The 94th Entry of RAFHAA's

The Very Best of London

2011-02-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

The Very Best of London

Remembrance Parade.

2010-11-22T09:30:00.000-08:00

Photographs taken by 'Willy' Welch at the recent Remembrance Parade at RAF Halton

Remembrance Parade.

July, 2010

2010-07-08T19:58:00.000-07:00

2010-06-04T08:10:00.000-07:00

Kelowna and Okanagan Valley

2010-05-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

The 94th Entry of RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices

2010-03-06T13:25:00.000-08:00

The 94th Entry of RAF Halton Aircraft Apprentices

Art Gallery of Alberta - Opening 1st February, 2010

2010-02-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

Art Gallery of Alberta

RainyMood.com

2010-01-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

RainyMood.com

An account of the demise of Westland Whirlwind Mk. 10 ( XL 110) by John ‘Willy’ Welch

2010-01-25T06:04:00.000-08:00

This is an account of the demise of a Westland Whirlwind Mk 10 (XL110) and its effects on me. An interesting and in some ways quite alarming fact is that in October 1961 at Murharraq 84 Sqn lost a Beverly transport aircraft XM 110! They come in threes so watch out!

As a side issue, if anyone wishes to read of the exploits of 84 Sqn B Flight when based at Nicosia or in fact the previous years when it was a 230 Sqn Detachment do not bother to purchase “SCORPIONS STING, The History of No. 84 Squadron Royal Air Force” as it hardly mentions it. This is quite disappointing to me as those years were extremely interesting and quite exciting, none the less for our in depth involvement as being part of the United Nations (UN) in the Turkish Invasion and Coup that preceded that. I have contacted the publisher to be told that there is no intention of updating the publication. If I have been informed correctly, after I returned home in November 1974 two British soldiers were killed whilst under/returning fire (this as far as I can remember was not reported by the media).

Firstly, let me give a very brief introduction to the arrival of 84 Sqn B Flight at Nicosia. In January 1972, a mix of some 30 Aircrew and ground crew arrived at RAF Nicosia to take over from the 230 Sqn Detachment that operated the then three (later to become four) Whirlwind Mk 10s in camouflage finish, later to have large UN markings and 84 Sqn Crest. We supported the United Nations operation on the Island, with a secondary function of airsea rescue in the North (Akrotiri covered the South). The CO was Sqn Ldr ‘Bill’ Barrell (a remarkable pilot, mad Aussie and a legend to this day), with a Chief Tech. John Gardner A/Fitt/P i/c ground crew with myself and Terry Hudson (then Chief Techs. A/Fitt/A and A/Fitt/E respectively, each i/c of a shift. Not to be left out, perhaps the last of the great scrounger/fixers to serve, Sgt Les Hicks A/Fitt/A (ex 230 Sqn); if Les could not find it or fix it (more often than not in a rather dubious way) I doubt if any one could.

After several months of being trained in our new role by the 230 Sqn members, in the main they eventually moved on although a couple were posted to us. Thus in our Blue Berets we settled in to a most enjoyable lifestyle and job. 84 Sqn A Flight at Akrotiri provided us with engineering and Sqn admin. backup including Major Servicings on the Whirlwinds; this is most important as this fact features in the build-up to the subject crash. Most day‑to‑day admin. was covered by the ‘normal’ RAF personnel based at Nicosia and up to Minor * Servicings and rectification on the Whirlwinds by ourselves.

All ticked along quite well until one morning in February 1973 when my life (and the pilot’s) suddenly changed and very nearly came to an abrupt end! We had recently received back from Akrotiri XL 110 following a Major servicing. Nice and clean, tidy, serviceable and requiring a routine compass swing in its operating theatre. This is where the tale becomes more interesting!

I must explain at this point that RAF Nicosia although having a Medical Centre staffed with RAF personnel it did not have a MO. Instead a GP from the civilian Hospital in Nicosia ran a surgery in the Centre to 09:30 each day; a most important GP and a most important finishing time to the tale.

I was in charge of the Duty shift and all had gone well that morning, with XL 110 on the pan waiting its aircrew and compass swing crew. The pilot was the then Flying Officer Barry Hobkirk with a Crewman and the compass swing team, i/c Cpl ‘Mick’ Wyechisty A Fitt/E – ex 230 Sqn and very experienced, fortunately! The Pilot and I cleared the paperwork and XL 110 was uneventfully marshalled off at about 09:00 by SAC Barry Stacy A/Fitt/A.

