The Aden Emergency & Battle of Crater 1967
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- čas přidán 20. 06. 2024
- The Aden Emergency 1963-67, is another one of those forgotten conflicts that marked the end of the British Empire.
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I would like to thank Nobby Clarke and other veterans for their input
The Aden Emergency 1963-67, is another one of those forgotten conflicts that marked the end of the British Empire.
Over 90 British servicemen were killed and 500 wounded in a 4-year war that not only has been largely forgotten but which Britain never really wanted to fight in the first place.
It also brought to the fore a maverick British Army officer, Lt. Colonel Colin Mitchell, dubbed by the press “Mad Mitch”.
Similar videos from my channel:
The Suez Crisis 1956
• The Suez Crisis 1956
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:45 Aden Colony
2:40 Arab Nationalism
4:00 Radfan Campaign
4:47 Insurgency
6:38 Aden Emergency
7:24 Battle of Crater 1967
9:08 Lt. Col. Colin Mitchell
11:41 Operation Stirling
13:33 "Mad Mitch"
16:28 Too Little, Too Late
17:30 British Evacuation
20:29 End of Empire
21:42 Conclusion
22:49 The History Chap
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#adenemergency #britisharmy #operationstirling #battleofcrater #britishempire
Sources used to produce this video include:
"Mad Mitch's Tribal Law" - Aaron Edwards
"Having Been A Soldier" - Colin Mitchell
North Devon Veterans Association
National Army Museum
End of Empire Series 1985
Ministry of Defence
Imperial War Museum
Wikimedia Commons
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/ thehistorychap
My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.
History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or CZcams animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.
My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"
Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
I got to know Colin Mitchell in Cambodia in 1990. We were setting up a prosthetics facility and Colin came out to advise on mine clearance in his capacity as head of the Halo Trust. Part of my job was to ‘chaperone’ him - needless to say a thankless task! An extraordinary man.
I never met or even saw mad Mitch but as a member of 47 Regt RA we came under him but as is norm no mention of us. But he was still a favorite of mine.
Hello from the Colonies. I watched your recap of the Aden Protectorate with great interest. As a 17 year old sailor aboard the USS Eaton DDE 510 USN, I arrived in Aden Harbor in April 1957. We were on Red Sea patrol and shuttled between Aden and Masawa, Eritria for port calls. Both lovely places as you can imagine. On our final departure from Aden we were piped away by the Cameron Highlanders and had a RAF flyby. A very low level flyby, as I was standing on the bridge 37 feet above the water and had to look down to see the aircraft.
I learned to drink whisky with no ice at the Rock Hotel and I continue to do so to this day.
Thank you for sharing your memories. It is those little facts that make history interesting.
Whiskey no ice, ironically at the Rock Hotel.
Not much of a rock hotel, if they haven’t got any ice. 😄
Was Saratoga on the fleet.
@@daveyjuice7710: Actually, we were the fleet. The Eaton patrolled the approaches to the Bab el Mandeb and the USS Bache DDE 470 patrolled the Persian Gulf. If "Sara" was around she probably would have been in the Med.
Point of interest: Both the Eaton and the Bache are now sleeping with the fishes. Eaton was sunk as a target ship in the 1970s and Bache was wrecked on Rhodes in 1968.
Interesting. I had heard of Crater Aden and now you’ve put flesh on the bone. If “Mad Mitch” earned respect his troops that’s most important of all. I’d been to the P.D.R. of South Yemen, one of the sweatiest places ever, as BP had a refinery in what was a communist enclave. Strange old world.
Thank you, Chris. My oldest brother (3 Para) saw active service in Aden during that time. What’s more, Mad Mitch was a household name when I was a boy - my dad, a 30 year fighting soldiers, was an Argyll and Sutherland Highlander, later 6 (Army) Commando during WWII; commissioned King’s Regiment, attached Herefords during Palestine; attached Malay Regiment during the first Emergency; attached Sarawak Rangers during the Confrontation; attached SAS as jungle warfare instructor; finally attached Singapore Guard Regiment. When I was a small boy growing up in the Far East, he used to carry me to bed playing my leg like it was the chanter on a set of bagpipes while humming The Barren Rocks of Aden. I did the same when my daughter was small. Thank you for the memories, and for shining a light on the Aden conflict.
Thanks for sharing your story. Glad it brought back memories
And now the TV adverts wanting us to send money because the greed of the local rulers
Good story man cool
Huge respect. My own father was in the parachute regiment in Palestine.
Has your father ever been back to Sarawak? That's where I'm from and were used to having many ex servicemen back here I much more peaceful times and they've all enjoyed seeing how the place has developed and progressed, much due to ppl like your dad and their incredible sacrifices and service 50 yrs ago
The country needs more people like Mad Mitch.
Thank you for taking the time to comment.
No relation to Mad Mike Hoare?
Patriots so often betrayed by the politicos.
We still have them. Don't worry. Anachronistic and out of vogue, but still around.
We had them in the Falklands like mad Mitch.Our ship docked in Aden and we heard a few booms. We weren't allowed ashore.I was cheering our troops in my mind.
B Sqdn 5th Royal Tank Regiment also served during the height of the trouble. In May 1967 my father Sgt McCabe commanding a group of Ferret Armoured cars came under attack in Crater, the attack was recorded in dispatches as being defeated due to my fathers actions after he shot one terrorist leading to panic. This is recorded in a book called The Tanks published in the 1970,s. This war has never received the recognition it deserved so thank you for this wonderful account.
Thanks for sharing your additional info.
Who exactly was the terrorist thousands of miles from home?
@@grahamstewart615yawn
"Mad Mitch" was a great A&SH officer that had to sort out what politicians caused. A solid British hero. We either shape the world or we are shaped by it and the pithy critics of the British Empire on here remind me of what Roosevelt once said about such types. That It is not the critic who counts for these cold and timid souls shall neither know victory nor defeat.
