"As The Sun Goes Down" - Aden, The SAA & Armed Police Mutinies of June 1967 (***RECOMMENDED)

[Taz]

Leigh,

Thanks for a very interesting, sad and moving thread.

My old Regiment served in Aden in 1966 and my uncle was stationed there.

The retaking of the crater area with the QDG vehicles flying the hackles of the fusiliers sent a shiver down the spine.

RIP those who lost their lives in this ugly incident.

Regards Eddie

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks, there will be inaccuracies with some of the detail in the thread, particularly some of the timings due to delay between an event occuring & being communicated to an Ops Room & entered in logs, but I'll try & sort those out.

[Graham Stewart]

Oddily enough the regimental journal seems to give very little information about what actually happend, which I found very surprising. At the same time it has some cracking photo's of the lads in action throughout the whole tour. Sadly I'm won't be able to reproduce them here for sometime.

A great job Leigh - well done.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Graham Stewart

[leigh kitchen]

Some interesting home movie footage of Aden circa 1960, a few years before the mutiny but the streets would have been much the same. The first 4 minutes or so consist of the view from a slow moving vehicle, a little eerie, given the lack of a sound track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtYgUma83JI

[Bob]

Lots more interesting pics available if anybody's interested...

Here's on "on request", from the military museum in Aden (should probably do a seperate thread on the - modern? - yemen orders/medals which were displayed in this museum... LOTs of them!).

[Bob]

Near the famous Aden gates, a sign of the old glory days of the Brittish empire. Clearly the royal family isn't much appreciated in Yemen. Surprising this is still left after dozens of years (and quite some Soviet "visitors").

[leigh kitchen]

Lots more interesting pics available if anybody's interested...

Here's on "on request", from the military museum in Aden (should probably do a seperate thread on the - modern? - yemen orders/medals which were displayed in this museum... LOTs of them!).

Thank you for this photo, I think I'd only ever seen a black & white photo of the painting. It's lacking in artistic merit & perhaps in accuracy, but I find it rather emotive.

It shows a Ferret Scout Car as well as a Land Rover, & rather than the Armed Police Barracks it appears to show the accommodation blocks opposite, the surviving patrol member Fusilier Storey took cover in one of these, & the doomed foot patrol which went in to assist the ambushed Fusiliers & Argylls took up a position with their GPMG on the roof when they debussed.

If you could start off a thread with additional photos that are'nt specifically related to the Armed Police Mutiny that would be great, & of course a thread on the medals & awards.

Thanks again.

[leigh kitchen]

Near the famous Aden gates, a sign of the old glory days of the Brittish empire. Clearly the royal family isn't much appreciated in Yemen. Surprising this is still left after dozens of years (and quite some Soviet "visitors").

Post 73 on page 4 shows a photo of this artwork back in 1967, the crest of the old 24th Foot, The South Wales Borderers -

"The crest is still in situ, the only British crest remaining, reputedly as it includes the sphinx, a creature of mythical powers.

The crest commemorates 2nd Bn's tours in Aden from 1892-1893 and from 1927-1929.

It was painted by Pioneer Sergeant Kelly under the direction of Captain (Quarter Master) J. Mellsop prior to the departure of the 2nd Battalion in January 1929.

Edited June 5, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[Bob]

Nice addition from the Sana'a Military Museum

[Bob]

[Bob]

[Bob]

[leigh kitchen]

Post 110 - Sergeant Major Lofthouse (as he was in my day).

As I recall, the caption I've seen to this photo in the past is that this scene folowed a grenade attack which caused casualties to the Fusiliers.

I believe that his (twin?) brother was killed whilst serving in Cyprus (L/Cpl Willian Lofthouse, 39 Heavy Regiment Royal Artillery, died 9/9/1958).

From GMIC member Xsniper:

Sgt Horace Al Lofthouse X coy 1 RNF Aden 1966-67 later WO 11 now deceased ......

Edited November 5, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[Harry Fecitt]

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

Edited April 12, 2009 by Harry Fecitt

[leigh kitchen]

Bob's photo in <i>Post 111</i> 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............

Harry

"The first foot Patrol in Crater by the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was furnished by 6pl X coy commanded by Cpl Alan "Jonty" Batey, 2/ic Lcpl Colin Jacques, Fus Yatley, Fus Green along with Cpl Dasher Jackson, Fus Dave Davidge, Fus Bob Huntley, Fus Collinson[Ex provist Sgt].

The Ptl went in at 0600hrs and came out at 1200hrs, termed as getting to know your patch,although we carried extra water bottles we were warned off drinking any unless absolutely necessary.

For the first week in Crater we were met after Ptls by the OC Maj Welch ex SAS who checked our water bottles - woe betied any Ptls who did not bring back the same amount of water they took out.

In hindsight it stood us in good stead for the remainder of our nine Month tour of duty

I went out as a Cpl, got promoted A/Sgt, took over pl Sgt 4pl and was Pl Commander for the last three Months when my Pl Commander went to Sandhurst to complete his PCD ......

Those my friend were the good old days ......"

Xsniper

Edited October 26, 2009 by leigh kitchen

[steveRNF]

As "Y" Company clerk in Aden I did not have to leave waterloo lines at any time, however to me I was a soldier first so I spent many a day on patrol with various sections in "Y" Company, much to the annoyance of other members of company HQ who thought my actions would make it neccessary for them to go out on patrol too, however my CSM WO11 P Hoare assured me that this would not be the case, and on several occasions refused me permision to go out to, because of some imenent threat.

i'd like to thank you for keeping the memory of those killed alive in your artical, many thanks.

[leigh kitchen]

Thank you for taking the trouble to read the thread & to post, you & others such as Xsniper (who is obviously heavily involved in keep the memory of those who died durng those few days alive) have a lot to offer in terms of personal experiemces.

Great to have you here.

[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:

Edited December 21, 2009 by Tiffy

[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

[leigh kitchen]

I'll make a few enquiries & get back to you.......

[ravrick]

Hi,

I am trying to research 19045391 Sgt E LOWES 1st RNF who was awarded the CSM with clasp South Arabia and I would imagine was involved in the events of June 1967. Do you know if he is mentioned anywhere and if there is a photo of the Sgts Mess for this period. Any help or information would be gratfully received.

Thanks in advance,

Rick

[snedger]

I joined the Royal Corps of Transport a month or two after these events in Aden and during my service I met several men who had been serving with 60 Squadron that terrible day. Searching the Times archive, I found this casualty list. I am gratified that today, soldiers killed in action are an item on new bulletins and that their funerals are rightly accorded coverage as well. What a far cry from the years they were lucky to get a mention in the press at all.

I recently managed to get a copy of "Empire Warriors" on DVD from Play. Com, which contains a excellent reconstruction of the events of the mutiny.

[leigh kitchen]

Thanks for the Times cutting - as you will have seen from what I'd posted earlier I am unsure of the name of one of The RCT casualties.

[leigh kitchen]

Hi,

I am trying to research 19045391 Sgt E LOWES 1st RNF who was awarded the CSM with clasp South Arabia and I would imagine was involved in the events of June 1967. Do you know if he is mentioned anywhere and if there is a photo of the Sgts Mess for this period. Any help or information would be gratfully received.

Thanks in advance,

Rick

I have no info. I'm afraid, I'm making some enquiries.

[ravrick]

I have no info. I'm afraid, I'm making some enquiries.

Many thanks and info or leads would be appreicated,

Thanks

Rick

Edited December 2, 2010 by ravrick