Belize 1990
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Belize 1990
In the first three months of 1990, I was the Dental Officer attached to the Field Surgical Team at Airport Camp Belize.
The OC UK Forces Belize got fed up with the FST hanging round the swimming pool at APC ogling the wives, and “suggested” that we went out into the surrounding areas to provide what medical care we could. In my case this meant extracting teeth in jungle clearings, and in the surgeon’s case this meant giving aspirin to people with terminal cancer as there were no other options in a country with a very rudimentary health system
As Dental Officer I was “encouraged “to use my alleged anaesthetic skills while the surgeons used their surgical skills to treat the common problems like inguinal hernias and the like at the main hospital at Belmopan (The only hospital I have ever been to with no doctors except those provided by the Army)
I remember being involved in a case at the end of an operating list when a local turned up saying that he had been having problems with a neighbour who had stuffed a candle up his rectum (allegedly!!) The candle ended up pinned to the wall in the Hospital mess at APC!!
As part of being told to leave the swimming pool and go forth and do good medically I spent a lot of time in the left hand seat of a Puma adjacent to a Sqn Ldr whose name I have forgotten.. We went to many places, but the Sqn Ldr used to ignore the military net and use a CB radio to announce his presence to various hotels in the middle of the jungle where he would land for lunch.
20 years on and I an planning to return to Belize with my wife, and would like to revisit the places I visited as a young Officer.
Anyone have an idea where would be a hotel with a group of thatched huts with an HLS behind in the middle of Belize, frequented by a Sqn Ldr with a penchant for cheap lunch??
Hugh
The OC UK Forces Belize got fed up with the FST hanging round the swimming pool at APC ogling the wives, and “suggested” that we went out into the surrounding areas to provide what medical care we could. In my case this meant extracting teeth in jungle clearings, and in the surgeon’s case this meant giving aspirin to people with terminal cancer as there were no other options in a country with a very rudimentary health system
As Dental Officer I was “encouraged “to use my alleged anaesthetic skills while the surgeons used their surgical skills to treat the common problems like inguinal hernias and the like at the main hospital at Belmopan (The only hospital I have ever been to with no doctors except those provided by the Army)
I remember being involved in a case at the end of an operating list when a local turned up saying that he had been having problems with a neighbour who had stuffed a candle up his rectum (allegedly!!) The candle ended up pinned to the wall in the Hospital mess at APC!!
As part of being told to leave the swimming pool and go forth and do good medically I spent a lot of time in the left hand seat of a Puma adjacent to a Sqn Ldr whose name I have forgotten.. We went to many places, but the Sqn Ldr used to ignore the military net and use a CB radio to announce his presence to various hotels in the middle of the jungle where he would land for lunch.
20 years on and I an planning to return to Belize with my wife, and would like to revisit the places I visited as a young Officer.
Anyone have an idea where would be a hotel with a group of thatched huts with an HLS behind in the middle of Belize, frequented by a Sqn Ldr with a penchant for cheap lunch??
Hugh
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the early 1990s, as a young STAB infantry officer, I volunteered for a trawl that was looking for exercise umpires for the Belize battlegroup. Of course, the VC10 flights ran midweek, and the exercise was due to start at the weekend. And the flight before the exercise was full. So, we flew via Dulles (on Bill Clinton's inauguration day) and arrived a week and a half before anyone wanted us.
A bunch of us sorted out a sub-aqua course on an island called Ambergris Caye, and stayed in a town called San Pedro; we did the diving at a reasonably luxurious hotel (with thatched roofs, but then they all seemed to have them) a km or two north-east of the town. That first weekend, who should appear but a Puma load of the RAF's finest out of APC, including some female officers. The pilots removed growbags to reveal their swimming cossies, and to our eternal shame, beat us at volleyball before heading off to their lunch (our excuse was that as a random bunch of UK-based types, our skills could not match those honed on a diet of "Top Gun" and sunshine).
Needless to say, on hearing that they were going to do some flying into Guatemala (legally, as it was a disaster recovery gig) we suggested that they drop us off at one of the larger and more famous stone ziggurats in the area, and pick us up on the way back out. They wouldn't go for it, for some strange reason...
A bunch of us sorted out a sub-aqua course on an island called Ambergris Caye, and stayed in a town called San Pedro; we did the diving at a reasonably luxurious hotel (with thatched roofs, but then they all seemed to have them) a km or two north-east of the town. That first weekend, who should appear but a Puma load of the RAF's finest out of APC, including some female officers. The pilots removed growbags to reveal their swimming cossies, and to our eternal shame, beat us at volleyball before heading off to their lunch (our excuse was that as a random bunch of UK-based types, our skills could not match those honed on a diet of "Top Gun" and sunshine).
