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colinhotham


I came across this old b&w photo last night whilst searching old family pics.

 

It shows the mine clearance vehicle we used on the road between Salalah and the port of Rasut, where we offloaded fleet auxilliary ships of fuel and supplies for RAF Salalah.

This was taken in 1971 during the conflict involving insurgents from Yemen and elsewhere, against Oman in the province of Dhofar. One of the 'small wars'!

The vehicle was designated the Chobham Rollers and was based on a Saracen armoured personnel carrier with exceptionally heavy rollers attached and pushed ahead of it.

Colin.

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Cool! Thanks for posting. That must have brought back a lot of memories.


Yes Marion it did.

You have met me, so here is another pic I found, taken of me in Oman at the same time. No comment is all I can say - I went downhill! :groan:

 

Colin.

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Wowzeee! Good lookin' man on beach, ladies!!!

 

And btw, I still think you are handsome. So there!!!

Very cool. I love how it's called Small Wars. I betcha most people never even heard of this. Know what I mean?


Yes Marion the 'small wars' never get the recognition they deserve, but service personnel were killed and wounded just as in the major conflicts. It is because I was involved in Oman, that Operation Husky is so important to me. The 38 day Sicily campaign gets little notice in the history of WWII and it is as if the North African campaign led directly to the invasion of mainland Italy!

 

I know you have a reason to feel as I do and I will never stop remembering the British and Commonwealth 8th Army, United States 7th Army and the Canadian 1st Div who fought in what was called 'The return to Europe' in July/August 1943.

 

Colin.