Granby Memories

[67Wing]

Anyone remember 25 years ago?

[Cows getting bigger]

Keith Collister, killed in Qatar during work-up. He was the first person from my IOT to die in service.

[BEagle]

Indeed. It will be 25 years ago tonight that I took off from KKIA just after midnight, leading 3 VC10K tankers to RV with 8 Tornados from Muharraq on their way to attack Talil.

Weather at the refuelling level was pretty dire, but we found a level which worked and released the Tornados on time. Then waited on Lemon Post towline, planning to balance out the fuel across our 3 tankers - but the tanker with all the spare fuel couldn't trail the centreline hose, so we had to make do with what we had.

Dozens of black shadows of other formations went past at deconflicted levels, then back came the Tornados, thankfully - after some post-attack AAR they went back to Muharraq whilst we headed back to KKIA. As luck would have it, both our hoses stuck out, so a flapless landing on absolute minimum fuel was the finale to our first war sortie. Pretty small beer when compared with the Tornado mates' experiences.

That was the first of 38 such sorties I did; the only threats we really faced at KKIA were the Scuds thrown in our direction and the ever-present risk of mid-air collision, given the number of jets in theatre. That and some of the Saudi drivers on the local roads!

After being scrambled from bed to support some F-14s and GR1As, I was making a cup of tea for the rest of the crew in the galley when we heard that the cease fire had been declared. So back we came via a Palermo nightstop to a flypast at Brize on March 13th.

Then back to flying some aeros in my Bulldog at ULAS a couple of days later, before some leave once I'd regained currency.

So, it all kicked off 25 years tonight. Has anything been planned either by the RAF or the meeja to commemorate the start of Gulf War One - or are they all rather embarrassed that the Middle East is still in turmoil despite all the sacrifices and events of the past 25 years?

In particular, RIP Max Collier, 27 Sqn, killed in action with Nige Elsdon the following night whilst attacking Shaibah. Max had been the nav plotter on my first Vulcan crew 14 years earlier and we'd spoken only a few days before he was killed.

[air pig]

John Nichol is doing something on Sky news today/

[ExRAFRadar]

John Nicol's piece here:

Gulf War: Memories Of Desert Storm 25 Years On (http://news.sky.com/story/1623762/gulf-war-memories-of-desert-storm-25-years-on)

[Haraka]

In particular, RIP Max Collier, 27 Sqn, killed in action with Nige Elsdon the following night whilst attacking Shaibah.
Beags , Max was 96 "A" and Nige 10G.E. "B". from the towers. Good mates.

[Dougie M]

http://i1299.photobucket.com/albums/ag76/dougiemarsh/e33c983b-ceb4-46ba-a517-98f21150ed51_zpstrtjnsu1.jpg

[TwoTunnels]

25 years ago tomorrow, flew 1:15 day; 5:30 night in Nimrod MR2 XV250 (Callsign DYLAN 45) looking for Iraqi Navy activity around Kuwait, Al-Zawr and Bubiyan Island.
Later in the month (don't remember the date), the following report:
HOSTILES. TM 1806Z DYLAN 45 RPT CTC IN POSN 2954N 04834E C090 S17 EXITING BUBIYAN CHANNEL. SUCAP ATTACK WITH MK 82 DIRECT HIT EXPLOSION SEEN NIL BDA. ID AS POSS FPB57/TNC45 CERT MIL. NEXT SUCAP TO CARRY OUT BDA.

[67Wing]

OK Beagle, we were DOVER 21 flight of 8 GR1's. My knee pad is a bit cryptic when I look at it now but I think we took gas from POLARIS 52A. So that would have been you. I remember bouncing in an out of the tops of fluffy CU with lots of turbulence throwing the baskets around.

[BEagle]

Well, 67Wing, 'tis a small world thanks to PPRuNe!

I was indeed Polaris 52A, with 52B and 54 in cell behind. Mission 4452 was our mission line in the ATO. We'd been told that, for deconfliction, we HAD to stick to our assigned AAR levels (much lower than normal due to your weight with JP233s and the temperature), but had I done so we'd have been in cloud and couldn't have refuelled you - so I had to find the nearest level where AAR was JUST possible, whilst informing the rest of the cell. There was no point in passing the information to PONCA as he would have needed to find a General to approve it. But I assessed that no-one would have been coming the other way on OLIVE TRAIL! I was flying ZA141, the first VC10K2 in service, but it had recently been fitted with Sky Guardian and a half-decent PFM, so at least anything with radar would have shown up.

Although we'd been allocated a tanker combine frequency, it was 116.7MHz and therefore outside our VHF radio frequency range - hence all comms on Red 4! The same sort of basic error as the lack of a force-wide QNH in the early days, which the air box in Riyadh hadn't NB'd.

My records are equally sketchy, but we'd been briefed to select A/A TACAN on at RV2 -15 minutes. So when the display lit up showing you 87 miles out and closing rapidly, we were all very relieved!

Shall raise a glass shortly to those who were lost.

[twentytoofifty]

Cheers BEagle, I was one of the 8 GR1s you refuelled on the way to Tallil on night one. Crazy missions attacking airfields at low level, but great memories..

[smujsmith]

My only contribution was as a GE on Albert. It did ultimately lead to my early, enforced retirement, but at least let me experience a little of "operations". Like Beagle, KKIA was one of the bases I worked from, though my return to Lyneham was extended by a six week extension in Bahrain. I well remember the trips in to Kuwait, post friction, and the oil fires, particularly on night trips. While results of the sharp ends efforts, were hard to ignore;
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b572/smujsmith/add5b263db9e768f4053d1e90601b244_zpseef175e8.jpg
:eek:

Perhaps a conflict that received little publicity in respect of the effort put in by all elements of the deployed forces. Best to all who took part, I'm sure there's some good stuff to come.

Smudge :ok:

[MAD Boom]

I remember watching the events unfold as a 12 year old, and asking my mother if the Iraq war would still be going when I joined the RAF. 'Don't be ridiculous son' was the reply....... Been there many times since then.

[Selatar]

Great thread. Not quite a 'gaining you RAF wings in WWII thread' but let's have some more personal stories from those that were there. A defining conflict for the RAF.

In the 25 years that have past the RAF have been absent from the skies of Iraq for just 4 of them. 15 of those remaining years have been kinetic with all that brings. For a small number SHADER will represent their fourth different medal for air operations over Iraq since GW1!

For the light blue currently in and over Iraq, stay safe.

[MrBernoulli]

In particular, RIP Max Collier, 27 Sqn, killed in action with Nige Elsdon the following night whilst attacking Shaibah. Max had been the nav plotter on my first Vulcan crew 14 years earlier and we'd spoken only a few days before he was killed.Beags, just prior to all the squadrons leaving Marham for places various in the Gulf, there was a big Happy Hour in the OM and the very last 2 beers I bought that evening, recorded in my bar book, were for Nigel and Max. Didn't know either of them very well before that get-together in the bar, but there was so much camaraderie amongst the crews and others that evening, and the greater than normal inter-mingling of squadron personnel was noticeable.

