Team Brief” Should Be Sent To: the Editor, Team Brief, UKMAMS Association, PO Box 1126, Swindon, Wilts, SN5 7WB

TTEEAAMM BBRRIIEEFF

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE UKMAMS ASSOCIATION ISSUE 44 JUNE 2002

Left: Herc and Chinook in Kabul 2002

Below: FO John Buchanan processes Argentine POW’s in 1982

INSIDE THIS EDITION:

Where Are They Now

Questionnaire Results

Life on UKMAMS Nov 01 – Jan 02

Afghanistan 2002

From the 540

Letters to the Editor

Views expressed in this Newsletter, unless otherwise stated, are not necessarily those of the Editor, the Association Committee or UKMAMS and are the personal views of the authors. All contributions and correspondence for inclusion on “Team Brief” should be sent to: The Editor, Team Brief, UKMAMS Association, PO Box 1126, Swindon, Wilts, SN5 7WB. E-mail: [email protected]

My God how time flies, once again I’ve lost the raffle and am having to produce this issue (most of it) in the absence of Mick who is ‘swanning’ in Downtown Kabul. Hopefully this time he’ll bring back some photos as the assistance from the majority of the Squadron has not been that noteworthy. There were some photos included as part of an article in the Swindon Advertiser but obtaining them is proving difficult.

By the time you read this a lot of the present serving personnel will be sporting a new medal – the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal. Although even the criteria for this will cause some angst as you have had to have been serving for at least five years to qualify! The content of this issue may be lacking a squadron input for the last three months as I’ll leave that topic to Mick. A lot of personnel are (obviously) still away, the guys on MAMF are doing their six week stints whilst quite a few from BAMF are now on four month detachments to all points East. Remember the comment “We will definitely only be in Afghanistan for three months…”

Meanwhile from darkest Africa (Kenya) we hear that Sean Culligan was shot in the foot during a confrontation with some armed burglars in his neighbours house. I believe he has had to travel to South Africa for treatment. There has bee even more bad news over the last quarter. Since the last issue of Team Brief I’m afraid Ian Thompson passed away in late March, Ian (59) had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease for the last five years and finally succumbed to it. Just as unwelcome was the news that Ray Webster died of a heart attack at home in Notts in late April. Ray (54) had relocated from Cirencester to Long Eaton a few years ago when he started work for British Midland Airways.

On a lighter note the winner of the Questionairre survey was Brian Hunt who will shortly receive his cheque for £100. The findings of the survey may/should be published in this Newsletter. Whilst on the subject of questionnaires’ there should be one included in this issue for you to complete and return only if you cannot attend the AGM on 31st August to be held at Lyneham.

The appeal for stories through threats was responded to by one member and good reading it makes. Funnily though he was not the individual being threatened with being ‘outed’ but it just goes to show that people continue to repeat the same situations hoping they’ll never surface again in the future. We’ve still not received any correspondence from our antipodean colleague and the Kiwis have now gone back to New Zealand without ever meeting the guys on BAMF. I believe they did a good job but obviously cannot comment first hand. The cupboard is not just full of commisioned skeletons and maybe’s, a few tales from the annals of Jim Buchanan, Hugh Curran etc need an airing…

Now that Ian has set the tone I’ll continue…… as you will read, I got back in time to complete this edition of the magazine. There is a pretty big contribution from the membership in this one….a good sign perhaps. Its amazing the response when you make the odd mistake, or Ian recalls another incident that everyone had thought was forgotten!!! Hugh Curran will now get another mention as I bumped into him in Kabul. It takes a Scotsman and an Antonov 124 to break the beer blockade. ……….enjoy this edition…..and thanks to everyone who contributed……..Mick.

2 Where are they now, what are they doing? By Ian Berry

Mark Bagnall (Baggy) is still serving and is presently a Sgt employed on the Air Movements Squadron at Brize Norton. Dave Roberts lives in Gloucester and flies as a Loadmaster on DC8 freighters for Intavia, at present he has not renewed his membership. Terry Hoy is now retired and lives in Sleaford in Lincs, sadly his wife Brenda died a few years ago whilst they were on holiday in Australia. Douggie Armstrong lives in Swindon and is a Manager for a local security firm, he too has not renewed his membership but we’re hoping Merv Corke will work on him! Bryan Morgan (ex-OC UKMAMS) is we believe now retired and lives in the Abingdon area. Sam Heaphy has now retired from the Royal Mail and lives in Wootton Bassett where he is actively involved as Secretary of the Wootton Bassett Rugby Club as well as Welfare Member for the Association. John Dunstall now lives and works in the Tetsworth area of Oxon and is yet another who has not renewed his membership. Gid Wych is still serving and is presently a Sgt serving overseas on the Air Movements Flight in Gibraltar. John McGrath lives in Thornton, Lancs and is employed in the Prison Service. Steve Duke is also still serving and is presently a FSgt on UKMAMS but lives and works at the Joint Air Mounting Centre at South Cerney. Andy Thomson is also still serving and is presently a Wing Commander last seen departing Lyneham for a 6 month tour in Seeb. He has not renewed his membership even though we allowed him use of the VIP lounge! Dave Barton is now retired and lives in Kings Lynn. He was up till recently still an active sailor and is still busy ‘penning’ his memoirs! Les Charlesworth lives in Worcester and worked for Securicor although he may now have retired. Arthur Rowland is now retired and lives in St Ives. Meirion Jones lives in Barry, South Glamorgan and works for Servisair at Cardiff Airport. John Osborne lives in Lincoln and owned his own surgical instrument company. Pete Cowan lives in Carterton and works as a civilian in the Supply Squadron at Brize Norton. Pete had a heart scare earlier in the year but is now as fit and well as ever. Mike Stepney retired as a Sqn Ldr and now lives and works in the Staffordshire area. Chas Cormack left the RAF some five years ago and spent a lot of time with 4624 Movs Sqn, RAuxAF. He was ‘called up’ during the Kosovo conflict and spent his time as a DAMO at Lyneham. He lives in Swindon and now works for Asda/Wallmart. Keith Simmonds lives in Calverton near Nottingham and works as a Transport Manager. Roger Wood was last heard of living in Godmanchester and worked as a Manager of a firm manufacturing plastic pipes. He has failed to renew his membership. Jeremy Porter is still serving and is presently a Sqn Ldr serving on the Headquarters Staff at Vincenza in Italy, prior to that he was the last SAMO at RAF Bruggen and oversaw the close-down. John Billingsley is still serving and is presently the Warrant Officer i/c Air Movements Flight in Ascension. He is there with his wife on his last tour of duty and will leave the RAF in March 03 on return to UK having forfeited his rights to resettlement so as to remain at Ascension. David Gamble (ex-OC UKMAMS) now lives in retirement in Plymstock near Plymouth. Peter Wood (ex-NEAF MAMS) lives in Sutton Courtenay near Abingdon and works in the local area, he too has failed to renew his membership. Geoff Simpson lives in Henfield, West Sussex and works for Intavia Cargo Airlines as their Senior Loadmaster. John Gardiner left the RAF some two years ago as a Sqn Ldr. He now works for a firm dealing with miners claims for compensation concerning lung diseases. Fred Kitts now lives in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear after working for man years in Saudi Arabia, he too has not renewed his membership. Liam Devlin lives in Swindon and works as a paper buyer for a local printing firm. Bob Parker is still serving and is presently a Sqn Ldr working we believe at RAF Brampton. Mike Young although no longer a member is still serving and was last known to be a Flt Lt based at HQ AFCENT in Belgium. Tug Wilson lives in West Swindon and works at Honda. Mick Steed lives in Newport on the Isle of Wight and works in the Prison service at HMP Parkhurst. Tony Freeman lives in Gloucester and works at RAF Innsworth as a Sqn Ldr full time with the RAuxAf. Rick Galvin (ex- MAMS Eng) lives and works in Grantham in Lincs but has not renewed his membership for two years. Andy Marshall is still serving and is presently a Flt Lt working at HQSTC at High Wycombe. Ray Ralph is still serving and is presently a WO who has recently left UKMAMS as TSO and moved on to Brize Norton where he has taken over the reins from Graham Fitzgerald as the new C17 Standards Officer.

