dusaboss
Hyper Active Member
Really ? What was excuse for that?1989 Norway, as the only country in the world banned sketeboards!
Really ? What was excuse for that?1989 Norway, as the only country in the world banned sketeboards!
Uncle Chas, did you want to be soldier as little kid or you developed than later. Maybe your #1 wish was cop.8 May1945 was a very special day for me. It was the b/day of the wonderful lady who adopted me from the WW2 children's home where I lived having been bombed out and losing my father in Italy.
With her I went to our small rural town centre and clambered unrestricted all over the British and Canadian military vehicles . There was some jubilation mainly from the soldiers but with the civilians it was mainly a sense of sheer relief that at last it was over.
Albeit a rural area we lived in 'bomb alley' where bombers who had not completed there raids on London or had surplus bombs simply discarded them on the way back to the coast. Route being Portsmouth to London.
No Dusa, I had completed my contract with the RM & R. I then looked at the FFL and the Australian Army. The latter offered me a commission. I declined that and had another look at the FFL with their excellent reports from 1956 Operation Musketeer when Marines rode on Legion tanks- debussed and used the fork/ bayonet. Then the Crown Agents offered me a contract to go to HK as a police officer. Foot loose and fancy free I accepted. The rest is history.Uncle Chas, did you want to be soldier as little kid or you developed than later. Maybe your #1 wish was cop.
Tried to get some stuff over to you and ossie Joseph let me know if you received anything. Cheers.Thanks for breaking the tension Bags.
When we were in the “3e Reich” (3e REI), the Brits used to celebrate the Queen's birthday and the Germans Adolf's death. All this done with tables pushed together in the middle of the foyer.
Hi Mark, I haven't received anything as of yet.Tried to get some stuff over to you and ossie Joseph let me know if you received anything. Cheers.
Obviously you didn’t get the stuff I sent you. No matter. I remember on the 17th must of been around 10am. The siren went off. It was a hot day we were doing weapons training. One of the other company’s were doing a drop. As usual we were doing the critique watching them exit the aircraft but that siren changed everything. i remember our company commander capataine Paulet rushing off to the headquarters building. We looked at each other . Something was up!16th of May 1978, The bugler is sent into the the town of Calvi, the Gendarmes are diverting traffic from the town centre, the trucks are lined up to take the legionnaires back to camp. Helicopters are sent to Castelnaudary's parade square to pick up the future corporals and future sergeants
The 2ème REP is on Alert:
16 May 1978
Hostage situation of Kolwezi, Zaire
Situation of Kolwezi
The city of Kolwezi is situated in the ore-rich region of Shaba (now Lualaba), in the South-East of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). In 1978, the city held 100,000 inhabitants in a 40 km² urban area, with city quarters, separated by hills. It is a strategic spot, as it lies on important roads and railroad lines that link Lubumbashi to Dilolo. There is an airport 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the center of the city.
Hostage taking by rebels
In March 1978, a meeting took place between Algerian and Angolan officials and militants of the FNLC. Zairian intelligence was made aware of a possible destabilisation operation in the Shaba region, which had a high value because of its mines of precious materials like copper, cobalt, uranium and radium. For some months the Soviet Unionhad been purchasing all the cobalt available on the free market, but western intelligence did not connect this to the upcoming crisis. The FNLC operation was to be headed by Nathaniel Mbumba, assisted by officers from the Communist states of Cuba and the German Democratic Republic.
In May 1978, an uprising took place in Katanga against President Mobutu Sese Seko. On 11 May, a 3,000 to 4,000 man strong FNLC rebel group arrived. The FNLC was supported by foreign mercenaries.[1] Departing from Angola, it had crossed neutral Zambia. Upon arriving, they took about 3,000 Europeans as hostages and carried out various executions, particularly after the intervention of Zairian paratroopers on 18 May.[2] Between 90 and 280 Europeans were killed.
From 15 May, hundreds of rebels started departing the city in stolen vehicles, leaving only 500 men led by Cubans, mostly were garrisoned in the quarter of Manika and in the suburbs.
