tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post4487998175041107247..comments2023-09-30T03:59:49.340-07:00Comments on My Secret War: Looking For NickTristanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00069202797710501705noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-43605809022907641242021-08-27T19:23:06.748-07:002021-08-27T19:23:06.748-07:00Just read Nick Downies obit in the torygraph and i...Just read Nick Downies obit in the torygraph and in a roundabout way it lead me to this site.<br /><br />What an amazing life he lead and I now discover what an amazing bunch of people he worked with in Dhofor.<br /><br />When I was a spotty teenager in the 70's I read R. Fiennes book " Where soldiers fear to tread".So I knew things were going on in Oman.<br /> I remember the film on the telly (again mid 70's I think) of the Western Sahara battle which actually showed a man getting shot in the head and the capture of the Moroccan pilot. At the time I never knew it was film by Mr Downie. At the time I was convinced that they would kill the pilot but I've just discovered that he survived (from Karim Bettich's post).It seems a bit harsh to keep a man prisoner for 27 years just for doing his job.<br />In 1977 when I turned 16 I started going to pubs.<br />One of these pubs was just up the road from Hurn Airport (now Bournemouth International). At the airport they had a company called Airwork Services which I'm sure used to recruit people to operate in the Oman area. One night a couple of suntanned guys came in the pub and started telling stories about battles they'd been involved in,in some Middle East country.People in the pub thought they were swinging the lantern but I knew better. <br />Anyway not long afterwards a couple of blokes who had flown into Hurn got pulled over by customs and it was found they were carrying a couple of weapons. It made the local Echo newspaper in the court round up page. I think one of the guns was an M1 carbine.<br />Just asking did anyone return to the UK through Hurn airport? <br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15017103323155399552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-69235085782736240642021-06-17T02:58:57.902-07:002021-06-17T02:58:57.902-07:00wow, great, I was wondering how to cure acne natur...wow, great, I was wondering how to cure acne naturally. and found your site by google, learned a lot, now i’m a bit clear. I’ve bookmark your site and also add rss. keep us updated<br /><a href="https://richardtouilfdn.com/?lang=he" rel="nofollow">richard touil</a><br />sherazabbasihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08723379454715121769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-53676913984327607752020-05-22T17:12:21.628-07:002020-05-22T17:12:21.628-07:00I remember reading about and greatly admiring you ...I remember reading about and greatly admiring you around 1980.Hope things are better now.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07380786718040691725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-87028517871788179372020-01-09T16:23:06.049-08:002020-01-09T16:23:06.049-08:00Greetings, Have just discovered this great blog of...Greetings, Have just discovered this great blog of posts about the Dhofar war. My name is Sid Pass, and was there in 1974 with the Royal Engineers. In 2005 I set up two Facebook groups for Dhofar veterans (1), one 'open' and one 'closed' and private for "Dhofar veterans 2". You are welcome to drop by and link up with many who served in Dhofar. We also have a large collection of photos and many posts from all Arms of Service.Sidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08467217540491295405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-5357418661400412762019-12-31T00:24:46.518-08:002019-12-31T00:24:46.518-08:00Hi Lia,
Have tried to contact you on the email ad...Hi Lia,<br /><br />Have tried to contact you on the email address given, but no luck. Probably in your junk box. However, if you would like to email me with your Dad's name etc I will see what I can find out for you. My email is Suphanne:hotmail.com<br /><br />cheers,<br /><br />NickNickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08333882365179862071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-8407042344760125332019-12-07T02:24:13.991-08:002019-12-07T02:24:13.991-08:00Hi Tristan,
