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Chas in HK

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SnafuSmite. Thank you.(y) I would not have had a clue how to post.

I am the officer with the Black Helmet. We were awaiting our Coy Riot Squad to arrive. Used Greener 12 Guage and baton rounds to keep the masses at bay. Did not use our carbines in this built up area. In the days following there were 9000 reported incidents of IEDs'. My L/R was grenaded whilst I was on vehicle patrol. 7 Police officers killed at the border one morning. Several attacked killed and wounded in other incidents. My boss was killed instantly by a bomb in a holdall. Right arm left leg blown off in the blast.. 33 Civvies in another incident blown up. As the Chinese say; " May you live in interesting times."
 

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SnafuSmite. Thank you.(y) I would not have had a clue how to post.

I am the officer with the Black Helmet. We were awaiting our Coy Riot Squad to arrive. Used Greener 12 Guage and baton rounds to keep the masses at bay. Did not use our carbines in this built up area. In the days following there were 9000 reported incidents of IEDs'. My L/R was grenaded whilst I was on vehicle patrol. 7 Police officers killed at the border one morning. Several attacked killed and wounded in other incidents. My boss was killed instantly by a bomb in a holdall. Right arm left leg blown off in the blast.. 33 Civvies in another incident blown up. As the Chinese say; " May you live in interesting times."

Chas, why was Chinese pissed? I mean Hong Kong being UK colony prospered and lived much better than rest of China at the time. What was main cause of riots? OK I understand that nobody want to be ruled by foreigners, but overall I think life was good in Hong Kong.

Riots are probably organized and sponsored from mainland China? Is there other factors I'm missing?
 
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Dusaboss,

Height of the Cultural Revolution. Chairman Mao and his little red book. Local agitators, communists and the trade unions wanted us out. First there were strikes in 1966 then civil unrest, followed by rioting 1967. Due to an outstanding police response (5000 arrests and internment without trial) a bombing campaign followed. The Army in HK and RMs' from HMS Bulwark (42 Cdo) + resident Gurkhas were in support for cordon an searches led by the HKP. The Colony was within 3 months of being taken over. Luckily Beijing put a stop to it. As recognition for Police gallantry, rather than issue a medal, they were granted the appellation Royal Hong Kong Police, by HM The Queen. Finally life there was very prosperous indeed in comparison to the mainland. Many tried to flee to HK for a better life.
 
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Personal weapon a 38 Colt Revolver. Also a short baton, shield and gas mask.. There were rather a lot of people about. Some on roof tops or high up in buildings To be the recipient of flying glass splintering in shards on terra firma is not much fun. We were soft skinned at the time with little protection.
 

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Its amazing having people at this forum who have participated in events like this.

Chas,
I highly appreciate your stories from the RM, and pictures like this makes your stories even more interesting.
 

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Its amazing having people at this forum who have participated in events like this.

Chas,
I highly appreciate your stories from the RM, and pictures like this makes your stories even more interesting.
If I'm not mistaken Chas also served during the Suez Crisis as a RM.
 

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If I'm not mistaken Chas also served during the Suez Crisis as a RM.
Interesting, i didnt know that. Chas should be nicknamed "the forums treasure chest" and he should for sure open up his chest for us others :D
 
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Peter,

Thank you. My old mentor/boss was the SIP killed at Causeway Bay. The report is reasonable. However the comments about police maltreatment of prisoners resulting in death are incorrect. There were to my knowledge 2. Disciplinary proceedings were taken against offenders. The other allegations are communist propaganda. By the way I worked at the 'White House' detention centre. Detainees were held without trial (Bomb Makers and other malcontents). I was there a very short time at the end of my tour. According to communist historians it was a torture centre. A totally false allegation and untrue.
 
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Prior to RM worked in Glasgow. Lived off Dumbarton Rd. Was scared shitless as a callow youth on the way home after a dance at the Locarno. HLI barracks a bit further down and on the tram they were evil buggers:)

Had my medical at Bath Street and a Jock Sgt said "Gordons for you laddie." He was pissed off when I said RM since I was a reservist.:mad: At the vast height of nearly 5'7", he checked my documents and said; " They must have been really scraping the barrel to accept you."

Perhaps they were.:unsure:
 
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Prior to RM worked in Glasgow. Lived off Dumbarton Rd. Was scared shitless as a callow youth on the way home after a dance at the Locarno. HLI barracks a bit further down and on the tram they were evil buggers:)

Had my medical at Bath Street and a Jock Sgt said "Gordons for you laddie." He was pissed off when I said RM since I was a reservist.:mad: At the vast height of nearly 5'7", he checked my documents and said; " They must have been really scraping the barrel to accept you."

Perhaps they were.:unsure:
No you're a small man with a big heart...i'm only 5 '7 too. Tried to recruit me into the Scottish infantry too.
 

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Personal weapon a 38 Colt Revolver. Also a short baton, shield and gas mask.. There were rather a lot of people about. Some on roof tops or high up in buildings To be the recipient of flying glass splintering in shards on terra firma is not much fun. We were soft skinned at the time with little protection.
last of the British empire Charles? some amazing times!šŸ‡¬šŸ‡§
 

dusaboss

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No you're a small man with a big heart...i'm only 5 '7 too.

Sexpert,, you are small man with a big ... ;):D:) ... You know what I mean by that. ;)?


Anyway our friend Chas deserves every respect. For many things, but we now we talking about that specific pic and event.

Greatly outnumbered, beating surrounded with angry mob can't be pleasant feeling at all. I just hope that you had firearms on you at the time that picture was taken?

Luckily, things finished well so we are now able to talk about it with you Chas. ;)
 
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My personal weapon at all times when in uniform was the Colt 38 revolver. At that time there was a carbine section behind us. 8 men as follows. carbine/greener/carbine greener. etc etc. The Greener was a 12 Guage single barrel riot gun. Late when the Coy arrive we used tear gas and baton rounds. I have several personal photos also I was featured in the Star Newspaper with 4 main page photos of self and my full Pln facing down the crowds. Finally if someone in private (Dusa or Snafu) gives me their e-mail in private I will send. Then up to Mods if they wish to post.
 

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Can you confirm that this also was the RM officers ration pack back in the day? :ROFLMAO:

 
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Can you confirm that this also was the RM officers ration pack back in the day? :ROFLMAO:


NO that is very poor scran for officers. He should be put on a charge for not showing enough of our rations. There was much more.:unsure:

In fact in the field all ate the same rations and often officers cooked as well. Royal Marines do not have a Batman who is an officer's servant in the Army. RM's had MOAs' Marine Officers Attendants. In the field with your personal body guard or MOA one did stag and the other cooked and vice versa.

I always feel that an MOA sounds superior to a Batman.;) However this led to the naughty and misguided appellation Royal Latrines:love:
 

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Can you confirm that this also was the RM officers ration pack back in the day? :ROFLMAO:


Saw this video some time ago. I like trick they did with pulling out all that from small box. :)
 
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