President Mobutu requested foreign assistance from Belgium, France and the United States.[
Franco-Belgian operation
Preparation
On 16 May at 00:45 1978, the French 2e régiment étranger de parachutistes (2nd REP), led by Colonel Philippe Erulin, was put on alert. (1) A meeting took place in West Germany between Belgian and French officials to coordinate a common operation. The meeting was a failure, as the French wanted to deploy their forces to neutralise the rebels and secure the city, while the Belgians wanted to evacuate foreigners. Eventually the Belgian Paracommando Regiment was sent independently. Meanwhile, elements of the planned operation started to leak into the press, causing fears that surprise would be lost if swift action were not taken.
(1) The clairon de sérvice was sent to the centre of Calvi and bugled the rassemblement.
Of course we want to hear what happened, the good, the bad, the funny, the emotional, the whole thing.Feel free to edit Joseph. Not my best when the anniversary comes around. I’ll continue to comment if you lot want. it’s not about me. Just the lads I had the privilege to serve with.
Got to make this quick.Bloody hung over! trying to swig coffee do a shopping list avoid the daggers 🗡 from the missus (she thinks I’m turning into a bloody nerd) and text you lot at the same time! Anyway back to May 17th. Later on in the afternoon our section commander LT puga called us all in for a briefing. He made it sound like it was going to be a small operation couple of companies doing a drop saving some Europeans and taking out a few rebels. I don’t think he realized what the extent of the operation was going to be or anybody else for that matter! after the briefing was over the only thing on our minds apart from making sure our kit was packed and ready to go was making a bee line for the foyer. If in doubt stock up! that night just after Appel a couple of police militaire came running into our chambres screaming the operation was on! to be continued..Of course we want to hear what happened, the good, the bad, the funny, the emotional, the whole thing.
Ha Ha ...love ya jonny.Try beer, that usually works for me. Coffee just makes it worse.
Kinshasa airport 18th May... it was dawn and already I could feel the heat and humidity of the Congo wash over me. Ah! L’afrique! Love her or hate her! I was on guard duty standing amongst the piles of equipment. My mind went back to the events of the past 24hrs. The long preparations after the alert was sounded. Waiting around until early hours of the morning before the go order was finally given. 04:30hrs we left camp raffalli for the long trip to solenzara the French Air Force base some 130 kilometers southeast of Calvi. Tired but happy we were finally on the move. Arriving at the base we were surprised to see a DC8 already coming In with a couple more behind it. Bloody hell! said Dave my no 2 l’equipe choc they really mean it! Dave was an Aussie and didn’t mince his words when tired! There was a rush to get off the trucks and unload all our kit. The only thing I remember about the long trip from solenzara Corsica to Kinshasa Zaire was one of the purser’s was English! Bloody marvelous! He kept slipping us shots of liqueur when the officers weren’t looking. Bless him! We arrived in Zaire late at night around 23:00hrs. Again the unloading of kit and equipment. You alright mate? a light tap on the shoulder it was Dave a cup of brew in his hand. You look like you need it! We laughed. All around us other paras were doing the same. a quick brew up and something to eat. talking quietly amongst themselves I could see the fatigue on their faces. We knew it wouldn’t be long before the order was given to assemble...to be continuedGot to make this quick.Bloody hung over! trying to swig coffee do a shopping list avoid the daggers 🗡 from the missus (she thinks I’m turning into a bloody nerd) and text you lot at the same time! Anyway back to May 17th. Later on in the afternoon our section commander LT puga called us all in for a briefing. He made it sound like it was going to be a small operation couple of companies doing a drop saving some Europeans and taking out a few rebels. I don’t think he realized what the extent of the operation was going to be or anybody else for that matter! after the briefing was over the only thing on our minds apart from making sure our kit was packed and ready to go was making a bee line for the foyer. If in doubt stock up! that night just after Appel a couple of police militaire came running into our chambres screaming the operation was on! to be continued..
