ordnance Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Any soldiers who served in N Ireland in the eighties and where in lisburn will be able to tell me what pub they went to in lisburn.? That will give me a clue if they are genuine. Any volunteers. Edited April 12, 2012 by ordnance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 :o Those Martin Henrys were a bitch to keep clean eh? Well in Frenchie, did you have a trade? My brother was a VM in the REME and I saw his son pass out as a recce mech recently. Sorry it took so long to reply, didn't realise I had been asked a question. Yes, I did have a trade, I was a VM - Did my trade training at Bordon, Hampshire. (Havannah Barracks). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Marty Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 As a lad growing up over here we had a few run ins with soldiers, just up the road from were we lived was a static check point. We could always tell when there were new lads in cause they used to look at us as if we were all carrying Guns, but we used to have a bit of banter with the boys that had been there a while. Not a nice time for either you or us but things have changed now.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Any soldiers who served in N Ireland in the eighties and where in lisburn will be able to tell me what pub they went to in lisburn.? That will give me a clue if they are genuine. Any volunteers. Time to go drinking? 3 month emergency tour in Strabane/Castlederg 6x6 month tours in South Armagh (Bessbrook mill) and a 2 year tour in Londonderry (Ebrington bks) all seemed genuine enough to me :lol: BB Never got to do a Belfast tour :o Edited April 12, 2012 by Bluebarrels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricko Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 XMG & CMX, now there is a couple of places you wouldn't want to go for a drink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Time to go drinking? 3 month emergency tour in Strabane/Castlederg 6x6 month tours in South Armagh (Bessbrook mill) and a 2 year tour in Londonderry (Ebrington bks) all seemed genuine enough to me :lol: BB Never got to do a Belfast tour :o I was in Besstbrook mill a few years ago they were dismantling the watch towers at the time. I think its no longer in use. A lot based in Thiepval Barracks drank in the town. PS. Going for a drink in the areas you served would not have being a good idea. Remains of the army heliport in Bessbrook Mill This base was once the busiest heliport in Europe. Edited April 12, 2012 by ordnance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I was in Besstbrook mill a few years ago they were dismantling the watch towers at the time. I think its no longer in use. Yep all handed back as far as im aware Ebrington bks in Londonderry handed back too Had some cracking times on the Londonderry tour out with the gun (shotgun) use to shoot the Magilligan range complex shot just under 5k rabbits in the 2 years between 3 of us,now that was a serious vermin control exercise BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Any soldiers who served in N Ireland in the eighties and where in lisburn will be able to tell me what pub they went to in lisburn.? That will give me a clue if they are genuine. Any volunteers. In the 80s? The Greenfly, the Horseshoe or 39 bde bar (might have been the one and the same, my memory fails me) the RMP bar and the garrison Sgts mess. I.e. bars on camp. Most of the pubs in Lisburn were out of bounds and those that weren't were full of young shavers out to fight or impress the local women so I gave them a wide birth as I was (am) happily married and accompanied on a 2 year tour. I seem to recall there was dodgy bar called the Robin's Nest? If I did go out with my missus we'd go a bit further afield to Hillsborough (Marquis of Downshire and Hillside), the Tidy Doffer? (forget where that was but nearish to Lisburn), and Daft Eddies near Killinchy. I also did a 4 month tour in Bessbrook mill in 1986 (dry) and a few more in the 90s. But, if I may be so bold, who are you to be checking peoples credentials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fergie Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) I was a 2506 in hope it works as was I where was you based Edited April 12, 2012 by fergie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Ebrington bks in Londonderry handed back too :o Blimey! I'd heard all the towers were gone down south but I didnt know about Ebrington. What about the bases down south? Are they still in use? I remember a mate and I coming in to land at Newtownhamilton in a Sea King which happened to also be carrying an elderly WRVS lady who had loads of bags, all with very floral patterns. The helipad at NTH was some kind of sports pitch with a covered walkway you went through before you had to sprint across the main road through town through the gates to the Security Forces base. Anyway, I took pity on the WRVS lady and offered to help her with the bags. She took this to mean all of them. As (bad) luck would have it, a couple of the locals decided to stand around and have a go at the lads as they went across the road, until it got to my turn, when they just stood silently and gawped at me as I struggled across the road with my arms full of flowery shopping bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I was in Besstbrook mill a few years ago they were dismantling the watch towers at the time. I think its no longer in use. A lot based in Thiepval Barracks drank in the town. PS. Going for a drink in the areas you served would not have being a good idea. Remains of the army heliport in Bessbrook Mill This base was once the busiest heliport in Europe. Oh i know mate,i did 2 of my tours working in the Heli handling teams,getting everything out to the towers by air,as any road movement was too dangerous :o Helis in and out round the clock BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geordieh Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) slr was a 70's to 90's issue i think well the last time i shot one was in the 70's Hi storme37 A bit out they were first issued in 1954 i think Geordie Edited April 12, 2012 by geordieh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluebarrels Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) :o Blimey! I'd heard all the towers were gone down south but I didnt know about Ebrington. I think it was handed back to the university for use as accommodation,and all troops moved down the road to Ballykelly if my memory serves me correct BB Just checked on the net Zapp,Coldstream Gds were the last resident Bn,and after our 2 year tour it closed 2003,seems like last week BB Edited