Thanks for taking the time to comment
@@TheHistoryChap I'm visiting the Kabul British Cemetery in Kabul with a Captain John Cook VC who died in the 2nd Afghan war around Christmas time in 1879. I think his brother died a few days before. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of colonialism, the individual stories of men dying far from home can't fail to touch and inspire.
I completely agree with you. Having kicked the British out with the help of the Soviet Union, ( Russian imperialism in disguise ) have the local people gained a better quality of life? They are now pawns of either the Iranians or the Saudis, neither of which actually care for them. There are so many places in the world that have become failed states once British influence receded. Funny old thing, having hated us and kicked us out, then where do they want to travel to as refugees, assylum seekers or migrants?
Thank you,let the blighters look to some of the other Empires if they have need of GENOCIDE !
The German,Dutch,Italian,Belgian or Portugese or Spanish come to mind. Then there's The French ! still in a colonial war in the sixties. Oh Sorry ! I missed out The Japanese and Imperial and Post 1917 Russia, even America,(From the Shores of Montezuma,to The Shores of Tripoli - Also The Philipines, - God Bless The US Marines,you get to join if you are African American or Asian also,just be a Marine !
The understanding of History of some of todays kiddiewinkies is terrifying.
Try sitting in the road in some countries ! You will find yourself looking at the underside of an armoured vehicle.
Funny how he's "Bwitish" and nor Scots LoL .....Classic little englander syndrome !!!
Mitchell’s General Service Medal had five clasps on it at the end of his career. His experience was quite extensive for a post war British officer.
Thanks for sharing
@@TheHistoryChap
HE WAS A DINOSAUR.
The argylls were hated in Ireland.
Check google images.
"black wogs ....green wogs"
He was the only officer not to receive a campaign medal, for his behaviour in Aden , his 1968 resignation stinks he was told to resign our face criminal charges, all officers who resign are given a customary 7 months notice, his was immediately accepted, he and the argylls atrocities were covered up in Aden
@@VilhelmHammershoi1666
If you go to google images you can see the argyll ans sutherlands in N.Ireland only a few years later.
@@VilhelmHammershoi1666
They usually are. The major on the ground on bloody Sunday when 14 civilians were killed was given an award by the queen. When they're given a decoration, to question it questions the entire monarchy. It's basically like a Papal blessing
The autobiography of Lt Col Mitchell, "Having Been A Soldier", is well worth reading. The photograph on the front cover is iconic: it speaks to me of courage, discipline, loyalty, integrity, selfless commitment and respect for others.
Yes it is a good read.
Too True,He inspired some young and old at the time,if not lefties remembering.
But even Labour oldies who had served had known officers like him and seemed to respect.
Courage, discipline, loyalty, integrity, selfless commitment, our current politicians, of all sides, no longer recognise these qualities.
My dad severed in Aden in 1964/1965 (RAF) and my youngest sister was born there. I can remember and i was only 4 years old, every time my mum went to the shops a solider always escorting us.
I have a friend who landed the job of guarding the wives & children whilst swimming
My dad served in Aden (RAF) at that time and I was born at Steamer Point Hospital in Aden. It gave me some issues with getting my passport in later years and even now when I fill in online forms where you need to put place of birth.
@@TheHistoryChap Do you know what unit he served? The ones I remember specifically on escort duty (among front line stuff) were mostly RAF Regiment and Cameronians, also 1 RNF, QDG and quite possibly the Lancs Rgt and P.W.O. (Yorks).
I also recall seeing members of 1 RIR (Royal Irish Rangers) with their dark green hackles, rarely mentioned. Not sure if the whole battalion was deployed to Aden.
1 Para were busy over at Sheik Othman and Al Mansura outer districts, two places highly volatile with grenade incidents and shootings more or less 24/7 during 1967.
@@sharonlarsen3642Wot you expect dealing with office wallahs
I was there in 67 as a bairn my dad stationed there with the r h a
My brother was one of the last RAF personnel to leave Aden, his wife and children had already been evacuated. His last assignment was to go up the Radfan Valley (I think it was the name) and help hold back the Yemenis while the Sappers destroyed all the equipment and materiel that could not be evacuated by sea or air - everything including dental clinics. When he came back to he said he would join Mad Mitch anytime he wanted a mercenary.
Thank you so much for sharing
I heard they left quite a lot behind at least non military kit there were tales of civilians having great fun driving fire engines
My Dad served with the RAF in Aden in 64 til 66. It was quite a hair raising time.
I’m sure my Dad would have enjoyed your video, as he felt that it was a forgotten part of our Forces history.
Thank you for your video. 🇬🇧🇺🇦
Not forgotten by this 70 year old,I was fourteen at the time.
Mitch and his lads cheered the War 11 Vets and National Service Vets 'No End ' at the time,as I remember.
Very kind of you. Thanks.
What part of ukraine is British? None? Then don't dare post that rag next to the Union Jack.
@@RustieFawn get over yourself lad
My father also served in the RAF in Aden and was nearly blown up.... he never spoke about it much.
Thanks for talking about this history! I served in Iraq in 2004 and my Son served in Afghanistan twice. This history sounds very familiar. When will we learn?
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment
When will we learn to tell the politicians to piss off, do you mean?
seems to be a common denominator re stan and iraq,a certain war criminal called blair whom the establishment have sheltered once again
Thanks for your Service, respect means one cannot comment on Politicians and Elites Business interests in these conflicts.
@@davesherry5384 when will we learn not to get involved in other people's countries
My dad was part of the last unit of the Royal Engineers to leave, he being a T.A . specialist reserve (water well drilling) . Years later, when I was serving with 84sqn RAF at Nicosia, the family came out for a visit. During a conversation with one of our pilots they both realised that his unit was airlifted on a wessex flown by the same pilot....small world isn't it.
Probably knew my husband
Great story again, Chris, having served in Pakistan in the 1980's for UNICEF I recognise those trible uprisings to witch we, "colonials" were subjected to.and the lack of understanding of politicians of history that lead to so many brave soldiers dying. Thanks again.
