7 SQUADRON LEADERS (OFFICERS)

Flight Lieutenant Ian Harvey -A legend in Rhodesia -Alouette pilot of note and highly respected by us Technicians -Ian was a pleasure to fly with and there are a few stories about our escapades on Fireforce in Choppertech. There is an excellent write up about Ian in "Sometimes When It Rains". After the Chimurenga war Ian left the Air Force for a spell ,rejoined and ended up as a Group Captain in The Air Force of Zimbabwe where I met him on a few occasions when I worked as a sales rep for a Bell Helicopter CSF. Ian actually arranged for me to work on Seven Squadron to teach thier technicians the intricies of Tracking and Balancing of thier Augusta Bell 412 helicopters. While I was doing this I was invited to the Officers Mess for lunch where a young Air Lieutenant started ridiculing me for having served under 7 Squadron for Smith and his Mabunu. A Group Captain walked across and asked the FLt who he thought he was talking to-Then he said "This white man fought very bravely against me in the Chimurenga War and when he was doing that you were running around the village with a piece of string wrapped around your belly as a picannin-apologise to Mr Shaw and show him some respect".
I last saw Ian Harvey at the Nairobi Air show where the ZAF Hawks were participating.
Ian died recently and had a semi-state funeral held by the ZAF.

Squadron Leader Graham Cronshaw O/C 7 Squadron -Graham was my squadron O/C at the time of the "Green Leader" Raid into Zambia -see earlier blog with Memo to me from Graham


Ed Potterton replaced him as Squadron O/C

Squadron Leader Ted Lunt O/C 8 Squadron Cheetahs Bell 205 Helicopters

I was posted to 8 Squadron but did not enjoy being back at New Sarum and asked to be remustered back to 7 Squadron which did not go well with Ted- Ted passed away in South Africa a few years ago

Squadron Leader Ed Potterton O/C 7 SQN

I flew with him on quite a few occasions and it was when I was with him at the end of the war at election time when our K Car was snaffled by Mark Mc Clean at night while I was having a few beers in Sergeants Mess with RAF monitoring force helicopter engineers -the story in Choppertech.

We affectionatley nicknamed Ed (Shed)