My dad served under the Sultans Army ...Hi Tristan,<br /><br />My dad served under the Sultans Army at this time and he met and married my mother who was a Dutch lady on a nursing mission at the time. Both of my parents have died now and I'm trying to find out what exactly my father did out there. I found your documentary on Amazon by surprise after watching many military conflict documentaries and was thrilled with it as I never had a clue what was going on whilst they were out there. My dad never talked about his service with us as a family and it was only after he died that we began to realise there was more to his work out there than just a simple middle Eastern posting. Having just cleared my mother's house I have inherited many Omni objects and realise how much of their lives was steeped in this story that was unknown to me. As far as I know my dad was not in combat but we have a fab picture of him with his shemagh ak47 on the back of a camel. Pls contact me and I'll give you his name. Your dad's name is vaguely familiar to me and I did wonder if they knew each other. Id love to know more of what my dads place was in this war and any stories of those who knew him, friends etc. <br />Lialovesmiracles@gmail.com<br />Thanks<br />LiaLiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09792165347543283910noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-6104179949728923622019-06-24T16:18:12.951-07:002019-06-24T16:18:12.951-07:00I know Russ who flew the Jet Provest at Mirbat, le...I know Russ who flew the Jet Provest at Mirbat, let’s tell the story. Respect!https://www.blogger.com/profile/12952551733507018457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-6635792018164457722019-06-24T16:04:43.141-07:002019-06-24T16:04:43.141-07:00If anyone does, possibly there’s history to be wri...If anyone does, possibly there’s history to be written?Respect!https://www.blogger.com/profile/12952551733507018457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-10306399524095256012019-06-24T15:47:49.850-07:002019-06-24T15:47:49.850-07:00I guess, not many will care, but there are some ge...I guess, not many will care, but there are some genuinely outstanding people in this thread. Nick Downie, obviously a Doctors life would have been easier, but if you look �� You have Ian Gordon. Not only a lovely man, but he has the Omani equivalent of the VC, which he earned. If he was still with us Tony Fleming deserves a mention.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Respect!https://www.blogger.com/profile/12952551733507018457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-73447548179828531912019-01-15T17:55:19.820-08:002019-01-15T17:55:19.820-08:00https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Downie Seems ...https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Downie Seems fair play Respect!https://www.blogger.com/profile/12952551733507018457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-25128992876445903682019-01-05T19:55:41.953-08:002019-01-05T19:55:41.953-08:00Hello Everybody,
My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live...Hello Everybody,<br />My name is Mrs Sharon Sim. I live in Singapore and i am a happy woman today? and i told my self that any lender that rescue my family from our poor situation, i will refer any person that is looking for loan to him, he gave me happiness to me and my family, i was in need of a loan of $250,000.00 to start my life all over as i am a single mother with 3 kids I met this honest and GOD fearing man loan lender that help me with a loan of $250,000.00 SG. Dollar, he is a GOD fearing man, if you are in need of loan and you will pay back the loan please contact him tell him that is Mrs Sharon, that refer you to him. contact Dr Purva Pius, call/whats-App Contact Number +918929509036 via email:(urgentloan22@gmail.com) Thank you.Dr Purva Piushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05883980841903455890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-89228024593242424542018-09-28T12:05:28.406-07:002018-09-28T12:05:28.406-07:00My name is Karim Bettich (above post), kbettich1@g...My name is Karim Bettich (above post), kbettich1@gmail.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02678649332179529495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-15006016469757574372018-09-28T12:04:56.696-07:002018-09-28T12:04:56.696-07:00Hi Nick
I am trying to get in touch with you. I am...Hi Nick<br />I am trying to get in touch with you. I am the son of Mohamed Bettich who was captured on Dec 17 1976 in Western Shara by the POLISARIO guerilla. I think you managed to shoot his plane shot as well as huis capture by the POLISARIO ground troops. I would love to put you in touch with my father. He was freed Aug 5th 2003, after 27 years of forced labor, questioning and bad treatment. He now lives in Meknes Morocco where he enjoys his retirement.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02678649332179529495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-45338346790848580352017-12-05T22:34:13.455-08:002017-12-05T22:34:13.455-08:00Domain Pointing Services Oman
We provide registrat...<a href="http://omanwebdomains.om/" rel="nofollow">Domain Pointing Services Oman</a><br />We provide registration services for arabic domain registration like .om, gov.om, edu.om, com.om & more. Register domain today!<br />sharifhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09648479744884974774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-14111283379713637052016-04-09T12:26:24.993-07:002016-04-09T12:26:24.993-07:00Yes he is!