Thanks for sharing your experiences
Now some of the beggars are bringing those conflicts to The UK (or whats left of it), our forfathers would have treated them to the 'Lahti'or the 'Rope.' Maybe even a company of Sikhs, Jats, or Gurhka's.
Our leaders today extend the hand of leniency. It will be bitten off,by some,laughingly.
@@philiprufus4427Pakistani and Arab islamists just staged a 100,000 person March in London. Good luck in dealing with that mess
My maths teacher was invalided out of the RAF after serving in Aden,an extremely imposing figure he was too and one of the few teachers I actually respected!
Nothing but respect for these men.
Thanks for sharing
Dad deployed to Aden grandad and an uncle wore the Glengarry.......brilliant stuff tho i did shed a tear ✌
Thanks for watching
I was also posted to Aden/South Jemen in late 1966 as a British Army Medic attached HQ Anglians. The A&SH were not folks you'd want to encounter on any occasion. Absolute solid soldiers! I had fleeting meetings with "Mad Mitch" and can only concur that he was very much a "soldiers' soldier". He knew what he was demanding from his troops and expected the corresponding results.
Unfortunately, I was wounded by a grenade blast (as a Medic) in September 1967 and EVACUd on the same day to, first Cyrus, and then to the UK.
I variously served in Singapour Lines at Khormaksar, the Crabs' Hospital at Steamer Point and Camp Dahla up on the border of what was South Jemen.
MsG
Thanks for taking the time to share your recollections.
How dare you fly an Irish Tricolour on an article glorifying British brutality against native people as they have done in the 4 corners of the world including Ireland
100% correct , just so dishonorable .
@@aidanmoore8499
Some of that brutality must have been carried out by Irishmen then, The Dublin Fusilers,The Munsters,The Leinsters,The Connnaught Rangers, The RIC. Even a third of The RIC Auxiliary (The Auxies) were Irish some were even Canadian,American, Australian or New Zealand. A Pound a day went a long way in 1920,particularily if you had just had a couple of years in the Western Front or Middle East.
Your own Tom Barry fell into that category apparently,his dad was also an Inspector in The RIC.
Nothing is what it seems. @@aidanmoore8499
@@aidanmoore8499Have you any idea the amount of irishmen of both religions that garrisoned the 4 corners of the empire.How many irishmen fought in ww1 compared to the Easter rising .
As a pre teen I followed this conflict on the News Mitches heroic acts were the stuff of movies .
.At 15 and 6 months I reported to the Guards depot Pirbright I was never to match mad Mitch as a hero but he was my compass .
Thank you for sharing Colin Mitchell’s impact on your own career.
Spent his retirement on kintyre amongst Argylls
We were very fond of him
15.6 months, were you a Boy Entrant then?
My father was based in Aden from 1958-1960. He was a surgeon in the RAF. I can remember only a few things from our time there, swimming in the sea at the officer’s club inside of the shark nets, my introduction to rum & butter toffee and vague memories of primary school at Steamer Point.
I also remember going on board HMS Bulwark when it paid a visit to Aden.
Thanks for taking the time to share those childhood memories
I was there at the same time. My father was in the RAF, stationed at Khormaksar. I have good memories of our time there, yes even the Steamer Point primary school-except for the frozen milk we were given. The school only went from 8.30 -1pm if I recall correctly as it was deemed too hot to go all day. When we had a new school built on the RAF base we went until 3pm. Yes, we would go into the club at Steamer Point and swim in the netted pools. As strong as those pools were with huge steel posts set into concrete bases and thick chain mesh enclosing the area, the sharks would still get through at times and the pool would be closed until the hole had been fixed. Dad and a few of the chaps from work would hire a boat and go fishing. I caught my first shark when I was 8. We active kids on the base( living quarters) once foiled what we were told was a plot to smuggle munitions off to Yemen. We observed an Arabic worker visiting a large clump of bushes over a couple of weeks so went to take a look. We found a stache of small shells and boxes of bullets and carefully took them to one kid's Dad who was an MP. I can still recall his shocked reaction when we marched into his house carrying live ammo!
@@jenniferfarrar9190 I had forgotten about the school timetable, no school in the afternoon. It’s funny how a faint memory can be triggered, for some reason cream doughnuts rings a bell, also the swimming with the shark nets and there was a diving platform covered in slimy black sea slugs.
@@mike.47 Yes, no matter how faint, the memories are still there. I don't recall cream donuts- it must have been a family thing? I do recall that when we visited Steamer Point and went to Crater we used to go to a restaurant called 'The Red Galleon', and my fave meal was spag bol. There was a shop we also visited. It was like an oriental emporium; at my age, it seemed like Aladdin's cave of treasures. The owner had a pet gazelle I loved. He also had shells like small clams with little carved and painted scenes inside them, beautiful sandalwood fans, Asian fabrics, puzzle boxes, delicate glass wind chimes I had them hanging at my bedroom window, and the sound was so pure. We would spend hours poking around in there before catching the bus back home. By the way, did you and your family go to the designated holiday camp, Nyali, over near Mombasa?
@@jenniferfarrar9190 Yes we did go to Mombasa, and I vaguely remember visiting Mount Kilimanjaro. Going back to England was an adventure too on the ship called SS Dilwara, I’ve even found the passenger list for our voyage home, arriving at Southampton on 23rd June 1960.
Well thanks for reminding me of my childhood. I was a school kid in Aden from 1966 to 1967, only a year but remember the armoured school bus with Northumberland Fusiliers guarding us. I remember the gunshots in the night. I was 9 when I was evacuated with all the other families. I went on to join the RAF and served for 28 years.
My father (RASC) stayed on till near the end.
A very forgotten chapter in British history.
Thank you for sharing
This video brings back memories, I served with 45CDO from May until the withdrawal, straight from training, green under the gills, served with some great guys, many no doubt have passed away now, as I'm 74.
