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