Nev Lightfoot was born on 14 Jan 1961in Iserlohn, Germany. Nev was in 264 SAS signals squadron during the Falklands War. His parent company was 11 Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals.

Nev was killed on the 19 May 1982 in the Sea King Helicopter crash a disaster that claimed the lives of many SAS men in a tragic accident. He was just 21 years old when he died in the accident as the Sea King was cross decking troops between HMS Hermes and HMS Intrepid. He had just recently married earlier in 1982.

Not forgotten:

Nev is remembered by many in his cohort and adjacent years at the school.  A fellow Dukie in our year has provided strong material  support for current Dukies in remembrance of Nev.  That support is to inspire young Dukies of today to grab life by the horns and live their lives to the fullest, whilst remembering a fallen Dukie who never got to have a future and the life that comes with it.

There is a memorial which includes Nev's name with the other Falkland's war dead which can be found in St Paul's Cathedral, if you are ever in London, or if invited in the regimental plot in Hereford

As part of the Falkland Islands 40th Anniversary Place Names Project, Nev was honoured with “Lightfoot” Beach, a sandy beach at Pond Point, on the east coast of Weddell Island, West Falkland. And if you ever have the opportunity to visit there is a wall of remembrance on the museum wall in Stanley, along with the war memorial at San Carlos both of which list Nev as a fallen hero.

Background info to the Sea King crash:

264 (SAS) Signal squadron are an attached unit to 22 SAS. In order to join you have to be an exceptional soldier and pass a selection test. Although not as challenging as the 22 SAS selection it is sufficiently tough to ensure that those who pass really want to be there and have the physical attributes and courage to make a positive contribution to the unit. Paul was one of those soldiers.

In 1982 Argentina under the command of General Galtieri was a country in turmoil. The military Junta were cracking down hard on its citizens who were unhappy with the decline in the country’s fortunes. Those identified as dissidents were rounded up and “disappeared”, usually by being loaded onto military flights then thrown out of the aircraft when flying over the South Atlantic. The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as Los Malvinas were a matter of dispute between the UK and Argentina, with Argentina laying claim to sovereignty.

In order to distract from the homeland issues and to generate some support General Galtieri decided to invade. A move which initially worked very much in his favour.

The UK at that time was under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Who set out to remove the Argentinian invaders from UK soil. This was undertaken in the form of a task force sailing from the UK via Ascension Island to the Falkland Islands.

Nev was one of those soldiers selected to go

On the 19th May a decision was made by the Task Force Commander and his top team to redistribute his forces within the task force in preparation for landing and early reconnaissance tasks.

Nev was at that time on board HMS Hermes, a Centaur class aircraft carrier. Hermes was the flagship of the task force (she was decommissioned in 1984) Nev along with a number of other special forces soldiers were being cross decked to HMS Intrepid in a series of helicopter lifts.

Tony Shaw was one of those soldiers also 264 (SAS) Signal squadron and later 22 SAS regiment. In his book his he writes about the last time he saw Nev alive as he took off on the previous flight from Hermes to Intrepid.

“It was not until the next morning that I read the definitive list of those who had died in the helicopter crash. They were all good guys and whether from D Squadron, G Squadron or from 264 (SAS) Signal Squadron and other attached arms, they did not deserve to die in such a pointless manner.

My last memory of the lads was about an hour before their death. We were sheltering from the weather just off the flight deck on Hermes. I was sharing the banter with Steve, Mick and Nev, all signallers attached to G Squadron.

We had been hauling Gemini RIBs, outboard motors, comms equipment, combat supplies, rations and ammunition from below decks and putting it all into nets for cross-decking by underslung load for more than eight hours and were absolutely shattered. While chatting with the lads, Lawrence, the D Squadron Sergeant Major, came looking for me and told me to get hold of Ted, the Boat Troop Commander, and to get all of my Troop on the next helicopter lift. This I did and a few minutes later Steve gave us all a beaming smile and a cheery wave as Boat Troop took off. That was the last I saw of Lawrence, Steve, Mick and Nev. They all died.

I am proud to have known them, their last resting place is the South Atlantic Ocean, their names are recorded in the SAS Regimental Plot at St Martin’s Church in Hereford. RIP”

Mark Aston, 22 SAS was on board that fateful flight that day and was one of the few survivors.

In his book he talks about how he was assisting with loading the Sea King with equipment for cross decking. When he went to climb aboard he could see the aircraft was already fully loaded and crammed with men and equipment.

He said to the crew man he would wait for the next one, but the crewman said this was the last flight. He managed to squeeze on. By now night had fallen and it was dark and cold. The Sea King took off and flew the short distance around half a mile to Intrepid. However the previous flight was still unloading and so the aircraft was waved off and went into a wide low turn to burn time while the deck was cleared.

At that moment there was a distinct thump and an immediate winding down of the engines “a bit like an express train slamming on the brakes” the next thing the helicopter hit the water and started to sink. Sea Kings are designed to float if landing under a controlled hover however there was nothing controlled about this landing.

The Helicopter turned on its side as it struck the water the weight of the engines dragging the aircraft down under the waves. Where it quickly sank. Mark was able to struggle free through the broken tailplane incurring various injuries as he did so.

When examined the doctor decided to send him back to the UK, however he had other ideas and managed to sneak off of the hospital ship and back to his unit. The (264) signallers denying all knowledge of him when the medics came making inquiries.

The cause of the catastrophic failure of the helicopters engines is believed to be a large sea bird such as an albatross.

22 men died in the crash, Paul Neville Lightfoot was one of those men.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Sources:

SAS Sea King Down – Mark Splash Aston and Stuart Tootal

SAS South Georgia Boating Club