I came across this interesting group on Flikr the other day, its well worth a browse.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/malvinas/
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Received the Pilgrimage DVD
Having seen the pilgrimage DVD when Mike came to visit I was very anxious to get hold of my copy which happily arrived safe and sound a couple of days ago.
Now I know I am being somewhat cheeky but I couldnt resist making a little movie of my own from some of the footage. I will contact BFBS to see if its ok with them to post this. If they give the OK then I will try and put something on YouTube.
I am hoping that other veterans of the Scots Guards might get to see this
Now I know I am being somewhat cheeky but I couldnt resist making a little movie of my own from some of the footage. I will contact BFBS to see if its ok with them to post this. If they give the OK then I will try and put something on YouTube.
I am hoping that other veterans of the Scots Guards might get to see this
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
Swedish Military Acedemy
Attended the Swedish Military Acedemy today along with Mike Searr and listened to him present a thoroughly interesting 2 hour presentation to 160+ officer cadets.
From left ro right are Guy Skingsley, Maj Jonas Björkqvist and Mike Seear.
Guy is Chief Instructor Languages and is a retired Captain from the British Army whicl Major Jonas is the Chief Instructor of Tactics at the acedemy.
The talk was given as a final part of a 48 exercise being conducted by the cadets on a theoretical international incident involving an EU force consisting of a Swedish element retaking a group of islands called Malvinia.
Having done the talk we were invited for lunch followed by attending the various presentations. My Swedish was just about able to follow the basics and Mike being fluent in Norwegian had no problem adding a few observations. Afterwards we had a tour of the acedemy followed by a few beers in the cadets bar.
All in all a great way to spend a day :)
From left ro right are Guy Skingsley, Maj Jonas Björkqvist and Mike Seear.
Guy is Chief Instructor Languages and is a retired Captain from the British Army whicl Major Jonas is the Chief Instructor of Tactics at the acedemy.
The talk was given as a final part of a 48 exercise being conducted by the cadets on a theoretical international incident involving an EU force consisting of a Swedish element retaking a group of islands called Malvinia.
Having done the talk we were invited for lunch followed by attending the various presentations. My Swedish was just about able to follow the basics and Mike being fluent in Norwegian had no problem adding a few observations. Afterwards we had a tour of the acedemy followed by a few beers in the cadets bar.
All in all a great way to spend a day :)
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Mike Searr comes to visit
I had the pleasure of having a visit from Mike Searr this evening who flew over from Norway and stayed with me prior to giving a presentation on the Gurkhas in the Falklands to the Swedish military acedemy.
Had a very interesting chat about many topics related to the conflict and we watched the DVD produced by BFBS about the 2007 pilgrimage. I haven't got my copy yet as it went to the UK address and hasn't arrived here in Sweden, will post a few clips when it gets here though so watch this space
Had a very interesting chat about many topics related to the conflict and we watched the DVD produced by BFBS about the 2007 pilgrimage. I haven't got my copy yet as it went to the UK address and hasn't arrived here in Sweden, will post a few clips when it gets here though so watch this space
Monday, 3 March 2008
The Arrogance of Youth
I don't really remember the exact time frame but pretty soon after the ceasefire my Pay Master came to visit me and have a chat. He commented on the fact that my glasses were cracked and I told him it was caused by shrapnel up on Tumbeldown, though in all honesty I think I rolled onto them in my sleeping bag.
He found this story, along with my description of the battle fascinating and in a sort of way it made me different from everyone else in the office. He had, along with my Div 2 Kieth Foly, stayed behind with the HQ Company Echelon well away from the front line. Steve the office Sergeant was of course doing rear party back in London and of the various Pay Clerks that were with the rifle companies I was the only one to have gone onto the mountain.
Or so I thought.
When we eventually came back to Chelsea my status as the "war hero" boosted my confidence and when Steve was posted away my Pay Master promoted me over the heads of 2 senior Corporals to become the office Sergeant. Of course my world collapsed when I was posted away myself but thats another story.
One of the many good things that has happened in the last 12 months is that I have been able to get back in touch with old comrades and have been able to talk to all the surviving members of my Pay Team. Recently one of them came to visit me and we spent a very enjoyable weekend catching up on the last 25 years.
This is when I found out that I was not the only member of my Pay Team who went up on Tumbeldown but in fact John was also up there and in a capacity far different from what I was used for.
My company decided to use all the Corp Attached (and there were quite a few of us) as Company Echelon. They used us as human mules and we basically carried as much ammunition and medical supplies as we could get our hands on.
John's company, Left Flank, decided that they needed more rifles in the attack therefore John was put into an adhoc rifle section that was assembled at the last minute. As Left Flank advanced to contact they came under an incredible weight of fire which instantly killed at least one guardsmen and wounded countless others. John was right in the thick of it with men being hit left and right of where he stood. With the cries of the wounded ringing in his ears John threw himself to the ground and returned fire using up all his ammunition (100 rounds) in a very short time. After this he, along with the majority of the company, moved into whatever cover they could find as progress forwards was completely impossible.
Left Flank were pinned down for hours before accurate artillery and mortar fire was able to be registered onto the defenses and one of the platoons was able to work there way up and behind the Argentine 4 platoon. Once the defence started to unhinge Left Flank charged up and cleared their way forward but John, with no ammunition stayed where he was. Something he says was "not his greatest hour".
I can only apologise for my arrogance John in claiming I was the only member of the Pay Corp on Tumbledown that night. I had no idea as you never mentioned that you were there, or if you did I wasn't really listening being so caught up in myself.
