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Families Suffer the
Agony
Evening Advertiser pg 4-5
www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk
with thanks to Ben Payne
bpayne@newswilts.co.uk
2nd February 2005 12:00hrs GMT
FAMILY and friends of Swindon servicemen who
died in the Hercules crash have described the agony they are going through.
Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42, of Griffiths Close,
Stratton St Margaret, and Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson,
34, of Gairlock Close, Sparcells, were among the ten men
killed when the plane from RAF Lyneham came down in Iraq.
Nine RAF personnel and one soldier died in Sunday's crash
north of Baghdad which was the biggest single loss of life
to hit UK forces since military action in Iraq began.
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Mr Nicholson's family was too upset to talk
yesterday but released a statement to the Advertiser. It
read: "While we appreciate the concern and sentiments,
we would ask that the press allow the family some additional
time to grieve as we find it too upsetting to talk about
it and would ask to be treated with some respect at this
moment in time."
Mr Nicholson, who joined the RAF in April 1982, has been
described as a "giant of a man." He leaves two
sons, Adrian and Stuart, and his girlfriend, Rachel. Neighbour
Debbie Harris, 49, said residents had been left reeling
by the tragedy. "He was so popular the whole
neighbourhood is feeling this," she said. "I
just keep expecting him to come home. I can't believe he's
gone. I think he moved in about five to six years ago.
He was happy all the time, easy going and would do anything
for anyone. I spoke to him the day before he left and he
was really lively. He never moaned about going. I had to
take a day off work when I heard what happened. I just
think he died needlessly and I keep questioning why it
happened because he was one of the best."
Among the floral tributes left outside RAF Lyneham was
one with a card bearing a special message for the father-of-two.
It read: "For Gary Nicholson, the sunniest person
we ever knew. Missed forever, Jo, Ade and Jazzy."
The immediate family of Flight Sergeant Mark Gibson were
too upset for interview yesterday but his cousin Clare
Bateman-Jones, a nurse from Cardiff, said the news had
come as a complete shock. "Mark loved being in the
RAF and couldn't wait to join when he left school at 18," she
said. "He was always such a happy guy, easy to be
around, very laid back. It's terribly sad." Mark went
to school in Rhiwbina and Llandaff before the family moved
to Pembroke-shire, where his father, Sam, was based at
RAF Brawdy. After finishing his schooling in west Wales,
Mark was keen to follow in the footsteps of his father.
He joined the RAF in 1987 and was a golf fanatic who was
described as one of life's entertainers. Mark also served
in Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. He leaves a wife Sheila
and seven-year-old daughter Poppy, his father and two younger
brothers Neil, also a load master in the RAF, and
Paul.
Andy Humm, 45, a former aircraft engineer at RAF Lyneham,
who knew Sergeant Robert O'Conner and Chief Technician
Richard Brown, who also died in the crash said: "Both
guys were real characters. They were good to be around
and always cheerful. They will be sorely missed. When I
first heard what happened I felt truly saddened."
One of the ten men that died is believed to have links
with a Sister in the Woodpecker Ward at the Great Western
Hospital in Swindon. A source said: "Everyone is really
down about it. They were really tearful on the ward."
The family of Steven Jones asked not to be contacted by
the media but issued a statement through the MoD paying
tribute to him. It said: "Steve worked hard, played
hard and lived life to the max whether it be skydiving
or bungee jumping. Words will never be able to express
the loss that we feel today. He was always adventurous,
fun loving and had a wicked sense of humour. Steve will
forever be in the hearts of those that knew him best. The
family would like to request that they and his friends
are allowed to grieve together in peace."
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RAF Lyneham said that the captain of the Hercules
C130 was Flight Lieutenant David Stead. A neighbour
on his street, in Lyneham, said that his wife had
given birth to their second child only a couple of
months ago. "He was a nice guy," said the
neighbour, who asked not to be named. I only met
him a few times and did not know him very well, we
only moved here in July. His wife only gave birth
a couple of months ago."
The neighbour told how Flt Lt Stead also had a
two-to-three-year-old daughter. She added: "This
whole thing is so dreadful, so tragic."
Acting Lance Cpl Jones was from Fareham, Hampshire.
The others killed were Fl Lt Andrew Smith, Fl Lt
Paul Pardoel, Corporal David Williams, all from Lyneham
and Sqdn Ldr Patrick Marshall.
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