22 SAS Belvedere helicopter crash - 4th May 1963

[Beverly Stacey]

Tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of the helicopter crash that killed nine men in the Belvedere helicopter crash in Indonesia.

A British soldier named Hugh Cave exhumed all nine of the dead from the mass grave in which they'd been buried and reburied every single one of the men. He held a full funeral service for them. He then carried the stones to build the memorial and he and his late wife, Colleen, constructed the memorial gardens. Hugh went back a year later to hold a memorial service on the first anniversary of the crash.

Hugh is now 90 and still going strong. He recounted this whole story this morning when I took him out for coffee. I think he's an unsung hero who deserves a mention.

Hugh and his beloved late wife Colleen are pictured in the centre of this photograph. Trusan Valley Memorial (link)

"This memorial is for the SAS and RAF personnel who died in the Belvedere Helicopter crash of May 1963. Their remains were exhumed from the original crash site and reburied at the site in the Trusan Valley in 1996. A visit of the widows and relatives of those who died took place in early 1999. The site is lovingly maintained by the local Murats and in particular three men known as the ‘A’ Team, John Segar, Tanil Baru and Munap Tagil."

Trusan Memorial (link)

The Indonesian Confrontation

2 Belvedere helicopters from 66 Squadron, RAF were based in Brunei.
HMS Albion was deployed in 1962. HMS Bulwark in 1964.
845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons were deployed in 1963.
848 Naval Air Squadron deployed in 1965.

4th May 1963, a Belvedere Helicopter XG473 crashed near Long Merarap in the
Trusan Valley, Sarawak, killing all nine passengers and crew.

The Memorial wall, Terendak camp near Malacca:

Flight-Lieutenant A.P.J. Dobson RAF
Flight-Lieutenant D.R.E. Viner RAF
Corporal (Tech) J.L. Williams RAF
Major H.A.I. Thompson MC (RF & 22 SAS)
Major R.H.D. Norman MBE (Para & 22 SAS)
Corporal M.P. Murphy (Para and 22 SAS)
Captain J. Cornington (RF and 22 SAS)
M.H. Day (Foreign Office)
D. Reddish (The Borneo Company)
​

If anyone, including family members of the above named wish to leave a message for Hugh, please do so below and I'll happily present him with the messages. I know it really would make his day, he speaks of the whole event as if it happened just yesterday.

 

[galcock]

Tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of the helicopter crash that killed nine men in the Belvedere helicopter crash in Indonesia.

A British soldier named Hugh Cave exhumed all nine of the dead from the mass grave in which they'd been buried and reburied every single one of the men. He held a full funeral service for them. He then carried the stones to build the memorial and he and his late wife, Colleen, constructed the memorial gardens. Hugh went back a year later to hold a memorial service on the first anniversary of the crash.

Hugh is now 90 and still going strong. He recounted this whole story this morning when I took him out for coffee. I think he's an unsung hero who deserves a mention.

Hugh and his beloved late wife Colleen are pictured in the centre of this photograph. Trusan Valley Memorial (link)

"This memorial is for the SAS and RAF personnel who died in the Belvedere Helicopter crash of May 1963. Their remains were exhumed from the original crash site and reburied at the site in the Trusan Valley in 1996. A visit of the widows and relatives of those who died took place in early 1999. The site is lovingly maintained by the local Murats and in particular three men known as the ‘A’ Team, John Segar, Tanil Baru and Munap Tagil."

Trusan Memorial (link)

The Indonesian Confrontation

2 Belvedere helicopters from 66 Squadron, RAF were based in Brunei.
HMS Albion was deployed in 1962. HMS Bulwark in 1964.
845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons were deployed in 1963.
848 Naval Air Squadron deployed in 1965.
16 at the time
4th May 1963, a Belvedere Helicopter XG473 crashed near Long Merarap in the
Trusan Valley, Sarawak, killing all nine passengers and crew.

The Memorial wall, Terendak camp near Malacca:

Flight-Lieutenant A.P.J. Dobson RAF
Flight-Lieutenant D.R.E. Viner RAF
Corporal (Tech) J.L. Williams RAF
Major H.A.I. Thompson MC (RF & 22 SAS)
Major R.H.D. Norman MBE (Para & 22 SAS)
Corporal M.P. Murphy (Para and 22 SAS)
Captain J. Cornington (RF and 22 SAS)
M.H. Day (Foreign Office)
D. Reddish (The Borneo Company)
​

If anyone, including family members of the above named wish to leave a message for Hugh, please do so below and I'll happily present him with the messages. I know it really would make his day, he speaks of the whole event as if it happened just yesterday.

I would like to leave a respectful message. In 1963 I lived on the 22 SAS base at Hereford on Bullingham Lane. I was an SAS soldier's son and I was attending Lucton School near Leominster and Kingsland at the time. I was about sixteen years old at the time. I knew one of these mens daughters who was called Priscilla Norman. My father was out in Borneo too. Her's did not come back. I went over to her civilian house, off the base, after her family had moved to pay my respects and offer some comfort. I went on my Lambretta scooter. Of course I was very young and did not know what to say to her or her brother and mother. I did not know the brother at all as he was never on the base as he had been away at school too. I would like to think that Priscilla got on well with her life. My father and Major Norman were both from the Parachute Regiment and my father had been 2SAS from WW2. All the best to the Norman family from one of your neighbours from 1963 on the 22 SAS base off the Ross on Wye road. If you read this Priscilla then I say hello. Graham John Alcock retired art teacher.

 

[Beverly Stacey]

Hello Graham

Thank you for your reply. How interesting you should mention Ross on Wye, Hugh used to live that way. I don't know if Hugh knew the men who perished in the accident, I shall have to ask him. I will show him your messages, I know he will love to read them. Thank you!