My first sortie of the War was providing out-and-back AAR for the formation that included the Peters/Nichol crew. One's morale takes a a bit of hit when a crew is missing on one's first soirée! :ouch:

I still do the occasional schedule to Bahrain with the current employer, and landing at Muharraq still brings back memories of the sights, sounds and smells of that time!

[twentytoofifty]

67Wing. I was number 3, which one were you..?

[BEagle]

Hi MrB - shame you couldn't make TBs last week, there was quite a gathering, as Tengah Type will no doubt confirm.

Glad to know that you bought those beers for Max and Nige, mate!

In 1990, the RAF had the luxury of aircrew in various QFI posts or on ground tours. I'd been at the UAS long enough to have passed my B1, had my first summer camp and block leave and was just starting the 'pre-Trappers' week' work-up session at Abingdon. I'd just got my jaws around a large G&T at home when the Boss rang to tell me that I was 'vulnerable for recall' for the Gulf. "Great", I thought, "no doubt as some wretched Ops officer or somesuch....".

The following day the Boss told me that I was that, if I was needed, it wouldn't be as an Ops Off, but back as a VC10K captain. Then the fun started - off to sick quarters to let them know that I'd be needing some inoculations, followed by a quick SCT trip. Next day I had some 1:1 GDT refresher training including lots of time with the 9mm and less fun with the S10. Off to sick quarters immediately afterwards for the anthrax and meningitis jabs - and a 24 hr flying ban. I did 4 more trips that week of 'RMCS air experience', then off to AMTC at 06:00 on Friday morning for an AR5 refresher.

There was still no definite news of any need for a 'retread' crew, so it was back to the UAS for CFS week, then the start of 'Freshers Fair' recruiting - until a signal arrived ordering me to report to 241 OCU the following day to start VC10K refresher training with the rest of our 'retread' crew - a Chipmunk QFI, an F3 simulator nav and an air eng from Boscombe Down. 2 days groundschool, then a morning sim trip, but I nipped off back to Abingdon in the afternoon for some more SCT in the 'dog. Same thing the following day, but my afternoon trip in 'my' XX546 was the last UAS trip I'd have for the next 5 months.

I hadn't flown the VC10K for 17 months, but 2 sim sessions, a couple of GH/IF refreshers, an AAR trip including some jousting and then an a combined AAR Cat and IRT, landing at Wildenrath and we were all deemed ready to deploy - all in 7 working days! They allowed us a 'crew' AAR trip on 16th Oct, then the next day we flew ourselves to Muharraq!

I started back on the Bulldog on 15th March, but it was back to the stubborn ways of Learning Command. It had taken 7 days to regain my Op Cat on the VC10K, but it took Learning Command required an FAT, 4 mutual SCT trips with the CFI and Boss before they allowed me to fly with students again!

Which only goes to prove that the level of BS is inversely proportional to the size / importance of the aircraft / job!

An amusing postscript to my time in the Gulf came a few months later. In the station post there came a note from someone deep and blunt at Binnsworth or wherever, notifying me to sign for my potential 'general war appointment' slot as a UAS QFI - something involving flying Bulldogs around south east England looking at nuclear bomb craters or whatever. So I rang and politely told them what they could do with that idea - as I'd just had a real war appointment! The Fg Off(W) at the other end giggled at that, but she sounded so nice that I did agree to sign her piece of paper.

With the RAF having imploded to its current state, augmented by civilian contractors and FTRS, one can but wonder how any surge training would be managed 25 years later? Currently they are trying to find around 13 FTRS pilot to fill UAS QFI slots...... Door, stable, horse?

[Dan Gerous]

I was working in Saudi, at Kahamis, and remember coming into work in the morning, as all the F117's arrived back. There was also some talk before hostilities started about the lack of NBC kit at Khamis, and we were informed that there was sufficient stock, but they wouldn't be issuing it unless it was needed. Lo and behold, GW day one, and we had two glow in the dark F111's divert in for weather diversion, that had flown through some dubious cloud at a site they attacked. They were parked well away at the far reaches of the airfield.

[WIDN62]

I knew Max Collier from Cranwell and many years later bumped into him at Goose Bay. I was a C130 pilot looking after the AOC on his annual visit there and then on to Red Flag. We flew into Goose and the real crew flew the aircraft on the next day. The AOC was looked after elsewhere and I was stuck in the Mess on my own for 4 days. Max befriended me and I was grateful for his company in the evenings.
Again, a few years later I got to Akrotiri to be told that my crew was being held to fly a repatriation flight back to Brize. That was the one that Max was on.

[AnglianAV8R]

Just got to say that I have the utmost respect for the crews doing low level airfield attacks. It must have been like flying into Dante's Inferno. I've got a copy of the TVam 'spoof' recording and the banter among the crews is brilliant, whilst the recording of cockpit dialogue on the strike is gripping. Those warning notes for Roland etc must have concentrated the thought process :eek: What an incredible triumph of logistics and also, pay back for all that training :D

[67Wing]

Hi 2250, Spooky, I was no 3! So perhaps you were the nav. See you next week!

[sharpend]

From my book:

30. Gulf War 1 or Saddam Hussein, my part in his downfall.

a snippet:

As we approached the target of Sadam’s missile attack, Dhahran (now called Ad Damman to avoid confusion with a city of the same name in the west of Saudi Arabia) the Scud missiles arrived en masse. The US response was immediate and effective and several Patriot missiles were launched in defence. Sadly for us we presented a larger and vulnerable target. Of course, all other military aircraft possessed a defence against this form of ‘blue on blue’ in the form of IFF (Identification Friend or Foe). Though the VC10 was equipped with IFF, our 1960s equipment did not contain the all important Mode 4, necessary to alert the automatic tracking mechanism of a Patriot missile that we were indeed friendly. Hence we presented a nice fat juicy target and at least one of these huge missiles locked on to our aeroplane.

We watched one of these huge missiles spiralling up towards us, its rear end emitting a red hot plume. We had minutes to live! My copilot froze, but a frantic radio call from me to the American air traffic control seem to do the trick. Some 1000 or so feet below us the deadly missile exploded in mid air. We felt nothing and expelled a sigh of relief. Yet another reason that day to fill in our laundry list!

[BEagle]

Blunty, old bean, were you flying the Dhahran BDZ arrival procedure?

Without RWR, how did you know that the Patriot had 'locked on' to you?

[twentytoofifty]

67Wing.... love it mate... you in the front, me in the back... see you Thursday..!

[BEagle]

So - did the RAF do anything to commemorate the start of GW1?

Or are they waiting for 28th Feb, the day on which the cease fire was declared?

[sharpend]

Beagle, I could SEE it. :ugh: And don't forget us 'Truckies' were never let into the secrets of BDZ stuff, we were just overflying to somewhere much closer to Iraq

[Onceapilot]

A very sad time for many 25 yrs ago.:sad: RIP, particularly Max, Gary and Wg Cdr Elsdon.

