Any veterans on here? Serious question.

[normal rules]

Just curious to see how many veterans we have on here.
I served from 1986 to 1999. Royal Engineers.
Seen conflict. Iraq. Bosnia (x2)
Been shot at, numerous times.
Lost friends.
Seen death, up close and personal (lots)

My trigger finger is itching watching what is unfolding in Ukraine.
Under different circumstances I would be there to help. With my trusty LSW in Hand(a weapon sadly now decommissioned)
It’s just something that never leaves you.

[Dagenham Rover]

I was Royal Engineers 1974 to 1986 I know exactly what you mean! Sadly I'm only fit for the knackers yard  but give me my smg back and I'd take a few out with it's incredible accuracy under 10 metres    No it doesn't leave you

[auckleyflyer]

Navy 90-99
Gulf and Bosnia
If they need anyone to parallel diesel generators or start gas turbines I'll get on my old ovies, n steaming bats. Not much call for guns down ships engine rooms.

[normal rules]

I was Royal Engineers 1974 to 1986 I know exactly what you mean! Sadly I'm only fit for the knackers yard  but give me my smg back and I'd take a few out with it's incredible accuracy under 10 metres    No it doesn't leave you

Smg. Wow. For the last five years I was our units weapon handling instructor. The SMG is best resigned to history. Accurate to 30 m at best. We did a firearms demo with it once where we draped a mannequin in an old wool army coat soaked in water.
The 9mm round from the smg failed to penetrate said coat. With repeated firing . Utterly useless in anything other than CQB.

[normal rules]

I was Royal Engineers 1974 to 1986 I know exactly what you mean! Sadly I'm only fit for the knackers yard  but give me my smg back and I'd take a few out with it's incredible accuracy under 10 metres    No it doesn't leave you

What unit RE were you DR.?

[Dagenham Rover]

I was Royal Engineers 1974 to 1986 I know exactly what you mean! Sadly I'm only fit for the knackers yard  but give me my smg back and I'd take a few out with it's incredible accuracy under 10 metres    No it doesn't leave you

What unit RE were you DR.?

I was a "Bandy"    so was permanent staff at Chatham but toured round all RE units and been pissed in more squadron bars than I care to remember. active tours in NI and Falklands just after the main conflict. Secondary trade was hgv drivers hence smg being the personal weapon did Lionheart in 1980?? I feel sorry for the poor gits that were in the back when I was driving. Great laugh Wolfgang knew were we were before we did

[normal rules]

Ah Chatham. The birthplace of the chav and shell suit.
What was the name of the infamous nightclub just down the road fromRSME? Alcohol has dulled my memory .
Happy memories in the Cannon Pub.

[Dagenham Rover]

There was the dive bar downstairs in the pub opposite the pentagon centre Van Dam bar in the pentagon with the nightclub next door can't remember the name Van Dam used to have strippers on a dinner time  used to be a laugh you would see the local secretary's/office juniors  come in do a turn and then back to the office

[normal rules]

Was the club called Excalibur or similar?

In f at just checked , Excalibur was gillingham, just down the road.wild wild nights in there.

[Dagenham Rover]

Canon, Kg5, sawyers, beast in the earlier days there was the Army and Navy and the Royal Marine on the big Brompton roundabout  they were always worth a scrap with the navy when the dockyard was open

[Dagenham Rover]

Gawd help you if the navy shore patrol picked you up and took you back to Brompton guardroom

[normal rules]

I spent a while on detachment with hq 3 cdo bde at Plymouth so I know all about dodging the shore patrol in Union St in Plymouth.
Happy days.

[glosterred]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

[normal rules]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Proper job and raf don’t belong in the same sentence. Lol
Just banter mate.
Respect.
You going tomorrow ? There’s a pint from me if you are there. I’ll be there with my lad.

[glosterred]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Proper job and raf don’t belong in the same sentence. Lol
Just banter mate.
Respect.
You going tomorrow ? There’s a pint from me if you are there. I’ll be there with my lad.

Thanks for the offer, but no I stopped going to away games after Scunny this season. But again thanks for the offer. And if there is one thing that I do miss it is the banter, hence proper job

[tyke1962]

Never served my life took a different direction but I have the utmost respect for those who have served and protected this country of ours .

What I would say is that if any aggressor so much as stepped one inch in to this country I would fight you with my teeth if it was the only thing I had .

[Dagenham Rover]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Which hotels did you stay in

[German Rover]

Currently serving at 15 years, done most of my time in Germany, hence the name on here, but now back in the UK.