Man .. and I was thinking to skip through this long post, And now (after reading this) I'm skipping FB rings from one relay, I mean really hot girl-friend of mine (yes those 2 words are separated )... just to read this.Kinshasa airport 18th May... it was dawn and already I could feel the heat and humidity of the Congo wash over me. Ah! L’afrique! Love her or hate her! I was on guard duty standing amongst the piles of equipment. My mind went back to the events of the past 24hrs. The long preparations after the alert was sounded. Waiting around until early hours of the morning before the go order was finally given. 04:30hrs we left camp raffalli for the long trip to solenzara the French Air Force base some 130 kilometers southeast of Calvi. Tired but happy we were finally on the move. Arriving at the base we were surprised to see a DC8 already coming In with a couple more behind it. Bloody hell! said Dave my no 2 l’equipe choc they really mean it! Dave was an Aussie and didn’t mince his words when tired! There was a rush to get off the trucks and unload all our kit. The only thing I remember about the long trip from solenzara Corsica to Kinshasa Zaire was one of the purser’s was English! Bloody marvelous! He kept slipping us shots of liqueur when the officers weren’t looking. Bless him! We arrived in Zaire late at night around 23:00hrs. Again the unloading of kit and equipment. You alright mate? a light tap on the shoulder it was Dave a cup of brew in his hand. You look like you need it! We laughed. All around us other paras were doing the same. a quick brew up and something to eat. talking quietly amongst themselves I could see the fatigue on their faces. We knew it wouldn’t be long before the order was given to assemble...to be continued
Thank you for your comments Jonny and dusa. Today I just want to be alone with my thoughts and memories. It’s a tribute to the lads I knew that’s all. I’ll be around tomorrow. Take care all.Man .. and I was thinking to skip through this long post, And now (after reading this) I'm skipping FB rings from one relay, I mean really hot girl-friend of mine (yes those 2 words are separated )... just to read this.
Anyway Mark I really want to hear more (much more) from that story of yours. And I'm pretty sure you can tell as some real things .... Yes, they are more exciting than most of sh*t some guys lying about. And there's lot of that as well.
Respect my man Mark!
More, please!Kinshasa airport 18th May... it was dawn and already I could feel the heat and humidity of the Congo wash over me. Ah! L’afrique! Love her or hate her! I was on guard duty standing amongst the piles of equipment. My mind went back to the events of the past 24hrs. The long preparations after the alert was sounded. Waiting around until early hours of the morning before the go order was finally given. 04:30hrs we left camp raffalli for the long trip to solenzara the French Air Force base some 130 kilometers southeast of Calvi. Tired but happy we were finally on the move. Arriving at the base we were surprised to see a DC8 already coming In with a couple more behind it. Bloody hell! said Dave my no 2 l’equipe choc they really mean it! Dave was an Aussie and didn’t mince his words when tired! There was a rush to get off the trucks and unload all our kit. The only thing I remember about the long trip from solenzara Corsica to Kinshasa Zaire was one of the purser’s was English! Bloody marvelous! He kept slipping us shots of liqueur when the officers weren’t looking. Bless him! We arrived in Zaire late at night around 23:00hrs. Again the unloading of kit and equipment. You alright mate? a light tap on the shoulder it was Dave a cup of brew in his hand. You look like you need it! We laughed. All around us other paras were doing the same. a quick brew up and something to eat. talking quietly amongst themselves I could see the fatigue on their faces. We knew it wouldn’t be long before the order was given to assemble...to be continued
Assembly! We formed up in our company’s let’s get on with I thought. Looking at the lads I could see they were thinking the same thing. There was a French colonel with our captain. Latest intelligence reports... Apparently there were several hundred Katanga rebels holed up in and around Kolwezi and a couple of thousand Europeans waiting to be rescued. Some of them had already been massacred. and it was up to us to go in and rescue them. We looked at each other. Most of the regiment had yet to arrive and they had all the heavy weapons! So that was it then I thought. There were only 381 of us with no heavy support, no French Air Force support. The Zairian airforce? A bloody joke! And what if those rebels were organized and had anti-aircraft weapons? We would be up shits creek without a paddle! Another bloody Dien Bien Phu!More, please!