At approximately 09:15, XL 110 made an unscheduled return to the pan; all disembarked except the pilot who kept it ‘burning and turning’. The Crewman reported to me that Mick had experienced a strange vibration as if something was banging against the side of the cabin, but although the pilot had not, he trusted in Mick’s experience and returned to base (a most fortunate decision) to chat with the Chief ‘rigger’, me!

I donned a headset went out to XL 110, plugged in and had a chat with the pilot. He was not duly concerned and agreed (bearing in mind we did not have any flashy Vibration Analyse kit – all seat of the pants) that on the ground I should initially check in the cabin to see if I felt any undue vibration, which I did not (of any frequency). I then strapped in the left hand pilot’s seat and after discussion I agreed that we should lift off and do some spot turns (a very, very important decision). Although I had no reason at that time to suspect that we had a problem, and certainly the pilot did not, I was a little uneasy that Mick had been so adamant about the vibration. In similar circumstances I would normally have been quite happy to do a circuit to get a better feel of XL 110.

Barry Stacy marshalled us off and stood out front while we conducted a few spot turns. All was uneventful, and whilst in the hover we both agreed that there was not a problem; how wrong can one be! There was a loud bang; “What was that” I was asked, “Sounds like the cabin door being slammed shut” I replied; “There is no one down there” was the reply, then oblivion! (approximately 09:30.) The next thing I recall was brown‑inspired adrenalin kicking in; I still vividly remember automatically undoing my harness and escaping towards the only light I could see (if you study the photos there was nothing left above waist high).

In fact I had climbed out over the top of the pilot who was trying to stopcock the engine, which was rapidly increasing in revs uncontrollably because it was only driving fresh air. Unfortunately, because of me on his back and the distorted cockpit he was actually applying the rotor brake which was obviously a waste of time. I climbed down from the right‑hand side over the remains of the main transmission which had been torn from the transmission deck in its entirety, using one of the two remaining main rotor blades now pointing skyward as a handhold. Still on adrenalin I ran from the scene to be eventually helped by the pilot going faster than I (then he would wouldn’t he, he had good reason to and was 10 years my junior).

I was later informed that:

· The station Cypriot Fire Crew had responded immediately and very professionally ‘fired’ foam in to the engine air intake to stall the engine because they feared it was about to explode (another very good decision).

· My wife Margery had witnessed the crash from our AMQ kitchen window but obviously at that time did not know I was a key player.

· The GP heard the crash and stayed at post to assist causalities (another good decision).

· Barry the marshaller had been unbelievably lucky in that the flying debris from the disintegrating XL 110 had all missed him, even though he was only a short distance from the wreck.

· One of our pilots’ wife’s, who was driving down to the Sqn, witnessed the third main rotor blade cross the road in front of her like a large dart to land on top of a shed.

· Two of our ground crew who were washing a Landrover in the shade of our hangar were only just missed by a section of the tail rotor transmission that passed through the wall alongside them, across the hangar and stopped when confronted by the far wall.

· All witnesses were totally amazed to see us both escape with our lives without major injury and at a speed even Martin-Baker would be proud of!

The pilot amazingly unharmed except for mild bruising to his shins from the thrashing Cyclic stick, did complain to me later about the imprints of my size 9 DMS boots in the middle of his back!

MALM ‘John’ Pearce picked me up in his new SAAB and received a bollixing for taking the blood-covered me to the Medical Centre, as the Ambulance at full tilt passed us going in the opposite direction!

The GP reacted quickly and assessed that I had no major injuries but a bad blow to the left hand side of my head and many small lacerations of the face caused by flying debris. He apologised for not using aesthetic and quickly and very professionally stitched me up (worse than the crash!). In fact he saved me from becoming handsome, leaving me as ugly as I was before. Over the next few years’ small pieces of the debris ‘escaped’ through my skin, which I understand is quite common in these circumstances.

By now Margery had joined me as had Bill the CO and several of my colleagues. Obviously no one at that time had any idea what had caused the crash, but the fact that a main rotor blade had sheared of at the blade route seemed a possible explanation; how wrong can one get?

