ADEN

[Andy O'Pray]

I have just looked at the "Britains Small Wars" site. Some guy is asking what the camp in Little Aden, occupied by the 9/12 Lancers was called. It was located immediately across the road from 45's camp. I just remember it as the pongo's camp. Can any of you old salts come up with a name?

Andy.

[Rotary Booty]

Andy, this could be well wide of the mark but 'Falaise' is the only name that creaks it's way through my memory cells....or was that the name of our camp! Put it down to post-Florida depression!
Regards, Derek

[Andy O'Pray]

Hi Derek,

No it wasn't Falaise, I think that our camp was just known as the BP camp. I should have paid more attention in between rum and cokes.

Aye, Andy

[Dolly Gray]

I can only remember the camp across the road being called BP camp. Falaise Camp was the one further up the road past Silent Valley. The Tankies were across the road from us. Falaise was situated just before going onto the desert and Royal used to man the end of road post out there a bit of a grind on guard there when perce was watching films in the Naffi

[Yorkie Malone]

Agreed Falaise was up the road. But if we are looking at the names. What was the name of the camp where we were???

I think it was all just Little Aden BP Camp.

SyY

[Andy O'Pray]

I have just heard back from the guy who was searching for the name of the 9/12 Lancers camp. He thinks that it was called Balaclava camp,(not after the headgear). All I know is that they wore funny mess dress.

I think that you are correct Yorkie, our camp was Little Aden, or BP camp. The buildings were origonally put up to accommodate the BP construction workers.

Does anyone remember Jimmy Jesus, the WOG that worked in the cpl's club? Give me another rum and coke Jimmy.

Aye, Andy

[Mike]

Remember the Goffer Waller passing down the lines and the lads nicking his empties to resell back to him, how he made a living was beyond me, The egg and bean banjo man on return from a runashore in aden.
Any one remember the kitten called SOCKS which was partial to a pint of beer, it had to have been the funniest thing seen when pissed! sorry RSPCA twas a long time ago in a foreign land!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and the Icky fights in the desert?
Sorry me minds wandering a little.

Aye

[Andy O'Pray]

Now that we have digressed to the local characters and menagerie. None could be more famous than Safali up in Dhala, who was the business partner of the S troop guys in the egg banjo business.

There was the S troop baboon, 1963 era, resplendent in it's bright red suit and the two foot long lizard, 1966 era, fanny. I fear that they all probably died of alcohol poisoning. Did we have nothing better to do with our time?

Andy.

[pat chapman]

Hi Andy, The camp that the 17/21st Lancers were at was definitely Falaise Camp. A mate of mine was in Aden at the same time as me and we couldnt recall the name of the Two bottles of juice concentrate we were issued each week down in Little Aden. Definitely not limers. Any ideas ?

[Andy O'Pray]

Hi Pat,

I remember the stuff well, drank neat it would make your toes curl. I just can't remember the name of it. If nobody else comes up with the name my old oppo, Tom Kendal, certainly will, but he is not back from vacation until early July.

Aye, Andy.

[Mike]

Hey lads,
How could you forget CIROSA and those bloody PALIDRIN tabs, for malaria, mate of mine returned to UK with four tubs of the stuff and made a mint selling to civvies at £100 a tub !!!!!!!! .... can't remember the camps name either I do remember the Complex known as the Hall of Babalon.......

[Dolly Gray]

Funny that the S Company Baboon now gets mention, From this spings three names Tom McGee, Cunliffe (chippie) and Brum Seebourne.

Christmas 1963 at Dhala I was on guard when the court matial of a certain Baboon took place. Brum Seebourne had accused the babbon of breaking into his locker and stealing his booze. And the Naffi was packed.

I knew thay had built a gallows and the jury was up for a hanging but I never did hear if they found the baboon guilty and hang it or did it die from mine sweeping the Naffi every night. Tom was the judge and I am sure that he would have listened to what all the reliable witmnesses and the baboon would have had to say before giving a fair and unbiased verdict.

Ali the goffa walla was still alive and kicking in 1972 when my mate went back our to Aden with BP. Ali still had a list of those who legged it without paying their bills in 67. Maybe he was hopng we would come back.

Who was the marine who went Aden crazy and tried to blow his toes off with a GPMG whilst on guard at Falaise

[Andy O'Pray]

Dolly,

Check your private messages.

Andy.

[Yorkie Malone]

Just had a look in The Royal Marines 1919 1980.

page 303 In April 1960 45 Cdo relieved an army battalion, and were based on Little Aden, the refinery complex, where the men lived in quarters originally built for construction workers.

page324 By September all service families had been evacuated and 45 moved into thier flats after leaving Little Aden, "home" for the best part of 7 years.

But it does not give the name.

Best try would be Four Five by ...... Can't think .... but you know the book I mean.

SyY

[Andy O'Pray]

Try as I may, the only name for 45's camp in Little Aden that I can remember is BP camp. We were either going up country to Dhala, or down country to Little Aden, with a stop off at Habilayn for a brew up.

The hospital across the sand from the camp was known as the BP hospital, I think. Where one would make the occasional foray in the hope of getting lucky.

During my tours, 63/64 and 66/67, Little Aden seemed to be a temporary stop off, as it seemed that we were everywhere else. Being such temporary accommodations, I don't suppose there was much point in giving the camp a more permanent or pertinent name.

I wonder what ever happened to the budgerigar aviary in the Sgt's mess.

Andy.