A
RECENT tragedy occurred where Leading Aircraftman Leigh Hugyecz
from RAAF Base Williams lost his life while travelling to work.
As the LAC affectionately known as “Huggy” was well
known and liked throughout the Air Force, there were a lot of
members from bases all over the country wishing to travel to attend
the full service funeral in the chapel at RAAF Williams, Point
Cook.
Members had started to organise their own personal travel when
it was revealed that the Air Force were supplying transport for
all members wishing to attend the funeral to pay their last respects
to Huggy.
I am writing to express my gratitude to the Air Force and sincere
thanks on behalf of all the members who were able to attend the
funeral thanks to the transport arrangements and supply by the
RAAF.
As I have only been within the RAAF for a short while, I was happy
to see that the Air Force family looks after each other when the
need arises.
In this present climate of budget restraints, cost cutting and
civilianisation, I was proud to know that the Air Force looks
after their own.
Thank you to all the powers that be that made this travel happen,
as I can assure you that the gesture was more than appreciated
by not only myself, but all of the other members in attendance.
On a personal note, I wish to also thank Flight Sergeant Paul
Gunning for going out of his own way to ensure that another member
and I were transported to Point Cook in time for the service after
being stranded at RAAF Williams, Laverton.
FSGT Gunning made a special trip to Point Cook to ensure that
we were there in time for the funeral service.
AC Pete Lee
Information Systems
382ECSS
RAAF Base Amberley
Strike Meteorite error from
record
I WOULD like to correct a mistake in the caption of the photograph
that accompanied the article about the RAAF Museum’s exhibition
Smoke On, Go! in the June 5 edition of Air Force News as I’ve
had a lot of calls about it.
For the record, the photo depicting “Les Reading and part
of his 78 Fighter Wing team”, is in fact of me, then Flight
Lieutenant J.H. Flemming, and Flight Sergeants F.P. Riley and
O.R.F. Bartropthe, the Meteorite team from No. 75 Squadron, No.
78 Wing, RAAF Base Williamtown, in 1955-56.
The aircraft shown is a Meteor not a Vampire. The picture used
is on page 94 of Alan Stephens’ book Going Solo: The Royal
Australian Air Force 1946-71.
At the time I was Commanding Officer of 75SQN and was tasked by
the then Air Board to form the RAAF’s first Official Aerobatic
Team, named the Meteorites. This team first flew in September
1955.
Many squadrons and training units had scratch aerobatic teams
for local display and for what used to be Air Force Week celebrations.
These included Squadron Leader Roy Royston and his No. 77 Squadron
Meteors from Williamtown in the mid 1950s. Les Reading and the
Vampires that they flew in Malta were in this category and as
such were unnamed, as were all the other unofficial teams.
The next official RAAF team was the Black Diamonds, formed at
Williamtown in 1960-61. This was the first Avon Sabre team and
the second official RAAF aerobatic team.
The third official RAAF team was the Red Sales which was formed
at East Sale in 1962 and later crashed during training. They were
followed immediately by Squadron Leader Herb Plenty and the Telstars
flying dual Vampires from East Sale.
AVM Jim Flemming (ret’d)
Campbell, ACT
Lives should be of equal value
I
ATTENDED the presentation on the New Military Rehabilitation and
Compensation Scheme at RAAF Base Williams in Melbourne on July
22.
I found the presentation informative, however, there was one aspect
of the proposed scheme with which I disagree: the value of compensation
to a family upon the death of a member.
The presentation implied that the family of a member who has died
as a result of warlike service would receive a significantly greater
amount than that received by a family of a member who died as
a result of peacetime service.
The presenters justified this difference by citing it as a stipulation
from ex-serving organisations.
Apart from the name placed upon the situation, whether it be warlike,
non-warlike (peacekeeping), or in a training/exercise environment,
there are glaring similarities:
