Honour for tragic RAF pilot (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Honour for tragic RAF pilot

THE PILOT of the ill-fated Hercules aircraft which crashed in Iraq in January has been posthumously awarded a medal.

Flt Lt David Stead was one of eight Lyneham airmen who died when Hercules XV179 crashed in the Iraqi desert north of Baghdad on January 30.

The airman and Lyneham-based navigator Flt Lt Richard Whipp, who was not involved in the Iraq tragedy, were awarded the Air Force Cross for their exceptional flying skills, extraordinary courage and outstanding leadership during a casualty evacuation flight in Afghanistan in April 2002.

At the time, their aircraft was tasked at extremely short notice to fly in dreadful weather conditions from Bagram to Kandahar to evacuate injured civilian casualties, some of whom were children.

A Lyneham spokesman said: "Atrocious weather conditions including high winds, storm clouds and a raging dust storm at Kandahar created poor visibility.

"Despite being told by air traffic control not to make an approach, knowing the desperate need to evacuate the casualties, they chose to press on using the aircraft's internal flying aids only, which is extremely hazardous and requires exceptional skill."

They landed their aircraft safely, and it was rapidly equipped to convey casualties on stretchers and the injured were loaded. Despite the aircraft's anti-icing systems not working and the continuing appalling conditions, they once more elected to take off to evacuate the injured to Kabul.

"The return journey was equally hazardous and had to be conducted at low level to minimise passenger discomfort," added the spokesman.

"With Flt Lt Stead flying and Flt Lt Whipp navigating, they flew through mountain passes in dreadful weather conditions to avoid thunderstorms and managed to return safely to Kabul to deliver seriously injured casualties to coalition medical care.

"Their outstanding courage, flying skills and leadership were unquestionably of the highest order and ensured many lives were saved."

In June of this year, 47 Squadron, which suffered the loss, was awarded a battle honour from the Queen giving the squadron the right to emblazon "Iraq 2003" on its regimental standard. The honour is the squadron's eighth since World War I.

The other Lyneham airmen who died in the January 30 crash were Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25, Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35, from Australia, Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42, Chief Technician Richard Brown, 40, Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34, Sgt Robert O'Connor, 38, and Cpl David Williams, 37.

Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39 from RAF High Wycombe and Army Signaller Lance Corporal Steven Jones, 25 also died in the crash.

Anthony Osborne