Huw Paffard

Huw Paffard

Huw Paffard, 33, from 817 Squadron and sister Jaya, 27, perished when the Bell 47 helicopter, Huw had borrowed from a cousin crashed a few kilometres away from the site of the wedding ceremony outside Holbrook in southern NSW on Saturday, February 20, 1999.
 
Huw was in our entry in 1985 and after completion of officer training at Dartmouth, undertook basic flight training.
 
He went on to be selected for commando helicopter pilot training. His first posting was to the RN's 846 Squadron where he flew Sea Kings and took part in 13 major amphibious exercises.
 
An exchange with the British Army Air Corps followed in 1989 and saw him flying the Lynx and involved in anti-tank warfare.
 
With the AAC he saw duty in Germany and the Middle East during the Gulf War.
 
In 1991 he was loaned for duties in Northern Ireland before making a brief return to Germany.
 
In 1992 he posted back to the Royal Navy.
 
Over the next 12 months he served in Bosnia but in 1993 resigned from the RN and went back to Australia.
 
For the next year he worked as a jackeroo before joining the Australian Army flying Iroquois gunships.
 
He transferred to the RAN and began flying 817 Squadron Sea Kings in 1996.
 
On March 2, 1999 a memorial service to Huw was conducted on HMAS ALBATROSS.
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I last saw Huw when on (very) boring courses in Whale Island. At the bar for a pre-dinner snifter and all of a sudden the whole mess shuddered as 2 Junglie Seakings flew low and fast overhead to land on the playing fields outside. Flash B*$%@£ds I thought and was then delighted as he bounced through the doors a few minutes later to turn the night from boring to rip roaringly fun.  What a guy.

tribute by Kevin Hood

I shared a dorm with Huw in St Vincent Division. He was a 'great bloke' (as the Australians would describe him), with a superb sense of humour. He was one of the reasons why we had such a great camaraderie in the dorm - comrades and comics! Always helping each other and making jokes.

Behind his humour, he had a steely determination to become a helicopter pilot in the RN and travelled to the UK to do just that. He achieved his aim and more, becoming an excellent pilot.

Huw was a real character. I can still see him bulling his shoes, laughing and joking in the dorm as if it was yesterday. He is still sadly missed by all who knew him.

tribute by Harry Fenton

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