British Army in Aden | Crater Re-Taken | Lt. Colonel Colin "Mad Mitch" Mitchell | July 1967
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- Early July 1967.
Footage of the aftermath of the re-taking of the district of Crater in Aden by troops of the of the 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders commanded by Lt. Colonel Colin "Mad Mitch" Mitchell who is briefly interviewed by ITN News correspondent, Alan Hart.
Crater had previously been taken over by mutineering policemen after an ambush of British soldiers and their withdrawal. The British reaction to re-occupy Crater, "Operation Stirling Castle", came to be known as the "Last Battle of the British Empire".
Source of Footage: ITN News via Getty Images
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Colonel Mitchell, how we need men like you today.
The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders did a splendid job re-taking the Crater area of Aden but we should NEVER forget the reasons why they were called upon to do this job. The earlier regiment responsible for security was the Royal Northumberland Fusileers, the 'Geordies'. They had been ambushed in Crater, their bodies were mutilated and Crater was sealed off. Royal Marine snipers were positioned around the rim of the crater with orders to shoot anyone who tried to move. It took days before the Northumberland Regiments bodies could be extricated and placed into Chamber 13 of the Cold Store prior to burial in Cemetery Valley. I was one of the section responsible for this action. I could never have believed that one human being could inflict such horrendous suffering onto another human being such as those meted out to Major Moncur and otherrs. The only way this body was identified was by the label in his privately made army pattern boots. The sight of Major Moncurs' body has stayed with me from that day, and I am now aged 82. I write this as a dedication in rememberance of those other heroes, of the Royal Northumberland Fuslileers including their C.O Col. Blenkinsop who should never be forgotten.
Rick Reeve. Thank you very much for giving balance some to the comments here.
I was an "Ever Ready" waiting to join I Para in Aden during the withdrawal, but the then PM, Harold Wilson, scrubbed the Ever Readies in budget cuts, ergo I never went.
I was well aware of the treachery of the police, and I was itching to go.
I saw some time ago a documentary of one of your regimental comrades who survived the massacre by jumping out of a window about two or three stories high.
I'm very glad that your made it home to your loved ones :-)
Thank you for your comments. I was out in Khormaksar at the time, very grateful for the work of the RNF, the Argyles taking over and all units trying to preserve peace and law and order. Like all of us there, we were outraged and felt the losses.
Thank you for sharing that
I am from Aden and I am one of the sons of those who fought you in Crater and I feel proud of that, our fathers bravely defended their homeland against you..
@@شبيبالمنصوري ✊❤ Absolutely your father was right! These colonizers are speaking in their comments as if it's some "noble right" to *invade someone else's homeland???* How can they try to justify it? Your father will be remembered as a hero. ❤ I'm so sorry your family went through this. 😔 There's no excuse whatsoever & it should always be fought against. Colonialism, imperialism & capitalism are pure evil. Your fight is just!!! Thank you!! ❤🙏🏻
As a learner of the English language, Mitchell's English is something that I would love to record on cd or any media to improve my listening comprehension and pronunciation skills.
It sounds so articulate and sophisticated to my ears.
Yeah, he sounds sort of "posh," don't you think? British people can tell what "class" you belong by the accent you use.
His seems "hoity-toity."
That man should've been awarded a Knighthood and promoted to Brigadier. In America we always recognize, award, and promote brilliant field leadershp. In the UK......the politicians and civil servants hike up their skirts and run.
Field leadership is some other country that doesn’t want you there?
@@haggeoromero Aden became such a lawless shit-hole after the Brits left, most decent Adenese wanted them back.
The world needs more of these fighting Scots🏴
Sadly the UK has turned into a country of weak people. So these type of guys no longer exist
@@hellopeople4782 here in oz is the same now
Yeah! Scotsman with a pure English accent lol
@@masco26
Because Colin Mitchell was from Croydon. His dad was from Argyll and his mum was from Glasgow.
He’s just your average Anglo-Scot, it’s very common in the UK, as much as it is for English people to have been born and raised in Scotland. It’s like that old quote “a mouse being born in a stable doesn’t make it a horse”.
Anyone here who served with 13 Platoon D company 1st Battalion A&SH ?
Dont forget the Jocks had a Company commander and other Jocks killed in the Ambush.They were a forward party who with some Northumberland Fusileers were were killed in an ambush by Arabs who were armed Police.
Love you Scots !
I am from Aden and I am one of the sons of those who fought you in Crater and I feel proud of that, our fathers bravely defended their homeland against you..
رحم الله والديك
Amazing!!! ❤ I would love to shake your father's hand. 🤝 Peace to you.
Brilliant May Allah reward ur family
Nice to see the mess you have made of the place, busy killing each other and relying on western aid and food!
