RHAG deployments were a very common occurrence =
at RAF
Stanley nine or ten in the course of a 24 hour shift was about normal. Ima=
gine
operating in the dark with a face numbing Antarctic wind chill recovering =
fully
armed Phantom aircraft with engines running from ice clad runway arresting
cables. Speed and accuracy are imperative if the aircraft is to be removed=
and
the cable prepared for the imminent landing of another Phantom or transport
aircraft both at the limit of their endurance with no diversionary airfiel=
d .There
really was no margin for error but the RAF fire crews of RAF Stanley .exce=
lled
in this difficult and potentially very dangerous task
.
T=
he
following citation dated the 22 November 1984 was given to all members of =
my
crew but the scenario and prevailing situation=
could
apply to any RAF Stanley Fire crew Rhag deployment
On the afternoon of Thursday the 20th
November 1984 the Crash Combine were deployed for an East Alpha RHAG engag=
ement
a regular occurrence for the fire crews at RAF Stanley. However the weather gave some=
cause
for concern. Suddenly Mo=
unt
Tumbledown disappe=
ared in
a gathering storm strong northerly crosswinds gusting at 50 knots were in
evidence. The combine were deployed to rig the centre Alpha and stand by f=
or
two Geese (F4) and a Fat Albert (extended C130) recovering. The first goose
landed safely and the cable was rewound. The second Goose also landed safe=
ly
and the cable was rewound to allow the Fat Albert to land. The combine ret=
urned
to normal readiness. Shortly after Wing Commander Manning (OC ops) called =
at
the section and thanked the crew for their prompt and efficient actions. I=
n the
words of the Wing Commander I have never seen a fire crew move so quickly =
and
professionally and that includes my days at RAF Coningsby. I was urging you
lads on from up in the tower and I was so relieved when you completed all =
your
tasks in what must have been record time. I would like to show my apprecia=
tion
for a job very well done by sharing a drink with you all. The Wing Command=
er
then produced a bottle of Scotch whisky and asked us to join in a toast to=
the
wonderful men of the RAF Fire service. As the crew chief I would like to p=
ass
on my appreciation to all members of the crew;Cpl Bowerbanks Cpl Tortice C=
pl
Yapp SAC Haughton SAC Hawes SAC Hollis SAC Lenegan SAC Wade SAC Walton SAC
Young and our two rhaggies Cpl Thomas and Jnr tech Palmer. I hope that you=
can
look on this incident in years to come as a task very professionally under=
taken
at Royal Air Force Stanley
=
=
=
=
George G Edwards=
Sergeant SNCO i/c A
Crew
Fire Section RAF Stanley
As a matter of interest, I declined the Wing
Commanders offer of a toast. Its not very often you get the chance to disa=
gree
with a Wing Commander but we still had a long night ahead of us and there =
was
no way any of my crew were consuming alcohol on duty, however small the
quantity. We did however have our toast at a more appropriate time.
&n=
bsp;