Desperate for Help - Tech Squadron, Wigram Photo

[Dave Homewood]

Calling RNZAF and ex-RNZAF people here.

Not too long before Technical Squadron, RNZAF Base Wigram was closed downin late 1993, someone suggested a squadron photo be taken of the last members. Sadly around 1/2 of the squadron or more had already been posted away, most to Ohakea following PTS and CFS.

I was still there though and so was in the photo. Now 13 years later the grey cells are not what they were, and I'm trying to put names to faces. I've forgotten too many already. Can you help?


This info I know so far: (his is embarrassing as most were mates back then)
Left to right:
LAC ? ? (Aircraft Technician, WAAF)
LAC Mitch Button (Aircraft tech or Avionics, ex-NATTS, killed in hit and run cycle accident a few years ago)
LAC ? ? (ex-NATTS)
LAC ? ? (ex-NATTS)
LAC Todd ? (Machinist)
Cpl P.J. Smith (Planewright, now with RNZAF Museum as civvy)
LAC Sean Eccles (Avionics)
Cpl Steve "Stench" Leach (S&S, was posted to Museum, now ??)
Cpl "Nardo" ?? (metal worker or machinist?)
Cpl ? ? (Aircraft Tech, Ex-Natts, went to Air Nelson)
LAC Dave Homewood (S&S, me!)
LAC or Cpl Kerry Hibberd (ex-PTS)
LAC Alastair Pilditch (Aircraft Tech)
LAC ??
LAC Gary Barnes (Planewright)
Cpl ? ? (Aircraft tech)
LAC Aaron Lyttle (S&S)
Sgt Steve ?? (Ex-NATTS, formerly instructor at 4TTS)
? ?
Sgt Steve ?? (Plainewright)
F/Lt Tony 'TC' Webster (Flight Commander - maybe CO by then)
Sgt John 'JC' Evans (Aircraft Tech)
Sgt Dennis Gibbons (S&S, now W/O at Museum)
Flight Sergeant Gary Curtiss (Aircraft Tech)
Flight Sergeant Keith Scott (S&S)
Sgt Gus Pagett (Aircraft tech)
Cpl ? ? (Metal Worker)


I may have one or two trades wrong there, as it seems very down on Avionics guys, unless some were absent for the photo. Still at Wigram then too were a few more S&S not in the photo sadly.

I note that Sqn Ldr Ronalds, who had the unfortunate and unfitting nickname of Runnybum, isn't present. So TC Webster was probably CO by then. And it seems W/O Jhn Hare was also posted away by this time so Gary Curtiss would have been SNCO. Later Keith Scott took that role before I left for Ohakea. Shortly after this photo TC was posted, and Flt Lt Teresa Cunningham came in as CO. Both were great engineering officers that I much admired. She had previously run the Red Checkers technical team whilst with PTS.


Anyway, any help in names to faces would be great, thanks.

[Dave Homewood]

Hmm, photobucket has resized my photo small. I will add it in sections for detail. Sorry.

[Dave Homewood]

OK, here's the first group, left to right to Cpl 'Nardo'

LAC ? ?
LAC Mitch Button
LAC ? ?
LAC ? ?
LAC Todd ?
Cpl P.J. Smith
LAC Sean Eccles
Cpl Steve Leach
Cpl "Nardo" ??

Second Group

Cpl ? ?
LAC Dave Homewood
LAC or Cpl Kerry Hibberd
LAC Alastair Pilditch
LAC ??
LAC Gary Barnes
Cpl ? ?
LAC Aaron Lyttle
Sgt Steve ??
? ?


Third Group

Sgt Steve ??
F/Lt Tony 'TC' Webster
Sgt John 'JC' Evans
Sgt Dennis Gibbons
Flight Sergeant Gary Curtiss
Flight Sergeant Keith Scott
Sgt Gus Pagett
Cpl ? ?

[tibor]

Is "Sgt Steve ?" (between Gary Barnes and Aaron Lyttle) a youthful Steve Bennett?
He was a W/O and is now involved with NMIT at Woodbourne.

[beagle]

The SGT on Aaron littles left is in fact "Strawbs"
He was W/O at Woodbourne when I wa sliving at blenheim 3 years ago.
He was dealing with the recruits who had joined the civilian training school equal to out 4TTS.
The Meatal Worker (tin-basher) next to Gus Paget is in fact.... shit, it's on the tip of my tongue....he was either avionics or aircraft tech before going metal worker in the days when the shop at wigram had people like Strop and Jimmy Burfort.

