The Association has learned of the death of Lt John Thomas ‘Dickie’ Dyer RN on 14 March 2015 at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage aged 85. He is survived by his widow, Joan and daughter, Valerie.
From Records
He served a 5 year Artificer Apprenticeship as REA(Air)
HMS Ariel 1946 – 1950
HMS Kestrel 1950 – 1951
RNAS Ford 1951 – 1952
RNAS Eglinton 1952 – 1955
RNAS Lossiemouth 1956 – 1957
898 NAS 1957 – 1958
HMS Centaur – 1958 – 1960
HMS Ariel 1960 -1962
RNAS Lossiemouth 1963
Commissioned 1964
DAEO 814 NAS 1964 – 1965
DAEO 764 NAS 1966 – 1968
From Derek Long:
Re Lieutenant Dickie Dyer RN
Dickie was our Squadron AEO whilst 814 was embarked on HMS Victorious in 1964 period.
Whilst an ASW Wessex 1 squadron, 814 was also required to be more flexible than most and role change put pressure on the AEO and his maintainers. At all times Dickie appeared relaxed and was always extremely supportive of the aircrew, both operationally and socially.
North bound from Fremantle to Singapore, HMS Victorious was ordered to pass through the Sunda Straits which HMG insisted was an international passage though within Indonesian waters. As the Indonesians threatened to resist our passage and the narrow channel precluded fix wing operations some bright spark thought of using Wessex 1’s as bomb carriers to take on the Indonesian Navy. Dickie and the Armourers had the job of adapting the torpedo external racks to carry the bombs and developed a tube with crosswire that the Observer was supposed to use to calculate, height, speed and targets movement to release the weapons. Thankfully the system was never tried in anger.
In October 1964 the squadron was moved into the troop and logistic support role, Dickie and his team had to remove all ASW equipment and install winches and benches etc. We then went upcountry into Malaysia to support the 1st Battalion NZ and a Ghurkha’s who were hunting down a group of about 100 Indonesian paratroopers who had been dropped into the mainland. Initially based at Kluang and then at various Kampongs the squadron provided troop lift, jungle insertion/extraction and under-slung logistic support loads. As AEO Dickie kept all the aircraft functioning whilst operating out of multiple bases and a spares/maintenance support team back at HMS Simbang. The only time I heard Dickie complain was when we were based in a very prickly pineapple plantation all the ration packs supplied had tinned pineapple. Fried eggs and pineapple for breakfast, then lunch and dinner pudding.
Back in the UK he was also faced with operating detachments from the WWII tank landing vessel, HMS Lofoten.
Pics:
1. Lift off from HMS Victorious – Dickie in white to see us off.
2. Up Country base camp/squadron office
3. In the field