OAP

[Tashengurt]

Slightly less heroically than those above, I recall waking up in my digs near Dhahran and turning on my radio (plugged in with bare wires held in with bic lids) to hear the shooting had started.
My room mate spent the next few hours worrying about his girlfriend "'chelle" and asking me if we'd win.
At the time I was quite dismissive.
Now I'm not so sure.

[unmanned_droid]

When GW1 kicked off I was 8. There was a collection card/sticker book released that I was all over. Provided a good distraction from the violent divorce going on in our house at the time. I would have swapped with any of you!

I'd still swap with those doing low level airfield attacks and running star wars (?) canyon. I don't think I could ever feel so alive as doing that.

[Jumping_Jack]

I seem to remember being in Lyneham Ops on a very busy nightshift doing our best to outload the contents of UK (or at least it felt like that!). I was chatting with SLOPS when the ASMA Terminal bleeped.....little green message popped up 'Scud Launch Detected'. As the hairs on our necks raised we looked at each other and simultaneously said 'Sh1t'! :sad:

[twentytoofifty]

Unmanned Droid... Compared to you we were lucky. Our fear was only short lived..!

[ICM]

It's perhaps worth recalling that Op Granby was mounted against a background created by the Options for Change announcements of July 1990, with the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait occurring about a week later. I stand to be corrected here but, as I recall, by the time the Air War was over, crews of a Laarbruch squadron had to return to the UK as the squadron had already disbanded in RAFG. It was a little odd to be in a HQ simultaneously tasked with supporting deployed forces in action in Granby and the subsequent Watch operations whilst planning a rundown in-Theatre that finally led to the demise of the Command itself.

[AR1]

I was on nights at Lyneham too. Things obviously were busier prior to the shooting match. DC8's that barely got off the ground before lumbering almost horizontally toward Chippenham. Thank *** for that hill. On the night itself it was a time for reflection. Hoping that the kit those at the front end worked if it were needed. Wondering what was happening, and feeling a little helpless. Yes it's true. Lets be honest. we'd trained for years we all, (nearly all) wanted to see if we'd been right all along, as well as being a bit scared.

Not to worry. Our REMF status didn't last long as come daylight the instruction came through that we were all to wear DP. Just like we did for the fake wars. Oh the joy. Thankfully, somebody somewhere realised after a couple of shifts, what a bag o ****e idea that was, given we all only had one pair. - Or was it so we didn't panic the locals?

I also recall, everybody stopped playing F16 on the PC.

[teeteringhead]

Thought I'd retransmit a previous post on a similar earlier thread a while ago here (http://http://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/260186-16-17-january-1991-what-were-you-doing.html) and found out :( that it was 9 years ago!!

Here it is: Working as an augmentee in the SF Cell at PWHQ at High Wycombe. We'd just got a couple of further augmentees from R Sqn as watchkeepers, so the SO1 decides to take his regular SO2s (two brown, two or three light blue) out for a meal as it's the first time we could all escape together.

Check in by 'phone when we get back from the fleshpots of High Wycombe, "to see if all is quiet".

"Very quiet in the office ...." says very laid-back watchkeeper, "....but we appear to be bombing Baghdad!"

Instant sobriety, back down the hole and a long time 'til the next evening off ....... And there are 117 other answers to the then OP's question "16/17 January 1991-What were you doing?" - and only one from BEags!

[ancientaviator62]

I was in XV 181 at Akrotiri at night ready to set off for Jubail when ops told us to shut up shop and come back for a briefing. Did not go that night but went the next day. Had a Scud alert at Jubail and we hid under a bulldozer. The alert was for real but it luckily fell harmlessly elsewhere. Biggest danger for us Truckies was the many transponder code changes and the liklehood of friendly fire. Oh and a midair due to the traffic.

[Jumping_Jack]

DC8's that barely got off the ground before lumbering almost horizontally toward Chippenham.

Ha yes those DC8s were a joy. Fresh from a 'live pig' run they would be absolutely stinking......roll on the pallets of armour....... I seem to remember being offered 3 seats on one to go into theatre....never took them up on the offer. We also used to get the Guppy every few days until it tried to do a U turn on the disused rather than taxi to the end and turn. Needless to say the fully laden ac trundles onto the grass and promptly sank! We couldn't unload it to reduce weight as we couldn't swing it open. Last I saw before going off shift were chaps with spades and a tug on each undercarriage leg. Must have worked as it wasn't there on my return 24 hrs later! :ugh:

[November4]

Sun 28th Feb sees the unveiling of the Gulf War Memorial at the National Arboretum. The memorial is dedicated to the 47 who were killed.

More details (http://www.thenma.org.uk/events-and-news/forthcoming-events/gulf-war-90-91-memorial-unveiling/)

[ValMORNA]

Watching electronically for 'Scud' launch.

[Slow Biker]

Although not involved in GW1, I did visit some of the target areas in late '91 as part of a UN inspection team. Boy, you fliers did some damage! Baghdad, buildings collapsed like a pack of cards with little damage to those adjacent; Airfield H1 destroyed, even the gym was flattened. One of the base EOD lads explained that the stn cdr ordered evacuation when he realized there was no hope of recovery. No evidence of WMD though, there or any other place we 'inspected'; mind, some team members wouldn't have known one if they tripped over it.

[Big Tudor]

DC8's from Thanet Air IIRC. One of their skippers was a larger than life Texan chap complete with stetson and Cuban cigar.
Also AN124 and IL-76's from Metro Cargo complete with Russian crews. Confused the hell out of the RAFP when they were faced with Russian aircraft and crews on an RAF airfield.
I also recall the change in mood when hostilities started as a number of good friends were 'sandy side' while we were safe & sound in Deutschland. We did endure some unpleasantness with the local anti-war protesters, although one chap did regret attacking a car being driven by an RAF Regt gunner. I'm not sure the subsequent 'realignment of opinions' did much to improve his feelings towards the Krieg am Golf!

[salad-dodger]

I was part of 51 Sqn and spent the whole of Granby (Desert Shield/Storm) in Cyprus. We arrived within a few days of the invasion with our first aircraft. The second arrived shortly afterwards, with the final one rushed through major and EWAD to get all 3 out there.

All of the squadron personnel moved to Episkopi after only a few weeks to make room for others. The initial reluctance to move was soon overcome when we realised the food, accommodation and general situation up at Episkopi was much better than Akrotiri. The only real pain was the bus journey to and from Akrotiri for the 12 or 24 hour shifts. 84 Sqn put on a Wessex one night to get a team of ground crew from Episkopi to Akrotiri when the road was closed at Curium because of a terrorist alert.

The night before it all kicked off I was working late as one of a team of Fairies trying to get at least one of the three serviceable. The favourite had a problem with the Astral Box main computer and it was touch and go whether any of the aircraft would become serviceable. We had no idea at the time why SEngO was on our backs every half hour. It was only the next morning when waking to hear that it had all started that the reason for his anxious state became clear.

