RHAG deployments were a very common occurrence at RAF
Stanley nine or ten in the course of a 24 hour shift was about normal. Imagine
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 airfield .There
really was no margin for error but the RAF fire crews of RAF Stanley .excelled
in this difficult and potentially very dangerous task

.

The
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 engagement
a regular occurrence for the fire crews at RAF Stanley. However the weather gave some cause
for concern. Suddenly Mount
Tumbledown disappeared 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 for
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 safely
and the cable was rewound to allow the Fat Albert to land. The combine returned
to normal readiness. Shortly after Wing Commander Manning (OC ops) called at
the section and thanked the crew for their prompt and efficient actions. In 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 appreciation
for a job very well done by sharing a drink with you all. The Wing Commander
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 pass
on my appreciation to all members of the crew;Cpl Bowerbanks Cpl Tortice Cpl
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 undertaken
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 disagree
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.