A Fusilier Veteran returns to Aden - A personal story of Remembrance and Reconciliation

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In November 1996, Brian Roy joined a party of veterans and their families on a return visit to Aden. This is his story of that short visit. It is a personal story of how a Fusilier veteran came to terms with what happened to him and his regiment in 1967 when nine Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were killed on a single day, 20th June 1967.
This is a vivid portayal of how an individual was affected by what happened to them while serving in the British Army, and how they needed to return to the scene of a bloody killing.
The visit was organised by the Royal British Legion and the Aden Veterans' Association.
Mental Wellbeing and Welfare
This film confronts a small piece of mental welfare.
RHQ Fusiliers have Regimental Welfare Staff that are qualified and available 24/7 to serve the whole Fusilier Family with bespoke and confidential Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG). Please contact welfare@thefusiliers.org or duty welfare phone on 0797 1928182.
Other organisations include:
Combat Stress - Call 0800 138 1619; email helpline@combatstress.org.uk
Leafyard - www.leafyard.com
Flashback by Simon Armitage
Flashback was written by Simon Armitage the current Poet Laureate as a part of a project to reflect the mental stress of warfare across a number of veterans.
Flashback was specifically written to remember Brian Roy's experience of serving in the Fusiliers.
It is narrated by Charlie Collicutt www.spotlight.com/4859-0164-0123
Aden 20 June 1967
On the morning of 20 June 1967 Arab soldiers of the South Arabian Army mutinied setting fire to their barracks. They then attacked a truck containing men of the Royal Corps of Transport, killing eight of the soldiers. The SAA mutineers then attacked Radfan Camp, killing an officer of the Lancashire Regiment, two policemen and a civil servant.
British troops of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment and the Queen's Dragoon Guards subsequently put down the SAA mutiny, rescuing officers from the camp guardroom. However unrest had spread to the Aden Armed Police who seized their barracks in the Crater District of Aden and fired from windows on a passing patrol of 2 Land Rovers carrying British troops, killing nine members of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and three members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
The AAP, together with armed nationalist fighters, then proceeded to occupy Crater.
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Regiment was originally formed in 1674 as the Irish Regiment. Over the years it has been known by a number of other names, the 5th Regiment of Foot, the Northumberland Fusiliers and the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, RNF.
In 1968 it merged with three other regiments of Fusiliers, the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, the Royal Fusiliers and the Lancashire Fusiliers to become the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Ten members of the RNF have received the Victoria Cross.
The operation in Aden was the last time the RNF took operational casualties.
Fusilier Stories
This interview and film were made as a part of a project by the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers to collect and tell the stories of its soldiers and their families wherever they have served. If you want to get involved or learn more email: fusilierstories@fusiliersconnect.com
Produced by
The interview and film were produced by Big Ears Productions
/ bigearsproductions

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8 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 30

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

This is not a normal story of time in service. It is about a veteran's return visit to Aden with everything that meant for him personally in relation to remembrance and reconciliation and how he came to terms with the events of 1967. It is an important story to remind us all of the need to consider our own mental wellbeing and health.

@courtneyroy270 Месяц назад

That's my dad, great brave man like the rest of his men

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Courtney, we were extremely grateful that he was happy to speak with us and to be so open and honest.

@courtneyroy270 Месяц назад

@TheFusiliers-history my pleasure, I know first hand the extreme trauma these soldiers face during and after, like the emergency services, but not to that extreme, they sacrifice there minds and body's to keep the country and world safe , to stop the evil that exists unfortunately. Thank god these heroes, and in my opinion saints are here to save us.

@lewissmith3896 Месяц назад

@@courtneyroy270 Bless you.

@RykerRider46 19 дней назад

You should be proud of him.

@jimmyjohnson7027 Месяц назад

I joined 1RRF in 1986, a number of Aden veterans were still serving.

@MrWadstw Месяц назад

As ex RRF i served in the legacy of such giants ,,, respect to Aden vets and those left behind

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Thanks for this.

