1956 J Steed 1957-60 1957 JM Mooring BEM ?? but known to have been awarded the BEM for services ? to MR as Team Leader at Harpur Hill Harpur Hill closed in 1960 and the team moved to RAF Stafford RAF Kai Tak Ron Peart 1961-62 NK Archie Hay 1962-63 1954 Jack Baines 1963-66 1963 D C Reeve 1966-67 1964 The team was disbanded in 1967 when fixed wing flying ceased in Hong Kong, responsibility was transferred to a civilian, Civil Aid Service, MRU which the MRS helped to train and then retained an inspection responsibility for until the British handed back the Island and the New Territories to China in 1997. In 2011 the MRS resumed the Inspection role but on a quasi-commercial basis. RAF Khormaksar D Dewar 1960-61 1957 Colin ‘Pib’ Pibworth 1961-63 and 1965-66 1961 George ‘Geordie’ Patterson 1963-65 1963 When the British forces withdrew from Aden in 1966 Pib drove the teams vehicles along the Arabian coastline to RAF Sharjah, its new base in the Gulf. RAF Kinloss Name I/C team Date Q awarded C Gilbert 1946-8 NK Don Siddons 1948-52 NK F ‘Chiefy’ Ward 1952-53 NK FS Johnnie Lees 1953-54 NK Harry Bevis 1954-5 1954 Archie Hay 1955-6 1954 Donald Cooke 1956-8 NK Peter G Davis 1958-? 1956 I Martin Unsure-1961 1957 John Hinde 1961-68 1961 George Bruce 1968-70 and 1971-73 1962 Haslope John ‘Has’ Oldham 1970-71 1969 D C Reeve 1973-75 1964 Peter McGowan 1975-77 1965 Ray ‘Sunshine’ Sefton 1977-79 and 1980-81 1965 Jim Craig 1979-80 1976 Kas Taylor 1981-86 1975 Tom Taylor 1986-89 1976 David ‘Heavy’ Whalley 1989-92 1986 FS Jim Smith 1992-7 1986 FS Michael ‘Dan’ Carroll 1997-99 1992 FS Al Sylvester 1999-2001 1994 FS Neil ‘Kenny’ Kenworthy 2001-2004 1999 FS Mick Morris 2004-9 2002 FS ‘Das’ Steatham 2009-11 2002 FS William ‘Willy’ MacRitchie 2011- 2005 The Team should to RAF Lossiemouth in 201? now that RAF Kinloss has closed, meanwhile the team is affectionately known as the Kinlossie Team!

RAF Leeming MRTcommenced operations in 1959 after being re-located from RAF Topcliffe N Collighan 1959-61 1958 T Wilkinson 1961-62 and 63-65 1960 George Bruce 1962-63 John E ‘Taff’ Tunnah 1965-66 1963 Peter McGowan 1966-68 1965 R ‘Bob’ Stevenson 1968-70 1968 J West 1970-73 1969 Eric Henry 1973-75 1971 Sgt Alister Haveron 1975-77 1975 Sgt Peter Weatherill 1977-80 1977 Sgt Richard ‘Dick’ Allen 1980-83 1979 Sgt Richard ‘Dick’ Allen In 1983 the team moved temporarily to RAF Linton-On-Ouse Sgt Peter Kirkpatrick 1984-87 1983 Sgt William ‘Bill’ Batson 1987-89 1986 Sgt William ‘Bill’ Batson 1989-90 In 1989 the team returned to RAF Leeming 1986 Sgt Brian Webster 1990-92 1989 Sgt Paul ‘Quackers’ Duckworth 1992-5 1989 Sgt Alan Sylvester 1995-6 1994 Sgt David ‘Biffa’ Wilcox 1996-8 1996 Sgt Ian Ellis 1998-2000 1997 Sgt Graham ‘Jimmy’ Clethero 2000-2003 1996 Sgt David ‘Sumo’ Summerson 2003-7 2002 FS A ‘Maddy’ Maddison 2007-11 2007 FS Marcus Littler 2011- 2008

