Clive Evans had a lengthy front-line flying career in which he flew
Hunters, Canberras and Lightnings. Apart from his personnel experiences
he describes all these types in considerable detail, explaining
technical details and the nuances of each type. The final fast jet he
flew was during a three year posting to the USA to evaluate the General
Dynamics F-111 that the British Government were considering purchasing.
It was at the end of that overseas tour that he was severely wounded in
a car crash whilst driving to the airport to return to the UK.
Despite teetering on death's doorstep for several months he finally
recovered but his injuries put an end to flying fast jets. Never the
less, his return to duty involved becoming Project Officer for the
design of the new Tornado, followed by a year at Staff College where he
became Personal Staff Officer to the Air Marshall tasked with procuring
new air systems for the services. He returned to flying by converting to
the Hercules and became CO of 24 Squadron and took part in the Cyprus
emergency of 1974.
Clive then became Station Commander at RAF Lyneham which suddenly became
the main transport base for supplying our forces during the Falklands
War. He drove the Station to unprecedented levels of effort and devised
the program to train the crews to become capable of air-to-air refueling
that was vital during the long distances flown over the Atlantic Ocean.
The Falkland Islands would again feature when having been promoted to
Air Commodore he was sent there as Deputy Commander of all British
Forces.