This page in dedicated to the Poms that served in Australia and overseas in combined operations with the R.A.A.F Fire Service. While there is also reference to Maralinga and Woomera in South Australia, most refer to Butterworth, Malaysia and Edinburgh, South Australia. I thank those ex-British R.A.F. Firefighters who contribute to this page especially Tom Mc Crorie who sent the first photos. Tom resides in Scotland - 26 miles from Inverness. I guess that makes him a foreign speaking Pom:)

Contact: www.rafanddfsa.co.uk

L-R: UnKnown, Dave Stoker, Gavin Smith, Ginge Scurrel & Chalky White. Butterworth crash bays 1966

Bill Lawrence, Henry Cheng ,Tom Mc Crorie, Ginge Scurrell, & Bob Webster. Butterworth crash bay's 1965-68.

Crash Bays RAAF Butterworth 1966

Crash Bays RAAF Butterworth taken from ACT Crash two Mark V11 & ACRT Crash one  1967

Michael, Das(Siluvaidas Satiago) & Kannon civilian Firemen Butterworth 1965-68. DP1 Fire Truck

Robbie Gow,Das,Kannon, Unknown, Michael, Darcy Doogan  RAAF

Tom Mc Crorie driving Mark VA RAAF Butterworth 1965-68

Tom Mc Crorie filling mark 6C with compound RAAF Butterworth 1966.

Filling the mark V with compound RAAF Butterworth. 1966.

Mark6C RAAF Butterworth 1968.

Mark V1 Alvis. Which was centre drive with two seats either side of the driver. Five forward gears and five reverse gears if you were daft enough to try the five reverse gears and the gear box was pre-select. Produced 5000 gallons foam per minute through the monitor and 1800 through the sidelines. duration was 1-8 minutes at max production.

1956 Operation Buffalo.     Now that’s what I call a ‘practice fire’...

Lofty and the Crew 1956 Lofty Hansford Middle.(Vehicle Mark 5A) at Maralinga

Four of the Crew 1956

Shaw's Crew July to Nov 1956 Maralinga. Shaw Top right Roy Watkins bottom left

Ingles,Lofty and Roy Sparkes

Photos of the 1956 Maralinga Fire Crew in South Australia: courtesy: Lofty Hansford

Here’s some more interesting Butterworth shots from Tom Mc Crorie

Butterworth Javelin Crash  5th April 1967 Aircraft scrapped

Butterworth Twin pioneer in the Paddy field crash

Eventually an Aussie put a STOP sign at the end of Runway 18 and the problem was solved.

Pioneer crash Butterworth. 1966-67 

Aussie 2 Squadron Dakota's & Canberra's from Butterworth control tower

Aussie Sabre & Mirage line - Butterworth

33Squadron from control tower RAAF Butterworth 1966

First of all let me introduce my self, Kev Mason ex RAF Fireman with 25 years service. I found your web site through a link from the Defence Fire Service site here in UK. During 1985 (Aug to Dec) I was part of exercise "Air Wave" and spent some time at the school at Point Cook in 1985. I remember a few of the troops: Front row: 2nd left Rusty Coyles, 3rd left Jonno Johnson 4th left Flt Lt Green and front row 3rd from right yours truly Kev Mason RAF. I had a great time this afternoon looking through some of your archive material and recognised quite a few faces that had passed through the school whilst I was there. I also remember Ted Mildren, we met on several occasions whilst Ted served a tour at Command in Melbourne. Also Trev Gillow who I see, has sadly passed away 'a great guy for whom I had the utmost respect'! and if anyone would like to drop me a line at any time please feel free to use my email address. Kind Regards, Kev Mason

One of yours I believe! At Ohakea in New Zealand. I wasn’t there, but a young firie placed his vehicle between the capsule and  the aircraft [they were very close!], and lost some paint as a result.

Photos courtesy: Colin Hall

Colin Hall served in the RAF Fire Service 1957-62, then RNZAF Fire Service 1962 -82, finished up as CFO  .[Sqn Ldr], 

Colin did a few trips to Australia:  Canberra,Tindal, and Butterworth, plus a year at Tengah, Singapore.

Edinburgh Fire Section, South Australia 1965

L-R: Kevin Brace RAAF, ? Brown RAF, Kerry Rae RAAF, Barry Mitchell RAAF, Mal Marsland-Kelsey RAAF

Circa 1960 at Edinburgh

International and Thornycroft Fire Trucks