Thank you for watching
I knew an ex 45 commando Jimmie Quinne, told me many storys of aden he was hard as a hammer
My dad served out there in ‘67. he was an RAF engineering Warrant Officer responsible for the Hunter Squadrons. He wrote home to my mum and said, ‘don’t believe all you read in the papers out here, the reporters spend most of their time sitting in the mess drinking,’. He told me of the mad panic to evacuate RAF Khormaksar, they were cannibalising aircraft to get as many serviceable as possible, what was left were blown up. In typical MOD fashion, the camp had recently gone through an upgrade to the married quarters, even though they knew it was going to be handed back in the late 60’s. I’m sure many ex servicemen could identify with that style of forward planning.
Thanks for sharing your dad’s interesting story.
I served at saltpans from 1967 to 1969 ground radio
Lol. They did it as well in my last unit chum! Everything in the garden was rosy, to be handed to a bunch of politician scum bags.
Very much so LoL In Osnabruck in the late 90's early 2000's a brand new Gym all singing all dancing and a brand new cookhouse were built only for it all to be handed back to the German Stadt on DRAWDOWN in 2009 !!
had the renovation on close down happen when 60MU at RAF Leconfield in east Yorkshire, I asked why all the roads were being resurfaced and was told that when contracts had been awarded they had to be completed or there were penalty payments hence places got refurbished, Leconfield was turned over to the Army in the end to become a driver training unit so the road refurb was handy in this case.
Chris, and the Aden Vets who assisted with this research. Thank you for presenting a very balanced view, and in doing so, offering a tribute to all those who served and made sacrifices, not forgetting the innocent British service children also killed.
I was in Aden 1966-7 and witnessed the thick end of the insurgency, including narrowly escaping injury from a time delayed mine. It wrecked an aircraft at Khormaksar airfield, but the blast just threw me to the sand.
Most nights were spent going to sleep with the sound of grenades, mortars and gunfire. Aden was hot, very hot indeed. But each and every day we lived and went about our lives in full confidence of our strong and marvellous British Army, RAF, Royal Navy and Royal Marines doing their work under intensely arduous conditions.
Of course you cannot possibly name all individual units and the wide spectrum of all those serving in Aden, but if I may include a special mention to the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), disbanded soon after repatriation. They did a wonderful job of protecting families and trying to keep the peace. God bless them.
Ditto the many loyal and decent indigenous Adenese, many who served with the British in the Aden Protectorate Levies, always immaculately turned out with their camels. I could name so many more.
Proud to say that from a once barren wasteland, the British left Aden with much investment and goodwill in terms of schools, hospitals, a modern airport, cinemas, sewerage, water supply, electricity and modern infrastructure from which to offer a better life.
My Father was in RAF Police during that debacle, he had also been in Libya, never was a fan of hot deserts or being shot at by Arabs after this.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences and to call out the Cameronians and the Aden Levies. The latter were left high and dry when we pulled out (sound familiar?)
The Cameronians were a great Scottish Regiment,disbanded when I was 15 in 1968 I think.
They have a fine memorial to the regiment outside The Art Galleries in Glasgow.I have been privilaged to attend Rememberance Services there with mates whose fathers served in the regiment. Working around The West of Scotland for the best part of fifty years I was privilaged to work with many former vets of the Regiment.
Many were the tales they had to tell us youngsters. They were all nice guys too.
@@philiprufus4427 My knowledge of the Cameronians were that they were tough, efficient, and like the A&SH, stood no nonsense. Also that they were led properly, the C.O. being the much respected Lt.Col Dow as I recall. They were just the kind of soldiers you want to depend on in a hot spot like Aden.
In 1968, the Cameronians voluntarily chose disbandment over amalgamation via reforms of the Labour government. One can only guess why after loyally serving the crown since 1881, and part of a Scottish militia long before that. I recommend to you the compelling speech given by a former Chaplain during the Disbandment Ceremony at Hamilton.
I too, had the personal privilege of placing a memorial to them, this one on Plymouth Hoe with kind permission of the Aden Vets. Association and a former officer from the Cameronians who served in Aden.
As I recall, the blown up aircraft was an Aden Air DC 3. I don’t think that we lost any aircraft, even when the revolt took place on the far side of the airfield and the local soldiers shot a young UK officer who came out to see what happened. I remember crawling around on the pan with my friend Nigel Furniss avoiding bullets coming from the army camp.
My wifes father served in aden as a national serviceman, he was in the P.O.W. yorkshire regmt , he was in a mortar platoon but was used mainly as an infantryman, he is still alive today.
Thanks for sharng
PWO is Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire.
I was there at Khormaksar when "Mad Mitch" took Crater back, arriving June 21, 1967 and leaving sometime in September 1967. Served with 1 Squadron RAF Regiment. I was not sorry to leave the place commonly known as the rectum of the world and apparently still remains so.
My dad was in the Argyles, Mitch was a great leader, and the Argyles, a great regiment
Thanks for sharing
The treatment of Mitchell after returning from Eden was likely to make an example of him as a warning to any other similar-minded officers in the British military. It's sad that Mitchell's daring aggressiveness would have won him accolades and adulation earlier but the current mindset of the politicians and higher ups instead aborted what could have been a promising military career for a brave man.
He did good stuff later on in his life with HALO Trust
Note that he was promoted from the ranks. This was a dangerous job and the 'old boys club' were not about to send one of their own. After having prevented a bloodbath, rather than being congratulated he was blamed for the few casualties.
It was ever thus.
P.S. I was there '60' to '62', all peace & quiet then.
Colonizing is frowned up on. ! --- so.. yeah.. he deserved scorn.
@@elsuperxolo3494 Hardly a colony for exploitation - more like a motorway service station for ships till mpg improved.
Thank you for this. My father served there in the Royal Anglians. Oddly enough, he seemed to have enjoyed his time there. When I was in the Royal Marines during the early 80s, my sergeant and a couple of the other, older, NCOs told me a few stories about their time over there. I never really understood the circumstances behind it all until now so, job well done.
My dad was there late 50's and he enjoyed it (apart from the flies).