Needless to say, on hearing that they were going to do some flying into Guatemala (legally, as it was a disaster recovery gig) we suggested that they drop us off at one of the larger and more famous stone ziggurats in the area, and pick us up on the way back out. They wouldn't go for it, for some strange reason...
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: S of 55N
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I did 6 months at Butcher Radar in 1990. 5 mornings - 9 days off, 5 afternoons - 9 days off. Scuba diving on the cayes and pretty much using the Puma det as personal taxis.
Raul's Rose Garden for a swift Belikin (and nothing else) on the way home from the city in the very early am. The Maple Leaf outside camp - the only pub I've ever been in that had walls but no roof.
Great place, great times.
Sun Who
Raul's Rose Garden for a swift Belikin (and nothing else) on the way home from the city in the very early am. The Maple Leaf outside camp - the only pub I've ever been in that had walls but no roof.
Great place, great times.
Sun Who
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Sqn Ldr with the local contacts is now a civilian, though working indirectly for the military. Names on here is a no-no, but send a PM and all will be revealed. He was OC 1563 in the first 3 months of 1990, and at that time; my boss. I think that you will find that Belize has changed beyond all recognition since those days, and that a small hotel complex of a few mud huts is now a major leisure complex. The weekend retreat was Journeys End Hotel on Ambegris Caye. ..or an afternoon on Caye Chapel.
....if the jungle visit of doctor and dentist was Jalacte (Hal-act-aye) village, I was on board.
....I also flew to Guatemala (legally) but it had nothing to do with a disaster, nor were the reasons for the visit sinister in any way.
....if the jungle visit of doctor and dentist was Jalacte (Hal-act-aye) village, I was on board.
....I also flew to Guatemala (legally) but it had nothing to do with a disaster, nor were the reasons for the visit sinister in any way.
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Cyprus
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FFly
I'm currently back in Belize having first come here with BFBS in 1992.
As was mentioned above, the place has changed beyond all recognition from your time here, but is still great.
Journeys End and the Puma flights on a Sunday... happy days. Always packed a long sleeved shirt to try and blag a flight back to APC.
San Pedro is huge now and Belikin is drinkeable these days (thanks to a German Meister Brewer).
Was your jungle lodge HLS per chance at Chaa Creek? Small world if it was as I just spent a weekend there and the HLS was pointed out by a 25 Flight pilot friend. Chaa Creak has been a regular haunt of Belize based forces for years.
There was also JB's restaurant on the Western Highway beyond the zoo. The owners (and all the old military odds and sods) are now a short distance along the Western Highway at Cheers.
pm me if you're looking at coming over.
Cheers
I'm currently back in Belize having first come here with BFBS in 1992.
As was mentioned above, the place has changed beyond all recognition from your time here, but is still great.
Journeys End and the Puma flights on a Sunday... happy days. Always packed a long sleeved shirt to try and blag a flight back to APC.
San Pedro is huge now and Belikin is drinkeable these days (thanks to a German Meister Brewer).
Was your jungle lodge HLS per chance at Chaa Creek? Small world if it was as I just spent a weekend there and the HLS was pointed out by a 25 Flight pilot friend. Chaa Creak has been a regular haunt of Belize based forces for years.
There was also JB's restaurant on the Western Highway beyond the zoo. The owners (and all the old military odds and sods) are now a short distance along the Western Highway at Cheers.
pm me if you're looking at coming over.
Cheers
Last edited by Flying Microphone; 31st Aug 2009 at 03:04.
FFly
Huge, I remember you well. I also flew you and the surgeon you mention first name D wasnt it?. Send a PM. Ah those nights drinking 151 and coke and Pina Coladas in the swamp.
Gweedo
You must have a better picture of Journeys end than the horrible dirty field we used to land on at the back
Remember the trips out to Caracol the Aztec ruins, and all the others. Oh for a time machine!
Huge, I remember you well. I also flew you and the surgeon you mention first name D wasnt it?. Send a PM. Ah those nights drinking 151 and coke and Pina Coladas in the swamp.
Gweedo
You must have a better picture of Journeys end than the horrible dirty field we used to land on at the back
Remember the trips out to Caracol the Aztec ruins, and all the others. Oh for a time machine!
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Why oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Did a very quick whizzy around MOD staff tour in Sep 89 to let the Treasury have a look at the guys' conditions regarding food and accommodation charges. Needless to say we were whizzed all over the place in a mixture of Gazelles and Pumas.
A couple of places we stopped off at were these:
I'm sure that someone out there must be able to identify them. I need to put a caption on the pix (and also have a look on Google Earth!)
