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Bosnia 1993 Op Grapple 2


extrogg

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10 minute film of 1 PWO entry into theatre and their take over from The Cheshires Col Bob Stewart. It shows Warriors, 432's, Bedford MJ's, TM's etc...an interesting film. I was a DROPS operator with 7 Sqn during this period..quite an eye opening tour!

 

 

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This happened on Route Triangle...shows the type of roads we travelled on daily running supplies from Split to TSG, GV, Vitez and many other locations.

 

We were rebuilding rollover Leyland Drops from Bosnia at that time. Nearly every one needed a cab, as they were crushed. Repainted in UN white and transported directly back out there.

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We were rebuilding rollover Leyland Drops from Bosnia at that time. Nearly every one needed a cab, as they were crushed. Repainted in UN white and transported directly back out there.

 

We had a few nasty accidents out there...one involved 2 good mates of mine who flipped their drops on the hairpin north of Split. They had a water bean can on the back and they went too fast into the bend...the truck rolled onto its side, skidded along the road and crashed through a wall with a 30ft drop on the other side. Both lads were casevac back to Woolwich with serious injuries. It took 2 Foden wreckers to extract the truck from the bottom of the ravine. When they were taken to hospital they left behind their helmets, gats and ammo which all went missing!!

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I think I remember that film - it showed warrior escorting some 8 tonne; they get to a dodgy area and the warriors close down (close all the armoured hatches). Meanwhile in the 8 tonne the driver winds his window up.....

 

lol..that sounds about right Paul! It was always a little worrying when the Warriors battened down their hatches and left us to just fend for ourselves with just helmet and flak vest!! Our drills were to to just gun it and hope for the best!! Did it many times going through GV and Tuzla!!

 

 

Ive got the full version of the film on VHS..it also has an unofficial film done by the BBC reporters that were out there..its shot like a home video.

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  • 1 month later...

There was a French truck went off the road at Mt Igman while i was there, 14 french troops died.

I didnt write anything off personally, but was involved with getting an armoured Humvee rear end shot up heading back into Sarajevo from Kiseljak, some creative road block avoidance was required after dark, and the Serbs didnt like it! i remember been impressed with the way the truck managed the craters in the road at high speed!!

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  • 8 years later...
On 9/16/2011 at 9:59 AM, extrogg said:

 

We had a few nasty accidents out there...one involved 2 good mates of mine who flipped their drops on the hairpin north of Split. They had a water bean can on the back and they went too fast into the bend...the truck rolled onto its side, skidded along the road and crashed through a wall with a 30ft drop on the other side. Both lads were casevac back to Woolwich with serious injuries. It took 2 Foden wreckers to extract the truck from the bottom of the ravine. When they were taken to hospital they left behind their helmets, gats and ammo which all went missing!!

I remember this accident very well, I was the driver!! Yes it’s true, I went too fast around the hairpin bend, to be honest, looking at the aftermath of the accident and the state of the truck, I was very lucky to be alive. 

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Jay my congratulations on having the intestinal fortitude to admit it was you, we are all human and we all screw up at times, I have had many occurrences caused by my own lack of judgement, ranging from a partial loss of hearing through some scars and broken bones through two failed marriages, so chin up mate, your survived!

Thanks for sharing and making this forum what it is by adding the personal recollection.

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22 hours ago, Jay Owen said:

I remember this accident very well, I was the driver!! Yes it’s true, I went too fast around the hairpin bend, to be honest, looking at the aftermath of the accident and the state of the truck, I was very lucky to be alive. 

Hi Jay,

At that time I was working in a REME workshop in the UK and all the rollover and crash damaged Leyland DROPS were backloaded to us, we rebuilt them and sent them back to Bosnia, so it is a possibility that your truck was among them.

Richard

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1 hour ago, Richard Farrant said:

Hi Jay,

At that time I was working in a REME workshop in the UK and all the rollover and crash damaged Leyland DROPS were backloaded to us, we rebuilt them and sent them back to Bosnia, so it is a possibility that your truck was among them.

Richard

Hi Richard,

Judging by the carnage I made of this drops, I’m not too sure it could have been repaired, I would have assumed that it would have been used for spare parts, at the end of the day it was only a bit of metal, as my Staff SGT said at the time I returned to theatre, I can replace the truck but I can’t replace you!! Stuck with me that quote. 
Stay safe mate. 
 

Jay

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12 hours ago, robin craig said:

Jay my congratulations on having the intestinal fortitude to admit it was you, we are all human and we all screw up at times, I have had many occurrences caused by my own lack of judgement, ranging from a partial loss of hearing through some scars and broken bones through two failed marriages, so chin up mate, your survived!

Thanks for sharing and making this forum what it is by adding the personal recollection.

Cheers Robin, 

I was 19yrs old, still with a very young head, probably thought I was invincible and couldn’t do no wrong! How wrong I was. My co-driver came away with a few cuts and bruises, but me on the other hand came away with a few deep cuts, had a few stones imbedded in my back, arm and leg. A very nasty head injury and was cassevaced back to Woolich Mil hospital, I have searched for a photo of the truck, but no idea where it is, when I do come across it I will post it in here. 
 

Jay

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23 minutes ago, Jay Owen said:

Hi Richard,

Judging by the carnage I made of this drops, I’m not too sure it could have been repaired, I would have assumed that it would have been used for spare parts, at the end of the day it was only a bit of metal, as my Staff SGT said at the time I returned to theatre, I can replace the truck but I can’t replace you!! Stuck with me that quote. 
Stay safe mate. 
 

Jay

Hi Jay,

Most if not all of the DROPS that were on the rebuild programme had flattened cabs. My section did the first one and we were able to make one cab out of three because a replacement cab was not available in time, but from then on we had new cabs coming in from Leyland which made a quicker turnaround. One I recollect had to have the chassis straightened and aligned. They were all repainted in white with UN on them and transported back out to Bosnia.

regards, Richard

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