S-D

[dragartist]

Remember it well S-D. just like yesterday. I had not realised it was 25 years ago till this thread popped up. The build up for us started a while before Christmas. We worked long hours, often split shifts to accommodate the mods we were developing. Going home for tea then back till 2 am. I think we did 31 TRIMs and other Mods. When the last one went out it was very heavy. Bill the weights was within a pound and 1/8" on CoG when we went down the Boscombe to do the weigh. I quiet word with Sengo Bob when I handed him all the drawings and diagrams to ensure nothing extra had been squirrelled on board. Must have been Astral Boxes finest hour, certainly it's swan song.

[multum in parvo]

Thoughts of Gary Lennox and Kev Weeks 16 Sqn Laarbruch lost on operations 22 Jan 91. Kev a neighbour on the Goch OMQ and a real gent. Last memory of Kev on his way to the garages at the end of Moylander Str, first stage of his journey to Tabuk. Like many in these forums, never forgotten.

[MPN11]

That evening I was on shift in the Air Force Ops Room [AFOps] in Whitehall, wearing my Suit, Pinstripe, Whitehall Warrior :cool:

The "War Appointment" of "CAS's Briefer" was held by a colleague in DAFSD. However, when the buildup started, it was realised that [as "Mr Aviation Fuels"] he was better placed remaining at his normal desk. Thus it was that I was catapulted, un-briefed and completely ignorant, into the centre of AFOps ... and spent the next few weeks on permanent 7-day night shifts. Eventually, as things started to settle down, and the build-up became a sort of routine, I was stood down to resume normal office duties.

It must have been the morning of Wed, 16 Jan 91 when I turned up in the office as normal. My DD said "What are you doing here? You're on watch in AFOps tonight!" Instead of saying "Thanks for letting me know in advance", I just reversed course and took the Tube home to grab a bit of extra sleep before retracing my steps back to MB in the evening. So it's starting tonight!!

The next 6 weeks were spent back on a permanent 12-hour/7-day[night] shift pattern. CNN permanently playing on the TV on the end wall, my own personal ASMA console with 'extra access' codes, and bits of paper flying around the room. It was on ASMA that I was able to log in to the live HOTREPs from returning missions, flown/led by several mates from Staff College - quite a spooky sensation, as they braved SAM and AAA while I enhanced the shine on the seat of my trousers in a comfy chair in a Whitehall office building.

[Alber Ratman]

My main memories are on this video.. ZD483, full of holes. I was on the ABDR team that got it back to being a war goer. "How the hell are we going to fix that?" We did mind and it did another 8 missions before another no war related structural failure (Canopy hinge bracket cracking), saw it swapped out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2c6uKtUYXA&feature=share

[klingonbc]

25 years ago! Our group of RAF chaps were attached to 1(UK)Div HQ and formed the ASOC(SH). Arrived 2 weeks before that night – spent that time in the desert getting used to working with our ASV436 vehicles and our driver/sigs – great chaps Coxy and a guy whose name can’t remember now. We had one of about 12 x 436 amongst the HQ. Very tired and wet most of the time in the winter desert weather learning to put the HQ up, break it down, move several km at night, put the HQ up again – repeat. The HQ food was sparse and very poor at times. After 2 weeks we were declared as good as we were ever going to get as armoured vehicle commanders/operators and the HQ was ready to move to the concentration area in prep for the ground assault.
R&R time back at Al Jubail for one night in a comfy bed – went to sleep still dirty (I’ll have a good shower and change into fresh clean clothes in the morning - Stupid Boy!) Alarms all night, beds up against the windows, S6 and NBC kit on, and us taking silly photos of each other trying to sleep on the floor. Air War had started. Back in our Landrover first thing in the morning to get the hell out of Dodge and back to the “safety” of the desert!! Interesting days and the subsequent months through Saudi/Iraq/Kuwait as we advanced as part of that (US)Corps, it was quite surreal navigating using celestial skills and very basic maps. Without doubt the highlight of that time was a cold shower under a makeshift bucket each day when we were not in NBC kit.
Credit to all the guys doing the flying – would have preferred to be up there myself rather than in the panzer that became my home for 4 months. Final interesting point: many RAF were in hotels on rates with good accommodation for the duration, while the ground elements were in the field with nothing but “water money” as added cash in the bank. No one on the ground got worked up about that issue – as they knew all the work being done in the air was going to save lives on the ground when it came to them going over the top. It undoubtedly did – so thanks guys to all of you in the air during that time.
MPN11 – ASMA yes! we had a terminal in the 436! A piece of office basic IT in an armoured vehicle and after every move the RAF Cpl TCW chap came running into the HQ trailing the co-ax cable to plug in to the dish in his landrover and we were up talking to: ships, HQ, UK, everywhere – before the Army signalers could even get their Ptarmigan comms systems or radios working. Used to **ss off the RSigs Captain after every move when the Full Colonel Chief of Staff used to say “I see ASMA beat you again Comms Ops”
You couldn’t make it up …
kbc

[Haraka]

MPN11.
Pretty much "Snap!", only my little team were sucked in 24on/48off.
One evening CDS and his entourage required a briefing at short notice and so I hastily threw my suit jacket on, gathered up my notes and slides and headed off.
As I started I was initially under the uncomfortable impression that he was actually nodding off, as he kept looking down at my feet.
It was only on getting back to my desk that I realized I was still wearing my soft moccasins ( liberally sprinkled with white paint from house decoration) having kicked off my shoes earlier on.

[Tengah Type]

Riyadh - 21 January just after midnight I was sleeping in my "Bedroom", actually a part of the villa dining room, when the Air Raid Warning siren went off. Out of bed wearing only a pair of shreddies, quickly donning Battle Bowler and Respirator, and taking cover under the washbasin in the downstairs toilet to avoid any flying glass from the window. Short time later a very load bang and shaking of building, and a covering of plaster from the ceiling. Very warlike NOT.

After a few days we got rather blase about the Scuds, and being confident that the Patriots were dealing with them, we stayed out to watch the firework display from the Patriot batteries. Even took photos of the firings. That is until a 9" metal rod came through the Int Offs Portakabin roof and missed him by inches. After that the shelters seemed a better idea.

The other noteable event was, during the early hours one morning, working in HQ Air Tasking Order office, putting the AAR details in the ATO, there was gunfire in the corridor outside. Since we were several floors below ground level under the Saudi Air Force HQ my first thought was that it was Iraqi Special Forces who were not going to take prisoners. In a room of about 100 US Senior Officers I was the only person with a weapon. Fortunately what had happened was that a Saudi guard had fired his rifle by accident and an American guard had "returned fire". Nobody was hurt and there was no need for a Gunfight at the OK Corral. The next day we had a room full of "Rambos".