3 UKMAMS Association Questionnaire - First Results

First of all, many thanks to those who took the trouble to complete the Questionnaire, including those who did so on the Internet. Trawling through all the written comments has not been fully completed but an analysis of the “tick boxes” has produced the results discussed below.

The response from Association members was reasonable with 82 completing the form and another 63 using the Internet to reply. That represents about 35% of the paid-up membership. In addition, some 26 former members took part in the Questionnaire. Although all SAMOs were asked to encourage all their squadron members to participate, a total of only 38 people who have never served on UKMAMS did so. As a result, their views are not as representative of the Trade as we would wish and this must be taken into account when we make decisions about the future of the Association. Some 55% of replies were from those who no longer serve in the RAF.

First, let me deal with the results that were clear cut and gained virtually unanimous approval from both Association members and those who have not joined. All but one person wanted an Association and they also agreed with the continuance of our main objectives. The value of the Quarterly Team Brief was endorsed by 98% as a means of keeping members in the picture including the many who are not on the Internet. It is worth noting here that the UKMAMS OBA Website with its 150 plus members, run with great dedication and style by Tony Gale in Canada, has less than a third of the numbers of our Association. The Team Brief therefore remains a vital method of communication to our membership.

Over 95% understood the need for an annual subscription to fund the Team Brief and other objectives of the Association and the majority preferred to subscribe by standing order. There was huge support for regional “meet and greets” and social events, but a wide variation in the preferences for events in Swindon or Lyneham and how frequently larger events should be held. Lastly, there was near unanimous agreement that the Association Council should be run along similar lines to current arrangements.

Now let me turn to the meat of the Questionnaire, which asked whether the Association should be made open to all Movers and renamed. On the question of offering full membership to all RAF Movers, there was majority approval to do so, not only from non-members, but also from current members (non-members voted 68% in favour; Association member vote was 63% in favour). Similar proportions voted to invite Movers from other countries with strong links with the RAF to join the Association. However, the renaming of the Association proved more controversial. Although a majority voted not to rename the Association (the suggested title was “The Movements Association”) and this was understandably the strongest feeling amongst members with 64% against, the non-members support for the new title was, surprisingly, only 52% in favour. Internet respondents were slightly more in favour of renaming the Association (55%)

Lastly, the replies to the question of merging of the Association Website with the OBA Website were split along similar lines with a small majority in favour of the merger and also in favour of seeing extracts of Team Brief posted on the site. More discussion of the way ahead is needed before we change our current Association.

What is clear is that there is strong support for the maintenance of an Association for Movers that value the issue of a Quarterly magazine/newsletter to keep members in touch with Squadron and general Movements activities. There is also strong acceptance of the need to pay a subscription, which needed to support the magazine/newsletter and the other objectives of the Association. There is very wide support for the way that the Association is run by its Council and for the objectives of the Association. Regional and Swindon/Lyneham “meet and greets” and social activities are popular. The broadening of full membership has majority support, but the renaming of the Association is less popular.

The Council is digesting the results of the Questionnaire and will bring forward proposals to the AGM in August for members to discuss.

4 (BE THERE – 1100 hours, Saturday 31 August – just prior to the Open Day and with free beer and food chits for those who attend the AGM)

The proposals will reflect the results of the Questionnaire and take account of the written comments many included in their responses. I think that it is healthy to re-examine the basis of the Association to ensure that it meets the aspirations and interests of its members and also to look outward to see if we should broaden its appeal to those who have not served on the Squadron.

Thank you again to those who took part. The prizewinner of the Questionnaire Draw was Brian Hunt and Colin will send £100 to him in the near future (he has paid his subs hasn’t he editor?)

Bob Dixon Chairman UKMAMS Association

LIFE ON UKMAMS

November 01 – Jan 02

November

BAMF - Tasking continued apace in November, particularly with the recovery of Ex Saif Sareea II and a number of aircraft for Ops Bessemer and Oracle. Although certain movements elements had to remain behind in Oman for Op Veritas and Op Oracle, November saw the conclusion of the exercise. The Foreign Aircraft Movements Section had a slow start to the month with the first aircraft coming from the Royal Jordanian Air force. This was delivering the advance party for the King of Jordans Royal visit to the UK. Later in the month visits from the Greeks with a C130 and the final aircraft of the month was from the Kuwaiti Air force.

MAMF – November saw the anticipated return of the majority of the 40 personnel from Masirah, Muscat and Thumrait at the successful conclusion of Ex Saif Sareea II. Many of the MAMF personnel had spent the full 3 months working extended days in extremely hot and dusty conditions, whilst only having the most rudimentary tented accommodation. This said, a number of personnel did remain behind to support Op Veritas. During the exercise the 3 main locations handled 4601737 Kgs of freight, 31672 passengers and 1221639 Kgs of baggage. Throughout the month other tasking continued with the usual Op Silkman runs to Sierra Leone and another number of tasks in support of the Royal Navy to Diego Garcia and Malta.

5 December

BAMF – Tasking figures were slightly down this month, as expected for the time of year, although re-supply for Ops Veritas and Oracle continued throughout the month. The expected quiet Christmas day was disrupted by a pair of Antonov 124’s arriving as part of the Ex Saif Sareea II redeployment. Fortunately the first one did not arrive until mid afternoon, which meant that most of the shift got to spend at least some of the day at home. The Foreign Aircraft Movements Section had another visit from the Jordanians this month, followed by a French C160 and a Norwegian C130.

MAMF – Routine tasking was fairly quiet during December, although there was a last minute push for people preparing to cover standby for the Op Fingal deployment to Afghanistan. Recce teams, including OC UKMAMS deployed before Christmas and Kabul was identified as the APOD. Work then commenced to repair the runway and make good the old terminal buildings which would be the base for the troops. Flt Lt Stu Gregory led the initial deployment team to Bagram Airbase to await call forward instructions to Kabul. Other team members were FS Taff Woods, Cpl’s Charlie Warden and Phil Stacey and SAC’s Shaun Walker, Steve Hicks, Lee Musgrove and Murray Hawken. Other tasking continued throughout the month with the routine Op Silkman re-supply and Flt Lt Shawn Bellas RAAF with SAC Matt Atkins assisted the RAFLO Banja Luka with the movement of the Ghurka band and instruments. FS Paul Sykes and Cpl Figgy Fitches even managed a States job, recovering senior officers from the Staff College on Ex Georgian Comfort at Lawson AFB.

January

BAMF – A slight increase on the average aircraft handled for BAMF this January, but despite this the number of passengers and cargo tonnage was down. Even with the contribution of IL76 aircraft chartered for Op Fingal re-supply to Bagram and Kabul. The JAMC at south Cerney continued to be extremely busy with processing of the chalk passengers and freight before being despatched to the airheads. BAMF provided one Cpl and two SAC’s to assist both the JAMC and Brize Norton Movements Squadron. The Foreign aircraft Movements Section’s workload remained high with visits from Sweden, Belgium, Egypt and Canada, all with C130’s. Yet another Jordanian arrived this month, this time with an armour plated Mercedes for use by King Hussain II of Jordan.