A couple of places we stopped off at were these:
I'm sure that someone out there must be able to identify them. I need to put a caption on the pix (and also have a look on Google Earth!)
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hugh,
I spent a couple of years at 25 Flight recently (and on Gazelles a while back) and as Flying Microphone says it sounds like Chaa Creek although I wouldn't be surprised if the place you mentioned either no longer exists or is going under a new name and has been completely rebuilt!!
As you probably know Belize has, over the last 15 years, changed from what was a sleepy Caribbean back water to a real up and coming tourist destination - consequently there are a lot of jungle lodges springing up in the Mountain Pine Ridge area, many of these with HLS's. The current training done by BATSUB tends to happen in that area as well and up towards Gallon Jug which means that the majority of landing sites (and camps, OPs etc!) that people remember from British Forces Belize days have been out of use for some considerable time and the jungle doesn't take long to claim back a small clearing - we had a team of LECs whose only job was to keep our landing sites clear (and a full time job it is!).
When you get out to Belize and if you have time, I'd suggest popping into Price Barracks (what used to be Airport Camp) and speaking to the guys up at the Flight - I'm sure they'd be happy to help you find the place you're looking for!
And for all the Puma mates, you might like to know that every year the CO is flown down to Salamanca Camp (which has been a logging camp for 10 years) and the memorial is cleared and a wreath laid.
I spent a couple of years at 25 Flight recently (and on Gazelles a while back) and as Flying Microphone says it sounds like Chaa Creek although I wouldn't be surprised if the place you mentioned either no longer exists or is going under a new name and has been completely rebuilt!!
As you probably know Belize has, over the last 15 years, changed from what was a sleepy Caribbean back water to a real up and coming tourist destination - consequently there are a lot of jungle lodges springing up in the Mountain Pine Ridge area, many of these with HLS's. The current training done by BATSUB tends to happen in that area as well and up towards Gallon Jug which means that the majority of landing sites (and camps, OPs etc!) that people remember from British Forces Belize days have been out of use for some considerable time and the jungle doesn't take long to claim back a small clearing - we had a team of LECs whose only job was to keep our landing sites clear (and a full time job it is!).
When you get out to Belize and if you have time, I'd suggest popping into Price Barracks (what used to be Airport Camp) and speaking to the guys up at the Flight - I'm sure they'd be happy to help you find the place you're looking for!
And for all the Puma mates, you might like to know that every year the CO is flown down to Salamanca Camp (which has been a logging camp for 10 years) and the memorial is cleared and a wreath laid.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: West Sussex
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There was also The Cove at Placencia. Placencia Village was used as an adverture training centre (windsurfing, sailing, canoeing, sub aqua, etc). The Cove was further around the bay, right on the beach. It had a small airstrip behind, used by the owner; an ex-USAF pilot called Bill something (my memory's not what it was).
In the mid-80s many a 25 Flt Gazelle trip would detour to visit Bill on the way to or from Punta Gorda.
Looking back now, I can't believe some of the stuff we got away with in Belize. Happy days, great flying.
In the mid-80s many a 25 Flt Gazelle trip would detour to visit Bill on the way to or from Punta Gorda.
Looking back now, I can't believe some of the stuff we got away with in Belize. Happy days, great flying.
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: isle of man
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Belize
I was at Butcher Radar in 1977-1978, pretty basic in those days. The camp generator stopped at 11pm each night and only the aircrew got the AC bedrooms!!! Nonetheless, with the Harrier, Puma and AAC Scout detachments we were always quite busy and played as hard as we worked.
Unfortunately "9 days off" was not the routine then but Butcher Radar BBQs on a friday were memorable. Great days, but so long ago !!
Unfortunately "9 days off" was not the routine then but Butcher Radar BBQs on a friday were memorable. Great days, but so long ago !!
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sisemens Gazelle pic is:
Cadenas (Top) OP in the most SW point of the country. Cadenas (Bottom) was a clearing at the bottom of the hill whose approach and departure was limited by the border and whose surrounding trees had evidence of how tight it was on the tail rotor. I think I am right in saying that this is the OP in which a AAC Bell 47 Sioux was written off, but others older than I may be able to clarify that.
Cadenas (Top) OP in the most SW point of the country. Cadenas (Bottom) was a clearing at the bottom of the hill whose approach and departure was limited by the border and whose surrounding trees had evidence of how tight it was on the tail rotor. I think I am right in saying that this is the OP in which a AAC Bell 47 Sioux was written off, but others older than I may be able to clarify that.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am sure that it was Chaa Creek that I was looking for, for my visit back to Belize, and their website looks faintly like the place we used to go for lunch, but now far far more luxurious. Mrs Ffly has now decided that if they have a spa there, it is going to be far more to her liking than she first supposed.