April 12, 2012 by Bluebarrels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I dunno if anyone remembers the "Choggies" that used to be in the SF bases in the 80s? Indian blokes who used to run little burger bars/tuck shops/tailors at a time when the NAAFI refused to have shops in some of them because it was too dangerous. The choggies at Bessbrook Mill were brilliant, they'd get you anything. ISTR that porn was the number one seller. They were superb tailors and made chest webbing when the issued stuff was scarce. There was a craze at the time for getting them to put loads of extra pockets, pouches and zips put in your combats. Some people got carried away and came out looking like paramilitary bondage freaks There was an indoor running track up in the rafters of the Mill where you had to do about 40 laps to do a mile! I used it nearly every day, until the last week of my tour when it was put out of bounds coz of asbestos dust in the air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) In the 80s? The Greenfly, the Horseshoe or 39 bde bar (might have been the one and the same, my memory fails me) the RMP bar and the garrison Sgts mess. I.e. bars on camp. Most of the pubs in Lisburn were out of bounds and those that weren't were full of young shavers out to fight or impress the local women so I gave them a wide birth as I was (am) happily married and accompanied on a 2 year tour. I seem to recall there was dodgy bar called the Robin's Nest? If I did go out with my missus we'd go a bit further afield to Hillsborough (Marquis of Downshire and Hillside), the Tidy Doffer? (forget where that was but nearish to Lisburn), and Daft Eddies near Killinchy. I also did a 4 month tour in Bessbrook mill in 1986 (dry) and a few more in the 90s. But, if I may be so bold, who are you to be checking peoples credentials? Not checking peoples credentials we where talking about people making things up. I live in lisburn and know where most soldiers went for a drink upstairs in Corkins was a favorite. The Robins Nest closed years ago but their still is a bar there. The Tidy Doffer was a couple of miles outside hillsborough but was burnt down years ago and not rebuilt always thought that thatched roof was a bad idea. Some nice bars you mentioned in hilsbarough. As i said not checking credentials no one has to reply if they don't fell comfortable doing so. Below Roins Nest. and the Tidy Doffer before and after. Edited April 12, 2012 by ordnance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunderbuss Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Not checking peoples credentials we where talking about people making things up. I live in lisburn and know where most soldiers went for a drink upstairs in Corkins was a favorite. The Robins Nest closed years ago but their still is a bar there. The Tidy Doffer was a couple of miles outside hillsborough but was burnt down years ago and not rebuilt always thought that thatched roof was a bad idea. Some nice bars you mentioned in hilsbarough. As i said not checking credentials no one has to reply if they don't fell comfortable doing so. Those pics brought back some memories, sad about the Tidy Doffer, that was a nice bar. Apologies for my slightly tetchy response, it did seem as if you were checking people out, though I accept now that was not your intent Edit: My son was born in the Lagan Valley hospital, so I have fond memories of Lisburn - he's now 22 and because he had an itinerant childhood because of my Job, he too feels a connection with Lisburn as his birth place. On a later tour both my kids went to Pond Park school Edited April 12, 2012 by Blunderbuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr smith Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Choggie now thats a word i'd only heard from the month of a member of another gun club up around these parts.He did his time in as a monkey.....BOOOOOOO HISSSSSSSSSSSSS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miroku_Dave Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Gunners, 2504 and still serving, 6 years to push!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ordnance Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Those pics brought back some memories, sad about the Tidy Doffer, that was a nice bar. Apologies for my slightly tetchy response, it did seem as if you were checking people out, though I accept now that was not your intent Edit: My son was born in the Lagan Valley hospital, so I have fond memories of Lisburn - he's now 22 and because he had an itinerant childhood because of my Job, he too feels a connection with Lisburn as his birth place. On a later tour both my kids went to Pond Park school No problem me and your son have something in common both born in the Lagan Valley hospital. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
storme37 Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 Hi storme37 A bit out they were first issued in 1954 i think Geordie cheers i never imagined the slr was that old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marine1980 Posted April 12, 2012 Report Share Posted April 12, 2012 I left the military a couple of years ago and heard the paras were going to bring the balloon jumps back in as there were no aircraft for them as they were all in theatre! Also no one who is in the paras would admit to it as there all a bunch of HATS!!!!! Royal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrispti Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 I left the military a couple of years ago and heard the paras were going to bring the balloon jumps back in as there were no aircraft for them as they were all in theatre! Also no one who is in the paras would admit to it as there all a bunch of HATS!!!!! Royal Pretty sure the term "**** hat" was used by the para reg as ,back in the day, they were the only ones who never had caps as part of their uniform Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marine1980 Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) Well when I was in the term HAT was used for Paras as in c rap HATS because of the beret! Royal Edited April 13, 2012 by Marine1980 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy9308 Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Got anymore Photo's of the old PB's mate. brings back some good times. andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratus Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Unless he's in the old 1 Para, or attached to another unit thats serving in Afghan' he's walting' it as 16AAB are'nt doing Herrick (Afghan) at this present time. Ratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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