Tuesday night I heard what sounded like a Chinnok helicopter over my house, local website now confirming it was a Chinnok no ideas why though!

http://www.hemelonline.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=841&ArticleID=890011

SPOOK HELICOPTER IN NIGHT LANDINGThursday, November 18: Stunned locals could not believe their eyes when a Chinook helicopter landed in Gadebridge Park.
Drinkers spilled out of pubs and cars halted in the road when the huge twin rotor machine set down in playing fields off Gadebridge Lane on Tuesday evening.
A crowd gathered as the Chinook, a model generally used by the military, waited for five minutes on the ground with the rotors turning as a mysterious vehicle drove up to it in the darkness.
The helicopter then swept up into the sky and was gone in the direction of Potten End.
Chris Minnighan, of Piccotts End Lane, was just climbing into his car at home when he saw the dark machine arrive from the direction of Luton and hover over the village.
He then followed the helicopter as it turned on a searchlight that shone over the playing fields before it landed.
"It did a massive circle over Piccotts End, shined its light on Gadebridge Park and came down in the middle of the football pitches," he said.
"There were no lights on. It came down quite stealthily. It was absolutely pitch black and if it were not for the tremendous noise you wouldn't have known it was there.
"Six cars stopped and there were 15 people near me who were watching. It was quite unnerving.
" I suppose the helicopter could have been from the Army or RAF. I believe members of the Royal family are sometimes flown in Chinooks."
Staff and customers at the nearby Marchmont Arms first knew about the helicopter when there was a tremendous noise and the windows of the restaurant started shaking.
Deputy manager Tony Watts said: "It was a military-style helicopter and must have been pretty low because it was very noisy. We ran out to see what was going on. The helicoptor landed in Gadebridge Park and was there for about five minutes. Someone got out and was shining a searchlight around. I was about 100 or 200 yards away and it was pretty windy because the rotor blades kept going until it took off again.
Police confirmed they got a call at around 8.30pm from a member of the public about a Chinook helicopter landing in the park.
Spokeswoman Claire Ling said: "The community team do not know anything else about it or why it was there."


Glenn

How bizarre! I lived in Hemel Hempstead for 15 years and didn't see a single Chinook! Certainly sounds unusual!

Sounds like something out of the ANdy McNabb book Dark Winter!

Apparently the queen has had a meeting with some high-profile guests at Windsor Palace, maybe picking up a VIP or some head of state to transfer onto Brize Norton perhaps?

Jacques Chirac is in town, he's a guest with the Queen at Windsor Castle.

I wouldnt call Chirac a VIP though

I highly doubt its anything to do with VIPs besides Hemel is around 35miles from Windsor Castle or anything to do with the queen and any transfer wouldnt be a public park!

Glenn

sounds like an urban spec ops exercise, we do them in this country every now and then. there is a rumor they are going to be doing one here in New Olreans in the very near future with a bunch of marine aircraft. Assulting buildings downtown and what have you.

Very, very odd sounding. Could it be a VIP in trouble or a member of the Royal Family that needed to be moved....

Trust me, you don't get many VIP's in Hemel Hempstead! Sounds as though it maybe an excerise or possibly some anti-terrorism activity?

Must agree as well with GKirk - Chirac was probably welcomed by a London taxi driver.

Ahhh this was in the paper today!

I saw this (heard it coming) and was very confused, but I knew it was a Chinook by the sound, I rushed outside and saw it fly over hover for a moment and then fly towards Gabridge way. Was very confused about it :S

I don't know in this particular instance, but I will confirm that here in the US exercises are done this way occasionally. There was a big flap recently in Asheville, NC when a bunch of special ops helicopters mock-assulted a building downtown one night, scared the hell out of a lot of people. MH-53s pounding around, MH-6s flitting all over the place, very impressive display of power. I didn't see the actual assult but I sure as hell heard them on the way there.