[Rigga]

On that memorable morning I was fast asleep in a sweaty Motel near Al Jubayal. I was woken at about 0130 from my Bunk. As one of two Chinook Field Repair Teams we were placed into a very long (I think about 15 hours!) and circular convoy into the Saudi desert at 0400.
On arrival at Al Quysumah we Rigga's were told that one of the cabs had a Fwd Xmsn failure and that we had to return to where we left! (And a return time of just three hours!)
We spent the next day fixing the cab and returned again to Al Quysumah to find our tent awaiting us!
We later moved to Wadi Al Batin (near Hafr Al Batain) where, one evening, we found ourselves surrounded by a US Army Tank unit digging in for a long stay...we later found there was an Iraqi Convoy headed toward the other end of the Wadi!!!

[chinook240]

Rigga,

I think we were in the same berm, I remember that same morning.

[MG]

I escorted that one back from the target that night.

[MightyGem]

we later found there was an Iraqi Convoy headed toward the other end of the Wadi!!!
Ah yes. The phantom Iraqi convoy. Remember that. Got swallowed up in a sandstorm never to be seen again from what I remember. :)

[Jumping_Jack]

DC8's from Thanet Air IIRC. Hmmm I thought they were DAS (or DAC or something like that), a Kenyan company with Nigerian pilots! Mostly held together by locking wire and bodge tape (the aircraft not the pilots!).

[AR1]

Not Granby footage, but a DC-8 leaving Lyneham at a later date.. Exactly how I remember it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAKIeoXplgE

[Double Hydco]

Southern Air operated LYE-AKT-DHA-LYE rotations in one duty day on behalf of London European Airways with a DC-8-71.

Heavylift's B707 was at Burbank getting hush kits fitted, but the good old Belfast's and Guppy were used quite a bit.....

[salad-dodger]

dragartist, not just the finest hour for Astral Box, but it must have been one of EWAD’s finest hours too. For all the new mod’s that went onto the aircraft, we, along with the aircrew had to learn how to operate and maintain them pdq. Boz, MAWS, GPS, Havequick, etc are just the ones I remember. We certainly had some interesting debriefs from the Nav’s as they got to grips with chaff and flare.

Unfortunately, the spares situation was not great. I can remember the decision being made to swap aircraft on one morning see off. Not an easy decision as we had to swap both INUs, both TACAN Tx/Rx and I think two pedestal and aerial combinations.

S-D

[Doctor Cruces]

I well remember it. I was one of the Training Co-ordinators in Ops at LYE at the time.

I was in the bowling alley when it kicked off and remember the reaction on learning that the BBC had announced that hostilities had started.

A very busy time during the run up and subsequently with 18 or so flights departing every night and aircraft returning mostly during the day. Plus all the civilian charters. At the beginning the place was full of W/Cdrs and other wheels for several nights until they either got bored or were convinced that the Ops Staff actually knew what they were doing and left them to get on with it!

After that it slowly returned to normal night shift staffing, Ops Controller, Training Co-ord and the Eng Controller and his colleague all working flat out but like a well oiled machine. Can't remember if we had a Mover actually in Ops by that time or if that was later on, if we didn't they were just through the hatch next door.

OK, I was thoroughly REMF, but a very satisfying time doing "The Job".

Doc C

[BEagle]

An excellent RNZAF WO ran the Gnd Def desk at KKIA and did a superb job. Cool, calm and collected and very efficient.

His part of the Ops Room was shared with a Mov Det, including an arrogant little Sqn Ldr who obviously considered that his rank outweighed his ability.

One night some American had a negligent discharge, loosing off a fair number of rounds into the dirt about a mile away. The Sqn Ldr Mover went into headless chicken mode and started ordering people to Stand To... But he was largely ignored as everyone knew he was an utter tw@t, whereas his teams worked their bits off to support the Op.

This was the final straw for the WO, who eventually managed to persuade him that the Iraqis weren't coming over the fence. Next time the Gp Capt appeared, he went up to him and said "Sir, you're going to have to arrest me soon". "Why?", queried the Gp Capt. "Because if that idiot doesn't keep his nose out, I'm going to deck the bastard!".

Words were had, the Sqn Ldr was told to STFU and the good Kiwi carried on as before!

[West Coast]

I was sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag near Khafji until about 2 am. A hotel, no matter how crappy would have been great but I recognize that's not what I signed up for.

[Jayviator]

Can anyone remember if the Tornado GR1 was fitted with mode 4 IFF during Granby, I believe the F3s were but I am interested in GR1. I am just asking as for my GR1 cockpit rig build I have just got a IFF controls which is from Tornado, I already had one but from what I can tell the one I have was an earlier version which does not have mode 4, the new one does and I have ben told that is thee type fitted to Granby jets, but I think the chap who told me was speaking as a F3 pilot or nav, so I am unsure if it was also fitted to GR1, it makes sense that it should be.

[Finningley Boy]

I have to confess I was already demob happy before Saddam invaded Kuwait. I was, post resettlement on the edge of staying in, I was having a conversation with a Sergeant Dick Powell, he very nearly convinced me at the last minute to head over to the General Office at Portreath and say I'd changed my mind. I didn't, certainly not because of Desert Shield as it was at that time, but because I' made a decision to take the Bull by the Horns and leave. By the way, does anyone on pprune have any experience of serving on 19 Sqn at the time, they made a little known detachment to Akrotiri at the time, I understand to in anticipation of the conflict spilling over.

FB

[Peter G-W]

Yes. The GR1s had Mode 4 IFF.

[Rev I. Tin]

I have to confess I was already demob happy before Saddam invaded Kuwait. I was, post resettlement on the edge of staying in, I was having a conversation with a Sergeant Dick Powell, he very nearly convinced me at the last minute to head over to the General Office at Portreath and say I'd changed my mind. I didn't, certainly not because of Desert Shield as it was at that time, but because I' made a decision to take the Bull by the Horns and leave. By the way, does anyone on pprune have any experience of serving on 19 Sqn at the time, they made a little known detachment to Akrotiri at the time, I understand to in anticipation of the conflict spilling over.

FB
I was in Akrotiri for Granby, deployed from Wildenrath ATC. I recall 19 Sqn was deployed there for the Air Defence of Cyprus. They got up to all sorts of shenanigans...

[Chris Kebab]

I was in Akrotiri for Granby, deployed from Wildenrath ATC. I recall 19 Sqn was deployed there for the Air Defence of Cyprus. They got up to all sorts of shenanigans...
...indeed. I think they got a wee bit frustrated at not being allowed to go any further east!

[Jayviator]

Cheers for the confirmation, Peter

[mahogany bob]

GRANBY



On 18 Jan 1991 I was in the ‘Brass nut’ in Keflevic with the rest of the crew from 2 sqn NAB Geilenkirchen nearing the end of a 2 year tour learning to fly the AWACs before returning to join 8 squadron which was just forming at Waddington.

We had arrived in Iceland that day on a routine deployment. The American news on TV started to show amazing pictures of the opening bombardment in Iraq.

Thinking that we were well out of the way we continued to enjoy the delights of Kef in January - minus 3 with sleet and a howling gale!

At about 10pm the captain - a great guy from Holland whose previous tour had been flying Dutch F5s- came rushing in to say that early next morning we were to RTB Geilenkirchen ASAP- pick up some war kit and proceed to Preveza in Greece which we did and duly arrived at about 9 PM.