MAMF – The start of the year saw no respite for MAMF. 5 more personnel were deployed for Op Fingal, this time to Thumrait and Muscat to support the increased aircraft flow into Afghanistan. Once the APOD in Kabul had been activated 12 personnel deployed via Oman to achieve full operating capability. The team provided 24 hour cover and handled many types of aircraft, including RAF C130 and C17,chartered IL76 and AN 124, plus various aircraft from other nations. The team was augmented with the arrival of 10 New Zealand Air Force Movements personnel who were attached to the squadron for 4 months for the Op, and 3 New Zealand Army personnel, who were subsequently detached to the ATLO staff at 29 Regt RLC and deployed to Kabul. In addition to all this, Karachi was identified as an FMB. Flt Lt Jo Tribble led a team of 5 and located at a rundown airport hotel. Initially this allowed larger payloads to be carried out of Thumrait as Karachi could then be used for fuel, although some ‘political’ difficulties did not allow the airheads capabilities to be fully utilised.

My apologies for the extremely abridged version in this edition – with the vast amount of correspondence space has become limited…Ed. 6 FROM THE 540

By Ian Berry

1967 – 35 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

West Raynham – Exercise Thermal Cannon. Fg Off Nigel Sanders plus 5. Deployment of 6 Sqn (Hunters) to Libya.

Tours – Exercise Spitfire. Fs John Dunstall plus 4. Movement of crated Spitfire to Tours in France.

Nassau – Exercise Pole Vault. Fg Off Robbie James plus 2. Positioning of perconnel of 12 Engineering Group from to Uk to British Honduras.

MAY

West Raynham – Exercise Long Hook. Sqn Ldr Bill Jacobs plus 2 officers and 4 airmen. Deployment of 41 Sqn (Bloodhound) to El Adem.

Thorney Island – Exercise Troutcall. FS J.C.Knott plus 2. Deployment of 38 Gp TCW from Tangmere.

Palisadoes – Exercise Calypso Hop. Fg Off John Furney plus 2. Deployment of 1Bn Lancashire Regt from UK to Spain.

JUNE

This month opened with 7 teams on 72 hours readiness to support any Air Transport activity rising from events in the Middle East (6 Day War) and Nigeria.

Valkenburg – Special. Fg Off Bill Halford plus 2. Loading/unloading Andover from Holland.

Odiham – Special. Fg Off John Furney, Plt Off C.F.Clark plus 7. Deployment of Wessex helicopters of 72 Sqn on Belfast and eqpt and personnel on Argosy and Comet 4 aircraft.

Thorney Island – Special. Sgt John Bell plus 3. Loading of S&D Argosy Flt 5534.

Fredricton – Exercise Pond Jump West. Fg Off Bill Worsley plus 5. Positioning of 1Bn Green Howards in Canada.

Le Bourget – Special. WO Jack Gibson plus 2. Delivery of personal effects of Air Cdre McDougall to Paris.

Celle – Special. Fg Off Robbie James plus 4. recovery of Spurling Passenger steps from Germany after Royal visit.

1972 – 30 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

Gioia del Colle – Exercise Dawn Patrol. Flt Lt Bill Wellman, FS Reg Carey, Sgt Eddy Leonard, Cpl Dave Wilkin, SACs Polly Parkin and Terry Fryer. Deployment of 12 Sqn (Buccaneers) from Honington to Italy.

Bruggen – Special. Fg Off Gerry Keyworth, FS Bob Hope, Sgt DK Henderson, Cpl Jimmy Jones, SACs Tim Newstead & Ian Place. Deployment of photographic trailer from Germany to Amman, Jordan.

Wyton – Special. Sgt Ivan Gervais, Cpl Tommy Blues & SAC Bob Ford. Deployment of 55 Sqn (Victors) from UK to Barbados.

MAY

Furstenfeldbruk – Special. Fg Off Steve Richmond, Sgt Ben Johnston, Cpl Eddy Mottram. Uplift of 10 sailing dinghies for the Olympic Team.

Nairobi – Special. FS Tony Lamb, Cpl Keith Simmonds, SAC Fred Kitts. Recovery of personal effects of Air Cdre Knight from Pretoria to UK.

Kingston – Exercise Calypso Hop/Coral Diver. Fg Off Pete Simpson, FS Don Wickham & Cpl Jim Gallagher. Deployment of personnel & equipment of 4 Para from UK to Jamaica.

JUNE

Addis Ababa – Exercise Minton. Flt Lt Charles Collier, FS Tony Lamb, Sgt Ben Johnston, SACs Fred Kitts & Keri Eynon plus 1. Recovery of 15 Field Sqn RE from Ethiopia to UK.

Ascension Island – Exercise Rabelais. Fg Off Brian Clucas, FS Taff Thomas, Sgt Ivan Gervais, Cpl Tommy Blues & SAC Bob Thacker. Recovery of Army Signals Unit back to UK.

Calgary – Exercise Macleod. Flt Lt Gus Hatter, FS Ken Browne, Sgt Ross McKerron, Cpl Ian Berry, JT Gordon Gourdie & SAC Bob Tring. Deployment of advance party of Battle Group to Canada.

1977 – 25 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

Yumdum – Special. Sgt Mick Day plus 2. Recovery of 1Bn QLR (Queens Lancashire Regiment) and 20 Field Sqn RE from Gambia to UK.

Leuchars – Operation Tansor. Sgt Dave Wilkin plus 2. Recovery of 57 Sqn (Victors) from Leuchars to Marham.

Lossiemouth – Sqn Ex. Fg Off Forbes Patterson, FS Terry Hoy, Cpl Dinger Bell, SAC Alan Webb plus 2. Deployment of 8 Sqn (Shackletons) from Scotland to Coningsby.

8 MAY

The beginning of May was very busy for the sqn, The reinforcement of Northern Ireland occurred over the period 29th April – 2nd May and involved 4 teams at Aldergrove and all base personnel at Lyneham. The airlift went very smoothly with approx 80 aircraft involved with an average turnround time of 20 mins.

Vancouver – Special. Sgts Al Potts & Alan Soane plus 1. Delivery of ships propellers to Vancouver for an LCT which had run aground.

Karup – Exercise Bold Guard. Flt Lt Don Fell, FS Terry Alfonso plus 1. Deployment of personnel and eqpt from 12 Sqn (Buccaneers) from Honington to Denmark.

Decimomannu – Sqn rotation. FS Dave Barton plus 5. Recovery of 41 Sqn (Jaguars) to UK and deployment of 15 Sqn (Jaguars) from Bruggen to Sardinia.

JUNE

Machrihanish – Special. Cpls George Lynes & Paul Weir. Offload Allison engine and change kit for u/s Herc in Scotland.

Sola/Stavanger – Special. Flt Lt Len Henry plus 5. Recovery of 819 NAS (SeaKings) from Norway to Prestwick.

Benbecula – Missex. FS Karl Graffham plus 5. Recovery of 50 Missile Regt (Lance) from the Hebrides Ranges to Germany and the deployment of 37 Sqn (Rapiers) in reverse.

1982 – 20 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

The Falkland Islands were invaded by argentine Forces on 1 April, within 24 hours the first MAMS team led by Flt Lt Jim Stewart along with FS Stu Everitt, Sgt John McClymont, Cpl Steve Perry and SACs Kit Kitson and Dave Salmon were on their way to Ascension to set up an Airhead.

Far East – Operation Corporate. FS Dave Wright plus 5. Movement of RN personnel and equipment from Far East back to UK.

Gibraltar – Operation Corporate. FS Ian Berry, Sgt Tony Dunphy and Cpl Chris Thistle. Reforce of Gibraltar Air Movs Flt.

Leuchars – Operation Corporate. Plt Off Simon Baxter, FS Ian Berry, SAC Neale Harrison plus 3. Movement of timber for SS Uganda to Gibraltar and missiles for use by the Task Force.