@petersullivan2837 27 дней назад

I served in Aden with 45 Commando Royal Marines from November 1966 to November 1967. My brother was a bandsman in the Lancashire Fusiliers

@maxwellfan55 Месяц назад

Thank you for posting this. It was brave of Brian to go back to Aden in 1996 to show respect to the soldiers left behind and to share his experiences on this video. My thumbs up to him! I am overwhelmed and relieved the party who made this trip appeared to have been well treated by the locals because I have often thought of making this trip back myself. It has to be remembered the military during the 1964-67 Aden insurgency were deployed entirely in peace-keeping roles between various opposing armed Arab political factions, not as British colonial aggressors. But throughout the mists of history, this fact has often become obscured. Aden is since known to be a dangerous place, despite the many good Adenese wanting to live their lives in peace. I lived in Aden between 1965 - 67, the son of a serviceman within the RAF Khormaksar airbase, opposite the search compound, in a good position to see and hear what was going on around me on an everyday basis. Aden being a pretty small, intensely hot place. I was also the victim of a bomb attack (happily survived) and recall the black day these killings took place at Crater and elsewhere. Much has been written about that, but this is not an essay, more of a personal reflection. All I want to convey is that among the many units deployed in Aden, to me the men of the RNF will always stand out. Not least because of the reassuring sight of the red and white hackles worn on their berets, together with the polished RNF brass shoulder badges on their tunics. This might seem a small thing, but when one is a long, long way from home in a highly precarious, terrorist environment, these things take on special meaning. I remember the RNF for their soldierly professionalism, their great humour and courtesy, and their camaraderie and toughness in carrying out a dangerous job where some, along with many other units, made the ultimate sacrifice. As a serving fight-sergeant (RAF), and part-Arabic speaker, one day my father was invited to a social evening at the RNF sergeants mess. On his return that evening, and on request from me, he brought back their regimental hat badge and feather hackle which never left my bedside locker. I still have it.

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Thank you for taking the time to share your own recollections from your time in Aden, particulalry your memories of the RNF and the Hackle. We are very pleased you still have it.

@freebornjohn2687 Месяц назад

So many experiences lost to history that need to be told.

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Yes. That's the purpose of Fusilier Stories and this RU-vid site. We think it's important to collect our stories and tell them as best we can so that they are not forgotten. Thanks for your comment.

@brynleyhall Месяц назад

Thank you. This has reduced me to tears. I served in Aden from late March 67 until a couple of days before handover. I was 20. Throughout that time there were a lot of incidents, injuries and deaths. I was on a jebel, overlooking Silent Valley cemetery, providing a security overwatch, during the last Remembrance Day Service and as the marine bugler played ‘The Last Post’ all three of us there were unashamedly crying. Every year since then whenever I hear that played I am transported back to that time and place and the tears flow. I served for 25 years and experienced loss of friends and colleagues during that time.

@davidcarrington5654 Месяц назад

Thanks for posting this. Really quite a moving story.

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Thank you. We were extremely grateful that Brian was happy to share his story.

@michaelord1092 Месяц назад

My Father in the royal engineers was in charge of the burial of the of the men in silent valley .

@philipswain4122 Месяц назад

My dad served in the Royal Navy during the Aden campaign.

@TheFusiliers-history Месяц назад

Why not sit down with him and have a chat about his experiences. Collecting interviews for Fusilier Stories we have found that many veterans want to talk when the moment is right.

@philipswain4122 Месяц назад

@@TheFusiliers-history unfortunately, he died in 2005. He served on the HMS Torquay and the HMS Ceylon. I have his record’s somewhere. One thing that sticks in my mind was when he went ashore in Aden, the locals would forever harass him and his shipmates. He got into a scrape once with a local taxi driver and I believe had to “touch out”. He always said there was an air of menace about the place

@philipnorris6542 Месяц назад

We will remember them.

@roddixon368 Месяц назад

Did my time there as a RAF brat 1958-60 and blessed the day we left. Thanks for posting this, it was a very nasty little conflict where we lost too many good men, even in my time there.

@anthonycheaford1962 Месяц назад

Very moving, very poignant, and with the perfect title - Remembrance & Reconciliation. I was in Yemen on business in 1997, in the central city of Taiz and the nearby town of Al Qaidah that was first established as a military base in 1174 by Saladin's brother. I'm sorry to say Britain's malign meddling in Yemen is far from over, and it's still cost lives and scarring memories.

@helentaylor1222 Месяц назад

Thank you for sharing this.

@TC-qd1zw Месяц назад

My ex wife had a Cousin shot in the back on the last day the Northumberland Fusiliers were there, one good sergeant lost. God bless Sgt Cuthbertson.

@Andrew-fs7xv Месяц назад

The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders restored order and saved the reputation of the whole Army

@johnspillane2242 Месяц назад

Very Interesting Article. OAFAAF.

@davidreid8075 Месяц назад

British soldier story.

@RykerRider46 19 дней назад

Sir, let me just say thank you for your service. And, I sincerely hope that you will be able to conquer your demons. You, and those who you served with are all brave men. 🫡