RichardYes he is!<br />RichardAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17996603224858863717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-58361243487667220182016-01-07T01:32:17.458-08:002016-01-07T01:32:17.458-08:00Hi Nick , You do not know me , but I did some work...Hi Nick , You do not know me , but I did some work way back when for your mother & father..Nick [senior] & Thea. I hope Im correct. I was in my thirties then , they lived in Sidlesham & then Chichester in the Hornet. I know this missive is 4 years old now so your mum Thea may have passed away....I just wanted you to know I have very fond memories of them & that always talked of you very proudly.Your mum was wonderfully full of life. Hope this reaches you wherever you may be.....regards Eric Knight , Portsmouth , England.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-45319388313697264422015-10-15T08:57:30.907-07:002015-10-15T08:57:30.907-07:00Dave,
Can you let me have your email address to c...Dave,<br /><br />Can you let me have your email address to contact you?<br /><br />Regards Nick Ofield email to Suphanne@hotmail.comAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09414231593033106799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-68263867662219382762015-10-13T05:52:30.669-07:002015-10-13T05:52:30.669-07:00I have just been contacted by an old friend Bill B...I have just been contacted by an old friend Bill Bailey, as he is giving a talk organised by Fiona Warton of his part in the War. We were both helicopter pilots with SOAF at the same time before he went off and organised the Police Flight. The advantage I have now over the Army Officers are that I have my log books so all the dates are in there. I was the longest serving active service pilot in Oman from 1970 to 1977, so nearly all the names coming up were old friends or fellow officers. As I took part in every Operation from W to E and N to S I am happy to help out with any info that I can pass on, one of the sad bits is that I bought back Paul's body on the 6th. I was also involved in the Battle of Mirbat as I went in with Neville Baker at first light the next morning with the Strikies taking in the replacement SAS(BATT) Troop who had just arrived to replace Mike's men. Sadly I also had to bring out the body of Lab, and Toby Tobin who later died of his wounds. Of course SAS were not officially there, and there have been many of us who tried to get the medals they deserved including the VC for Lab. Any other conflict and there would have been two or more given out.<br />Unfortunately the names of my old friends are now getting less, I am now a 75 year old Disabled War Pensioner the result of dodging the Sherishitti kid at Mainbrace and ending up a smoking heap on the runway, and later an encounter with one of the early SAM 7's.<br /><br />Tis good to see some of my old friends names coming up again, Mike, Keith Ryde, Rob Tomlinson(Popo, RIP), Roger King, Ran Fiennes, Ian Gordon, Ian Gardiner, Jonny Braddell-Smith(RIP), Smash Pigott(RIP), Donal Douglas, Chris B-W, Clive Ward, Johny Animal Gorman, and many others over the seven years.<br /><br />All the best to those of you still reading,<br /><br />Flt Lt David Duncan 3 Sqn SOAF<br /><br /><br />"In February, a fierce battle took place near Janook, from where fighting patrols were led deep into enemy country by Major Paul Wright, a seconded officer who had previously served with the SAS. Surprise was lost when a soldier trod on a mine, and enemy reaction was sudden and violent. Under heavy fire, the patrols fought their way back to the patrol bases. Major Wright conducted a six hour battle mainly without seeking personal shelter. He was finally killed by a mortar bomb, and was posthumously awarded the Sultan’s Gallantry Medal (Omani equivalent of the Victoria Cross), the first seconded British officer to be so decorated. Staff Sergeant Salim Khalfan, whose platoon covered the withdrawal of the fighting patrols, was also awarded the Gallantry Medal"<br /><br /><br />http://www.timesofoman.com/article/41868/Oman/Operation-Oman:-Soldier-narrates-Dhofar-war-sagaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10335090304690381104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-62334463026197254052015-06-25T01:10:34.914-07:002015-06-25T01:10:34.914-07:00Nick! A lady called Fiona Warton is trying to get ...Nick! A lady called Fiona Warton is trying to get in touch with you for some work she's been doing with SAS vets from the Dhofar days. If you could get in touch with her fionawarton5@gmail.com <br />Tristanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00069202797710501705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-54767987199373258112015-06-05T07:01:18.751-07:002015-06-05T07:01:18.751-07:00Hello Nick, I wondered where you had got to. Two y...Hello Nick, I wondered where you had got to. Two years have now passed since this post, give or take. Hope you now have a roof over your head. <br /><br />I thought you should know the effect you had on my life for, having seen the unedited version of the documentary you and Richard put together, which you screened at the DoY I somewhat rashly allowed Alf Colyer, the PSAO, to convince me to go the Rhodesia (for a jolly). <br /><br />Although I returned intact I suspect I strongly suspect that wasn't the same shy and impressionable young soldier I had been when I left. Thanks. <br /><br />Your input was much appreciated!<br /><br />MacAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09783623978892151473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-89619261504451686072014-10-03T20:03:27.569-07:002014-10-03T20:03:27.569-07:00Hi,
I can see it's nearly a year since there ...Hi,<br /><br />I can see it's nearly a year since there was a comment on this thread, but I was wondering if Georgina Nicholson could provide a link to her documentary? I'm a bit of a SF nerd and thought I'd seen all of the footage in the public domain on the Omain campaign.<br /><br />Nick - Are you the guy in the "Real SAS" doc that was on channel 4 about 6 years ago that had footage of B Squadron walking through grass that was on fire after being set alight by tracer?<br /><br />Best.<br /><br />Darren Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-36170433304587641452013-10-12T10:58:20.830-07:002013-10-12T10:58:20.830-07:00Ian, thank you for this. In fact since my first p...Ian, thank you for this. In fact since my first post I was able to follow up lots of leads for all of which I am very grateful. I was able to meet Tristan's father for a very enjoyable and informative evening and learnt a great deal about Paul's last action. I also found Paul's medals in the RE Museum and spent and afternoon compiling an inventory of Paul's effects which are also in the RE Museum. Among his papers I found the following poem by the American poet Hamlin Garland:<br /><br />"Do you fear the force of the wind, the slash of the rain?<br />Go face them and fight them, be savage again.<br />Go hungry and cold like the wolf, go wade like the crane:<br />The palms of your hands will thicken, the skin of your cheek will tan,<br />You’ll grow ragged and weary and swarthy, but you’ll walk like a man!"<br /><br />It says a lot about Paul<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10291743340940623602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-3802893820431449512013-10-02T05:03:39.494-07:002013-10-02T05:03:39.494-07:00The best account of the action (including maps) in...The best account of the action (including maps) in which Paul (Tiger) Wright died is in the Journal of the Institution of Royal Engineers, by the late Robert (Knobby) Reid. As mentioned by Ian Gordon, the full set of Tiger Wright's medals (including the Omani "VC") are held in the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham. (Do not misinterpret the quotation marks, had he been wearing British Army uniform it would have been the British VC)Holdfasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08934107057668571105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-24407506747737481092013-09-12T01:22:34.432-07:002013-09-12T01:22:34.432-07:00Hello Tristan, I remember your Pa very well. We al...Hello Tristan, I remember your Pa very well. We also served in SAFTR together for a few months, with Roger Brown. Your sources are very good. Roger does now work with me in our Dubai office. I'll pass on regards from your Pa. <br />Unfortunately I don't remember him taking over from me at Sarfait after I was shot - I was flat on my back being flown around to FSTs and pretty hospitals in Cyprus and UK. Pass him my best regards and hope to meet up at a reunion. IanAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03003621529715843727noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8735888353806913164.post-74539958055730712742013-09-08T04:43:07.345-07:002013-09-08T04:43:07.345-07:00Hello
This is a message for Nick Downie. I'm t...Hello<br />This is a message for Nick Downie. I'm trying to get in touch re some archive footage taken in Western Sahara. Would you mind emailing me and I can give more details about the project. Thanks very much, Louise. louiseorton2010@gmail.com Louisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00568907648831548278noreply@blogger.com