Ascension Island - 1982 9 MAY

Boosted by reforce from suppliers the squadron had a total of 4 teams operating in Ascension, a half team in Gibraltar and 2 men in Dakar. 16 teams were created and operated during this period with the help of the Base flight. In addition to the plethora of service freight for the South Atlantic the squadron was also tasked to move tons of donated beer and adult magazines amongst others. The teams in Ascension witnessed the reception of POW’s, repatriation of the HMS Sheffield survivors and the Vulcan departing on it’s Black Buck missions.

Cold Lake – Exercise Maple Flag. Flt Lt Ian Drake plus 2. Recovery of Jaguars from Canada to UK.

Leuchars – Exercise Tardy Spectre. Fg Off Joe Joseph plus 5. Deployment of 43 Sqn (Phantoms) from Scotland to Rygge in Norway.

Bruggen – Exercise Glade Jaunt. Sgt Ian Newlands plus 2. Deployment of Jaguars from Germany to Sardinia.

JUNE Ascension Island - 1982

This month saw the final assault on Stanley and surrender of the Argentines. One unfortunate incident was when a VC10 operating under a Red Cross callsign landed at Montevideo and Shrike Missile test equipment was found on board. This was a result of indecisiveness on certain deplaning passengers but consequently the hierarchy tried to blame the MAMS Det. Fortunately, the man in the frame, FS Gordon Gray had kept a hard copy of all the conversations with UK and so they looked for someone else to blame. (I believe as a result of this incident no Movements personnel were included in the medals list! Ed)

The first MAMS team to deploy to Port Stanley post-surrender were Flt Lt Andy holliday, FS Dave Wright and Cpl Steve Munday. They were quickly followed by Fg Off Kettell, Sgt Taff Price, Cpls Jim Rice & Smith, SACs Neale Harrison, Brian McVeigh and Alan Kilpatrick.

Pisa – Exercise Fleet Buoy. FS Jim Cunningham plus 2. Deployment of 5 Sqn (Lightnings) to Italy. Stanley Airport – Late 1982

Cairns AFB – Special. FS Roy Armstrong plus 2. Delivery of an Auster aircraft to Cairns Museum and recovery of a Cessna L19 back to UK.

Dover AFB – Special. WO Merv Corke plus 5. Collection of RHAG equipment from USA to UK utilising 10 aircraft.

10 1987 – 15 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

Cape Canaveral – AUTEC. Wg Cdr Richard Mighall plus 3. Deployment of Royal Navy personnel to Florida as part of torpedo trials.

Kuala Lumpur – Exercise Nelson’s Glory. Flt Lt Chris Goss plus 3. Recovery of elements of UKLF back to UK.

Singapore – Exercise Palm Frond. Flt Lt Mike Stepney plus 1. Positioning of 101 Sqn (VC10) Tanker support equipment in the Far East.

MAY

Cold Lake – Exercise Maple Flag. Fg Off Harvey plus 2. Recovery of 6 & 41 Sqn (Jaguars) from Canada to Coltishall.

Odiham – Puma Rotation. Flt Lt Andy Gell plus 5. Onload and offload of a Puma to/from Belize.

Vaerlose – Exercise Bold Guard. FS Colin Allen plus 3. Recovery of elements of UKLF from Denmark to UK.

JUNE

Bergen/Andoya Special. FS Martyn Skelton plus 5. Deployment of 360 Sqn (Canberras).

Stavangar – Special. FS Brian Goswell. Support to Red Arrows.

Binbrook – APC. Fg Off Dick Page plus 2. Deployment of 5 Sqn and recovery of 11 Sqn (Lightnings) to Akrotiri.

1992 – 10 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

The Squadron was involved with several small Mineval exercise during the month in preparation for the Taceval. WO Colin Allen, TSO, became the first MAMS WO to be the CMC of the Sgts Mess since WO Reg Carey in 1976. The Foreign Aircraft Section loaded over 5 tonnes of 1.1D explosives to an Italian C130 to assist with the ‘controlling’ of Mount Etna which was in full flow. No useful info can be extracted from the 540 for MAMF.

MAY

During this month a 20 ft bronze catafalque was delivered to Malta to commemorate their part in WWII. To facilitate it’s offload a Condec was deployed to Luqa, Flt Lt Paul Stanford was made the project officer. The great event of the year was the 25th Anniversary celebrations of the Sqn organised by the newly formed UKMAMS Association during the weekend 23rd – 25th. Over 450 attended the Friday ‘Meet & Greet’, 1,000 at the Families Day and 600 for the Dinner Dance. Flt Lt Bob Plant plus 5 were selected to represent the Sqn on the forthcoming Rodeo Competition. On MAMF Fg Off Erica Best led a total of 24 personnel on Exercise Pegasus Fury, the biggest 5 Airborne Brigade exercise for two years. No further useful info can be extracted from the 540.

JUNE

The squadron were involved in several more Minevals in preparation for the forthcoming Taceval. This month also saw the wives of the Sqn deploy to Jersey on the Annual Welfare Flight, a guaranteed good day out. The team competing in Airlift Rodeo led by Flt Lt Bob Plant finished a creditable second in the Foreign Competitors section. No useful info can be extracted from the 540 for MAMF.

1997 – 5 YEARS AGO…

APRIL

Brazzaville – Operation Determinant. Sgt ‘Hoss’ Wall, Cpls Phil Armitage & Kev Skinner. Resupply of British troops in Zaire.

Brunei – Exercise Setia Kewan/Nyanga Stone. Flt Lt Arnold, FS Martin Turner, Cpl Craig Fitches, SACs Owen, Brooks and Lucy Crafts. Rotation of troops and equipment in Brunei for Jungle Warfare training.

Bandirma – Exercise Distant Thunder. Flt Lt Dave Jarvis, FS Martyn Jones, Cpls ‘Pidge’ Thomson & Dave Clancy. Deployment of 9 Sqn (Tornados) to Turkey.

MAY

Corlu – Exercise Ardent Ground. Flt Lt Rich pratley, Sgt Taff Isaac, Cpl Craig Fitches, SACs Andy Waite, Pennington & Harrison. Recovery of elements of AMF to UK.

Bandirma – Exercise Distant Thunder. Flt Lt Damien Alexander, FS Dave Williams, Sgt Martyn Southall, Cpl Dinger Bell, SACs Craig Heath & Fraz Tobin. Recovery of 9 Sqn (Tornados) from Turkey to Marham.

Brunei – Exercise Typhoon Dart. WO Ian Berry, Sgt Martin Hughes, Cpls Blue Hughes, Ed McDowell & Dinger Bell. SACs Scoggy Scoggins & Karen Cunningham. Recovery of 22 SAS, SBS and 657 Sqn AAC from Brunei to UK.

JUNE

Eilson AFB – Exercise Cope Thunder. Sgt Taff Wood, Cpls Cam Patterson & Adie Tew. Route support for the GR1 (Tornado) trail to Alaska.

Bardufoss – Exercise Snow Goose. Flt Lt John Fairgieve, FS Nigel Robinson, Sgt Hoss Wall, Cpl Charlie Warden, SACs Alsitair Cheesewright and Andy Waite.Recovery of 41 Sqn (Jaguars) from Norway to Coltishall.

Glasgow – Exercise Lion Sun. FS Jim Buchanan, Cpl Phil Armitage & SAC Lucy Crafts. Deployment of TAVR from Scotland to Cyprus.

Deputy Editors Note: As you may all have noticed over the years there are at least three periods in the 540 when no good information can be extracted, I suspect this is primarily because a BAMF officer had been tasked to write the MAMF part!