Thank you for this Chris, I have been aware of the Aden Emergency since I was a kid, but I never took it upon myself to learn all of the details.
Hope you enjoyed it
There was a Channel 4 TV series made in 1985 called End Of Empire which featured about 10 of the most prominent stories from the winding down of Britain's imperial rule. One of the episodes featured Aden and can be found on CZcams along with all the other episodes like Rhodesia, Kenya etc. It was also related to a book written by Brian Lapping. It was immensely educational to me to learn so much about British /world history that I had never been exposed to at school (which I left in 1984.
My Dad was one of 30 Black Watch that served in Crater with the Argyles in 67. That was a very diplomatic description of events. He used to tell stories about it. They aren't for polite conversation round the dinner table.
I try to be polite!
I'm sure they were not, but never-the-less the truth, they only talk with those who served and in limited capacity. God Bless them all....our Heros.
Thanks for this Chris. My father served in Aden with the royal engineers, I think it was in 63/64, and I grew up with stories of the places you mentioned
Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching
There was a Channel 4 TV series made in 1985 called End Of Empire which featured about 10 of the most prominent stories from the winding down of Britain's imperial rule. One of the episodes featured Aden and can be found on CZcams along with all the other episodes like Rhodesia, Kenya etc. It was also related to a book written by Brian Lapping. It was immensely educational to me to learn so much about British /world history that I had never been exposed to at school (which I left in 1984)
Used it as one of my sources.
You don't get taught British History at school.It was all Russian and German modern history a bit about the Romans.One day spent on the Kings and Queens of England.One of by school mates said he had not heard about the Post war .He thought it was a war at the Post Office.He was right the Post Office has been destroyed.
My father served in Aden in the early 60s with 1st Battalion KOSB and I first went to school while we were stationed there. Your video brought back many memories of that time. Thank you.
Glad it brought back some memories
Amazing stuff! Total British Bulldog spirit! Aden was a lost cause by that point and not worth fighting over but Mad Mitch was going to leave on his own terms and not be chased out! I think the SAS were also active in Aden at that time.
The SAS were very active at that time. I’m former Special Forces and I remember the soldiers and the stories they came back with, plus the Aden bar to their GSM Medal. And obviously, we moved into Dhofar, with the resultant swaray there. Take care and, thank you
"Bull dog spirit " my bottom. Mitchell was a massive ego in charge of an infantry regiment. The Argyle's brutalised the civilian population of Crater.
Madam your bottom can speak for itself but I generally find that bottoms talk S#!t
Thanks Chris, I very much enjoyed this video 👍. I did hope you would cover the Aden Emergency 63 - 67 and you certainly have. Lt Col Mitchell and his Argyll’s Battalion will always be remembered for their role in 67, great that you mentioned so many other Army cap badges, RAF, RN and RM, who all served in Aden, under very difficult circumstances. Mitchell did not get his full Colonel or awards due, personally I think that was a great shame. Thanks again and for sharing that your father served in Aden 👍🇬🇧
Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for watching
Superb video about a forgotten conflict, my father was a snowdrop(RAF police) in Aden during the withdrawal during which time he lost a dear friend and as you'd expect doesn't talk much about it, thank you for highlighting the detail 👍
Informative, educational and entertaining, top work old chap.
Thanks for your support
Another gem Chris, used to work with a couple of old fellas who were there, now I know what they endured, thanks
Thanks yet again for another superb video over a long forgotten conflict.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Superb work Sir .... Another example of politicians not being held accountable
You are absolutely right. The problem is that the top brass (generals) are cowards who, instead of defending their men, go along with the politicians to preserve their posts and privileges.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts
politicians whould sell there own mother down the river for a backhander
The end of Empire was usually very messy and unpleasant. However, it was always better that Britain left its former colonial possessions than try to cling on.
That was another interesting part of British military history. Thank you for educating me on the history of the British empire and the hardships the military faced as the British empire was being dismantled.
Thanks for watching
Thank you. I find history fascinating and you bring it to life in an enthusiastic patriotic yet balanced way.
Very kind of you.
Absolutely love your videos and your enthusiasm!!
Thank you so much!!
In 1969, we were training for deployment to N Ireland, the riot kit had banners which we assumed stated “go home, or we will be very cross” as it was in Arabic it could have said anything. In one tiny point the Marines were evacuated by Wessex helicopters not Wasps, the Wasp being only a 4 seater. One of the Wessex's was flown by my brother.
Thanks for taking the time to correct me. Appreciate your input.
Fully enjoy yr channel.
Its like a whos who of campaigns of my old regiment.
1st Bn The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
The legend Col Mitchell made a visit/tour of the battalion at Redford Barracks,Edinburgh in the early 80s and is still held in the very highest regards by all ranks of the regiment .
Ne Obliviscaris
Sans Peur
Very interesting and overlooked, thank you!
My pleasure
Thanks again Chris.
My pleasure
As a former soldier of 20 years, I look now at an awful lot of the conflicts since the end of WW2 and ask myself: "Why?" But then I remind myself, that the soldiers involved (after 1963 at least) were all Regular Army, professionals who took pride in their trade. Theirs not to reason why, etc., etc. I personally only ever considered the 'job' and my mates and subordinates - not the great political strategies which are fleeting compared to the comradeship of the troops. Great video (as are they all), many thanks.
Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts.
Your job was to be a coloniser for British businesses to get rich off oil. I wish you would continue to ask why rather than resign to being a sheep.
My younger brother was out there with the Queens Own Hussars. He passed on five years ago.
Thanks for sharing
Great video. I've just found your channel and I have to say, as a lover of history, I'm delighted. Thank you for creating these videos.
Glad you like them!
Thank you. I read Mad Mitch's biography in a public library some time in the 1980's.
Used it as one of my sources.
Argyle and Southerland Highlanders ..many serving soldiers who faught in this forgotten conflict still suffering from PTSD😢
Unfortunately, that seems to always be the case, not least amongst Korean War veterans
Excellent doc and coverage…It had to be done….and done well…which I believe you have done…duty fulfilled and thanks a million.
