Aden Airways Ground Staff

​

DONALD CLASSEY was General Manager of Aden Airways from 1956 to 1967. He was presented with a David Shepherd painting of an Aden Airways DC3 at Ghuraf by BOAC in recognition of his services especially in the last few months of British involvement in Aden. Donald passed away in 1996.

 

OMAR MOHAMMED OMAR. Commercial Planning Officer till the closure of the company. He is today living in Sana'a, running a travel company called Universal with branches in Aden Seiyun (Ghuraf) Mukalla, Hodeidah and Taiz.

omar_mohammed_omar@universalyemen.com

 

NADRA HAMOOD (wife of Omar M Omar) Secretary to Mr. Eager and then to Abdul Rahim Qasim, the station manager.

Mrs.Williams telephone operator at Aden Airways (mother of Daphne and Thelma) 

 

HAROLD RAYNEY was Fleet Planning Officer at Aden Airways. his immediate superior was Farnsworth, the Chief Engineer. Harold and his brother Gordon, who was Director of Civil Aviation with offices at the Civil Airport, moved to Western Australia in 1967. Their mother owned the well-known Oasis Bar in Maalla. Their  father was in the British Army and later joined the Aden Police. Harold survived a grenade attack on the Oasis Bar, diving behind a refrigerator as the three grenades were lobbed into the bar. Today, both Harold and Gordon are residing in Western Australia. Harold passed away in February 2007, finally losing his  struggle with cancer. He leaves his wife, Molly, who is sister to Yolanda, Gordon Rayney's wife.

 

FREDDIE EAGER - Traffic Manager. Well-liked and respected. Lived in Cathay House, Khormaksar Beach with his wife Pam and daughters Penny and Sue.

 

FARNSWORTH - Chief Engineer

 

H. LAL SIKHA - Commercial Manager and known as the 'brains' behind Aden Airways

 

MOHAMMED AWADH worked at Aden Airways from the early 1950s till closure in 1967. His last position was Airport Manager. He passed away in July, 1997.

 

Mr. A/KARIM GAWI worked in the accounts section in Aden Airways in 1950's to late 1960's. Today he lives in Sana'a and every Thursday enjoys his weekly qat session.

 

DE GRAFF HUNTER. The original General Manager. His position was subsequently filled by Stephen Broad, then Alger, then Booth then donald Classey.

 

BOB CARTWRIGHT - Hanger Manager. Ex BOAC and Asmara and well respected engineer.

 

BANCROFT - Engineer. Remained in Aden when company ceased. 

 

REG CHAPMAN - Operations Officer. Later moved to Nairobi.

 

DAVE COX - Operations  Officer after Reg Chapman.

 

BARRY TREACY worked for Aden Airways in 1966/67. He was an aircraft engineer based at Khormaksar. One of his mates was Arthur Bartlett, famous for cooking up volcanic-strength crayfish curries. He lived with his family in a flats complex at Khormaksar just across the road from the beach. After Aden Airways closed Barry stayed on for a few weeks before heading to Australia, where he got a job with Ansett. He unfortunately died from a heart attack soon after.

 

Bert Middleton, Eric Fincham, Pete Smale, Graham Pauling, 

Field Aircraft Services:  Doug Palmer, Frank Sheriff, Bert Coghlan, Ian Drummond