12 AFGHANISTAN 2002

Photographs by SAC Baz Newell

Antonov AN124 depositing the Czech field hospital in Kabul

Rather than giving you a longwinded article here are a few pictures taken in the last couple of months in Kabul. To give a bit of background UKMAMS are working with a Multi-National Movements Team which includes ourselves, Kiwi’s, Spanish, Norwegians, French and Germans. We are working in mixed teams apart from the French and Germans who seem to enjoy doing their own thing, (until they need our help!), although there was one German forklift driver who would just appear without being requested and move massive amounts with some specialist all terrain forklift I’ve never heard of. He obviously enjoyed his work as he appeared to treat it as more of a hobby than a job. One of the more interesting aspects of the Operation is the diversity of the aircraft being handled. These ranged from C130 (B,E,H,J and K model) C160, C17, AN124, IL76 with occasional involvement on the Afghan Air Force AN12’s and 32’s. Cpl Sparra Brooksby from MSF Odiham spent an interesting afternoon assisting the Afghan Air Force to offload Hind engines and gearboxes from an AN32. He came back very impressed with the “Safety” flip-flops worn by the local movers and the ingenuity used when the aircraft required a stool. A piece of scaffold pipe and a square of dunnage should be good enough for any aircraft!!! Many other aircraft, including numerous helicopter types are operating there and UKMAMS will get involved on request.

SAC Baz Newell shows the Northern Alliance how to use an RPG 13

Was this locally hired transport or the Atlas replacement? This is admittedly one of the worst examples, but by no means unusual. The local crane, in no better condition than the truck in the photo, which was used for moving ISO containers, or anything else too big for the Henleys, used frayed bits of wire rope as a lifting bridle. The drivers mate would quite happily walk underneath a raised container – obviously immune to injury after years of war.

With the multi national movements team came the multi national ACHE. The Spanish however, would not allow anyone else to drive their equipment. This photo shows the lengths they will go to stop UKMAMS from “borrowing” the forklifts!!!

Cpl Stu Slee on a shopping trip. The locals in Kabul were generally fairly friendly and welcoming, revenue in the shops having increased quite considerably in recent months. Despite this, everybody still had to be armed and the vehicles guarded by at least two people at all times.

Kabul City and the thriving shopping district again. One group out shopping was approached by an Afghan woman who told them she had lived in California for 23 years, and only now did she feel it safe to return home.

The remains of some of the ‘Ariana’ (Afghan Airlines) aircraft at Kabul airport. There are quite a few 727’s in various states of disrepair laid around the airport. Ariana are now flying 2 ‘new’ 727’s on regular routes which include destinations in Pakistan and the Middle East.

The Americans would turn up at the airport occasionally. As you can see they never arrived quietly, usually bristling with weapons of every kind. Usually time to hide as they are not known for their restraint when opening fire!!!

LETTERS, E-MAILS AND NOTICES

The Editor, Team Brief, UKMAMS Association, PO Box 1126, Swindon, Wilts, SN5 7WB. E- mail: [email protected]

WO Jack Gimblett by John Gimblett

Jack Gimblett succumbed to cancer in August last year after a short illness. He retired from the RAF at the end of 1971 having spent some 33 years serving (posted or attached) at some 79 different locations across the globe. Although the earlier part of his career, including service in Canada (Mt Hope) and the Far East during World War II, was in the engineering trades, he remustered to Supply in 1949 completing the Clerk Equipment Accounts Course and the Supplier II Course at RAF Credenhill. At that time and almost until his retirement date, Air Movements was an integrated part of the Supply Trade; an aspect of his work that was to dominate his service life. It is interesting to note from a report he submitted in 1955, that a DAMO’s life has not changed a great deal.

Jack’s movements experience stretched from the 3 Movements Embarkation Unit at Liverpool in 1949 to the Air Movements Squadron at Changi in 1970. Troopships travelled on included the Queen Elizabeth, Arundel Castle and the Empress of Australia to name but a few. For a short time he served as an Air Quarter Master with 30 Squadron ferrying dignitaries such as CIGS and, the Foreign Secretary, Sir Anthony Eden, around Europe. He subsequently joined the British Services Mission to Burma, as the Air Movements Adviser instructing Burmese Air Force personnel in AQM and Air Movements duties. When the Mission closed in 1954, he was posted to Changi, which heralded an association with Singapore that was to span many years.

His overseas postings included Changi (Air Movs Sqn twice), the Movements School at Kidbrooke, Nicosia (JATNE), Christmas Island (Movements Officer during closure) as well as Seletar and Abingdon (FEAF and UK MAMS respectively). He was never happier than when serving with MAMS and was the first Warrant Officer to join the Squadron at Abingdon. He enjoyed the variety and unpredictability of the job and it brought him close to aircraft, something that he had had great affinity for since his early days as a Fitter. He also enjoyed the camaraderie during the deployments, especially those that took him around the Far East.

Jack loved the RAF and, in particular, air movements. A few cartoons emerged during his last tour at Changi where he was working with Jimmy Stewart and then Bob Dixon as WO Cargo. In 1970 he was presented with a depiction of many of his frequently used sayings; all those that knew or worked with him will recognise them instantly. His determination (bordering on bloody-mindedness), commitment to the task and firce defence of the interests of his people were his strongest attributes.

He left the RAF from Boulmer, some two or three years after the Air Movements Trade was created. He was a “Mover” at heart and his posting to a Supply Squadron caused him to leave the Service prematurely. In fact, he never really left the Service, but moved on to differing things, retaining his links through several associations and spending his final days in Princess Marina Nursing Home.

Jack Gimblett

Jack and ? – Singapore 1950’s

Belvedere – Could teach JHSU a thing or two!

With 30 Sqn – Belgrade, possibly 1952

Singapore 1969 – Jack and Bob Dixon (rear of group) looking at a triple pallet that had arrived on a Herc. The crew was E cat’d as a result of the lack of restraint.

“Gentleman Jack” – The first Warrant Officer on UKMAMS

Sadly, Jack Gimblett died last year and the Movements Trade lost one of its early characters. He had two sons who also joined the RAF: Barry served as a caterer for many years and John, a Group Captain, wrote the article for the Team brief.

Jack had so many stories to tell that it is impossible to do them justice. During the war he flew in support of the dangerous operations “over the Hump” supplying allied forces in Burma and he told me about the card game he and the other squadron ground staff played to decide who would get the BEM that had been awarded to the squadron. He also told of the days at Suez when they were told to get the aircraft off the airfield, including captured German aircraft from WWII, because the Israelis were likely to cross the Sinai Desert at any minute.

The days when he was acting as Air Quartermaster on 30 Squadron were days he remembered as being ones when ingenuity were called for. With no proper catering facilities on board, he would makeup meals in his hotel room en route, using whatever local produce came to hand. He was on the first visit by the Foreign Secretary to Yugoslavia after the war, at a time when the British were no longer seen as allies and Tito was applying strict sanctions on a war ravaged country. To wind up their highly attentive Yugoslav “minder” they chatted in the taxi about the differences between the West and the country they were visiting. In a jocular fashion, the navigator murmured words to the effect that the sophistication and superiority of the countries they visited was judged by the girls provided to them as visiting VIP Crews. Following their attendance at a banquet for the Foreign Minister, well oiled, they returned to their hotel. Jack, on entering his room, found a fabulously beautiful girl sitting in his bed, entirely disrobed for the occasion. Thinking he had entered the wrong room, he apologised and nipped down to his captain’s room to announce that he had a girl in his bed. “That’s your problem Jack” was the irritable reply he received from behind a closed door, “mine’s OK.” In his confusion, Jack realised that the murmured wishes of the Navigator had been very much taken to heart by their hosts.