Now the funny bit of the tale starts. It was decided that I should be taken by UN (Landrover type) ambulance to RAF Akrotiri Hospital, with only Margery looking after me as it was determined that I was not going on my last flight just yet! Of we set with a young UN driver; when arriving at the outskirts of Nicosia town stopped, the small communicating hatch from the driver to us opened and “Can you tell me the way please I only arrived on the Island yesterday”. So bruised and battered I levered myself up on my good arm to look out of the side window and directed him all of the way! (don’t ever complain about our civilian ambulance crews).

Eventually arriving Margery said her goodbyes and returned to Nicosia, obviously to help the driver. I was immediately examined, the diagnosis agreeing that I was not badly injured but was to stay for at least overnight for observation. I said that my right leg hurt, the doctor bent it over his knee and on my shout of pain said “That’s not broken”! (I do not recommend that type of examination.) It was later discovered that I had several broken ribs, and also ended up with a balance problem caused by the blow to my head previously mentioned (more of that later).

Fortunately I had several good friends serving at Akrotiri who that evening visited and in the normal Service manner cheered me up by cracking bad jokes about my condition; would we want it any other way? Later that evening I was told that I could return to my family in the morning but would have to fly, because of unrest in the area by the locals which was quite common at that time, in the only Whirlwind Mk. 10 flying on the island (for rescue purposes only, all other grounded pending the results of the pending inquiry). I said that I would let them know in the morning; at that time two words came to mind and the second was “off”.

Came the morning the thought of returning to the bosom of my family won and I agreed. Later I found out that is was a ploy to get me flying again (rat bags).

Dressed in pyjamas and dressing gown I marshalled the ‘yellow bird’ from Akrotiri in to the Hospital Helipad and climbed in to the cabin thinking “What the hell am I doing here”. My concerns were nearly proved correct, the fog was so thick in the Troodos area on one occasion we turned around and flew another route (that feeling again). On landing back at Nicosia I was able to look at the wreck of XL 110; how did we ever get out of that alive or without serious injury I will never know. The photos best explain those thoughts.

The subsequent engineering investigation at first determined it was a blade failure and many servicing instructions followed to examine the main rotor blades, all to no avail. It was later discovered that the new Azimuth Star Assembly installed on the Major servicing [this sits over the main rotor gearbox output shaft by means of a greased hollow spherical bearing, below the main rotor head (MRH). It converts inputs from the pilot’s controls to the MRH to alter the pitch angle on the blades] had no hole in the steel liner at the end of the grease passage to carry the grease from the grease nipple on the assembly body to the spherical bearing.

Result, eventually the lubrication effect of the packing grease failed and the bearing started ‘snatching’ on the gearbox shaft (this was the unusual vibration felt by Mick on the compass swing) until it seized long enough to cause a failure of the flying controls. In my estimation looking at the wreckage the blades were turned ‘flat side’ to the airflow causing one to shear off at the blade root and that was then goodbye, or nearly! The boffins later determined that the packing grease would have lasted approximately 7 to 8 hours rotors turning; in fact when the flying times and rotors turning ground runs were added up it was spot on. I understand that a second similar Star Assembly was being held in Akrotiri main stores! There are many questions still to be answered here, but we will not go down that road!

And still there’s more, a funny tale now. Whilst on sick leave in our AMQ, Margery noticed that our youngest daughter Vanessa (then age 5) was having a lot of visitors, with a queue outside waiting. She never did admit it but we think she was charging her young friends an admittance to view here father’s horribly scarred face. Also, two days after the crash I was press ganged in to playing for the B Flights darts team in the RAF Nicosia station final; I won my individual ‘leg’ with a 160 3-dart finish and thus much to my and every bodies amazement and we also won the title; never to be repeated.

A replacement Whirlwind was sent from Akrotiri and was in fact the normal airsea rescue colour of yellow, to which we added the UN and Sqn markings.

It did not end there; between 1987 and 1992 I started having balance problems, collapsing without warning and taking about up to a month to get back on my feet. To cut a long storey short I elected via my GP to go via RAF Wroughton for investigation to prove that my problems were attributable to my injuries. With Wroughton’s, RAFA’s and RBL’s support I took the War Pension Agency to tribunal and won. I have learned to live with the balance (and associated remoteness on occasions) problem and now lead a near normal life (so people say I will never be normal, but that is another storey!