The following evening we were at F290 over southern Turkey controlling the next massive airstrikes on Iraq - air refuelling at midnight at F190 ( lower than normal for us ) in the cloud tops which was quite tricky as there was a lot of turbulence ,the refuelling box was pretty small - which meant a lot of turning and every 10 mins we had to break off to allow higher priority fast jets to top up.

Also the tankers being at war had all their lights switched off! The boom operators tactic of keeping the boom low until the last second also was quite hairy.

Luckily my Dutch hero had no problem at all and didn’t even break sweat!



On our int brief the pessimistic American blond had told us that they had no idea where the large numbers of Iraqi fighters - MIG 29s,MIG 25s etc had disappeared to and thought that they might be operating from the motorways which were only about 50 miles south of us! We would not see them approaching as they would be in the blank area beneath our radar.



The other worry was that an airway was operating about 50 miles North of our orbit and a cunning tactic that concerned us was a that clever MIG pilot would formate under an airliner and then undetected attack a big juicy target (us) from short range when it would be too late to evade!



Sure enough about 3 hours later the back end reported a ‘double’ radar contact on the airway!

After about a minutes discussion on what to do the captain made his decision - wing over/ gear down/ airbrakes out rapid descent!

The Boeing 707 has a reputation of being able to descend very rapidly (as proved by a crew who had unintentionally stalled in the orbit a short time before) and we hit safety altitude at about F100 over the Turkish mountains in what seemed seconds later!



Lessons learned:



Air power is VERY flexible.

The Allied Air Power demo was MASSIVE

The B707 is/was a great aircraft.

Always take some spare kit with you on deployment !

[mole man]

Did my first Op Granby mission in the good old Tri motor 13 Aug 1990, did not get a medal as only did 6 sorties in the Air War.
Mole Man

[BEagle]

That's odd, mole man :
The Gulf War medal was awarded for:
Thirty days continuous service in the Middle East (including Cyprus) between 2 August 1990 - 7 March 1991, or seven days between 16 January 1991 - 28 February 1991, or service with the Kuwait Liaison Team on 2 August 1990. Clasps were awarded for active service with the Liaison Team or in the operation to liberate Kuwait.

Teachers, god-botherers and sundry sun bathers in Cyprus were entitled and you weren't? Surely some mistake??

[esscee]

From middle of August 1990 through to early April 1991 totalled 183 days "in theatre". Early days/weeks busy but safe but got "interesting" from early January 1991 through until end of February 1991.

[Widger]

I feel quite humble listening to these tales of derring -do. A bit of a theme for my whole career really.

Just before it all kicked off I was sat in a war canoe about 200 miles out in the Atlantic, as part of our final operational workup, waiting to get bounced by a whole stack of Buccaneers. When they all got cancelled, I thought "well, I know where they are all going". We carried on our workup and were in our final briefing at a secret base somewhere in England, when someone came in and said, "its all over!". One ship went east and we went west. A month or two later, we were the only Grey Funnel line in the West Atlantic, so we were ordered to go to New York for the Victory parade.

As we sailed up the Hudson River, the commentator was telling everyone that we had not actually been to the Gulf and every sailor onboard was moaning and saying 'Shhhhhh!'.

In the best traditions of Service banter, we sent lots of postcards to colleagues, with the words 'Cheers easy' to those ships who were there, including the team on Gloucester who shot down the C-201 that was thrown at the Missouri.

We found ourselves in Kuwait in 1992, looking at all the damage and speaking with many of the locals about their experiences and those of the unfortunate Palestinians and Phillipinos. They were very grateful for all of your brave efforts.

[langleybaston]

My Granby was inglorious but not boring. HQ RAFG remained very interested [nosey, even] although a large chunk of our assets were deployed. Air Staff briefings were daily, and attendance escalated such that Sir Sandy decreed only Wg Cdrs and above "place smells like a zoo".
Our little Met cell had some mysterious extra comms equipment moved in, and three of us were to man it if push came to shove. There had to be a password to get into it, and we chose "umbrella" but the received wisdom was to have a miss-spelled version.
Thus DCMetO or Met 1 cracked his head under his desk as I wandered in and asked politely if he was sheltering from a scud. "I've forgotten the password, and its written under my desk!"
There are lots of ways of miss-spelling umbrella.
We never did use the gismo in anger..

[mcdhu]

At a small transport base in Southern England, those pilots departing for warmer climes were instructed to report to the guardroom to draw and sign for their gun - sorry, weapon - and 6 bullets - sorry, rounds. On landing at various warm airfields, we were often encouraged by the Army to carry out target practice on their ranges and to scoop up replacement bullets - sorry, rounds - in whatever quantities we required. When about to repatriate to Blighty, it was traditional to poop off ones bullets - sorry, rounds - at a suitable target somewhere in case one was diverted to somewhere in Southern England whose welcome committee might not appreciate the presence of guns - sorry, weapons - and live bullets - sorry, rounds - despite the Government of the day passing legislation to authorise this activity.
A particular RN aviator had diligently disposed of his ammunition before returning to said small base in Southern England. His presence was required at the Guardroom to sign in his gun; having done so, he was asked for the return of his 6x9mm rounds. "I've fired them", he replied. This precipitated great consternation among the Admin and Regiment "jam stealers" in the small transport base in Southern England, but eventually they realised that, although not the case in UK, we had been fighting a live ammo war in a warmer place and were fully entitled to have discharged our weapons in pursuit of peace, but it took a while!
cheers
mcdhu

[ICM]

Equally inglorious at HQ RAFG was the fact that, whilst many were involved with work in support of the deployed force, others had begun to grapple with the planning of a rundown of the Command following the fall of The Wall, 'Options for Change' and the eagerly awaited 'Peace Dividend.'

[langleybaston]

Equally inglorious at HQ RAFG was the fact that, whilst many were involved with work in support of the deployed force, others had begun to grapple with the planning of a rundown of the Command following the fall of The Wall, 'Options for Change' and the eagerly awaited 'Peace Dividend.'

It was my second tour there, after a break of many years. The run-down was indeed sad, but works and bricks and the many charities and facilities kept the place from getting morbid or too run down. The big nasty change was amalgamating the Mess to let the other services in. Churchill Mess tone definitely went down. An Oktoberfest was marred by disgraceful behaviour. Apart from collecting our duty frees we more or less stopped attending. Glad to leave in 1996..

[esscee]

This day 30 years ago, up at 5am for another "fun" day. This time at Dharhan, fellow chap in tears as he just "broke down". Once into matters at hand, some form of "normality" restored him after a short time. Brought home to us though, "what are we here for and why?" Will let others form their opinions/views on that.

[Wyntor]

30 years ago today - sitting writing Flight Reference Cards for kit we need to deploy with next week. Tomorrow, I need to write training course for the rest of the guys that are going to use the same kit in anger.

Funny, it all seemed par for the course then, just like doing flight trials out of Boscombe Down and OLF'ing round Wales between Christmas and New Year was "perfectly normal.