Only hope that the people of Britain will take an interest that this part of our history deserves. All those men were heroic and all their opponents mere murderers. God bless our People, and our men that went through those undeserved horrors. R.I.P.
Fifties' Sixties and Seventies Britain was a great time to be a kid, teenager and young man,veterans were all around,not just from The Second World War,but the umpteen conflicts after. In fact 1968 was the only year after the war The British Army was not deployed in action then, as far as I know. I year later they were in N I, then there is Oman,which no one was supposed to know about.
Nothing bothered the old vets,they had seen it all,so had some of the civvies,no one messed with the cops either.
Most of them were ex service.
@@philiprufus4427 I attended a lecture in 2008 given by General Mike Jackson and he made the same point about 1968.
Really? I have to question one or two of your assertions :- Those 'murderers', some of which, no doubt were murderers, were effectively seeking to Free Their Country of Foreign Occupants. ' Undeserved horrors', surely they were a part and parcel of the mind set whilst dealing with the foreigners.
Our forefathers did little to oppose the 1066 invaders, and their subsequent occupation, so perhaps they were less, as your say, heroic.
Thank you for watching
The only comment I can make is that most of the time the soldiers knew who the enemy was with the exception of N.I. Those of I descent would suffer the most because of their heritage. Has not changed much , still an accident waiting to happen.
@@philiprufus4427
Very interesting. I enjoy learning about events like this in the latter days of the Empire. I read many books about the Empire when I was much younger, but never learned about this. Thank you for your continued excellence!
My pleasure. Thanks for your support.
Read about some of the other Empire,s. 'Genocide is us,' you will be apauled,no names no pack drill.
Some are NATO Allies however.
What an excellent and informative narration!!! A terrific engaging pace!! Even though knowing the ending, you have still made it a spellbinding story!
Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment
My dad was an RAF Argosy pilot based at Aden along with a 4 year old me, my mother and baby sister. There is an Argosy in the background of the shot of General Tower at 14:50 - could be my old dad at the controls - you never know. We lived in a block of flats near Tarshyne beach and one of our neighbors in the flat below was killed when an RPG was fired into his flat. Our much loved amah (nanny) Hadil, a local Yemeni woman, was shot up with a submachine gun for "collaborating" with the British, though fortunately lived. We were all evacuated back to the UK during the emergency - I remember the evacuation at night during which we came under fire - a stray round clipped the edge of my shoe. Hadil (means "cooing of pigeons") came too as she had no family or tribe to protect her and became our live-in adopted auntie/granny (nobody including her knew how old she was). She couldn't read and never really learned English, so my sister and I grew up bilingual in English and Yemeni Arabic so we would read for her and translate anything complex that needed to be discussed between my parents and Hadil. She was a huge character and was greatly feared by the local shop keepers in the UK as she insisted on haggling over everything and would yell at them in Arabic and broken English until they gave up and gave her a better price on a tin of beans or whatever, just to get her out of the shop.
Russian troops would have exacted a heavy price for such wanton murder !
Thank you for your detailed comment
She certainly sounds like a character and looked after you all very well.
3:39 The littlest Soldier. I believe we've found him. This was an outstanding history lesson, and the picture of the little fellow standing at full attention with the full-sized fellows makes one wonder where he came from and how he fared.
Thanks for watching
Chap. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Thanks for watching.
Thank you so much for this.
You are welcome
Another gripping adventure , excellent work. Thank You. Any chance of covering the exploits of Mad Mike Hoare and Sandline International/Executive outcomes? Cheers
Mad Mike ? now there's 'a blast from the past'. Once introduced himself to a Jap truck driver in Burma as a young Chindit. The Jap queried him,so Mad Mike cut the mans head off with a machete. Some lovely people you meet in The British armed Forces. Mad Mike got promoted and went on to become a mercenary in Africa.
The last RAF aircraft that was based at Khormaksar, Dakota KN452 flew out a few days before the Royal Marines left. Flying via Jeddah, Cairo, ElAdam, Frejus and into Kemble. Long flight and we only just made it because of icing over France - no deicing on the Aden Dakota! Making history, very exciting Mike Isherwood-Bennett, Jerry Schellong and me. RIP Mike and Jerry.
My late father served there as a WO1 in the RAOC. My brother and I were kids and remember the night the married quarters were attacked. The Para's and Argyles were barracked nearby. We were evacuated a couple days later. Now a 67 aged pensioner, I still have vivid memories of the place.
Thanks for sharing
Thankyou so much for this content. Brought back many memories of my days then as Naval Air Mechanic, part of 848 Naval Air Commando Squadron embarked aboard HMS Albion.
Wessex HU Mk 5 callsign 'E' pictured, was my cab for much of our stay.
We departed en route for Singapore, and Christmas.
Thank you for sharing
My Grandfather was based there as an RAF flight sergeant and took his family in the early 1960s. My grandmother, mother, uncle and aunt lived there for 3 years. They went out on a troopship and flew back on a propeller airliner. They had a holiday in Mombasa from Aden. Virtually unheard of early 1960s UK. Mum's impressions of Aden, however, were not great!
Thanks for sharing your family story
Your mention of Mombasa brought back to memory of a guy (name withheld) who I served with at R.A.F. Digby in the early 60's. He did a one year tour on Ghan. He went to Mombasa for a holiday. approximately 6 weeks after his return to Ghan, a dose of the Clap broke out on his privates. When reporting to the sick bay, the M.O. wouldn't believe his story, i.e. the delayed period before his 'break out', and more or less accussed him of puff activity amonst the male only population on the island.
Ultimatley , his condition was cured.
ps He was Irish!
I was in Aden - RAF Khormaksar - and didn't leave for RAF Sharjah until just weeks before we finally left. Mad Mitch was a hero to us too. (The RAF invariably gets forgotten in all this.) It's interesting (at least to me!) that if anyone these days ever asks to see my medal (my GSM - "For Campaign Service") they always ask why the clasp reads "South Arabia" rather then "Aden." In future I'll point them to this video! It really is one of the forgotten campaigns.
