Any ex squaddies who served on Op Banner

been back to the province? I haven't returned since my tour in 80 and was hoping to go over to see how things are these days.

been back to the province? I haven't returned since my tour in 80 and was hoping to go over to see how things are these days.

Its still bad over there, just not as bad for military as it was. The press havent been allowed to print much because of afghan/iraq.

Civ Police still having personal cars blown up, military still not allowed off base in uniform, still the odd thing going on

been back to the province? I haven't returned since my tour in 80 and was hoping to go over to see how things are these days.

Its still bad over there, just not as bad for military as it was. The press havent been allowed to print much because of afghan/iraq.

Civ Police still having personal cars blown up, military still not allowed off base in uniform, still the odd thing going on

I was thinking of going via Dublin and hiring a car. I did quite a bit around the Fermanagh border area, but when I think about it, going that route might be a bit unnerving - especially without a Gat. So, on second thoughts I'll probably start at Belfast instead. I know a lot has changed and several of the former bases I was at have been flattened, Kitchen Hill base at Lurgan is now a Tescos. Kinawley SF base was demolished and is now a mini housing estate. Quite sad when I think back that lives were lost in both.

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Great. Thanks, I did enough in the past parading myself around in a green uniform - the only thing that was missing was a target painted on it.

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Great. Thanks, I did enough in the past parading myself around in a green uniform - the only thing that was missing was a target painted on it.

haha im sure you did more than enough to last a life time, it would have been mental over here in the 70's and 80's. The stories you hear from people are wild.

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Great. Thanks, I did enough in the past parading myself around in a green uniform - the only thing that was missing was a target painted on it.

haha im sure you did more than enough to last a life time, it would have been mental over here in the 70's and 80's. The stories you hear from people are wild.

I'll tell you one thing. I used to go to lots of games in the 70s and later 80s when football violence was at it's worst and I got caught up in a bit of it at that time. However, I have never experienced the kind of buzz, fear, adrenaline rushes that I personally experienced in Northern Ireland - you have to do something similar to know what I'm saying. I'd do it all again tomorrow!

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

Me too, I was with 'A Coy' 1RRW, I was on patrol in Pomeroy when that bomb went off, Also worked out of Cookstown and Aughnaloy.

Too answer the OP's question, no iver never been back, but i would like too, you can get a open top bus tour around Derry these days

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

Me too, I was with 'A Coy' 1RRW, I was on patrol in Pomeroy when that bomb went off, Also worked out of Cookstown and Aughnaloy.

Too answer the OP's question, no iver never been back, but i would like too, you can get a open top bus tour around Derry these days

Ha, you were in "Disco" Company.
First went out there to Palace Barracks in 74 with shining Nine platoon C Company.

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

Me too, I was with 'A Coy' 1RRW, I was on patrol in Pomeroy when that bomb went off, Also worked out of Cookstown and Aughnaloy.

Too answer the OP's question, no iver never been back, but i would like too, you can get a open top bus tour around Derry these days

Nice one Gavin. I noticed years later troops used to go on foot patrol wearing helmets - the brass used to send us out wearing f''''''' berets. A boulder was thrown over a wall in Portadown and missed landing on my head by 2 seconds - it landed 4 feet directly in front of me. I didn't think twice about it at the time, but had he got the timing right it would have crushed my skull!

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

Me too, I was with 'A Coy' 1RRW, I was on patrol in Pomeroy when that bomb went off, Also worked out of Cookstown and Aughnaloy.

Too answer the OP's question, no iver never been back, but i would like too, you can get a open top bus tour around Derry these days

Nice one Gavin. I noticed years later troops used to go on foot patrol wearing helmets - the brass used to send us out wearing f''''''' berets. A boulder was thrown over a wall in Portadown and missed landing on my head by 2 seconds - it landed 4 feet directly in front of me. I didn't think twice about it at the time, but had he got the timing right it would have crushed my skull!

The only time we had helmets issued was for riots (Bobby Sands emergency tour especially) and when we went in when the Maze Prison riots/burning down.
Forkhill and Cross Maglen were hard frightening places.

Was there during the Omagh bombing, been once since I left the mob in 2007 on a p*ss up.

Me too, I was with 'A Coy' 1RRW, I was on patrol in Pomeroy when that bomb went off, Also worked out of Cookstown and Aughnaloy.

Too answer the OP's question, no iver never been back, but i would like too, you can get a open top bus tour around Derry these days

Nice one Gavin. I noticed years later troops used to go on foot patrol wearing helmets - the brass used to send us out wearing f''''''' berets. A boulder was thrown over a wall in Portadown and missed landing on my head by 2 seconds - it landed 4 feet directly in front of me. I didn't think twice about it at the time, but had he got the timing right it would have crushed my skull!

The only time we had helmets issued was for riots (Bobby Sands emergency tour especially) and when we went in when the Maze Prison riots/burning down.
Forkhill and Cross Maglen were hard frightening places.

XMG not one of the best outposts to be

Charlie Coy - 1RRW.

Kinawley was a very wet place, especially during long walks in the countryside.

I would be careful travelling around any border area right now - easpecially South Armagh. and equally careful where I visited in Belfast or Londonderry - plenty of places where ex-soldiers/Brits not welcome.

Even though I was there in the 90's far easier times than yourselves, I know exactly what you mean about the buzz of those tours, I also would love to do it all over again. Deffo the best 6 months of my short (4 year) army career, Bosnia was a picnic in comparison, ive never known hatred like that shown towards us in NI.

