Burns-Thomson, Neil (Oral history)

British private trained with The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt) Regimental Depot, Canterbury Barracks at Canterbury, GB, 1956; officer cadet trained with 164th Officer Cadet Training Unit at Eaton Hall, GB, 1956; officer served with 1st Bn Ghana Regt, Ghana Army in Tamale, Ghana, 1957-1959; naval air cadet trained with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Thunderer, Plymouth, GB, 5/1960-11/1960; officer trained as pilot with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 11/1960-5/1961; trained as helicopter pilot with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 6/1961-2/1962; served as helicopter pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Bulwark in Far East, Indian Ocean and HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in GB, 3/1962-12/1963; served with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Borneo during Indonesian Confrontation, 1963-1966; various appointments as helicopter pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Indian Ocean, 1967-1972

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1938-1956: family; education; attempt to join Royal Navy. Aspects of call-up and initial training as private with The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt) Regimental Depot at Canterbury Barracks, Canterbury, GB, 1956: expectation that he would have to do National Service; previous experience of Combined Cadet Force (CCF) at school in Cheltenham; volunteering for regiment; acting as right marker during drill; nature of basic training; treatment by NCO instructors and inspections; removal of unsuitable recruit; opinion of food; selection for officer training. Aspects of period as officer cadet with 164th Officer Cadet Training Unit at Officer Cadet Training School, Eaton Hall in GB, 1956: move to Eaton Hall; pattern of training; instructors' treatment of cadets; field training in North Wales; mixing with recruits from different backgrounds; nature of officer training; amusing story of passing out parade. REEL 2 Continues: commissioning and choice of regiments. Recollections of period as officer with 1st Bn Ghana Regt, Ghana Army in Tamale, Ghana, 1957-1959: flight from GB to Ghana; arrival in Tamale; introduction to platoon; relations with troops; languages spoken; tribal origins of troops; popularity of army career in Ghana; gradual process of moving to Ghanaian officered unit; setting up of selection tests; political aspects to Ghanaian Army; daily working routine; platoon discipline; incident of corporal being placed under Ju-Ju spell and how it was removed; spiritual matters; description of camp; medical provision for troops; uniform worn; batmen; organisation of Ghana Army; pay and leave; relations with Ghanaians; attitude of Ghanaians towards Independence. REEL 3 Continues: recreational activities; medical precautions; attitude towards service in Ghana; return to GB. Aspects of enlistment and training as naval air cadet with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Thunderer in Plymouth, GB, 5/1960-11/1960: decision to apply for Fleet Air Arm, Rhodesian and Hong Police Forces; Fleet Air Arm selection board under Admiral Percy Gick; pattern of officer training at HMS Thunderer in Plymouth; advantage of prior military service; terms and conditions of service. Aspects of flying training at No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 11/1960-5/1961: start of course, 11/1960; initial familiarisation flight; sequence of instruction; method of controlling Percival P.56 Provost T.Mk 1; circuit and bumps; taking off and landing aircraft; reaction to soloing aircraft, 12/1960; stalling aircraft. REEL 4 Continues: recovery from spin; cross-country navigation; development of air awareness; practising forced landings; background to selection as helicopter pilot. Aspects of training as helicopter pilot with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 6/1961-2/1962: initial familiarisation with helicopters; method of controlling helicopter; sequence of instruction flying helicopters; need to use gentle movements in controlling helicopter; opinion of Hillier HTE-2 Helicopter. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Westland Whirlwind HAR.7; carrying capacity of Westland Whirlwind HAR.7; role of crewman; commando helicopter training; later anti-piracy patrols in Far East. Aspects of period as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Bulwark in Far East, Indian Ocean and HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Sqdn Culdrose in GB, 3/1962-12/1963: arrival in Singapore, Malaya, 3/1962; role of HMS Bulwark; squadron compliment; performance of Westland Whirlwind in tropical conditions; helicopter work during animal census in wildlife game park in Kenya; return to GB; winter relief work in GB, early 1963. Recollections of operations as pilot with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Borneo during Indonesian Confrontation, 1963-1966: volunteering for liaison duties; need for helicopters; description of base at Naga Ghat; dealing with Chinese traders; inadequate maps and method of navigating in jungle. REEL 6 Continues: inserting listening patrols and persuading local Ibans to construct helicopter landing pads near their longhouses; occasion when underslung loads carried; attending language course; nature of liaison duties with Ibans; relations with Ibans; degree to which Ibans provided intelligence on Indonesians; attending wild pig hunts with Ibans; dealing with outbreak of cholera; evacuation of Iban accidentally shot in head; taking journalist to longhouse; description of longhouse; lifestyle of Ibans. REEL 7 Continues: flying conditions; landing survey teams on mountain sides; incident when two helicopters collided near Naga Ghat; account of his crashing damaged helicopter into jungle; incident of receiving Green Endorsement for dealing with malfunction on Westland Wessex HAS.1; medical evacuation of Major Eric 'Birdie' Smith of 1/7th Bn Gurkhas, 20/4/1963; background to extension of his tour from eighteen months to a three years. REEL 8 Continues: co-operation with members of US Peace Corps; character of Westland Wessex HU.5 including camouflage. Aspects of period as helicopter pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Indian Ocean, 1967-1972: Air-Sea Rescue work from HMS Fulmar Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth; story of rescuing downed English Electric Lightning pilot; crew of Westland Whirlwind; observing live firing at Cape Wrath; his approach to instructional duties; work with Royal Navy School Presentation Team; work with Royal Fleet Auxliliary Resource Flight in Indian Ocean; decision to leave Fleet Air Arm, 1972; organising memorial to those who died serving at Naga Ghat in Borneo.