RAF pilots secret raids in Yemen - Telegraph article & Storm Front book (merged)

[Wiretensioner]

Oh dear another book I am going to have to smuggle past the memsahib.

Wiretensioner

[bricklane]

A quick google search revealed a bit of a treasure trove of pictures here:

Oman Pics, Hunter, Jaguar 1970's - S2Forum - The Audi S2 Community

Hunters looking convincingly bombed up. And low!

[Dick Allen]

teetering and Old Duffer

there was an article on SOAF Helicopters in the Dhofar War a few years ago in the Journal of the Sultan's Armed Forces Association - I know because I wrote it!

Don't think I can link to it in any way, but can send a copy to Old Duffer who I'm sure would be interested.

[lsh]

WIL did his stuff there, in a Strikemaster - hence the medals.
Mr Modest about it all too.

lsh

[Old-Duffer]

I think the Shepherd painting of Mirbat might be (a bit) technically inaccurate.

It shows the 25 pdr gun apparently firing along the length of the fort wall and the gunpit seems to be similarly aligned. IIRC the gunpit had its back to the fort wall and although the gun can be traversed of course, the tower's not in the right place.

Somebody put me straight!

Old Duffer

PS I note that Storm Force reminds readers that Labalaba should have received a VC if there was any justice but that is probably now a lost cause. Those who matter, know what he did.

[outhouse]

Back further in 1968, during a Yemen Saudi border disagreement, British pilots carried out ground attack operations along the border and into the Yemen. Hunters, Strike Masters and the odd F86 were used to good effect. The difficult mountain flying and the need to get in low was challenging for them. *Some English Electric Lighting supplied to the RSA were equipped for ground attack and performed well.
The Yemen side had a few numbers of Mig and they did try and interfere however after a text book intercept by a Lightning at high altitude just over Saudi airspace interference ceased.
Sorry about thread drift.

[The Oberon]

Bought "Storm Force" 2 days ago for my holiday read in July. Just finished it, have to find something else, bugger.

Brilliant book, I think the Rorke's Drift comparison says it all.

I agree about the painting, it shows 3 people in the pit whereas "Laba" did it all himself.

[Dan Gerous]

Just finished the book last night, or should I say at 4 AM this morning. Having worked in Oman in the past and found out about Mirbat whilst working there, I have been interested in the history of modern Oman. One thing I have always wondered about Mibat, is what was going on in the DG fort and the Wali's fort while the BATT team were fighting the Adoo? A lot is made of the 9 men holding off the massed attack, (please excuse my poor wording of that comment, I mean no disrespect to those guys), and I have always had the impression that the people in those two locations were not fighting against the Adoo attack. I was aware of the two DG fort guys who were mentioned, but this book was the first I had read about the Askaris and the head wounds they received. Was there any resistance put up against the attack from those two locations?

[milnesmith]

Mirbat

As one of the only two strikemaster pilots alive who flew in defence of Mirbat, I can only say that Rowland White has conducted an amazing level of research over a long period andthe accuracy of his writing is a tribute to all that hard work. He interviewed me on two occasions, used recorded material and log book details to provide the facts. Perhaps the Telegraph article was designed to generate interest in the book with regard to the current regimes in the Yemen and Oman but 39 years on, that would be a stretch! The SAS (then known as the British Army Training Team - BATT) were the most professional soldiers to work with and their understanding of what air power was able to do for them was always exceptional. It would be fair to say that all aviation elements (transport, helicopter, beaver and strikemaster), played a full part in the war effort in Dhofar but the book could only focus on a very small part of it.
DMS

[larssnowpharter]

RAF pilots secret raids in Yemen

Not aware that it was all 'Secret'. It seemed to me at the time that much of this info was common knowledge, especially in the Oman/Gulf area.

However, look forward to reading the book. Thanks for that.

[gungho]

Telegraph article.

NO RAF pilots flew on the Hunter strikes in Yemen, only contract ones.

[PLovett]

I think the Shepherd painting of Mirbat might be (a bit) technically inaccurate.

Isn't there a bit too much blue sky? IIRC from my readings the reason for the adoo attack was that Mirbat at the time was "socked in" by the monsoon with a very low cloud base which would prevent air support. It was only when this lifted marginally that the Strikemasters were able to launch.

[hval]

Monsoon season around Salalah (Mirbat is near to Salalah) is June to September. The battle at Mirbat took place 19 July 1972. The weather conditions were at the start of the attack were heavy fog, heavy rain and full cloud cover (from 90 metres up)

[olddog]

Mirbat

By coincidence, I am currently reading Ranulph Fines book "The Feather Men" which contains an account of the Battle of Mirbat, including reference to the poor weather and the attacks by Strikemasters and eventual relief of the BATT by G Sqn Helos

[Secret1]

Secret War? What Secret?

This so called 'secret' war has always amused me, as it was no more secret than the fact the sun rises in the east every morning....
I remember one particular little discussion in late 1971 at the 'secret' airbase in north west Oxfordshire, just south of the A40, when the cleaner remarked one morning, ''It's getting dangerous in Oman, you will all be out there soon''. Well of course, we all agreed, as everybody on the base and 'downtown C' knew about it. In fact, probably everybody in the country knew except politicians and senior government officials - except in their dreams!
I also recall being on a not so secret mission during the second week of January 1972 for the delivery of a very special 'human cargo' to Dacca, Bangladesh. On the return via Calcutta and Gan, we diverted to Masirah to medivac a seriously injured Hereford soldier back to Blighty, stopping briefly at Bahrein for a fuel top up.

'Secret' War?.....Piffle, absolute piffle The Russians and Uncle Sam would have known, and so would their respective allies in the MidEast. In fact the whole world knew. Politicians, well they thought, and still do, that they could fool all the people all the time. But as the general public know only too well, that is complete balderdash!

[piggybank]

I think the reason we say it was secret was in my two years in the early seventies at Salalah I never saw anyone from the press. Not everything that goes on needs to be made public knowledge.

[Romeo Oscar Golf]

Not everything that goes on needs to be made public knowledge

Indeed, and long may it stay that way.

[PLovett]

olddog has mentioned "The Feather Men" by Ranulph Fiennes, a work of fiction, however, he also wrote "Where Soldiers Fear To Tread" which is an account of his two years as an officer in the Sultan of Oman's army.

This was prior to the coup where the current Sultan overthrew his father and prior to the BATT arrival, probably about 1968-69, and details the rather medieval conditions that prevailed under the old man. The book also describes the military activity in the Dhofar region where much of the communist insurgency was active. I have corresponded with a man who also served there who has cast some doubt on the accuracy of the book but it still remains a favourite.

Sorry for the slight thread drift.

[BBadanov]

As one of the only two strikemaster pilots alive who flew in defence of Mirbat...

Hi DMS, welcome to the forum. You come with a good pedigree, and people won't write you off as just another 'Jag mate'!

[Compass Call]

DMS
You might like to know that Strikemaster 407 is still alive and well in the USA.

CC