RAF Leuchars MRT created when the team moved from RAF Edzell in 1956, ceased Operations 26th November 2013. D Wilson 1956-57 1954 W ‘Bill’ Brankin 1957-63 1955 Peter G Davis 1963-65 1956 Jack Hendren 1965-67 1958 Ray ‘Sunshine’ Sefton 1967-70 and 1973-77 1967 John E ‘Taff’ Tunnah 1970-73 1963 Robin ‘Spoons’ Blyth 1977-81 1967 Mick Taylor 1981-84 1975 FS Donald ‘Don’ Shanks 1984-87 1977 FS ‘Heavy’ Whalley 1987-89 1986 FS Peter Kirkpatrick 1989-92 1983 FS William ‘Skinny Bill’ Batson 1992-8 1986 FS David ‘Biffa’ Wilcox 1998-2001 1996 FS Michael ‘Dan’ Carroll 2001-5 1992 FS Abbey Crombie 2005-7 2002 FS John Roe 2007-10 1999 FS Iain ‘Jocky’ Marr 2010-2013 2009 RAF Llanbedr established in 1945 when it moved from RAF Llandwrog Flt Lt Tom Scudamore SMO 1945-46 N/A Charles ‘Charlie’ Staff 1946-49 N/A The team moved to RAF Valley in September 1949 RAF Llandwrog Flt Lt George Desmond ‘Des’ Graham SMO 1941-44 N/A Flt Lt Thomas ‘Tom’ Scudamore 1944-45 N/A The team relocated to RAF Llanbedr in 1945 RAF Masirah I Jones 1972-May 1973 1972 British Army NCO May 1973-Oct 1973 N/A ?? can YOU help fill this gap? Colin ‘Pib’ Pibworth? ? RAF Masirah closed in 1975. RAF Millom N/K 1941-44 Flt Lt J Lloyd 1945 RAF Montrose Flt Lt B Harley 1944-45 N/A Flt Lt Stewart Duff 1945-49 N/A Nelson 1949-? N/A W McDonald ? ? RAF Nicosia J McKinley 1954-56 1953 Harry Appleby 1956-60 1955 Peter G Davis 1960-63 1956 George Bruce 1963-64 1962 In 1964 the team relocated to RAF Akrotiri RAF Saint Athan D Cooke 1953-55 William ‘Bill’ Brankin 1955-57 1955 Ian Martin 1957-58 1957 Jack Hendren 1958-62 1958 Geoff Barry 1962-3 1961 Michael Fearn 1963-5 1962 Len McNab 1965-67 1964 Colin ‘Pib’ Pibworth 1967-69 and 1975-76 1961 John E ‘Taff’ Tunnah 1969-70 1963 George Patrick 'Geordie' Armstrong 1970-72 1966 Robin ‘Spoons’ Blyth 1972-75 1967 Eric Henry 1976 then commissioned and went to RAF Leuchars and 1971 was Dep O i/c for several years. Thomas A ‘Tom’ Taylor 1976-79 1976 Tim Heaton 1979-81 1979 Trevor Loftus 1981-86 1981 Robert ‘Bob’ Foreman 1986-? 1986 Mark Troy -1989 1983 Peter Kay 1989-92 1988 Sgt Michael ‘Dan’ Carroll 1992-5 1992 Sgt Terry Moore 1995-8 1994 Sgt Richard ‘Rusty’ Bale 1998-9 1997 Sgt John Roe 1999-2003 1999 Sgt Peter Williams 2003-4 RAF St. Athan MRT closed in Nov 2004

RAF Sharjah MRT formed when the team relocated from RAF Khormaksar Colin ‘Pib’ Pibworth 1966-67 and 1969-71 1961 Harry Wagg 1967-68 1966 R S ‘Roddy’Shaw 1968-69 1966 RAF Sharjah closed in December 1971

RAF Stafford MRT created when the team relocated from RAF Harpur Hill T Wilkinson 1961- NK 1960 Ivor Burnett NK 1961 Archie Hay 1963-65 1954 John ‘Taff’ Tunnah 1965-66 1963 Jack Baines 1966-67 1963 R Shaw 1967-68 1966 John Thomas "Teuch" Brewer 1968-72 1968 Jim Morrison 1972-74 1971 R ?? MacGowan 1974-75 1972 Mick Taylor 1975-76 and 1980-81 1975 Jim Craig 1976-80 1976 Jim Morning 1981-82 1981 Don Shanks 1982-84 1977 Jim Green 1984-not sure 1983 Jim Patterson ? 1984 needs confirming 1983 Anthony ‘Tony’ Emsley 1987-89 1986 Pete Winn 1989-91 1986 Jim Smith 1991-92 1986 Sgt John Chapman 1992-5 1992 Sgt Carl van der Lee 1995-8 1994 Sgt Mark Hall 1998-2001 1997 CT Kevin ‘Kev’ Hewkin 2001-2 1996 FS David ‘Biffa’ Wilcox 2002-3 1996 FS Mick Morris 2003-4 Stafford MRT closed in Nov 2004

RAF Topcliffe A Aitchison 1952-54 NA G Avenall 1954-? 1952 Johnnie Lees -1955 NA David J ‘Curly’ Betteridge 1955-58 1955 Peter Graham Davis 1958-59 The Topcliffe team was re-located to RAF Leeming in 1959

RAF Valley established in 1949 when the RAF Llanbedr team moved there Sgt Charles ‘Charlie’ Staff 1949-52 and 1966-61 NA John ‘Johnnie’ Lees 1952-53 NA F ‘Chiefy’ Ward 1953-55 NA RA ‘Tony’ Bennett 1961-67 1961 John Calnan 1967-68 1966 Pete McGowan 1968-72 1965 Haslope John ‘Has’ Oldham 1972-75 1969 Jack Baines 1975-78 1963 Alister Haveron 1978-82 1975 Peter Weatherill 1982-87 1977 FS Peter Kirkpatrick 1987-90 and 1992-94 1983 FS Tony Emsley 1990-92 1986 FS Nick Sharpe 1994-96 Valley MRT ceased operations in September 1996 but reformed in November 2004 when Stafford and St Athan teams ceased operations. FS Phil ‘Ginge’ Williams 2004-9 2002 FS Steven Price 2009-2011 1999 FS Chris Campbell 2011-2013 2011 FS Lee Wales 2013- RAF West Freugh MRT W Pitcairn 1945-47 NA R Anderson 1947-52 NA D Wilson 1952-56 1954 J Caulfield 1956-57 The team was disbanded in 1957

The Desert Rescue team at RAF El Adem and the Jungle Rescue Team at RAF Changi were operated by the Near East Air Force and the Far East Air Force respectively and were never part of the MRS albeit there was some interchange of ideas and at least one IMR, John Sims, visited them. Anyone noting errors or omissions in the details above is requested to contact Brian Canfer, Chairman of the RAF MRA in order that it can be corrected. Tel 01743 352173 or 07929 088161 or preferably [email protected]