Bro you country is literally a backwater that now begs for UN handouts…what the heck are you proud for? Lol you should have remained a colony and you could have joined the rest of us in the civilized world!
The police had murdered British troops and thought that would create a British hand over.
Mitchell was a man of a different era.
Lt Col Mitchell. A born and bred soldier with complete confidence in himself and his men.
Mad Mitch was a short man, but every inch of him was a soldier.
I've met former soldiers who served under Lt.Col. Mitchell - apparently he was constrained by "unhelpful" politicans and more senior commanders who were "uncomfortable" with his robust and uncompromising approach to security operations etc.
Seemingly what he said diplomatically in public and sanctioned in practice were far different.
Notice that he wears the distinctive A&S.H. regimental capbadge rather than the then issued Highland Brigade version seen in the footage - that's a clear two finger salute to the establishment.
No subsequent promotion as a result.
Shame on the Scotts for doing to others what the English did to them. They had no right to be there, calling natives terrorist when they were the ones doing the terrorising.
Good community policing Argyll style
Thank you for this video
I am from aden . I saw my dead neighbor in this video major Mahmood aaish and I send this video to his family they thanking you very much
May he rest in peace. 🙏🏻❤ He must've been a brave man.
Which scene was he in
Also the Lancashire lads where with the Argyle regiment,I know that, my father was in the Lancashire regiment.
the gloves came off.
The Thin Red Line, great fighting men
Mad Mitch, Legend 🏴👍
My dad fought in aden with the 1st battalion royal scots
I know m8 then belfast in the early 70s 3 tours
I had never considered how much the British soldiers were influenced by the liked of Aden before going into NI.
. ARGYLL LAW. JOHN GALLAGHER
A great man
I was there that day.
❤
One day they sit at night looking at the moon, remembering their loved ones 😢🙏🌐🇮🇶🐦🐦
I was an 8 year old kid and my younger brother was 3 at the time. My late father was a WO1 in the R.A.O.C at the time.
Things got worse after this and we were all evacuated after a terrorist attack on the married quarters. I am 68 now but remember it like it was yesterday
you call us terrorists when it was you who came to our land searching for pirotes for 130 years ?
It seems that the definition of a terrorist, is anyone who opposes British tyranny.
I hope you remember it for the rest of your miserable life
@@jamesoneill2933 Yea, we all know that well worn cliche'.
Truth is (I was there in '67) different Arab political factions were abusing local law and indiscriminately kidnapping and murdering each other, including soldiers of the local Adenese Army as well as British, local police, civilians, shopkeepers and children. On top of that, the British had already made a pledge to leave Aden on an agreed date altogether.
So shut your colonial tyranny clap-trap and apologise for the families those murdered and injured in Aden, of all cultures and races.
Is anyone familiar with the Pitchfork murders of Michael Naan and Andrew Murray?
The commonalities between our beloved Aden then and now Palestine are too hard to not see
Even the using of words to discribe the resistance and the glorification of war criminals is infuriating!!!!
But just like Aden is free so will palestine be In Sha Allah 🤲🏻
عدن 2024
👍
Great operations practice for northern Ireland
He described them as terrorists how funny the colonizer finds himself honest
Aden was a shithole before we arrived, it improved massively and prospered under as a British Protectorate but, as history indicates, it reverted to a shithole when we left, and today it's no longer worthy of a shithole rating--it's a hellhole where life is cheap.
R Y. Aden was a protectorate, not a colony. The net result of Britain releasing its protectorate status in Aden has been overwhelming chaos, bloodshed and destruction there ever since, despite the massive investment and infrastructure left by the British.
@@stevieb9490 so you advocate murder and the atrocities committed under them doesn’t matter if it’s Belfast or Aden the terrorist still murdered innocents. Or do you justify that for the “cause”
‘it was their shit hole’… fatuous comment. Mainland Europe 1939 was the Nazi’s shithole - thank Christ Britain did something to stop them.
@@stevieb9490 spoken like a true Irish man /IRA supporter!
What were the British doing there in the first place. Doesn't look like Britain?
What were we doing in someone else's country anyway? Oil and the Suez canal. That's always been the reason for our presence in the Middle East.
Looking after our overseas assets, and there’s nothing wrong with that. All countries do it, and if you fail to protect your assets they fall into the hands of other nations who then have the power to dictate to you how your country should be run. Just look at the state of the UK since the decline of empire and the mass influx of people from former colonies, it’s a complete mess!
Ah. You speak English. Then you would have benefitted from these perks as well. Guess if you don't like it you can book your one way trip to places like Aden and make up for it, son.
Do send us a card to say what a great time you're having. Haha.
That was the time when men lived
Yes, they were loyal men to the kingdom, and Aden was prosperous with them. I hope that Britain will return to Aden