British Army experiences in Northern Ireland

turnikett1 · 01-05-2014 4:28pm #1

Does anyone have any accounts or memoirs or anything along those lines of British soldiers posted in Northern Ireland during the Troubles? I'm interested in the experiences, thoughts, outlooks and feelings of those outside of the UDR/Ulstermen in the British Army. I would love to know what it was like for a young English soldier in his 20's to be randomly posted into such a hostile, almost foreign environment such as Belfast in the 70s/80s/90s

Fratton Fred · 01-05-2014 5:14pm

Have you tried www.atroubledpast.com there's some interesting stories on there.

turnikett1 · 01-05-2014 5:19pm

It's blocked at work unfortunately but I'll definitely check it out at home.

My friends father was a British sniper during the Troubles... posted in the exact same town that his then future friend was in the IRA :eek:

Richard · 01-05-2014 8:54pm

I seem to remember hearing that British soldiers originally from anywhere in Ireland weren't posted to serve in NI for most if the troubles (I think it changed in the 90s).

So most of the recollections you will find would be from people from GB anyway.

orangesoda · 02-05-2014 3:21am

Nothing written but I think there is interviews with british soldiers in this documentary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps62917nQlg

riffmongous · 02-05-2014 1:07pm

Andy McNab's autobiography, Immeadiate Action has a few chapters on Northern Ireland, but it doesnt really describe anything but some action

riffmongous · 02-05-2014 2:06pm

I just saw a reference to this book a minute ago, this is probably what you want A Long Long War: Voices from the British Army in Northern Ireland 1969-98

tac foley · 02-05-2014 5:32pm

turnikett1 wrote: »

Does anyone have any accounts or memoirs or anything along those lines of British soldiers posted in Northern Ireland during the Troubles? I'm interested in the experiences, thoughts, outlooks and feelings of those outside of the UDR/Ulstermen in the British Army. I would love to know what it was like for a young English soldier in his 20's to be randomly posted into such a hostile, almost foreign environment such as Belfast in the 70s/80s/90s

Remember, please, that many of these soldiers were NOT English, but Welsh and Scots and Commonwealth citizens living in UK. They all have their own, different, take on the situation in which they found themselves. Some of us, half-Irish, or second generation Irish/whatever, had a virtual life-long ban from visiting the Republic of Ireland for any reason. Although I retired in the late summer of 2000, it was early 2002 before the ban was lifted in my case. Meanwhile, I'd missed funerals of my immediate family that I would have wanted to attend, and was never forgiven for doing so.

For many of us, Northern Ireland and its peculiar circumstances occupied most of our long Army careers. I first went there just before Christmas 1969, and last went there almost twenty-eight years later. I was seeing the grandchildren of those I had known when I had been a young soldier, as full of the fear and hatred or other strong emotions as their grandparents had been.

Going home to rural Canada, where my family had been farmers since the turn of the 19th century, really was like visiting another world. Getting on the flight to come back here was always very hard to do.

tac

Wicklowrider · 02-05-2014 5:41pm

tac foley wrote: »

I was seeing the grandchildren of those I had known when I had been a young soldier, as full of the fear and hatred or other strong emotions as their grandparents had been.

tac

I read that sentence over and over.

So very well put, and I wish a lot of people read it and understood it.

Richard · 03-05-2014 9:46am

tac foley wrote: »

. Some of us, half-Irish, or second generation Irish/whatever, had a virtual life-long ban from visiting the Republic of Ireland for any reason. Although I retired in the late summer of 2000, it was early 2002 before the ban was lifted in my case.

Who imposed the ban? The MOD?

tac foley · 03-05-2014 5:40pm

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office imposed the ban.

tac

riffmongous · 03-05-2014 8:57pm

Ever thought of writing your own memoirs Tac?

tac foley · 03-05-2014 8:58pm

Not for a minute.

tac

riffmongous · 03-05-2014 9:09pm

tac foley wrote: »

Not for a minute.

tac

That's a pity

I always wish my older family members had written memoirs or diaries or something, instead most of them are gone now and their stories with them, lost forever.

tac foley · 03-05-2014 9:12pm

I'd like to forget quite a lot of the time that I spent in the Army, thanks.

tac

riffmongous · 03-05-2014 9:13pm

tac foley wrote: »

I'd like to forget quite a lot of the time that I spent in the Army, thanks.

tac

Fair enough

tac foley · 04-05-2014 7:38pm

I should have written that I would have liked to forget etc. Sadly, some things I saw will never go away.

Mind you, I also had some truly great times, too.

tac

Richard · 06-05-2014 12:33am

tac foley wrote: »

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office imposed the ban.

tac

Really? Wow.

tac foley · 06-05-2014 12:14pm

Richard wrote: »

Really? Wow.

Yes, really.

The F&CO control passports, and can temporarily suspend your passport for 'infringements'. I also had a four-year post retirement ban on visiting the former Soviet Union, PRC and certain other countries.

When my flight to work in Tokyo back in 2003 got diverted to Shanghai Pudong Airport, and I actually 'arrived' in PRC for over an hour while they fixed whatever it was that had caused the emergency, I received a 'letter of censure' from the F&CO about a month later. In this letter, they expressed their concern that I had 'visited' PRC whilst under a ban. I explone why it had happened, and it was grudgingly excepted that it was unintentional, but I was left in no doubt that I had been a very naughty boy.

Next time I went over I used my Canadian passport, just in case.

tac

fryup · 09-05-2014 10:05pm

OP, read soldier of the queen

about a young soldier (of irish distraction) experience in NI during the hunger strikes, it an excellent read

Richard · 10-05-2014 9:12am

tac foley wrote: »

When my flight to work in Tokyo back in 2003 got diverted to Shanghai Pudong Airport, and I actually 'arrived' in PRC for over an hour while they fixed whatever it was that had caused the emergency, I received a 'letter of censure' from the F&CO about a month later. In this letter, they expressed their concern that I had 'visited' PRC whilst under a ban. I explone why it had happened, and it was grudgingly excepted that it was unintentional, but I was left in no doubt that I had been a very naughty boy.

Next time I went over I used my Canadian passport, just in case.

tac

Thanks for posting - I had no idea. Did you report to them that you had been to China or did they just know because they monitor these things?

tac foley · 10-05-2014 3:16pm

Richard wrote: »

Thanks for posting - I had no idea. Did you report to them that you had been to China or did they just know because they monitor these things?

Well, I didn't tell them.

They obviously monitor these things. No matter where you go, it seems that you can be checked up on.

tac

British Army experiences in Northern Ireland

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