Sergeant Tony Hawes

Joining the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1951 as a conscript, Sergeant Tony Hawes served with the RAF for 12 years till his retirement in 1963. He brings us images of Exercise JET '57 which was a joint exercise involving the Royal Navy, the Indian Navy, the Pakistan Navy and elements of the Sri Lanka Navy. Aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF), the Indian Navy and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) also participated. The exercise was at RAF China Bay, an airbase near HMS Highflyer - a Royal Navy base in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka which was under the command of Admiral Sir Varyl Cargill Begg (second in command to the C-in-C Far East Station) from his flagship, the cruiser HMS Ceylon. JET '57 was the acronym for Joint Exercise Trincomalee, whilst '57 was short for 1957 - the year it took place.

Images © Tony Hawes