Made a real man of me moving to Germany at 21. Also had opportunities to go places and see things I never would have and this September I'm off to San Francisco.

Made life long friends and memories I'll never forget.

[normal rules]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Proper job and raf don’t belong in the same sentence. Lol
Just banter mate.
Respect.
You going tomorrow ? There’s a pint from me if you are there. I’ll be there with my lad.

Thanks for the offer, but no I stopped going to away games after Scunny this season. But again thanks for the offer. And if there is one thing that I do miss it is the banter, hence proper job

Why after scunny ?

[normal rules]

Currently serving at 15 years, done most of my time in Germany, hence the name on here, but now back in the UK.

Made a real man of me moving to Germany at 21. Also had opportunities to go places and see things I never would have and this September I'm off to San Francisco.

Made life long friends and memories I'll never forget.

Who you serving with GR? If u don’t mind me asking. Germany and SF is a bit of a leap.

[Dagenham Rover]

Typical Forces banter but REspect to all who have served no matter which arm you were all in! well actually im not sure about the Raf Regiment they were somewhat special 

[normal rules]

RAF Reg looked after the compound I spent 6 months of my life in. Winter 1997 Banja Luka Metal factory.
Good solid dependable blokes.
Great nights on the piss with them.

[German Rover]

Currently serving at 15 years, done most of my time in Germany, hence the name on here, but now back in the UK.

Made a real man of me moving to Germany at 21. Also had opportunities to go places and see things I never would have and this September I'm off to San Francisco.

Made life long friends and memories I'll never forget.

Who you serving with GR? If u don’t mind me asking. Germany and SF is a bit of a leap.

Int Corps. The green slime

[Dagenham Rover]

Currently serving at 15 years, done most of my time in Germany, hence the name on here, but now back in the UK.

Made a real man of me moving to Germany at 21. Also had opportunities to go places and see things I never would have and this September I'm off to San Francisco.

Made life long friends and memories I'll never forget.

A I said earlier I left in 86  I am still good  friends with lots I served with and in touch with a lot of others  as you say Lifelong Friends are made and characters made

[Dagenham Rover]

RAF Reg looked after the compound I spent 6 months of my life in. Winter 1997 Banja Luka Metal factory.
Good solid dependable blokes.
Great nights on the piss with them.

I know but don't let them hear you say that  theres a reputation to keep up

[normal rules]

RAF Reg looked after the compound I spent 6 months of my life in. Winter 1997 Banja Luka Metal factory.
Good solid dependable blokes.
Great nights on the piss with them.

I know but don't let them hear you say that  theres a reputation to keep up

RAF come in two forms.

1. RAF reg . Respect. Grafters. Front line. Proper soldiers.
2. The rest. Shiny arses. Nuff said.

[normal rules]

Currently serving at 15 years, done most of my time in Germany, hence the name on here, but now back in the UK.

Made a real man of me moving to Germany at 21. Also had opportunities to go places and see things I never would have and this September I'm off to San Francisco.

Made life long friends and memories I'll never forget.

Who you serving with GR? If u don’t mind me asking. Germany and SF is a bit of a leap.

Int Corps. The green slime

I didn’t realise there were spooks in SF. Had an RAF mate that flew drones from Nellis. But that’s miles away.

[glosterred]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Which hotels did you stay in

All of them!

[glosterred]

I had a proper job, I served in the RAF from Nov 76 - Apr 15

1st Gulf (Al Jubail), Bosnia (well Italy actually on the pizza, pasta red wine tours for Op Deny Flight, Defiant Falcon etc, Kosovo ( APOD Pristina), Saudi & Kuwait x many, Afghanistan x 2.

Would do it all again in a heart beat

Proper job and raf don’t belong in the same sentence. Lol
Just banter mate.
Respect.
You going tomorrow ? There’s a pint from me if you are there. I’ll be there with my lad.

Thanks for the offer, but no I stopped going to away games after Scunny this season. But again thanks for the offer. And if there is one thing that I do miss it is the banter, hence proper job

Why after scunny ?

Because of the fooking idiots that were masquerading as fans of the Rovers that day.

 

[Filo]

Slightly off topic, my Grandads Brother was killed in WW1 at the Second Battle of Marne, he has no known grave and was posthumously awarded the Military Medal.


My late step father served in the Navy in WW2 on the Algerine Class of Minesweepers, sweeping off the coast of Italy, Malta and Libya, I have his medals and service records