Granby Memories
Join Date: Feb 2006
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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.
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Darkest Shropshire
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Granby testing
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.
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.
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.
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Interesting article on the Tornado missions using JP233 in the first week.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...rt-storm-raids
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...rt-storm-raids
Last edited by Arcanum; 17th Jan 2021 at 19:17.
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Interesting article on the Tornado missions using JP233 in the first week.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...rt-storm-raids
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...rt-storm-raids
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On the World Wars podcast -
Gulf War: Inside the Planning Room | The World Wars on Acast (Sorry if I have fallen foul of any PPruNe posting rules)
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.
Join Date: Dec 2020
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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.
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It saved us from Saudi channels One and Two.
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.