ANZAC Day 2010
This’ll be an ANZAC Day I’ll never forget.
We did what has become our normal routine. I got up at 0445hrs and Jack picked me up at 0515 to arrive at 0530 at the Hastings cenotaph for ANZAC Dawn services.
Later in the day Kirsty and I headed for Taradale where 13SQN parades for ANZAC Day. That’s where I bumped into Hardie Martin – Vietnam veteran, and until recently an Officer in our unit.
“Just heard on the radio that a choppers gone down north of Wellington – they’ve lost 3 crew”
“Really? Oh god…” Having a family who used to do a lot of chopper flying it always sends chills down your spine thinking you might know the victims.
“Yeah… an Air Force Iroquois”
Double “Oh God”.
My first thought leaps straight to FGOFF Sam Estall of 3 Squadron – he used to be our Warrant Officer @ 13SQN (before I arrived admittedly) and he quite often attends important events as our invited guest – a true Cadet Forces success story and a mate to us all. Kirsty also knows another pilot on 3SQN from her 11SQN days… It’s another 4 or 5 hours before we get back home and can confirm that it wasn’t Sam (he was active on Facebook at the time!) It’s a nail biting, horrific 4 or 5 hours, not knowing for sure either way – and even when we did figure out it wasn’t him it still doesn’t make it any better. This is the sort of thing that is waaaay too close to home.
I’ve seen photos now of FGOFF Dan Gregory who was one of 3 crew killed and I’m pretty sure I met him back in February at the CHB Aero Club 75th Anniversary (still trying to confirm if it was him or not). Seemed like a really top bloke and went out of his way to stop and talk to me.
Anyhoo… No-one wants to hear my personal take on it – it’s a collosal tragedy, I’m sure you’ll all agree and my heart and thoughts go out to the family, friends and SQN mates of Dan Gregory, Ben Carson and Hayden Madsen. Kia Kaha 3SQN.
Here’s a clip I found via Facebook on Youtube
This post tagged as: RNZAF
27
Apr
Many thanks from the family of Ben Carson for this beautiful tribute
Hi guys… I’m not actually personally responsible for the video clip, but I’m certainly glad that you got to see it. I’m also glad that my thoughts managed to make it to the people they were directed to.
To everyone else… I was wrong – found so photos on Facebook the other day, and it wasn’t FGOFF Gregory I met.