[phil]

Looks a bit like Evil Crabb (sp?), he was a tin basher instructor at WB in 96, but we only had him for two weeks on basic enge and it was a long time ago so I'm not sure at all about that one.

And I've never seen Kerry Hibbard with hair! I had no idea he was a ginga....

TC is now MFC on 3sqn. He was my OC a few years ago when I was an armament AC or LAC.

[beagle]

thats the one, thought there was a bit of a nickname to his name that everyone calle dhim.
do you know his real first name

[Dave Homewood]

That's him! 'Evil' Crabb!! Thanks Phil. How the hell did I forget a name like that!

And I think Steve Bennett is right too. And 'Strawbs'. Cheers guys.

[Dave Homewood]

So, Kerry's bald now then? My enduring member of him is going to the cricket at Lancaster park with some of the Air Force boys. Playing? NZ vs England. It didn't stop Waikato-boy Kerry from bellowing "Wai---Kat---oooooooooo" every few minutes throughout the afternoon, as if he were home in Rugby Park.

There was another guy that Kerry and Andrew Maxwell chummed around with, big solid guy with white hair. I've forgotten his name. All three were at PTS at the time. He was a laugh. He and Max were flatting in a Married Quarter at windy Weedons. When they ran out of firewood in the dead of winter and there was nothing else to burn, this chap opened a can of pait and lit it in the fireplace. Apparently a warm and pleasant night was had by all.

[phil]

First name might have been Ernie, but I really don't know.

Kerry has shaved his head as long as I have known him.

Big guy wasn't Farmer was it?

[beagle]

my god, Dave, how did ya let an armourer on here..

[Dave Homewood]

I don't think I ever heard Evil's first name. It was always 'Evil' or Cpl Crabb.

Steve Farmer you mean? Hmm, maybe. will have a think on that one.

[Dave Homewood]

Armourers - there's a few of them here now, and they're very welcome since they have no planes to play with anymore.

[beagle]

it was just in my day there was a wee bit of banter between S&S and Armourers but always ended in a few beers, then a few more then out came other games.........................

[Dave Homewood]

Aha, found him

Alan Crabb "Evil"
www.oldfriends.co.nz/MemberProfile.aspx?oldfriends_member_id=257049

[phil]

The guy next to TC isn't Hair (possibly Hare but I don't think so)? Not sure what trade, but if its the guy I'm thinking of he's still a SGT and still a dick head.

Might be someone completely different of course.

Farmer is the big guys nick name, not sure his real name though.

[Dave Homewood]

"it was just in my day there was a wee bit of banter between S&S and Armourers but always ended in a few beers, then a few more then out came other games......................... "

Yes, I remember it. In the new world of PC RNZAF I don't know if they still do the Armourer's Shandy

[Dave Homewood]

phil said:

The guy next to TC isn't Hair (possibly Hare but I don't think so)? Not sure what trade, but if its the guy I'm thinking of he's still a SGT and still a dick head.

Might be someone completely different of course.

Farmer is the big guys nick name, not sure his real name though.

I don't think that guys name was Hair. He was a chippy, and a top bloke, as I remember him. I doubt he'd be still in as he was on his way out then i think. He told me once when I was leaving the RNZAF to go on my OE that he'd done for a while that when he was younger and then come back to the RNZAF. So I think he'd been around some time by 1993.

We had John Hare, our Warrant Officer, but I think I'd recall if we had two men of the same name. can't be him.

[beagle]

yes seen a few armourers shandy's done and drunk.
saw a girl drink one once, she had the meanest face on earth , when she got back from the toilet after throwing up.

Pretty sure it wa sstrop when we were at Hobby on junior course in 81 that he used to put his cigarette into your can when ya popped out to the toilet.

[phil]

We are all grown up now....

We had our Christmas function the other evening and it was a very civilised affair at a nice cafe. No stealing everything that wasn't bolted down. Or even things that were bolted down. We will even be allowed back there next year, that never used to happen!

All the young guys seem to have grown up and haven't been replaced by more young guys.

When I joined there were heaps of young guys around 18-21, now the youngest AC at Ohakea is about 25 with a family. Most of the youngest guys are still those that were around when I joined, except they are now all around 30, with partners, kids and houses, and much more sensible.

Armourers shandies seem to be a thing of the past.

Although St. Barbaras day is coming up soon...