We are thrilled to welcome our latest addition to Rednal in the form of a Wessex Helicopter. After weeks of careful planning it finally arrived yesterday Wednesday 21st September causing quite a stir with people taking photos of it out of their car windows on the motorway.

This wonderful helicopter has quite a history as it saw active service in the Falklands War and below is some information we have found out about it:

While the rescues were still proceeding, the container ship 'Atlantic Conveyor' was hit by an Argentine Exocet missile, launched from a Super Etendard and probably intended for the aircraft carrier, HMS Invincible. 'Conveyor' was soon burning fiercely. A Wessex HU.5, XT468 and three No.826 Squadron Sea Kings, from HMS Hermes, rescued 13 of the ship's company. Others were taken off by accompanying frigates. Twelve men died including 'Conveyor's' master, Ian North. The ship's cargo had included six Wessex HU.5s, of No. 848 Squadron, and four RAF Chinook HC.1s.

An attempt to bring troops forward by sea ended in tragedy, on 8th June, with the bombing of 'Sir Galahad' and 'Sir Tristram', near Fitzroy. Heroic winchmen and pilots of four Sea Kings and one Wessex HU.5, flew into the dense, stifling, smoke around 'Sir Galahad', risking flames and exploding ammunition, to lift men from the deck and the sea. Others used their rotor downdraft to push inflatable liferafts away from the ship, which was surrounded by patches of burning oil. Many of 656 Squadron's Westland Scout AH.1s and Gazelle AH.1s flew casualties from the shore to the hospital ship 'Uganda' and to the field hospital at Ajax Bay. Fifty men died on the 'Sir Galahad' and three on 'Sir Tristram'. Thirty-nine of these were Welsh Guardsmen. Many more were wounded, almost all of them badly burned.