Thanks for watching.
@ aw6936 same as myself, but with Royal Signals 222 squadron K troop, then posted to Sharjah, nothing but a sandpit😃 take care👍
Hey Chris ... very nicely done, as always. A great deal of preparation evident in all your postings. Stay young, remain vertical and cheers,
Dr. Ric, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
Very kind. Thanks for watching
Loved it! Many thanks
My pleasure
My Dad served in Aden ( as well as Malaya and Cyprus) with the RAF in the late 60s. He was an armourer and Bomb Disopsal but he also had some sort of role in a NAFFI type club. His stories about Four Five Commandos antics- something about being the most brutal people he had to deal with and a story about 'rolling people (other bootnecks) about in barbed wire ' - amongst other things (Falklands news) led to me joining to corps in the late 90s. (And 45 CDO a few years later). Also have had some good friends who served in the Argylls (although not in aden)
Thanks for sharing that story about your dad.
I did two tours in Aden, the first in 1965 in the Radfan and the second up until the handover in 1967. I was A Rock Ape with 2 sqd RAF Regiment Para and was there when Mad Mitch marched into the crater. However it should also be said that the Argyles were not completely alone, there were snipers and support back up from other units including mine. We too have brothers in The Silent Valley Cemetery. Per Ardua. 3:51
You are correct
My grandad was there then too , Bert Tickner SGT RAF Regiment .
My bro was there with The Cameronians Scottish Rifles I believe 1966...had photos of him and his buddies up in the mountains (Radfan) on lookout for long periods as well as their quarters which were in tents. They were very young soldiers but did what they had to. Talked about how the children had to be escorted to/from school and the ladies being escorted by bus to the shops for groceries. They also had to go into the desert as the insurgents were known to poison the wells. Lots of conflict and danger and that was before Mad Mitch. Lots of soldiers lost their lives there.
Very interesting. 45 cdo was where my military health n dentistry was done in the 90s. Ilived a few miles away. Not a marine. The tv dramatisation a few years ago was brilliant. Can't remember name of it. Thank you Sir!
Excellent video. Thanks 👍
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
For those interested in further information about Lt Col Colin Mitchell and the Aden conflict his book 'Having Been a Soldier' makes a good read.
Yes, it is a good read. I used it as one of my sources for this video.
A very dear Friend of my Dad won the M.C. at Aiden. Sadly they lost contact. We still had people in this Country at that time who had a pair of balls. If they saw this place now, they would cry.
This was a great country then,it really was The United Kingdom,I was fourteen and the next twenty five years were ok.
@@philiprufus4427 In agreement with that. But it's done now my friend. We come from the East End and we saw this shit building there when I was young, I'm 53 now, and I absolutely dread watching the last remnants of everything that my family fought for being dismantled and trashed before my eyes. Our own are worthless ingrates let alone the crap we've let in. I wish I could piss off somewhere so I didn't have to have my heart broken daily. Those poor souls who gave their everything for this place, what a waste.
Thank you for taking the time to comment
Thanks for posting. I was a teen at that time and can remember a lad joining our class who had been evacuated back to the U.K.
My pleasure.
My Dad served in Aden at this time too with the RAF, from 1967 to 69, he had some stories!
I bet he did!
I knew a guy who served in Aden. He was shot one day while out on patrol and he had the slightly bent spent bullet made into a necklace when he got back to the UK and wore it with pride.
Interesting story.
My RAF family lived in Aden during the early part of the conflict. As a youngster, I loved the sight of Shackletons and Hawker Hunters constantly taking off and landing. My mother worked for the Yemeni sheik. Life was pretty easy - we could afford a servant! But the writing was on the wall and we were sent back to England. Aden became a backwater, losing the tourist trade and allowing the Russians to fill the gap.
Thank you for sharing your experiences
My Form Teacher in High School, in New Zealand, in 1964, was a Scotsman and veteran of Aden. I recall him telling me a colourful story of how while on vehicle patrol in Aden he was shot in the leg. He said a wog jumped out of the shadows and emptied his Stengun at the Landover. A round went through the door and hit him on the buckle on his sock [can't recall what he actually called it now, but he was in kilt at the time]. He said that the buckle took the remaining energy of the bullet and left him with a fairly minor superficial wound. He said that the "Boys" in the Landrover had opened up on the Arab and dropped him in the street, where he went over to see the man who tried to kill him. He said he was amazed at the smell of roast pork. [From the bullet wounds in the Arab]. My teacher was Jimmy Horne and he had been a Corporal in Aden. I remained friends with him until his death - great guy, great teacher, RIP.
What’s a ‘wog’??
@@raycorrigan3297Western Oriental Gentelman.
@@bobroberts6155 Japanese?
@raycorrigan3297, That would be an Eastern Oriental Gentleman. Facial features and general stature are different. Wogs are more "European" in looks. However, it is a euphonium for a derogatory term. [Euphemism - no, that's not a brass musical instrument].
@@raycorrigan3297 A Jundy or Nignog, not PC EH ?
great video Christ, always a pleasure to see what delights you come up with
Thank you.
Thanks Chris, brilliant telling, another piece of British military history I will need more reading on. Thanks for the emails giving me a heads up. Cheers from Sunny Oz.
Glad you enjoyed. Thanks for your support
Thank you for covering the Aden Emergency, the tales from the Colonial wars and the end of the British Empire don't get enough recognition.
Any chance of you doing a video about the British in Oman,and the attack on Mirbat?
Mirbat is a popular request so it is now on my list.
Corporal Lallalaba VC, and the 25 pounder.
My father was in Aden I havea great picture of myself getting off the white school guarded by a Northumberland fussilier 20 years later in a small town my father stopped dead in his tracks Coming towards us was one of the fussiliers he had served with in Aden It truly is a small world
Thanks for taking the time to comment
So proud of our soldiers in Aden......
