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Frederick Hook

on the list. The weeks went slowly but yet 2 engines starting then hearing over the I have photos from that flight but they are
I had a feeling that I would indeed have comms that they couldn’t start the next very poor. My memories of that day will
my flight. engine. I remember looking out the never be forgotten.
porthole and seeing a Lliney with A
The Shack came in on the Thursday frame steps near an engine with a lump I will be forever grateful to No 8 Sqn
afternoon, the sound of those Griffins hammer. Then it all came back, my father and in particular to Wing Commander
sent a shiver down my spine perhaps it told me how the starters used to stick David Hencken who was the Captain that
was because of all the stories my Father and how the Linies used to knock 7 bells day. With the greatest respect to Wg Cdr
had told me I don’t know. Anyway I out of them with a heavy lump hammer Hencken he may never know how much
waited for a couple of hours after it had and if that didn’t work they would try that flight meant to me.
landed before I phoned Air Traffic to and bump start an engine with another
see if I would be able to fly on it. As the aircrafts prop wash if that was possible. On July the 4th next year I will be 40
only Painter & Finisher I was able to do years of age, I was 22 ½ when I had my
favours for people whether this helped or On this occasion the Linies couldn’t get Shack flight. My father died to young
not I don’t know but I was told I would the engine to start, and so the aircraft was and I miss him so much. The pain is still
be ok for a flight on the Friday. I cannot shut down. God I was absolutely gutted. so raw. There are times when I need his
begin to tell you how excited I was that I was robbed. Once everyone was on the council so much and I find myself talking
night. I was told to be at V.A.S on the deck the Captain called everyone around to him. My father had his faults as do we
Friday morning. Thank god my Flight but was talking to his own ground all but he loved the R.A.F. and he never
Sergeant didn’t mind me going. crew when he suggested that they sort complained about the sad direction in
the starter and try going up later that which his life went.
On the Friday morning I was like the afternoon otherwise they would be in on
proverbial chicken, I went over to V.A.S the Saturday. Every one agreed , lets get I am so grateful to the Bangor Branch of
early to make sure I wasn’t late. The crew this done so as to enjoy the weekend on the R.A.F.A when my father died as they
of the aircraft came out, no one stood out the razz. We as Jollies were told to report were able to provide the R.A.F.Ensign to
except a Wg CDR who looked as though about 16.00 hrs, which we did. cover his coffin. This would have meant
he knew his way around a Shack. I so much to him.
remember thinking to myself at the time It was a long day but eventually we
that my Father often told me about Shack climbed aboard again and took our seats. In Northern Ireland with all its pain I can
pilots of his era who were Lancaster pilots I wasn’t so sure we would get of the still see people of a certain age turn and
and of these some wore the Brevet of the ground this time. All went well and we look at the hearse as we made are way to
Pathfinders. I suppose as a 23-year-old I taxied out to the end of the Algecieres the cemetery. I am proud of my father he
was so in awe of this officer at the time. end of the runway. The feeling when served his country, as did his father as
those four Griffins started to wind up is did I in my own humble way.
I was not the only person to be looking unforgettable. It made the hairs on my
forward to a flight that day. The Gib Stn neck stand on end for lots of reasons. So as you can see sometimes those little
CDR who was a WG CDR was also flying My time in the air in R.A.F aircraft was dreams do come true.
with us. After a standard safety briefing limited to The Hawk / Herc / Wessex
we climbed on board the aircraft and / Lynx , nothing could compare to
took our allocated seats. My seat was in this though. The Shack vibrated as the
the galley where I noticed a brass plate engines where wound up then seemed
with all the squadrons on which the to relax once it was released down the
aircraft had served. Can you imagine my runway.
surprise when I saw the dates that this
aircraft had been in Gib. We lifted off into a beautiful clear evening
out over the Med and commenced
“1960!!!” this aircraft had been based Circuits & Bumps over the runway. It
in Gib with 224 Sqn I believe when my was interesting listening to the Captain
father was based there and no doubt he educating the young pilots on how to
had worked on it. I was totally astounded. land a Shack and how to use gravity
All my childhood dreams all my hopes, I to through the Shack into the limited
was actually sitting in an Avro Shackleton airspace over the western end of the
that he had worked on and I was going to runway and power out over the runway.
fly in it. In memory of
We spent about 2 hours doing rollers
From my seat I could see the trailing and landed about 19.00hrs I think. I Winston Mavor Bell
edge of the wing on the starboard side. remember looking through the Astro
Once we were all hooked up I listened Dome back at Gib and thinking that this Royal Air Force
as they engines started. I remember my was the sight that my father would have
father telling me the sequence in which seen when he was based in Gib. At the Born 10th July 1940
the engines started but for the life of me I end of the flight I remember thinking my Died 24th December 2002
cant remember. Anyway I remember 1 or dream had come true.

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