Jack was a ferocious Mover who set high standards and expected people to live up to them. Woe betides a crew that was critical of the load they had received from Jack. Many a Mover also ran for cover when Jack was on the warpath. Even the SAMO in Changi was taken aback when he made a surprise visit to the Air Cargo hangar and complained that there were several nails on the floor, following a normal night when a VC-10, Britannia, 4 Hercules, 4 Andovers and 3 Bristol “frighteners” had been despatched to all parts of the world. Jack’s offer to the wing commander to eat them for his breakfast was not graciously received!

Jack was a classic Warrant Officer “from the old school”. Respected by all, he was a superbly loyal and dedicated man. I will always remember his sound advice, drive and example. He ranks in my personal list of the “greats” with whom I have had the privilege of working: Don Wickham, Eddie Bowers, Jimmy Stewart, Gordon Spiers and Mike Slade. That I am the only one left is a little worrying, but they all deserve to be mentioned again in this memory of “Gentleman Jack”

Bob Dixon Chairman UKMAMS Association

Movement School Staff 1956 – Jack Gimblett front left

A Message from Dave Jones in New Zealand.

G'day from the alternate Down Under....New Zealand. Have just received the March edition of Team Brief, catching up the good news regarding Where are they now and the not so good news of those who are fighting illness and the death of Andy Corcoran. My thoughts and prayers go out to all individuals and families alike.

Although my only buy-in to the UKMAMS Assc is that of being your former Trade Drafter, I take particular pride in having been associated with UKMAMS personnel, of my 23+ plus years service, the last couple as your drafter were the most rewarding. Anyway, for those who may wish to know how things are going since leaving the Service in July 2000 I thought I'd drop you an update.

We arrived in Nz on 6 Aug 00 and from Oct 00 until the end of last month I was National Occupational Safety & Health Manager and HR Manager for Millennium, Copthorne and Quality Hotels New Zealand. However, effective this week I took on a new role as the Human Resources Manager for Fujitsu New Zealand - my first week in the role has seen me across the Tasman to Sydney for 3 days, involved in the Strategic Planning Meeting for Australasia, seems airports are likely to feature frequently again! Apart from work I'm half way through a Master of Management

19 degree and have a visiting lecturer role in HR Management at a local university. The family have all settled in well, my wife Eve is currently training as a teacher. Our eldest daughter Aimee, is employed in Ops Support in a government organization and is soon to undertake basic training (late June/early July) with the Army to join the TA with a view to obtaining a regular service commission when she completes her degree (it had to be the Army, the Air Force, well what air force? - if you get my drift). Our other two daughters have also settled in well, although we had a scare recently with Kerrie, who shortly following her 17th birthday was rushed to hospital with meningitis - she is now recovering at home. Finally, our son Matthew. Mat settled in well and has recently started golf lessons following on from the visit of Tiger Woods to Wellington - he can already hit a mean shot!

Well, as I said, I really did enjoy my association with the Movers, from the School to MAMS, 4624, and the various MSFs and HQ staffs. Where ever you go and what ever you are involved in my best wishes go with you. I look forward to the next edition of Team Brief.

Drop me a line anytime....better still, if you're in town drop round for a beer!

Email: [email protected]

Regards

Davey Jones

Mick, I am trying to complete my collection of UKMAMS TEAM BRIEFS. For various reasons I did not receive all the copies over the years. Can you help me to find copies 20, 21, 22, 26, and 32 please. Spares copies held by the Association or members would be great but if there are none could some kind soul either photocopy those they have OR send me their own originals. I will pay any out of pocket expenses (Postage etc) and, in the latter case photocopy and return the originals, by air Mail, to their owner within a day or 2 of receiving them. To avoid receiving dozens of copies from helpful members maybe you could let me know which copies the Association can help me with. If members let me know (By E-Mail) which copies they have I can then let them know which ones to send. If the association can help with all the back numbers then please do not publish this, since it will no longer be necessary to ask individuals for their help. If the association can help with some editions please amend the list of numbers shown above to reflect the net outstanding copies. (Hope that all makes some kind of sense!) Many thanks in advance, John

John Bell [email protected]

I’ve replied to John and the answer so far is in the negative. Our previous Membership Secretary has had a ‘clean out’ and we’ve lost all the spare back issues. Can anyone help John out? Ed.

20 MEET & GREET FRIDAY AUGUST 30th

The next Meet and Greet will be held in the Winch Inn at RAF Lyneham on Friday 30th August 02. All Association members are welcome as are members of the squadron. The bar will be open from 5pm and there will be ‘twofers’ from 7pm onwards. Anyone who intends to stay for the weekend and attend the Families Day as well and requires accommodation should contact the Liaison Officer, Flt Lt Stu Gregory on 01249 891230.

Future Meet and Greets are planned for Friday 22nd November 02 and Friday 7th February 03, both to be held in the RAFA Club Swindon.

UKMAMS FAMILIES DAY & ASSOCIATION AGM

The Annual AGM of the Association will be held in the Juliana Goss Theatre at RAF Lyneham on Saturday 31st August 02 starting at 11am. All Association members are encouraged to attend and as an incentive free beer and hamburger tickets will be given to all who make the effort. This precedes the Sqn Families Day to which all are welcome, a variety of events are planned, however, there is no guarantee of a ‘local flyer’.

For those who cannot attend the AGM please complete the enclosed questionairre and return to the Membership Secretary.

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LANDROVERS – CAN YOU HELP?

Alan Fanning 32 Burgess Road Waterbeach Cambridge CB5 9ND

I am currently writing a book on Land Rovers in British Military Service, which will cover the Series I to the Series III. I believe that UKMAMS has used all three types and would like to hear from anyone who has used these in service with UKMAMS. I am particularly interested in photo’s that could be used in the book (preferably previously unpublished ones) either ones used by UKMAMS or any others being loaded or unloaded – particularly unusual versions from any branch of the services (like the Centaur Half-Track sent to Norway for trials, or the old SIIA S.A.S. Pink Panthers, etc). Does anyone recall using the Edgehill Loader? This was a Land Rover fitted with a conveyor type elevator loader (looked similar to the type used on farms to stack bales in the late 60s-70s), this was sometimes referred to as the Moy Baggage Handler(after its designer) but was built by the H.W. Edgehill Equipment Co of Hook, this underwent Military trials mounted on a Series I, then on a Series II 109, I 21 think these did actually go into service – but were killed off with the introduction of pallets.

I would also like to hear from anyone who could help with information or photo’s regarding the loading of Land Rovers into various aircraft, preparation for Helicopter Underslinging or Land Rovers loaded on Medium Stressed Platforms, and give any information regarding old training manuals or illustrations that could be useful to research or possibly provide illustrations (subject to MOD’s permission). Any photos would be welcome , either ones taken during training, at any UK bases or any taken overseas. If you can help please contact me at the above address.

Alan Fanning

Dear Ian or Mick,

F 540 ET AL…….

Whilst idly flicking through “Team Brief” Issue 43, March 2002, I noticed some mischievous remarks by Ian Berry on page 2. They concerned certain senior or retired officers whose past exploits are still remembered by a few………. And, horror of horrors, Ian threatened to reveal all if no explanatory letters to the Editor were forthcoming in the near future.

Particularly, Ian referred to a “man who danced with a Kai Tai”. This struck a chord with me in that as a former team leader of Bravo Team from 1974 to 1977, I remembered a little local difficulty I had experienced during a pleasant evening’s carousing in Bugis Street, Singapore. Fearful that the intervening years and hazy memories of some may have altered the actual course of history, I thought I’d write to set the record straight, just in case I was the wholly innocent victim of such a scurrilous allegation.

