ON NOVEMBER 12, 1970, tragedy struck RAF Odiham, when an accident involving two Wessex helicopters resulted in the deaths of five crew members.

Chris Perkins MVO, a retired RAF Squadron Leader, witnessed the crash on that awful day. On the lead up to the 50th anniversary, he shared his memories with the Gazette, with the help of notes made in his flying log book from the time.

As a young man, Mr Perkins, now 73, arrived at Helicopter Operational Conversion Flight at RAF Odiham for a Wessex course in September 1970, after completing parachute training at RAF Abingdon.

He was born and brought up in Solihull, south of Birmingham, and was a teenage member of his local Air Training Corps, before joining the Royal Air Force in 1966.

On the Wessex course, he was joined by three other students - the rest of the group were trained Air Crew who were retraining to operate Wessex helicopters.

“We were one of the first groups to come straight through from the parachute course. I remember, when we were assigned to Odiham, saying to the parachute instructor ‘But they have helicopters there!’,” he recalls.

“But we were like sponges, soaking up every little piece of technical information and excelled with the practical mentoring provided by a superb bunch of instructors.

“It was absolutely fantastic. By the end of the course we were more than comfortable in sitting up in the Wessex left-hand seat starting, stopping, flying and navigating that fantastic beast.

“And servicing them too. It was quite something, it really was.”

Chris Perkins remembers November 1970 as being “full on with consolidation flying”.

He said: “On that fateful Thursday the 12th I was awaiting a rotors-running crew changeover teamed up with a student pilot. Noticing our Wessex returning to south side dispersal, we left the crew room hut. Just as we were in the process of donning our helmets another Wessex, nose up in the final stages of an engines-off landing, collided with our machine.

“All of the five crew on board both helicopters were killed instantly in the ensuing explosion and fireball.”

Among those who lost their lives was one of the other students, Don Bell.

Mr Perkins said: “Everyone was in shock. I remember one of the navigators, he had flown on operations during WW2. He took me to one side and he looked at me and said, flying is an inherently dangerous business, if you don’t like it don’t do it. And that’s all it took.”

Chris Perkins wasn’t put off a flying career, but his fallen colleagues and what he witnessed that day have never left him.

“I have had a couple of accidents myself since. Nobody was killed, but my mind went back and I thought, wow, I got lucky,” he said.

Since the beginning of his career, Mr Perkins has deployed with the Support Helicopter Force and British Army throughout Europe, the Middle East and Central and South America.

In the latter stages of his career he was responsible for a variety of training at RAF College Cranwell, in addition to flying for three seasons with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Dakota aircraft.

Since his retirement he has returned to his helicopter routes, albeit in the ground support flight safety role with The Queen’s Helicopter Flight, now based at RAF Odiham. He is also heavily involved in military research, and works with schools around the country.

Now living in the Kempshott area of Basingstoke, he still works part-time and was recognised for his Personal Service to The Royal Household with the award of The Royal Victorian Order in 2014.

Recently walking past the Odiham memorial to helicopter personnel killed over the years, he spotted the names among many that were familiar to him, and decided to organise a commemoration to those who were killed.

“They were all friends of mine. There are not many people at Odiham, who still walk on the airfield, who will know them.

“It's extremely important that those five names on the Support Helicopter Memorial at RAF Odiham are not forgotten. They were all part of an incredible close aircrew family that we were very privileged indeed to be allowed membership.”

He arranged with the station to lay a wreath, however this visit has unfortunately been postponed due to the latest coronavirus restrictions. RAF Odiham do intend to mark the anniversary on social media, and Mr Perkins will visit the memorial as soon as he is able.

“I will ensure that the 50th Anniversary of their passing is properly recognised when restrictions permit,” he said.

“Indeed, it was a hell of a way to start a flying career.”