BobEgby Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 (edited) Hi, I was working in Aden -- Forces Broadcasting and as a news photographer. In 1962/63 I did a story of a patrol in the East Aden Protectorate and we met a British tank patrol. I took some photographs and since then I have lost the notes. Can anyone help in identifying. I think they were either from the Royal Tank Regiment or the Hussars. What type are the tanks, etc? I'm writing an autobiography with pictures and would like to use. The pictures are on their own page at my website -- http://www.angelfire.com/nj/healing/tanksinaden.html. Also, can anyone identify the hot springs in the last pictures, which was a favorite haunt of desert patrols? Any help would be much appreciated. My email is robert-egby@twcny.rr.com or robert_egby@yahoo.com. PS: Thanks for all your help. I have gone back to the original negatives and done blow-ups mugshots of the tank crew to try and identify the beret badges. That's in Photo 3. They look like Royal Scots Greys, right? PPS: Several sources confirm the Royal Scots Greys were in Aden during the 1963 Emergency before being posted back to Germany a year later. If anyone could identify the crew members that would be the icing on the cake. Maybe I'm asking too much. Thanks. I'm impressed with the great and informed responses from this group. Edited November 19, 2010 by BobEgby Identify Royal Scots Greys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 they are Centurion probably Mk5s with 20pdr guns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I agree to the Cent Mk5, the regiment is The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I agree to the Cent Mk5, the regiment is The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. Slapped wrist, Bazz. There were plenty retread Greys in 15/19H in our day who had to change regiment or take redundancy because two regiments into one didn't go. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Scots DG) were formed in 1971 from the amalgamation of the ... oh stuff it. Here, read Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Scots_Dragoon_Guards The commander is from the Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons). Note the grey beret (re-adopted later by the Scots DG). Scots DG were in Sennelager while we were in Paderborn (same garrison). The Uncle Tom's Cabin pub football team (mainly 15/19H) occasionally played a Scots DG eleven of a Sunday morning and we'd obviously drink together afterward. I remember a Scots DG telling us that it was their habit to remove from their badges the crossed carbines representative of the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) (themselves the product of the amalgamation in 1922 of 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)) in order to return it as close to that of the Scots Greys as possible and remove the "taint" (perceived by them) of the Carabiniers. I have tried to identify the badge on the loader's dark beret but cannot even be sure it is not the same as the commander. Cavalry regiment traditions are idiosyncratic. I couldn't say whether the Greys had a tradition that says that senior ranks (commander is a sergeant) could wear a grey beret, junior ranks not. If anybody could confirm that the badges are different, I'd assume the loader was on ERE (Extra-Regimental Employment) from another regiment. I cannot ID his badge as being a different regiment so he'd have to have come from a regiment which was gone by 1975, which might be Carabiniers. 9th and 12th Lancers had already merged and it isn't their badge. 10th and 11th Hussars amalgamated in 1969 as The Royal Hussars, but the badge is from neither of these. Doesn't look like a Carabiners badge, so I'd guess he is a Grey and that it is my poor eyesight trying to convince me his badge is different from that of his commander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveo578 Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 (edited) I think the Commanders and the loaders cap badges are the same but IMO the definition of the photos is too poor to ID the badge accurately so I didn't try - that's why I just stuck to IDing the tanks:-D Perhaps if posting continues on this thread it should be moved to either tracked vehicles or uniforms where others may find it Edited November 18, 2010 by steveo578 addition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 My apologies to all, Alien is correct, thats what getting old is about.:nut: The loader does have the same badge, but why the different beret, maybe only Officers in the Greys wore the Grey beret??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 Info on the Scots Greys. Some Titles..... Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons 1678 2nd (Royal North British) Regiment of Dragoons 1751 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) 1877 Motto: Nemo Me Impune Lacessit = No one provokes me with impunity. Regimental Journal: The Journal of the Royal Scots Greys WWI: Battle Honours; 25. Victoria Crosses; nil. Died; 159 WWII: Battle Honours; 20 Victoria Crosses; 1. Died; ???? Amalgamated: 1971, with the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) to form The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) Cap Badges of the Scots Greys. First one, Officers Second one, OR's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 My apologies to all, Alien is correct, thats what getting old is about.:nut: The loader does have the same badge, but why the different beret, maybe only Officers in the Greys wore the Grey beret??? I thought that until I noticed the commander is a sergeant ... I have plenty of pairs of glasses, wanna borrow a pair? ;o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazz Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Once again I apologise, thats whwt you get looking at the computer after a 24 hr shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobEgby Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 My apologies to all, Alien is correct, thats what getting old is about.:nut: The loader does have the same badge, but why the different beret, maybe only Officers in the Greys wore the Grey beret??? Many thanks for your help in identifying the Royal Scots Greys. I contacted their group and members identified the tank commander as Sgt George Mitchell. I think they are still working on the other fellow. Thanks very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted December 1, 2010 Share Posted December 1, 2010 Is this really in the right part of the Forum..I'd have never have thought to look here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 Well here's a coincidence. Pointed by the Army Rumour Service at a German website I have bookmarked and I am sure I first heard of it through HMVF, I was browsing Ex Red Gauntlet, 1979, our (3 Armd Div) Field Training Exercise of that year. There are 22 pictures available from this link: http://m136.de/red-gauntlet-79-galerie and the photo at the bottom of picture 21 is well worth comparing with the original picture that spawned this thread (though I note that it seems no longer to be available). Sadly because of the way the pictures are accessed, I cannot post a direct link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drayman Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 In one of the pictures in Bob's link my granddad remembers the building in picture number 10 I think, he cant remember what the building is though and it was bugging him. Any help with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Campbell Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 The official Royal Scots Greys cap badge has the eagle facing to its left. the collar badges face inwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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