John ‘Willy’ Welch RVM, BEM

2010-01-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

Commentary on the present state of Canadian politics but couldn't it apply just as well to British politics?

More on the recent Reunion from Terry O'H

2010-01-20T08:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone
What a great reunion we all had and thanks very much to Trevor Fielder and Heather for organising it. Clive did a great job acknowledging all the high points of our joining Number One School of Technical Training and our subsequent career progression either within or without the air force to the present day.
There are some pretty diverse careers and happenings in people’s lives and it is really good to catch up.
I have posted some of our photographs and will endeavour to get a few more onto the entry site in due course.
It was great to catch up with Ian Hunt in Edmonton, Canada and Carl Harris in Chicago through the medium of SKYPE. I have been trying for the last two and a half years to get it working on my computer and still no success. I am a rigger at heart.
If anyone out there knows how to put those little balloons onto pictures so that we can perhaps annotate the appropriate mug shots with who people are, that might help those who are thinking about coming along to the September bash to actually make up their mind and come. It will be great. It is at the Watermill Hotel, London Road, Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead and it is a great opportunity to let your hair down. Some went off to bed at 11.00pm but others were still talking, singing and I think partaking in the occasional beverage at 3.30am; and still they managed breakfast at 9.30am. So there is something for everybody.
Returning to last weekend’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in Kenilworth, Linda & I actually took the opportunity on Sunday to visit Kenilworth Castle and what a fabulous day we had. Where the Saturday had been a little overcast, though dry, the Sunday was set with an azure blue sky and the Castle, if you like that sort of thing, was really something to behold. We were there for two and a half to three hours.
There is still a lot of exploring to do around the area and perhaps if we can have some feedback from those that went with any comments on the venue. I have to say most of ours were very positive; the bar prices were expensive, however the weekend was not and I think that has to be balanced out. Finding a venue of that quality at £131.00 per person dinner, bed and breakfast for two days takes some doing and Trevor needs complimenting on that along with his ‘one man’ committee Phebes Davies (honorary armourer).
Our next function as I have already indicated is in September: 24th, 25th & 26th weekend. It is the triennial Halton reunion which is basically a full day at Halton on the Saturday and I understand that the plan is that all the activity takes place up on Henderson & Grove rather than the airfield which may in fact be to give us better messing facilities for lunch and instead of marching UP the hill, we will probably march DOWN; back to the car park, schools and St. Georges Church for those who want to go and look at the stained glass windows. It is a great opportunity to go and see Halton House, the Rothschild’s property which is the Officers mess.
I will send everybody details, the cost will be similar. The location is about fifteen minutes drive from Halton and we can accommodate about eighty people for dinner. I am hoping we can achieve that. Do, please, put the dates in your diary, and let me know ASAP if you are attending. I shall get my organisational hat on somewhere around April to pull things together. It was great seeing everybody.

I do have 2 XL and 1 L polo shirt at £5 if you want one, by post, or in September. Cheques to TP O’Halloran (I paid Al). See you in September.

Yours aye,

Terry

The Golden Reunion

2010-01-18T07:10:00.000-08:00

On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 9:42 AM, peter davies wrote:

So where do you start to describe a weekend such as the 15-17 January 2010. The first and most obvious is to once again thank Trevor and Heather Fielder for their very hard work in making the weekend such a seamless operation that it turned out to be. Their hard labours made it possible for the rest of us to attend and make the weekend the success it was. Thanks to to Clive Upton, our Senior Man, who gave an excellent speech extolling the members of the 94 Th of Halton. For a time there I could hardly recognise myself being in such exalted company and even my wife looked at me through different eyes for a good five minutes. Then there are the attendees without whom there would not have been a celebration. Monty Zoomer and his Sunshine band, featuring the guitars of Geoff Cheers and Mike Barker who entertained us royally on both Friday and Saturday nights. A special thanks to to our wives and partners who allowed us boys to return to out teenage years to relive the past. What would we do without them ? To Carl and Ian, who due to the modern technology were able to join us in part over the Internet to join in the festivities from North America.
On a personal level, I enjoyed the company of Sherry, the sole electrician amongst the number who proudly represented his trade. He and his charming wife pointed me in the right direction for the best pint in the hotel. To Keith and Trevor [Evans] for indulging me by talking about my passion, football, to Colin Fosberry and his wife Sylvia with whom we enjoyed much banter over the dinner, where I gained yet another nickname, and to Terry and Linda and Willy and Margery Welch who did likewise. As a rigger my thanks to the plumbers who attended in numbers. As the evening drew to a close one of them, Barrie Peterson, over a couple of bottles of single malt, invited me to become an honorary armourer, an honour I must decline for trade reasons, and the evening ended at 03.30 when the last three standing, Mike Barker, Colin Fosberry, armourers, and myself called it a draw and left the room together.

