The Journey...

In the early hours of Monday, 13th May, an aircraft touched down at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire
and the fi nal chapter in a story of courage and determination began.
On Monday, 15th April, Terry Croft, the Departmental Manager in Sheffi eld's University
Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, was watching the evening news on Channel 4. he
watched in horror, along with millions of other viewers, the terrible scenes as hundreds of
thousands of people fl ed from Northern Iraq into the mountains.
He then saw a face he recognized as a former student in his Dearment. Dr. Riadh Francis and
his family were interviewed and demonstrated their plight by saying they have not eaten for
three days!
As soon as the interview was over, Terry Croft set out determined to rescue Dr. Francis and his
family. He contacted the Royal Society who had awarded Dr. Francis a prestigious postdoctoral
fellowship to come back to Sheffi eld in October this year. Stephen Cox of the Royal Society
teamed up with Terry Croft as they approached Channel 4 News for help.
They eventually persuaded Andrew Veitch, Science Correspondent of Channel 4 News, to try
to track down Dr. Francis and his family. Time passed by and hope was beginning to fade.
Then out of the blue Andrew Veitch telephoned to say that he had located the family in Camp
Derecek on the Iraq/Turkey border.
Discussions with the Turkish and British Embassies ensued and with help from the Foreign
Offi ce they eventually enabled passports and visas to be issued and the Royal Airforce agreed
to fl y the family out of Ankara to Cyprus and then to Lyneham.
Dr. Francis, his wife Jenevieve, and their two children, were met at RAF Lyneham by Terry Croft
who drove them to Sheffi eld where the University is providing a house for them.