Thank you for taking the time to comment
My father served in Aden during the early 60s. Time has certainly gone by fast and their service long forgotten.
Thanks for watching my video
Two points:
1. As early as 1958-60 when I was there with my father who served in RAF, we were subject to violent stikes in Aden and armed conflict with groups based in Yemen in the Radfan area.
2. Radio Nassar was already boardcasting in both Arabic and English into the colony.
Thanks for sharing
I was an army brat in Aden. We lived there for seven years and left in 1965. I have fond memories of Aden and despair of the turmoil that has prevailed. Aden was a prosperous place in the sixties. Aden could have been the Dubai of today.
Could have been a much happier place than it is today
Well Done, Chris!!!!
Thank you very much.
My uncle was Thier he was in 4 5 commando left in 67 good little film tks
Yes! Another excellent lecture Chris, let's learn some more of what we know less about. As far as I remember, a film - TV series was made about the Aden conflict, or is it somewhere else, or is it i whom do not remember correctly? I hope you will do something about the New Zealand wars? Well done.👍
There was a British tv series, The Last Post. ..but in true (recent) British style,it was Woke & Liberal, and seemed more interested in pushing the values taught at today's universities than covering actual events.
Haven’t done New Zealand wars but will get to them. Watch this space!
@@DarrenMarsh-kx8hd 'End of Empire, is good ! Made before woke c - - -.
It used to be on youtube,but a lot of stuff has been taken down. EoE covered everything from Palestine to Aden,including Malaya Suez Kenya,Cyprus etc. Great stuff, enjoy your vids,been reading and watching British Military History since I learned to read,(70 now). Quite a few of the family served going back to The Boer War.
To be expected. The counties in England are Devon(Devonport)Cornwall and Yorkshire.
Add Scotland to that lot and you are bound to find a Matelot or Pongo somewhere along the line.
@philiprufus4427 thanks for the suggestion, I do believe that it is still available on dvd....I'll go and purchase one right now.
@philiprufus4427 are you referring to the 1985 series? Sadly no DVD for that, but I've found a few episodes on CZcams (as you recommended)
I was serving on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious in 1967. We were on a Far East commission and I’m thinking that it must have been a couple of months before Mad Mitch did his thing in Crater because we were rapidly deployed from off Malaya to Aden. I believe this was the time when all non service personnel were being evacuated including service wives and children? Anyway we were sending our Buccaneers low over Crater as a show of force on a daily basis for about a week I think. I remember being pissed off because no shore leave was granted, which was probably just as well, 1500 matelots on a run ashore in a war zone would not have gone down well I’m sure. 😂
I was on 892 Hermes then I remember we were part of a flying anchor with Vics aircraft. We also gave the Arab leaders a demo of buccaneers labs bombing
Excellent Presentation❤
Thanks a lot
Hadn’t heard of this story. Very interesting and great job presenting it!
Glad you enjoyed it.
Just saw this tonight, and thanks for your work sir. I joined a certain regiment in 1984, and a recruit, a lot older than I at 20, was in trg as well. His name was Andy .... He served in Aden, with The Argyle's and his story was unbelievable. He told us that they came under fire from a minaret, and they smashed the door in and went FIBUA on the enemy. He said that when they entered to clear the toilets, he kicked open a door and looked down the barrel of the longest barrel of a pistol he'd ever seen, and it went click. He put at least 20 rounds of 7.62 into him in fright. I don't think the fella survived lol though he never mentioned it!
Andy died, in Ulster, on a BFT, in Portadown garrison, massive heart attack. I believe he'd reached the dizzy heights of C/Sgt. Im sure someone will correct the date etc, but I've always thought of him. He held Col Mitchell in great esteem and felt that the man looked after his men.
GBNF
Thanks for taking the time to share your story
Nasser did not defeat the British and French, that was President Eisenhower in the US, that forced the withdrawal out of Egypt by threatening to destroy the British economy. Mad Mitch was a great hero in all the British military for his stance against terrorism, I know as I was serving at the time. But Harold Wilson's Labour Government were seen as traitors for their compliance and sometimes active support of terrorists who had just murdered British soldiers. Aden port, the main employer in South Yemen was gone and the country rapidly deteriorated into poverty, all those trade unions wanting to kick the British out, all joined the ranks of the unemployed.
👍🇬🇧
It was the soviet union under Khrushchev who defeated the British and the French in Suez actually, Khrushchev has threatened to bomb both London and Paris with Nukes if they did not withdraw
The Labour party under Bliar was just a treacherous as Wilson's government in sacrificing British soldiers of all arms. Was it not a Labour government that sent troops into Northern Ireland......
Well said.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Well done again - a fascinating documentary of a little known campaign.
Many thanks.
Mitch went on to found the HALO Trust with Guy Willoughby. The first charity dedicated to clearing land mines and the only charity to which I have made regular donations over the years.
I've spotted your other comment.
There was one British casualty during the reoccupation of Crater. A SAS soldier dressed as an arab and working undercover in Crater was shot in the backside by the Argylls. It is covered in the Aden episode of Empire Warriors by the BBC, which is available on CZcams.
If dressesd as an Arab, how could they know? Maybe he should have worn an armband with "SAS"...?
Thank you for taking the time to comment and share this additional information
@@Lassisvulgarisor maybe a big flag saying 'Shoot me'......Behave.
Excellent presentation. Thank you.
If I remember correctly, Mountbatten pointed out to Gandhi that India would experience many difficulties and problems once the British had relinquished control. Gandhi replied that at least they would be Indian problems with Indian solutions. Small comfort for the millions who died during partition. While self-determination sounds noble, that nobility is crushed when there are more than two 'selfs'.
Hadn’t heard that quote. Thanks for sharing
My parents friends son fought in Aden. I was a kid then. Another ex-colony, really not doing well since our departure.
A sorry state of affairs
My Father was there in the RAF Police during that debacle and knew Mitchell, he respected his professionalism, his critics were the usual sleezeball Politicians and incompetent Career Senior Ruperts.
Thanks for sharing.