Today, we are stuck at home unable to see our grandchildren because of an invisible enemy that is all around us.

Oh for the days when it was so straightforward and you knew where the bad guys were - sausage side with guns and SAMs!

[LOMCEVAK]

Funny, it all seemed par for the course then, just like doing flight trials out of Boscombe Down and OLF'ing round Wales between Christmas and New Year was "perfectly normal.

28 Dec 1990, 4 hours in a Tornado GR1A on the final trial sortie of the ‘Gulf Pack 2’ upgrade of the recce systems. Monstrous turbulence when trying to tank, the low level was mainly IMC. ‘Amber’ on recovery for an ILS to land. It all seemed quite normal at the time. The next day the aircraft was flown into theatre. I have to say that the flying at Boscombe during the build up to Op Granby was one of the really great periods of my career.

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Was on Op Jena (originally called Op Typhus but the Sqn Ldr in charge of the Flight objected and his boss agreed), one of several adjuncts to Granby; during the build up we certainly appreciated all the fantastic work that was being done on our behalf by people in various HQs. Our Chinooks received their intake particle separators/ sand filters just in time, the M134 procurement (which even included a GE expert coming out to the FOB to oversee the installation of equipment sourced from a "third party...!") worked really well, the Robertson tanks were exactly what was needed and GPS was an absolute godsend. Many hours studying the almanac to ensure visibility of the right number of satellites at the planned 'fix' timings really paid off - but we still used all the other DR tools as we couldn't really rely on the 'new' technology. The HQs also listened when we showed them that the RWR mod installed on deployment wasn't up to the task (way too many false returns) and quickly enabled re-fitment of the old Vulcan kit until the new stuff could be re-programmed. You even have to commend the ability of the system to manufacture and distribute the huge stocks of 2-colour desert DPM clothing. OK, it didn't take into account the experience of the Omanis (who'd rejected the original 4-colour desert DPM in favour of a modified version, owing to the unfortunate propensity for that original to virtually glow-in-the-dark even without the need for IR or other night-vision devices) but it was better than nothing.

The response from those back home stayed really good when build-up turned to dust-up. When it became apparent that the NAPS/ anti-anthrax and whooping cough innocs were doing more harm than good our in-theatre medic and the Regimental doc took the necessary action and gave excellent advice (thanks Brian!). When it became clear that the winter conditions were among the worst on record, boxes of cold-weather/Arctic kit started appearing (some of the sand-coloured windproof jackets were manufactured in 1942 and had bone buttons...); a Chinook with no side windows fitted, front door open and ramp down doing 120kts in OATs below zero is not a comfortable place to be, so the extra layers were really welcome. I only gave up the Canadian parka last year, and the high-altitude gauntlets are still in a box upstairs for use in really bitter conditions.

We felt very looked-after, and it made a huge difference. As did the wonderful surge in BFPO mail, both from families and from complete strangers. BZ to those who stayed behind but still made it all happen.

[BEagle]

As did the wonderful surge in BFPO mail, both from families and from complete strangers.

Indeed! Upstairs at KKIA the postal folk had pinned up dozens of letters from total strangers which were a delight to read. We also had quite a few (mustn't-call-it-Christmas) cakes. But Mr Kipling not only made exceedingly good mince pies, but effing thousands of them - we had walls of them in the tanker QRA hotel annex. If we had visitors we'd offer them as many boxes as they could carry with them!

RAF catering was very good. So good that the Army banned its troops from using it as otherwise their own cooks wouldn't have any work to do.

I'd gone back to do some Sky Guardian and HaveQuick 2 work during a 2 week break, as well as some fighter evasion stuff in the VC10K simulator. We didn't have fill-gun loading of MWODs for the HQ2, so the codes all had to be loaded manually, which was a complete faff. When the security people heard that the MWOD codes had been freely photocopied for distribution they nearly fainted. Not that we really had any option; few crews seemed to understand HaveQuick or be bothered to learn about it - but fortunately we never experienced comms jamming, so didn't really need to use it.

Regarding Mode4, it worked just fine as far as were concerned in the VC10K. But were still required to do periodic Mode 1 and Mode 3 code changing - no clever automatic device required, just a cheap Muharraq souk watch pressed against the headset ear piece which beeped at the required interval!

[Two's in]

Indeed! Upstairs at KKIA the postal folk had pinned up dozens of letters from total strangers which were a delight to read.

I had somehow ticked the "No hotels but plenty of sand" box on my Granby application, so ended up in a more canvas and guy rope dominated environment. One of the few treats was the mail run with the "blueys" from total strangers. They were mostly thoughtful and comforting, and we were all encouraged to start pen-pal relationships. I couldn't believe some of the troops were writing to these red-hot nymphomaniacs (at least on paper!) who were responding with some orthopedically challenging suggestions requiring lashings of lubricant and safe words, whereas I managed to get delightful 72 year old retired sheep farmer from Derbyshire, who loved to make fruit cakes (not a euphemism!) for her grandchildren. I'm sure it was better for my moral compass, but I still feel like I missed out on part of my education.

[NutLoose]

I sent a package of goodies to two US Marines, A friend on a forum I frequented, had his son over there and he had written home saying at mail time these guys never got anything and it was heartbreaking to see. So i made up a parcel, a couple of England Cricket team baseball caps, loads of UK sweets, couple of tinned goodies, rice pudding etc, beef jerky etc, some magazines, top gear mags, usual stuff, few medical bits, plasters etc...nothing that would leak or melt etc and sent it off.... got a letter back from son saying they were gobsmacked at mail call and over the moon with the British stuff i had sent as it was different.

[Manandboy]

28 Dec 1990, 4 hours in a Tornado GR1A on the final trial sortie of the ‘Gulf Pack 2’ upgrade of the recce systems. Monstrous turbulence when trying to tank, the low level was mainly IMC. ‘Amber’ on recovery for an ILS to land. It all seemed quite normal at the time. The next day the aircraft was flown into theatre. I have to say that the flying at Boscombe during the build up to Op Granby was one of the really great periods of my career.

I agree Lom. All sorts of fascinating flying and challenging issues. One of the major issues was that, although the RAF in UK had effectively shut down for 3 weeks over Christmas and New Year (at station level), we were still trying to keep up with testing the UORs that were flying off the shelves. On this day 30 years ago I flew the first GR1 trial sortie with the stand-alone GPS fitted, using Heathrow and Gatwick as diversions. We spent all of the sortie above cloud and were pretty much lost for most of it (apart from Yeovilton TACAN, which they had kindly left on for us) because of a software glitch in the patch designed to accommodate the GPS fix. I'd never gone off-map so fast! It took 3 days to rewrite the software - the second sortie was much better, and the software was released to the front line on the 8th. There was a lot of excellent work went on behind the scenes!

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Oh, yes - I'd forgotten about the HaveQuick and the souq watches in the earpiece. Problem with that was that the fella who operated the box had his watch set 2 minutes fast, so the rest of the crew had to remind him when the actual time for the change came around.