Charlie Coy - 1RRW.

Kinawley was a very wet place, especially during long walks in the countryside.

I would be careful travelling around any border area right now - easpecially South Armagh. and equally careful where I visited in Belfast or Londonderry - plenty of places where ex-soldiers/Brits not welcome.

It'll be 34 years for me .....Christ where's it gone! It'll be weird going back though. Fermanagh is the wettest county in the British Isles - cold wet boggy fields and sleeping out under a poncho - brings back some memories.

Anyone do NI training in Sennelager in Germany? Cracking facility!

Even though I was there in the 90's far easier times than yourselves, I know exactly what you mean about the buzz of those tours, I also would love to do it all over again. Deffo the best 6 months of my short (4 year) army career, Bosnia was a picnic in comparison, ive never known hatred like that shown towards us in NI.

Hi mate,
Over 1,300 (including UDR) Killed. Plus over 300 RUC. That's nearly 1,700 security forces killed! Of the 1.300 who died, the MOD state some 750 military were killed by terrorist action. That leaves an extremely high figure killed by other methods. Hundreds were killed by other hostile action (missiles, Bricks, Petrol bombs, etc) and were conveniently put down as accidents or cause of death unknown! ( MOD keeping the actual figures down) 6.500 wounded - many seriously! My OC was wounded when I was with him!

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Great. Thanks, I did enough in the past parading myself around in a green uniform - the only thing that was missing was a target painted on it.

haha im sure you did more than enough to last a life time, it would have been mental over here in the 70's and 80's. The stories you hear from people are wild.

I'll tell you one thing. I used to go to lots of games in the 70s and later 80s when football violence was at it's worst and I got caught up in a bit of it at that time. However, I have never experienced the kind of buzz, fear, adrenaline rushes that I personally experienced in Northern Ireland - you have to do something similar to know what I'm saying. I'd do it all again tomorrow!

A lot of people would have came out of it mentally scared, good for you for coming out the other side feeling the way you do.

All of you guys have some really interesting stories, furthest I went in my short 7yrs in the forces was Liverpool

I never served on op banner and was in the navy but when I left I moved to NI and its not as bad as people make out, as long as you didn't parade yourself around you'd be grand.

Whereabouts do you live?

Rathcoole, Newtownabbey.

Great. Thanks, I did enough in the past parading myself around in a green uniform - the only thing that was missing was a target painted on it.

haha im sure you did more than enough to last a life time, it would have been mental over here in the 70's and 80's. The stories you hear from people are wild.

I'll tell you one thing. I used to go to lots of games in the 70s and later 80s when football violence was at it's worst and I got caught up in a bit of it at that time. However, I have never experienced the kind of buzz, fear, adrenaline rushes that I personally experienced in Northern Ireland - you have to do something similar to know what I'm saying. I'd do it all again tomorrow!

A lot of people would have came out of it mentally scared, good for you for coming out the other side feeling the way you do.

All of you guys have some really interesting stories, furthest I went in my short 7yrs in the forces was Liverpool

No shame in that my friend, every man would do the same if duty called. Luck of the draw really, I'd be up for Afghan if I was younger. My dad served in diesel electric Submarines during the 50s and 60s and his sub got stuck on the bottom for over 24 hrs and they were pronounced missing. They eventually managed to free themselves by blowing the ballast tanks separately to rock the boat so-to speak. My old man was mental and disappointed when I joined the army

been back to the province? I haven't returned since my tour in 80 and was hoping to go over to see how things are these days.

Its still bad over there, just not as bad for military as it was. The press havent been allowed to print much because of afghan/iraq.

Civ Police still having personal cars blown up, military still not allowed off base in uniform, still the odd thing going on

I was thinking of going via Dublin and hiring a car. I did quite a bit around the Fermanagh border area, but when I think about it, going that route might be a bit unnerving - especially without a Gat. So, on second thoughts I'll probably start at Belfast instead. I know a lot has changed and several of the former bases I was at have been flattened, Kitchen Hill base at Lurgan is now a Tescos. Kinawley SF base was demolished and is now a mini housing estate. Quite sad when I think back that lives were lost in both.

You'd be fine and probably have a great trip. I'd think of an excuse of why you are there though, you never know who might overhear and take offense!

I was only military for a couple of years, turned to the dark side and became a civilian within the military world! Best thing I could have done!

Anyone do NI training in Sennelager in Germany? Cracking facility!

Yes Gavin. Tin City we called it, probably improved it a lot over the years. I thoroughly enjoyed the staged riots!

Yes .... how are u brother

Yes .... how are u brother

I did my NI/Riot training in Ballykinler 1974.(1 RRW)
We did 12 months in Belfast as an axillary Battalion. (any shyte going off anywhere in the province we were called in)
A couple of tours after that too. Got out in 1989

I did my NI/Riot training in Ballykinler 1974.(1 RRW)
We did 12 months in Belfast as an axillary Battalion. (any shyte going off anywhere in the province we were called in)
A couple of tours after that too. Got out in 1989

You're an old timer like me then mate. I volunteered for a second tour in 81, (2 year posting) Londonderry (plain clothes work). Weeks before I was meant to go, I was caught in the womens accommodation and my punishment was a posting to Catterick instead.

yes gaz777 ...... me too and yes me n you did cause a bit of bother if I remember ... BROTHER

Hi Gavin,
Yeah I done my NI training there I was B coy ,Dungannon with willie and Jas Llew.