So down memory lane I went and dug out my old photo album and logbook to seek the truth. What an anorak I was (and still am?), the full details of the task were all recorded and I even discovered a photo! Bravo Team had been given a particularly onerous task to onload a Belfast in Woomera with Seawolf trials equipment. As flying the round trip route on the Belfast would have taken rather a long time, we prepositioned to RAF Tengah by VC 10 ( XV 109) via Akrotiri and Gan, leaving Brize Norton on 17 Aug 75. We then had 2 days in Singapore kicking our heels waiting for the Belfast to catch up.

We decided to visit Bugis Street, as any visitor to Singapore did in those days, when the street was an altogether different place to the modern, antiseptic and unattractive tourist attraction it has now become following a complete rebuild. Basically, it was a thriving outdoor alleyway filled with bars, cafes and, apparently some upstairs rooms for other forms of entertainment. Bravo Team, as usual, had a great night out, fuelled by Tiger, as the photograph below shows.

22 And lo and behold, besides Bravo Team, also present was the chief tell-tale, Ian Berry as well as George Lynes. I assume they were then based at Tengah and had foolishly offered to host us. Yes, that is a Kai Tai sat on my lap, and isn’t he beautiful! My part of the story definitely ends there however. There was no dancing by me. Later on though, I did have to employ all my persuasive powers to stop one team member from boarding a taxi with said Kai Tai, whom, he said, was not only definitely female, but he had fallen madly in love with and was determined to prove was female. We had to physically drag him out of the taxi and he was still muttering on about a lost opportunity for the rest of the task, and indeed, for the rest of his tour. My personal view is that we rescued him from a surprise that he might never have recovered from.

Here rests the case for the defence. For other anoraks out there, we climbed aboard Belfast XR 363 and flew on to RAAF Pearce (Perth) and thence to Woomera, completed the onload and flew back same route to Tengah. We then hightailed it back to UK from Paya Lebar onboard G-AWNK B 747 of British Airways. Arriving back in UK on 29 Aug – a 12 day round trip for one onload!

Anyone out there (besides Bravo Team of 1975, Ian Berry and George Lynes) who can name all the members of Bravo Team as shown in the photograph? We were together for about 2 years.

Please pass on my best wishes and hopes for a full and swift recovery to WO Colin (Yogi) Rowland of RAF Odiham (oops I’ve given away a name in the photo – but not the disappointed Singapore man!).

Best wishes and well done for all your hard work on behalf of the UKMAMS Association,

Yours in an idle moment,

Jerry Babington

P.S. Ian, the figure on the upper photo page 4, fifth from left, back row is Richard Bond – then S Mov O Akrotiri. If the photo below on page 4 has been taken from a lighting tower, it must be the highest one in the world and light up the whole of Cyprus! Compare with the lighting tower actually in the picture to the right of the Air Terminal! As S Mov O Akrotiri, 1984-87, I cannot recollect seeing any 500 ft tower opposite my office!

Good point……it may have been taken from a Wessex, however, the other deliberate mistake was not spotted…the C130’s in the photographs of Bucharest were in fact B, not H models, 1961 vintage. If they had been H models I think we would have brought a couple back!!!………….Mick.

23 The following e-mail was received by John Belcher via the association website:-

Good day to you,

My name is David Moss, and I joined UKMAMS at Abingdon in March 1972 on posting from Brize Norton. When I first joined The Squadron I was a member of Lima Team under the control of Plt Off later Fg Off Pete Simpson and later by Flt Lt Gordon Townsend. I was also involved in the operation moving relief supplies from Khartoum to Juba during January / February 1973.(along with quite a lot of other tasks that I have read reports of, but not found my name mentioned.) Please find herewith a report on the task.

We deployed ex Lyneham via Akrotiri on a Herc loaded with an assortment of "goodies" which included some very large tyres, which hopefully would fit some sort of vehicle out there. (if they did, we never saw the vehicles whilst we were there.) We landed on a dirt strip amongst clouds of dust to be met by the sight of a crowd of local prisoners who it transpired were the freight handling party for the load. Thank goodness they were there as those tyres weighed a lot and hurt if they landed on a foot protected only by a pair of bondu boots. It was taking some time to "organise" our assistants until I realised that they were speaking in an Arabic dialect, and having spent a tour in Aden, my scraps of pidgin lingo came in very useful. All these types of group have a leader who carries some form of "badge of office", and this was no exception, the tallest and widest and obviously best fed of the group was also the only one with a pair of shoes. These shoes were obviously his badge, as they were clearly about five sizes to small for him so he was wearing them with the laces tied together as a necklace. Once we had established each others names, it was amazing how quickly things got sorted out. It only took a small demonstration of what was required and our friend Hammed made short work of getting things moving. It is amazing how just a few words in a common language can make things so much easier.

Once the Herc was offloaded, we took of again and flew several hours to Khartoum to spend the night in an hotel. The hotel was in down town Khartoum and we had the "privilege", if we wanted, to use the swimming pool of another hotel across the street. Our evening meal was found to be "a little different" by some members of the team, but, by the time we had consumed a couple of beers we were making jokes about seeing what might be breakfast running across the dining room floor. First job next morning was to re load the Herc with as much food stuff as possible from the great mountain supplies from Red Crescent, Red Cross and other relief organisations. Once again we had a group of local labourers (not prisoners this time) to assist us. We tried to speed things up a bit as it was hoped to do two trips a day down to Juba, but these chaps were not as motivated by "need" as much as those down at Juba, so it was annoying to see them taking one sack of flour between two of them across to the Herc and up the ramp where two of our team were stacking and netting it down. A couple of us got so tired of trying to chase them up that we decided to show them how we expected it to be done. We got them to lift two sacks of flour across our shoulders and then ran with them onto the Herc. After a couple of demo runs I used my bit of Arabic again to suggest that they try doing the same, even if it was only with one sack each. It worked, I don't think they liked being shamed by how hard we were prepared to work to help their countrymen. We eventually managed to get one load to Juba, offload and return and reload ready fo next morning.

24 As the task progressed, we were asked to include amongst the loads, items of building and plumbing goods, which were to be used during the construction of a new hotel that was being built as accommodation for HRH the Princess Anne, who was due to visit the area, and would be meeting there with the Emperor Haile Selassie. Although we were not impressed with the using of payload space for these goods at the expense of relief supplies, we were not in any position to argue, so some famine relief was sacrificed to build a hotel, which I believe never got used after all. We reduced the mountain of supplies considerably during our days in Sudan, and made I think quite an impression on the people we were there trying to help. I just hope that our efforts made it possible for those starving people to have a decent amount of food even if only for a short while.

Follow up comment to the above: About two years ago, my mother in law took in as a lodger, a Sudanese professor, who was working at the Bristol University agricultural department genetics department, researching how to grow wheat in extreme conditions. Working backwards by his age, he would have been two or three years old at the time of our task. Who knows, perhaps we really did do some good out there.

Regards

Dave Moss

Ex UKMAMS LIMA & MIKE teams 1972 - 1975.

The message below was received from Sean Culligan – with attachment dear ed, don hunter has just dropped off a copy of team brief. although i am DEFINITELY paid up, i never seem to get my copy! the reason for the lower case is that i am currently in jnb millpark hospital following a gunshot wound to the ankle, and subsequent major surgery to transplant arteries from my arm to my leg. an attachment gives the bland details of the incident. i suggest you just pick out the interesting bits - if you can find any! don hunter has been real star - telling me rude jokes ans bringing in a take-away when the food got too bad. i suppose it is a bit far for sam to come and visit? let everyone know my email if you can, and regards to all from jnb!