Reading this and seeing all the photographs has brought it all back;the great times on Sundays at Journeys End , spending the day at a resort where the paying guests paid a lot of money to be there and we got in for free, and all the other trips we made; going off to treat children in Jalacte and Mennonite mission hospitals with Jonathan Hull as OC FST, flying onto a Caye where the Puma would land on the beach with its tail sticking outover the water, landing by an OP on a mountain top, a scuba course at the adventure training centre and a generally good time had by all. I have lots of photographs, but they are all on slides, but I have ordered one of those digital converter thingies so when it turns up I will post some to see if anyone recognizes themselves.
Hugh
Reading this and seeing all the photographs has brought it all back;the great times on Sundays at Journeys End , spending the day at a resort where the paying guests paid a lot of money to be there and we got in for free, and all the other trips we made; going off to treat children in Jalacte and Mennonite mission hospitals with Jonathan Hull as OC FST, flying onto a Caye where the Puma would land on the beach with its tail sticking outover the water, landing by an OP on a mountain top, a scuba course at the adventure training centre and a generally good time had by all. I have lots of photographs, but they are all on slides, but I have ordered one of those digital converter thingies so when it turns up I will post some to see if anyone recognizes themselves.
Hugh
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Why oh why would I wanna be anywhere else?
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
flying onto a Caye where the Puma would land on the beach with its tail sticking outover the water,
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,580
Received 438 Likes
on
231 Posts
Hunting Key was one HLS where the tail stuck out over the sea because the beach was very narrow and the palm trees were almost to the water's edge.
We used to take some army plus a local policeman, IIRC, for some R&R (barbeque) most weekends (them, not us). After they overloaded my Puma and we almost went into the trees at Rideau camp, we reviewed just how much stuff they were taking. The "overload" was the pair of big black metal containers which were supposed to contain some ice, drinks and food but they had kept topping them up as the ice melted - they were almost full of water and weighed lots!
There was no bottom LS at Cadenas in my time there. Cadenas overlooked the main road up into N. Guatamala and also an engineers' camp so it was a very important place for an OP. If my memory is correct it was 13 mins from Rideau by Puma. Some of the terrain in between looked a bit rough in places so I once asked the SAS how long it would take to walk home. He reckoned up to three weeks in the wet season as it was mainly mangrove swamp.
We used to take some army plus a local policeman, IIRC, for some R&R (barbeque) most weekends (them, not us). After they overloaded my Puma and we almost went into the trees at Rideau camp, we reviewed just how much stuff they were taking. The "overload" was the pair of big black metal containers which were supposed to contain some ice, drinks and food but they had kept topping them up as the ice melted - they were almost full of water and weighed lots!
There was no bottom LS at Cadenas in my time there. Cadenas overlooked the main road up into N. Guatamala and also an engineers' camp so it was a very important place for an OP. If my memory is correct it was 13 mins from Rideau by Puma. Some of the terrain in between looked a bit rough in places so I once asked the SAS how long it would take to walk home. He reckoned up to three weeks in the wet season as it was mainly mangrove swamp.
In the mid seventies Cadenas had an LZ in front of the police post that could be described as quite snug. I had to spend a couple of days there surveying another projected LZ a few hundred yards to the east. A further LZ was on top of the hill and one day a Scout has a No 5 Seal failure and I had to lift it off and bring it back to Airport Camp.
I decribed that performance in a previous thread, not again.
I decribed that performance in a previous thread, not again.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: South Coast
Age: 79
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just to mix the pot.
In early 1977 whilst a serving Royal Engineer I ran the quarry which supplied the stone to help in the construction of Rideau Camp, Punta Gorda. Not a lot of time for fun and frolics, had to beat the hurricane season.
Spr
In early 1977 whilst a serving Royal Engineer I ran the quarry which supplied the stone to help in the construction of Rideau Camp, Punta Gorda. Not a lot of time for fun and frolics, had to beat the hurricane season.
Spr
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Farnham
Age: 58
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Belize 1990
Gweedo,
Your pictures bring back some memories!! Looks as though we were there at the same time. I'm pretty sure that group at the Mess was the RAF Officers' Lunch Club, with one or two AAC thrown in too! Seem to remember the lunch would go on until a Puma departed very low over the Mess!
I would definitely be interested in seeing more of your pics - either on here or by PM.
Best wishes
JH
Your pictures bring back some memories!! Looks as though we were there at the same time. I'm pretty sure that group at the Mess was the RAF Officers' Lunch Club, with one or two AAC thrown in too! Seem to remember the lunch would go on until a Puma departed very low over the Mess!
I would definitely be interested in seeing more of your pics - either on here or by PM.
Best wishes
JH