Sunday morning and after a lingering breakfast we said our fond but sad farewells. I hope we all meet somewhere along the road of life again soon and especially in September to march again up the Hill under the banner so efficiently designed and supplied by Al Brooks.
Thanks to everyone who attended and I will raise my glass on January 20 th to St Sebastian and the 94 Th Entry of Aircraft Apprentices
Phebe, once known as 686221 A/A .Davies.P.B.

2010-01-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Phebe’s Ode with a nod to Bill Shakespeare

This day is called the Feast of Sebastian:
He that enlisted this day, and came safe home,
Will stand a-tiptoe when this day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Sebastian.
He that signed that day, and lived old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘Tomorrow is Saint Sebastian.’
Then strip his sleeve, and show his scars,
And say, ‘These wounds I had on Sebastian’s Day.
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall the names,
Halton, Wendover and Aylesbury,
The Workshops, the Schools and the Hill ,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Sebastian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But that The 94 th shall be remembered -
We few, we happy Brats, we band of apprentices:
For he today that signed in blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And Gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not there,
And hold their manhoods cheap, whiles any speaks
That signed with us upon Saint Sebastian’s Day.

Probably the most unintentionally funny sign in the UK coming to you via St. Charles Illinois and Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

2010-01-14T15:12:00.001-08:00

2010-01-13T10:22:00.001-08:00

2009-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

2009-12-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings from Canada

2009-12-15T19:05:00.001-08:00

2009-11-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

No1 Wing Football Team
By: denis.taylor66
File Name: Halton Apps 1 Wing.jpg
Posted: Nov 11, 2009
Resolution: 480x328
Size: 30KB
denis.taylor66 Wed Nov 11 16:00:27 PST 2009
Standing: Sgt George 'Pound' Elliot, Mike Seymour, Jim 'Nellie' Porteous, Jim Vaughan (92nd), Denis Taylor, Eddie? 'Plute' Bower, Pete 'Quango' Plank & Fg Off Walter.
Seated: Si John, Frank Ayling, Paddy Argent (Capt), Len Smith & Roger Marjoram (Both 92nd)

Mike and Barrie visit with Errol September 2009

2009-09-20T10:03:00.001-07:00

Hi Ian,

Not too much to report really. Barrie P and I caught the train up to a very rainy Paddington and then got a taxi to Covent Garden for 14:30. It wasn't too difficult to find the White Lion; quite a small pub by London standards. There were only a few people in there and no one we recognised. The South African barman told us the Rhodesians were coming back at 15:00. After a couple of pints of Sussex Bitter and half an hour of people watching, two guys walked in shouting "94th....94th?" It was Errol and his brother Terry.

We spent most of the time reminiscing about events at Halton. We must have spent an hour or more just looking at old photos. Yes, he does still live in Rhodesia, but politics didn't really emerge into the conversation. He seemed to just about tolerate Mugabe. He's looking well though and has spent his time in air traffic control; married for 43 years and came out of the RRAF when Smith lost power. Jim White, the other "Rhodie", who was his best man, is in Australia; works for IBM and is struggling with prostate problems.

You might get a little more out of Terry o'H and Barrie, but my memory is a bit hazy from the alcohol. I'm a two pint man these days so an injection of 5 pints is something of a memory blotter.

We hope that we may have persuaded him to attend the next Halton Triennial though .......let's hope so.

I can say this though; it was a real blast from the past to meet up with someone that both Barrie and I were close to all those years ago, and one I wouldn't have wanted to miss. A bit peeved that it wasn't better attended though.

Best Regards
Mike

2009-03-14T07:18:00.000-07:00

94th Entry Webpage

2009-03-13T06:59:00.000-07:00

2009-03-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

2008-11-30T06:34:00.000-08:00

2007-10-29T07:33:00.001-07:00

2007-10-27T16:01:00.001-07:00