Sean Culligan PO box 40594 Nairobi Kenya [email protected]

25 EVENTS OF FRIDAY 19TH APRIL 2002

I was due to attend an evening meeting downtown with a colleague from AMREF Flying Doctors, Dr Bettina Vadera. Because her husband was away from home on a business trip, we agreed I should pick her up from her house in Westlands, opposite a large shopping centre.

I arrived early, and she wasn’t ready so she asked me to wait in her living room with a drink whilst she finished off. The living room was reached via a walk through the dining room, down a passage approx five feet wide, and then turning right into the room.

As I sat there, Bettina was in the front of the house, which faced out into her car parking area. She heard her dogs bark and after a few minutes wondered why her askari was not quietening them down. She looked outside and could see nothing, so walked out of the house towards the car paring area looking for the akari.

Four men came out of the darkness to her. She saw at least one pistol. They told her, in English, to keep quiet and go back into the house with them. Her first thought was to try and warm me, knowing that I carried a gun. As she was brought into the house, with the gun held against her head, she cried out “Don’t shoot me. Please don’t shoot me” in a voice loud enough to carry to where I was sitting. I heard her voice and my first thought was there something was wrong, but I could not work out what. The gunman told her to keep quiet. I slipped off my shoes and quietly walked towards the door of the living room. As I did so, I drew my gun and cocked it, knowing there was already a round in the chamber. I held it behind my back and stood in the doorway looking down the passage towards the dining room.

Into my sight came a man, holding a gun to Bettina’s head, pulling her arm as they walked towards me. Behind Bettina I saw two other men, who were approximately five feet behind. I knew I would have to shoot, but I realized I would have to wait until the man with the gun moved it away from Bettina’s head. So, I just stood there and stared at him. After what seemed a VERY long time, but was probably only seconds, he moved the gun away from Bettina and waved it at me. I shot him twice in the stomach. I then quickly turned to my left, Bettina’s right, and fired at least four more shots towards the two other men behind her. I believe I hit one of them who jumped into the air, then turned and ran out of the living room with the other man.

The man I had shot was lying on the floor, and reached out to grab me. As I turned to deal with him, I heard running footsteps in the dining room, looked up, saw a muzzle flash and felt a terrific pain in my right ankle joint. I screamed and fell to the floor. Bettina grabbed my gun from where I had dropped it when I was shot and fired the whole magazine at the area where the shot had come from.

In the meantime the man I had shot had recovered his weapon from the floor and was trying to point it at us. I rolled over on to him, blood pouring from us both and fought with him for the gun. As we both wrestled for the weapon it went off, and a bullet hit him from his own gun, passing through the palm of my right hand as it did so. He slumped forward, digging his teeth into my left inner forearm, and still fighting me for the gun. Bettina attacked him with my by now empty gun, beating him over the head with the barrel whilst I tried to prise his teeth from my arm. I took the gun from Bettina whilst she ran into her living room to grab an ornamental sword she had on the wall. She returned with the sword swinging it at the man on the floor, without any effect on the action of his teeth. I sank my teeth into his ear and managed to pull him off whilst beating him over the head with my gun butt. Bettina continued to attack him with the sword and he slumped into a corner. I took the sword from Bettina and held it tight against his throat..

Bettina was now concerned for me, and also wanted to call for help. She was also afraid that the other gunmen were still around. She took two flak jackets from a cupboard and put one on me as I lay on the floor. Pulling the other on herself she ran and pressed the alarm bell and also got out her trauma bag. Whilst she was treating me I tried to use my mobile phone, but my hands were so slippery with blood that I dropped it. Bettina put a drip in my arm, devised a splint from rolled newspapers and tried to stem my bleeding with her daughter’s clothes, which were in the passageway. I took the belt off the gunman and wrapped it around my leg as a tourniquet using the barrel of my gun as a lever to try and put pressure on the artery.

26 At that point the first of the security back up arrived, and two men entered with rungus and shields. They took position over the gunman whilst Bettina set up another drip and worked on my shattered ankle.

More people arrived, and in the midst of all this a mobile telephone in the pocket of the gunman rang. Despite his wounds he attempted to answer it and I screamed at the guards to disable him and grab the telephone, believing it could be his accomplices calling, perhaps to bring reinforcements. More police arrived, along with AAR (Ambulance and doctor) Within minutes there were over 35 people crammed into small space, and the doctors could not work on me or even get me onto a stretcher. Bettina had called Fi ( my wife)to advise her that she would need to go to Nairobi Hospital immediately. And I asked Bettina to make sure that her daughter who was in the house would be kept in her room so that she would not see the mess I and everyone else was in. Bettina ordered many of the people out of the room and managed to get me onto a scoop, carrying me through the house into the waiting ambulance.

It would seem that in addition to my own wound, the robbers had also shot the askari and Bettina’s dog, which had tried to attack the robbers as they left.

I was rushed to Nairobi Hospital A& E, and taken to the operating theatre around 2300. I left at 0120, knowing that the bullet had entered the inside of my right ankle, taken off the bottom of my tibia, before exiting through my right outer ankle bone leaving what the surgeon describe as a “small bag of sand; over 100 tiny fragments of very shattered bone” in the area of the exit wound. I also has a serious bite mark on my left arm, a deep cut in the palm of my right hand as well as numerous cuts, bruises fingernail marks and possible stab wounds to my body.

Bettina had a severe sprain to her wrist as well as very bruised hands and fingers.

I know that I had 15 rounds in my gun. I knew that one more shot had been fired at me, and one shot had gone off from the gun of the man that I shot. Police recovered over 36 rounds of assorted caliber from the scene. I have no memory of any other shots being fired but must assume that we were exceptionally lucky not to have been hit by any other rounds. I also discovered that the man I shot had at the same time fired at me, twice. The bullets were found in the wall, about the level of my nose, and two inches from where my head had been.

Bettina’s three-year-old daughter slept through the whole thing! Had she woken up, she would have run out of her room straight into the area of crossfire.

Bettina’s husband was in Germany, sitting at the dining table with Bettina’s parents when his phone rang. He had mobile roaming, so a friend simply called his usual number in Nairobi and said “ Really sorry to hear about the robbery and the shooting. I s everyone alright?”

To cap it all, when Bettina returned home to try and sort out the mess, she found that both of our mobile phones, hers and mine had been stolen by one of our “ rescuers” !

As of 28th May, I am back from South Africa. I was evacuated there on Wed 24 April, with a 95% chance of losing my foot. The doctors there did a radial flap graft, moving an artery from my right forearm to my right leg, and skin grafts from my right thigh to my right forearm. After four operations there, I left with a metal pin from my heel to my knee, held by three or four screws, because the right side of the right ankle no longer exists. I am due to return to SA around the end of July/ beginning of August for another review. In the meantime, no weight on my right foot, and I am confined to crutches. I also have a chip fracture of my right arm and some muscle tears, so even that can be a problem getting around!

The main thing is, I am ALIVE. After that everything is a bonus.

Sean

Thankyou for the update Sean – although I had heard about the incident I had not had the full story. We all wish you a speedy and complete recovery. …..Mick 27 Movements Operator Course No. 2

No. 2 Movements Operator Course – 24 April to 26 May 1972

Back Row Standing: SAC’s Langdon, Jones, Warnecke, Cawston, Morgan, Smith

Centre Row Standing: SAC’s Wood, Walker, Kingsnorth, Davies, Randall, McCafferty, Nicholson, Watling, Fishwick

Front Row Seated: Sgt McQuigg, Sgt Wadey, FS Janman, Sqn Ldr Harries, Flt Lt Cox, Sgt Titterington, Sgt Worthington

Don’t forget, I will try and accommodate any requests for particular photographs. And if for any reason you don’t want your picture published, (as Bill Liddle found out, it cost him a case of beer) let me know and I will ignore the request.!!!