We didn't have the luxury of RAF caterers, but we did have an exceptional bunch of squippers who could turn their hands to anything - including cooking some really good meals for us all.

Did anyone else have to lug all the Det crypto around the theatre? Climbing up the 37 steps to the pax bay in the Galaxy with deployment kit plus 5 white sacks of that stuff made for an interesting start to the whole Op phase; at least we didn't have to deal with that lot during the 2+ month work-up in UAE.

[Arcanum]

Interesting article on the Tornado missions using JP233 in the first week.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38745/how-british-tornados-used-a-special-weapon-to-ravage-saddams-airfields-in-daring-desert-storm-raids

[spitfirek5054]

Interesting article on the Tornado missions using JP233 in the first week.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/38745/how-british-tornados-used-a-special-weapon-to-ravage-saddams-airfields-in-daring-desert-storm-raids
I spent 5 years building the rear section of JP233 at ML Aviation in Slough.

[BEagle]

30 years ago tonight.....

[Tim27]

30 years ago tonight.....

....a few glasses raised tonight...especially in memory of those who did not return....

[RAFEngO74to09]

Privileged to be in the Air HQ Riyadh for 6 months and watch the extremely complex plan unfold:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxRgfBXn6Mg

[Green Flash]

On the World Wars podcast - On 17 January 1991, an operation to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait began. Codenamed Desert Storm, the air offensive continued for 43 days under US leadership. Lt Gen David Deptula was a principal air attack planner, making calls on strategic targets and operations. For this special episode on the 30th anniversary of this operation, he describes the months and then days leading up to the operation, the challenges and disagreements in the ‘Black Hole’ planning room, and his memory of the outcome. David shares his insights into this war and those that have followed it. He also explains why he believes that knowing the desired endgame is so key to planning, and why landpower is not always going to be the centerpiece of war.

Gulf War: Inside the Planning Room | The World Wars on Acast (https://play.acast.com/s/the-world-wars/gulfwar-insidetheplanningroom) (Sorry if I have fallen foul of any PPruNe posting rules)

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/andynetherwood/status/1350840209542426625?s=21

[Non Linear Gear]

John Nichol is doing something on Sky news today/

JN on the BBC yesterday morning when we woke on our lockdown slumbers. To Mrs NLG, JN, last seen at the Cenotaph in 2019. My first veterans march in 2018, newbie to the occasion and Mrs NLG, I was dropping off at the RAF Club as the Association had booked a room there for their after march function. I am not a member so waiting in the lobby for others from the Association to walk through Green Park. Another Gulf Medal with Clasp holder standing in the reception. I break the ice with "we hold the same medal, I was at ******** with *****". The reply was "I was based out of ********** and ******* . I missed most of the war as I found myself in the captivity of the Iraqi's. They were not very nice." It was Robbie Stewart. I knew the story.

[Non Linear Gear]

https://twitter.com/andynetherwood/status/1350840209542426625?s=21
BBC World. Watching England beat Ireland and laughing at the Welsh boo boys when the French gave them a damn good trashing!

It saved us from Saudi channels One and Two.

[Non Linear Gear]

On the radio of the ramp vans, certainly where I was in the land commanded by Cliff Spink. I think it as a Granby theme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2N0TkfrQhY

[Ewan Whosearmy]

Adam Robinson talks JP233 on the first night and LGBs later on in the war...

10 Percent True #15 P2 - Adam Robinson - RAF Tornado Navigator, Op Desert Storm / Op Granby - YouTube

[sharpend]

Blunty, old bean, were you flying the Dhahran BDZ arrival procedure?

Without RWR, how did you know that the Patriot had 'locked on' to you?

I could see it old bean! As for BDZ arrival, don't be silly, 10 Sqn had no idea of that. In fact when we joined the VC10 Force, I was told a VC10 would never go anywhere near a war zone, so no need for respirators or flying suits. Captains wore No 1s. Now I found myself over Dharan at 30,000 feet, on route to the Kuwaiti border, wearing AR5, no Mode 4, etc. Naturally, despite many sorties into 'the secret base', none of us ever got a medal. Anyway, you read my adventures in my book. Annoyingly, one person said I made it all up, including the duck strike :)

[mole man]

31st Dec - 11th Jan flying JP233 from Wildenrath to Dhahran sometimes with stop at Tubuk, Bahrain and Jubail in the Mighty 3 Star.

[deltahotel]

17 Jan we took a C130 LYE-YQX-OFF. 15:25 flying time to hand over our serviceable ac to the crew with an unserviceable one and an important load. Other than that, Aug-Apr inc 700ish hours, 200ish flights which would be pretty much par for the C130. Too many brandy sours.

[Big Pistons Forever]

. Too many brandy sours.

You can never have too many brandy sours !

[Jobza Guddun]

Too many brandy sours.

No such thing!! That's like saying "I ate too much Tiramisu"!

Back on topic....

[Tim27]

No such thing!! That's like saying "I ate too much Tiramisu"!

Back on topic....

...or wafer thin mints...

[Dougie M]

Early Warning.
On the street in Riyadh, about now 30 years back,. phoning home. As the payphone swallowed the row of coins along its top rack Mrs M said "" there is a scud inbound to you". "Must be a mistake love, it's all quiet". "I can see it on CNN as we speak" she said. Sudden winding up of air raid sirens. "I'll call you back" I said.

[Paying Guest]

Early Warning.
On the street in Riyadh, about now 30 years back,. phoning home. As the payphone swallowed the row of coins along its top rack Mrs M said "" there is a scud inbound to you". "Must be a mistake love, it's all quiet". "I can see it on CNN as we speak" she said. Sudden winding up of air raid sirens. "I'll call you back" I said.
Must have been about the same time I had a similar experience. Air Raid Red came over the alerting net, so I took up residence in our shelter (the stair well of our villa). No public air raid warning yet. Phone rings and it's wife who was staying with #2 son in Sweden "how's the raid going?" Just then I hear the Patriots launch from the battery on the Air Academy site. Relay this information to wife who says "yes, no intercept, the Scud landed down near the Old Souk". The wonders of CNN in real time!

[Non Linear Gear]

This little beauty from Sky News, from Dhahran, with 31(C) and 43(C) kites, Air and Ground Crews and ZD843 full of holes. Dhahran Det Commander Cliff Spink as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2c6uKtUYXA&fbclid=IwAR37Kv_bGXgVN_mQ_BSrPpkmsTV52RL1VHWuTiog36rMlTkgBIm WIlMtV5g

[ORAC]

https://twitter.com/pinstripedline/status/1454522267728334848?s=21

[ExAscoteer2]

Ah yes. Those F3s that never went sausage side.:rolleyes:

[Bravo Whiskey 7A]

In case it's faded into memory, there was a Second Supplement to The London Gazette, dated 28th June 1991 (Number 52589) which gives a great overview of the whole of Op Granby. Thud and Blunder, our contribution gets a mention on what shows as page 44.

Apologies, I can't post the proper link as I haven't reached the magic number of posts yet, but a google search should bring the document up.

Regards,
BW7A