Tiffy

Hi all.

I came across this site and topic accidentally and was amazed when I recognised the name Cpl Alan "Jonty" Batey RNF.

I was wondering if anyone could cast light on an incident which he was involved in, when helping a mate when they came under fire whilst on patrol.

I was in the forces myself although it was the RN and we stopped to refuel in Aden in 1966. After I returned home from the Far East my mother said that Alan (My mum's cousin) had been involved in a pretty dangerous situation.

After we both demobbed Alan and I bumped into each other on occasion but never discussed it - probably through my forgetfulness - and I don't have a clue of his whereabouts.

I'd be grateful for any info.

regards

Tiffy

Bob's photo in Post 111 sums up for me more than anything why we are floundering around in our overseas theatres these days.

There you see lightly-equipped soldiers leaping off a vehicle with the agility and determination to get amongst the miscreants and take effective action. That's how it was done.

Recently I saw news footage of a British unit that called in an airstrike because one sniper with a standard AK rifle fired at the British base!

After a decent interval heavily-laden British infantry lumbered out of the base on foot, weighed down by protective armour, helmets and massive packs. The enemy was long gone.

For months at a time up on the hill I would live off my mens' rations - chapattis, rice, dal, tinned fish, cheese & meatballs, and dates. Donkeys carried the rations up from the nearest airstrip.

Now our overseas theatres are dependent on massive road convoys of luxury food that apparently is needed today. These convoys, besides being ridiculously expensive to operate, themselves attract attacks and more casualties are incurred from roadside IEDs.

We have lost our military agility, both mentally and physically.

Thank you for showing these images of how it used to be.

Harry

Sorry - seems I've made a hash of this one.:unsure: