Op Banner photos - some memories for the old and bold

[washedup]

@Bubbles_Barker will know the details much better than I, but in the killing to which I referred earlier, ISTR one or other of the ambushed vehicle's occupants had an SLR loaded, with a full mag, but it couldn't be got at, because it was stowed in a footwell, under a seat.

Driver having been fatally shot, car crashed at the junction, leaving passenger trapped by his feet, and unable to arm himself, whilst at same time taking multiple rounds to the body.

If memory serves, he managed to vacate the car, and struggled, bleeding heavily from multiple GSW, back up Whiterock Road, trying to reach the gate of McCrory Park base, about 300(?) metres away.

He was - as I recall the story, though I never saw a report on the incident - pulled into one or more doorways along the way (not that there were very many in that vicinity as I recall it) by locals thinking to succour a Brave Republican under attack by Tyrannical Brits, only then to spot the DPM trousers and army boots below the civvy top, at which discovery they promptly hoofed him back into the street for the 'RA to continue their very inefficient attempt at a double murder.

I believe he made it to the gate, and survived, unlike his oppo.

There was a builders yard just up from the corner of the Falls/Whiterock then an empty plot behind a corrugated fence. After this there was a tiny electrical repair shop then a sweet shop followed by a row of about ten houses before you came to Fort Pegasus.

I can remember the shooting as a schoolboy living nearby, if memory serves me right it was the Rodney/St James’s boys that took over the house to set up the shoot with an element from Beechmout/lower falls involved.

 

[mad_mick]

Another one.

 

[washedup]

My first interaction with HM Forces in a hostile environment. Visiting Falls Road library with my mum when we got trapped in the gateway on the left of the photo. Bricks hitting us from the rioters side and sparks hitting us from the rubber bullets being fired back. Probably what made me want to join up!

 

[mad_mick]

My first interaction with HM Forces in a hostile environment. Visiting Falls Road library with my mum when we got trapped in the gateway on the left of the photo. Bricks hitting us from the rioters side and sparks hitting us from the rubber bullets being fired back. Probably what made me want to join up!

Nice, shows that squaddies are defending the civvies from whats happening, what we are paid to do.

 

[RangdoOfArg]

Loads - and directly through DVLA.....

No reuse of compromised plates - that would be insane, although I can’t answer for evryone and certainly not before 1984...

No DVLA. NI had they’re own licensing authority (still do?) so plates would not have been an issue.

 

[Bubbles_Barker]

No DVLA. NI had they’re own licensing authority (still do?) so plates would not have been an issue.

Memory fade - you’re right, but the gist is correct, it was my guys doing it and we never had any problems.

 

[Duke_of_Kaos]

3Bde we used to carry Browning with 3 magazines, MP5K with one and smoke. Routine travel all around AO except south of A25 where it was either preplanned CMV or helicopter.
Cars where rotated between 3, 8 & 39Bde with plates changed, a compromise report did not always mean end of vehicle. WIS Det had a fire engine red Escort that was often parked to be noticed but even with paperwork sent they couldn’t get rid of it.
Guys being followed from East Tryone turning into full on race for gate of RUC/SF base not common but did occur.

 

[Rodney2q]

Rodders just out of curiosity, why were you going through portadown? when there was a perfectly servicable motorway from lisburn to Dungannon,
I cant remember any ban on us using the MI.

...because we were driving back to Armagh not Dungannon, because that's the way the MT Pl bod took me, because it was a nice sunny day...?

Feck knows...it was 38 bloody years ago. I was a lowly lance jack back then and was just doing what I was told...

 

[ugly]

3Bde we used to carry Browning with 3 magazines, MP5K with one and smoke. Routine travel all around AO except south of A25 where it was either preplanned CMV or helicopter.
Cars where rotated between 3, 8 & 39Bde with plates changed, a compromise report did not always mean end of vehicle. WIS Det had a fire engine red Escort that was often parked to be noticed but even with paperwork sent they couldn’t get rid of it.
Guys being followed from East Tryone turning into full on race for gate of RUC/SF base not common but did occur.

Our car bags used to be an HK53 plus spare mag, driver and front passenger a 9mm each, an 870 in the back seat passengers hands and anything else we could squeeze in. Yes we might have been looking for trouble.

 

[Stonker]

an 870 in the back seat passengers hands

870?

Wozzat?

 

[robroy]

870?

Wozzat?

Shotgun methinks, the sort yer average civvie can't get his hands on

 

[ugly]

Shotgun methinks, the sort yer average civvie can't get his hands on

Used to be able to but the 88 act changed that, you can however get them with a fixed or telescoping stock.

 

[robroy]

Used to be able to but the 88 act changed that, you can however get them with a fixed or telescoping stock.
View attachment 371056

The sights on these beasties makes me smile, I was always told the guy with the shotgun just generally de-foliates/de-populates the area if you are bounced hence no need for sights.

 

[ugly]

The sights on these beasties makes me smile, I was always told the guy with the shotgun just generally de-foliates/de-populates the area if you are bounced hence no need for sights.

Believe it or not Iron sights can be effective with slug or patterning with SG. I have managed to group slug standing at 100 yards on fig 11's. Good fun and we needed to make a proprietary rear sight riser to do this.

 

[ugly]

In fact with slam fire such as the Ithaca 37 it means that you can empty 8 SG loads in about 4 seconds, thats about 72 8.6mm balls into (if you are practiced) an area of about 4 feet square at 50m. Fairly effing devastating down range, like a slow motion claymore mine.

 

[Kinch]

Shotgun methinks, the sort yer average civvie can't get his hands on

Remington

 

[ugly]

Remington

Damn fine it was too, I recall walking back to the armoury in Omagh and as I walked passed the two civvy gardeners weeding the flower bed behind the saladin I absent mindedly tried the cock it one handed method on the fore end. The gardeners turned awfully pale poor chaps.

 

[Wasteofrations]

The sights on these beasties makes me smile, I was always told the guy with the shotgun just generally de-foliates/de-populates the area if you are bounced hence no need for sights.

Similar to Yank LRRP's in the 'Nam. Point man carrying a cut down M79 loaded with what was in effect a 40mm shotgun round.Used as a counter ambush weapon.

 

[pimpernel]

Similar to Yank LRRP's in the 'Nam. Point man carrying a cut down M79 loaded with what was in effect a 40mm shotgun round.Used as a counter ambush weapon.

Bet that spread the love. Rather liked the M203 myself, a Jungle delight!

 

[javaguzzisti]

Showing Spearhead on TV, like watching squaddies (Actors) in 1978 run around in lightweights, DMS and Puttees with SLRs with the cocking handle out in Pretend NI. This will float your boat. The radio voice procedure is close to correct, best we can expect for Infantry. Sunray minor out.
And with those flak jackets that made you moonwalk for about 30 seconds after you took them off after a patrol.

I had been in NI for a week when a Gnr asked me if that Flak jacket was heavy.
'Err yes ' I said.
'Follow mw'.
He opened a room with about 50 jackets in it, I tried about 5 and the fifth weighed nothing when wearing it but the same as the others by hand.
That one fits you he said.
Motorcyclist will recognise the phenonema of a well fitting leather jacket that loses all weight when you wear it.