He found this story, along with my description of the battle fascinating and in a sort of way it made me different from everyone else in the office. He had, along with my Div 2 Kieth Foly, stayed behind with the HQ Company Echelon well away from the front line. Steve the office Sergeant was of course doing rear party back in London and of the various Pay Clerks that were with the rifle companies I was the only one to have gone onto the mountain.
Or so I thought.
When we eventually came back to Chelsea my status as the "war hero" boosted my confidence and when Steve was posted away my Pay Master promoted me over the heads of 2 senior Corporals to become the office Sergeant. Of course my world collapsed when I was posted away myself but thats another story.
One of the many good things that has happened in the last 12 months is that I have been able to get back in touch with old comrades and have been able to talk to all the surviving members of my Pay Team. Recently one of them came to visit me and we spent a very enjoyable weekend catching up on the last 25 years.
This is when I found out that I was not the only member of my Pay Team who went up on Tumbeldown but in fact John was also up there and in a capacity far different from what I was used for.
My company decided to use all the Corp Attached (and there were quite a few of us) as Company Echelon. They used us as human mules and we basically carried as much ammunition and medical supplies as we could get our hands on.
John's company, Left Flank, decided that they needed more rifles in the attack therefore John was put into an adhoc rifle section that was assembled at the last minute. As Left Flank advanced to contact they came under an incredible weight of fire which instantly killed at least one guardsmen and wounded countless others. John was right in the thick of it with men being hit left and right of where he stood. With the cries of the wounded ringing in his ears John threw himself to the ground and returned fire using up all his ammunition (100 rounds) in a very short time. After this he, along with the majority of the company, moved into whatever cover they could find as progress forwards was completely impossible.
Left Flank were pinned down for hours before accurate artillery and mortar fire was able to be registered onto the defenses and one of the platoons was able to work there way up and behind the Argentine 4 platoon. Once the defence started to unhinge Left Flank charged up and cleared their way forward but John, with no ammunition stayed where he was. Something he says was "not his greatest hour".
I can only apologise for my arrogance John in claiming I was the only member of the Pay Corp on Tumbledown that night. I had no idea as you never mentioned that you were there, or if you did I wasn't really listening being so caught up in myself.
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Theresa's plaque on Tumbledown
A few weeks ago Theresa sent me a photo of her plaque that she wanted mounted on Tumbledown. Well F Coy of the Scots Guards were recently down there and very kindly took the plaque up to the memorial and added it to those already there. They also took some photographs which they passed on to her.
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Pictures of Right Flank
As I have mentioned in some of my previous posts I bitterly regret not taking many photographs during the war. It's been sad to have no record of what has been one of the pinacial moments in my life.
Last year one of the many formed Scots Guards I was able to get back in contact with was Right Flanks Company Clerk Dereck Gibb. Dereck and I spent a lot of time together before, during and after the war as his role as Company Clerk and mine as their Pay Clerk meant we often worked together trying to unravel some of the financial mess that young (and old) guardsmen found themselves getting into.
He recently pointed out that I should join the Scots Guards regimental association mailing list on Yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hielanladdieclubMk2/ which I eventually did and boy am I glad I did. As well as having some nice welcoming emails tucked away in the photograph section are some wonderful photographs of the battalion in 1982.
I first of all have to apologise to anybody if they are upset that I have taken copies and reposted them on my blog. They are however a wonderful window onto a time when we were all younger and less world weary.
Thanks so much Capstar
http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.cocks82/Capstar1982
and Thomas Grieg for making these available.
http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.cocks82/ThomasGreig1982
Alas I didn't find any of myself but there is a cracking one of my Paymaster Captain Denis O'Keefe as well of my best friend Paul Talman. Paul was sadly killed in a car accident in Cyprus in 1984 leaving behind a wife (hi Chris) and 2 smashing kids. I spent many a happy weekend with them at their married quarter.
Also among the photos are a few tantalising hints of the mural that was lost at Ajax Bay. I am still looking for more so if anybody has ANYTHING they think they would like to share please let me know.
Last year one of the many formed Scots Guards I was able to get back in contact with was Right Flanks Company Clerk Dereck Gibb. Dereck and I spent a lot of time together before, during and after the war as his role as Company Clerk and mine as their Pay Clerk meant we often worked together trying to unravel some of the financial mess that young (and old) guardsmen found themselves getting into.
He recently pointed out that I should join the Scots Guards regimental association mailing list on Yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hielanladdieclubMk2/ which I eventually did and boy am I glad I did. As well as having some nice welcoming emails tucked away in the photograph section are some wonderful photographs of the battalion in 1982.
I first of all have to apologise to anybody if they are upset that I have taken copies and reposted them on my blog. They are however a wonderful window onto a time when we were all younger and less world weary.
Thanks so much Capstar
http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.cocks82/Capstar1982
and Thomas Grieg for making these available.
http://picasaweb.google.com/steve.cocks82/ThomasGreig1982
Alas I didn't find any of myself but there is a cracking one of my Paymaster Captain Denis O'Keefe as well of my best friend Paul Talman. Paul was sadly killed in a car accident in Cyprus in 1984 leaving behind a wife (hi Chris) and 2 smashing kids. I spent many a happy weekend with them at their married quarter.
Also among the photos are a few tantalising hints of the mural that was lost at Ajax Bay. I am still looking for more so if anybody has ANYTHING they think they would like to share please let me know.
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