Post by Dave Homewood on Jan 24, 2024 20:18:25 GMT 12
From The Press, 18th of September 1975
CLOSE OF AN ERA
An Army pilot, Captain Hugh Weatherhead, of Christchurch, checks flight details with his commander. Major A. C. S. Holtam. who is based in Singapore.
Captain Weatherhead will end an era of British Army aviation in Singapore and Malaysia. He will be the last member of 11 Flight of the British Army Air Corps to leave Sembawang Airfield. He has been flying British Army Sioux light observation helicopters in Singapore for the past year, and is responsible for the return to Britain of 11 Flight as part of the British withdrawal from the area. The flight’s four Sioux helicopters ended operations on August 31.
When his task with 11 Flight is complete, Captain Weatherhead will join the operations staff of the headquarters of New Zealand Force South-East Asia, in Singapore.
Captain Weatherhead joined the New Zealand Army in 1966 and graduated from the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Australia in 1968 with the Sword of Honour. His father also served in the Royal New Zealand Artillery Regiment.
Captain Weatherhead served with the New Zealand Army’s 161 Battery, in South Vietnam for a year before being selected to be trained by the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a helicopter pilot.
At the end of his flying training in 1971 he joined the R.N.Z.A.F.’s No 3 Squadron, as a Sioux pilot, and arrived in Singapore in July last year.
During his tour with 11 Flight, Captain Weatherhead has served as deputy flight commander and administration officer. He commanded the unit for four month. Captain Weatherhead has flown 1100 hours in Sioux helicopters.
CLOSE OF AN ERA
An Army pilot, Captain Hugh Weatherhead, of Christchurch, checks flight details with his commander. Major A. C. S. Holtam. who is based in Singapore.
Captain Weatherhead will end an era of British Army aviation in Singapore and Malaysia. He will be the last member of 11 Flight of the British Army Air Corps to leave Sembawang Airfield. He has been flying British Army Sioux light observation helicopters in Singapore for the past year, and is responsible for the return to Britain of 11 Flight as part of the British withdrawal from the area. The flight’s four Sioux helicopters ended operations on August 31.
When his task with 11 Flight is complete, Captain Weatherhead will join the operations staff of the headquarters of New Zealand Force South-East Asia, in Singapore.
Captain Weatherhead joined the New Zealand Army in 1966 and graduated from the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Australia in 1968 with the Sword of Honour. His father also served in the Royal New Zealand Artillery Regiment.
Captain Weatherhead served with the New Zealand Army’s 161 Battery, in South Vietnam for a year before being selected to be trained by the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a helicopter pilot.
At the end of his flying training in 1971 he joined the R.N.Z.A.F.’s No 3 Squadron, as a Sioux pilot, and arrived in Singapore in July last year.
During his tour with 11 Flight, Captain Weatherhead has served as deputy flight commander and administration officer. He commanded the unit for four month. Captain Weatherhead has flown 1100 hours in Sioux helicopters.
