four five off to afgahnistan

[harry hackedoff]

Good luck to all 45 ranks, just heard the news
yours Aye Harry

[JR]

Success to all in Four Five,Once again into the breach.

[harry hackedoff]

Hello boys,
Heard the news this morning on the radio that Elmer was anouncing an end to hostillities "within twelve hours" and my immeadiate reaction was "have they told the talliban?" The more I thought about it, the more it sounded like a piece of black propaganda. Then on the car radio tonight came the news that most of us have been expecting since January. What a tremendous compliment from Gen Tommy Franks to ask for Four Five Gp. Seems like they have finally admitted that they don`t do mountains! This is not to take anything away from their effort so far. It is a fact that large tanky type stuff is their forte, preferably in vast expanses of desert. Allso, I have always thought they dont do devolution of command very well and this is why their small unit tactics are poor.If you`ve got so much kit it must be difficult not to use it ( hence tee shirts saying Peace Through Superior Firepower )
The decision to ask for the best M+A.W. troops in NATO, if not the world must have been very hard to announce in the face of American public oppinion, and it speaks volumes of their oppinion of Royal in general. and Four Five in particular. Any cousins reading this, dont get a hair up your ass, I`m not taking the piss.
Finally, although we are all very proud, please remember the famillies at Arbroath. The uncertainty of the last few months has been replaced by an even greater one. God bless all of them.
Your thoughts, please members
yours, Aye Harry Hackedoff

[harry hackedoff]

further to my last, I`ve allso heard that Kabul is a shite run ashore, there are no pubs and the women are that ugly they have to cover them up!
yours Aye Harry

[harry hackedoff]

Hello boys,
some good stuff in the Sunday Telegraph about four five including an interwiew with Andrew Whitehead (now General) and a piece about Maj Rick King, at 33 he is the second youngest C.O. ever of X-ray. Lots of mentions of "The best mountain and Arctic troops in the world" and quite accurate reporting it all was. Makes a change! There was a letter in yesterdays paper from some guy who obviously isn`t a fan, but who had a very valid point, namely the severe lack of oxygen at altittudes of 12,000ft and above. The effects of this on men and weapons can be quite pronounced. For instance, fuel-air type devices wont work because of insufficient air for combustion and the concussive effect of Milan etc is negated by the considerable reduction of air pressure.
The thust of this guy`s argument was that training in the Sottish Highlands was not enough to acclimatise for warfare at altitudes of 12-15,000ft.Neither is three weeks at Bagram. 12,000ft is not an alltitude that most of us have been to , but I have been to Mt Teide on Teneriffe. This is the highest mountain in Spain at over 12,000, and I found the effort of carrying my camera and a couple of lenses, very difficult after a couple of minutes. In fact, I ended up using my tripod as a zimmer frame. I could not get enough air down my neck.
Our guys are up against people who have been born at these altittudes and the argument is that this will be a significant factor. I have to agree.
It looks likely that a three week period of acclimatisation is on the cards.
Lets hope that it is enough.
as ever
yours Harry

[harry hackedoff]

Stand at ease, stand easy,
first 100 guys from 45 landed at Bagram today and have already confirmed my prediction. It is a shite run ashore, and the women are truly ugly.Thats the WRAC and WRAF types on base, let alone the two baggers with the blue sheet seen bimbling around elsewhere!
yours H.H.

[harry hackedoff]

Heyup, see our boys on the news tonight as the latest group arrives. I kept thinking "I know that geezer" But then realised most of these guys were in the infants when.......
Must say, all looked v. sharp
God and good luck go with them

yours Aye
Harry Hackedoff

[Mike]

Harry, like your comments and hope all goes well with the lads, I too was in 45 in the early 60s in Aden.
My worry is that once our lads have done their work Mr Speilberg will change History and forget just who pulled them out of the mud and make an epic flick without a mention of the finest corps in the world

[harry hackedoff]

Hi guys,
see our guys on the news tonight looking seriously tooled-up, mortar base plates on Bergans, NVG`s etc. and obviously geared up for a few days out.

God bless and Good Luck to all,


yours, Aye
Harry

[Shoulderholster]

I'm pleased that any information that is being released to the media is several days old,and that all the "Hacks" are being kept at arms length from any operations.
That way any "Tabloid Turds"or "News Hounds" will not compromise our lads for the sake of a "scoop". Looks like a lesson from the Falklands has sunk in.
Must say the lads did look "up for it".
And lets not forget 40 are out there as well.
SH

[Pilgrim Norway]

Altitude usually effects the brain - .......

Puns aside - the lads should be at least a bit acclimatized.
Aden only took a year or so......

Greetings from the land of the Bergan and safe home....

On with your lanyards the rest of you...

[harry hackedoff]

Dreadful news today that Elmer`s air force has killed four Canucks and wounded eight more, two critical. Reminded me of the Gulf when the Royal Welsh Fusiliers took a Mav through the back door of their Warrior. The A10 pilot claimed he fired from 8000 ft. I worked in a T.A.C.P. and know that when A10s release the Maverick missile they are never more than 800-1000 ft. Not that it makes much differance to those dead Fusiliers.
Same again today, I imagine, but this was an exercise and range safety seems to have been ignored. i.e. dont give the pilot"Clear Hot" if there are friendlies within 1000 meters of the target.
The Canadian Army has some excellant Regiments with some fine traditions, I`m thinking particularly of Princess Pat`s L.I. Cracking guys, as different from Elmer J. Chickenshit`s star performers as it is possible to get.
My old dad told a WW11 story that went like this:- When the Luftwaffe fly, the Allies take cover, when the R.A.F. fly the Germans take cover but when the U.S.A.A.F. fly, every bastard takes cover. Nothing changes.
Our thoughts go out to those brave soldiers, and of course, to their families. God Bless.

yours, Aye
Harry

[Gipper]

This incident involved the parachute company of 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry based out of Edmonton, Alberta.

The four soldiers killed are:

Sgt. Marc Leger
Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer
Pte. Richard Green
Pte. Nathan Smith


The injured are listed as:

Sgt. Lorne Ford
Cpl. René Paquet
Master Cpl. Curtis Holister
Cpl. Brett Parry
Pte. Norman Link
Cpl. Shane Brennan
Master Cpl. Stanley Clark
Cpl. Brian DeCare

The CBC has a decent article, outlining what may have happened here:
http://cbc.ca/stories/2002/04/18/us_pilot020418

[harry hackedoff]

Thanks for that, Gipper( Reagen)
it hasn`t yet been reported here, which unit was involved. I`m sorry it was them. Any news on the guys who were posted as critical?
yours, Aye

Harry

[harry hackedoff]

Gipper, further to my last
just clicked to C.B.C.`s link. Must say, that sounds like Elmer`s air force - don`t turn up for the intell brief and "if in doubt, take it out"

yours Aye,


Harry Hackedoff