# Humbled beyond belief



## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

Don't know where to start with this but here goes....

I'm friends with a guy from a working mans club over the road from me. I'd put him at late 40's. I know him by his first name only and have always had time to chat with him over the last couple of years and more recently took the kids to his farm (which is just a little sideline to his building business) to choose a couple of chickens for our garden - just for the eggs I couldn't eat one once its had enough!!!

I've always had a bit of an inkling that he has 'history' but never asked, you can kind of tell by the look of him. Anyway, had a beer sat just with him tonight and the converstaion went from dead chickens (poxy fox!!) to what we have done in our past. I don't have any real history other than I went to a boys grammar school in the 70s/80s where they taught clever boys how to be good at being naughty then come away with jack s*** 

He mentioned something about when he was away with the lads and I knew he didn't mean out drinking with his pals so I asked him what regiment did he serve in. Two para was the reply. Now history wasn't my thing but he then told me he was in from 1979-1990  F*** me this guy has seen some s*** goes through my mind.

I have a friend who served in Kosovo so I told him of a few of the stories I had been told to which he blew any of them away with stories of his sniper mate who served there who had videoed (well his friend did) some of their activities on duty and has told me there are vids of things they done while on duty. Vids actually of what the sniper shot.

So back to where he has been I ask him if he went to the Falklands. He said not really it was One Para that did the business there he was just there to mop up after. But then he said that is where he killed a man for the first time. Not even a man he said the lad was about 17. And when I asked him how old he was at the time he said he was 18 - I had to ask these things I couldn't just let it go.

We didn't really chat anymore about the Falklands but I asked him how he coped with life after the army. He said he was ok but he knew he couldn't do the civvy thing so when he come out he went deep sea fishing for a couple of years. Got his head down and earnt some money. He mentioned his then wife but obviously he couldn't cope with the family life and they split up. He had a couple of daughters at the time.

After his time fishing he said he went down to Dover and got a job on one of the channel ferries where he worked for the next seven years until 'it all went wrong'. Again I had a feeling about something especially as I have read a certain book. He was working on the Herald of Free Enterprise the night she went over just off Zeebrugge. He told me that it had always let in some water but that night there was more coming in than normal. He said a friend called him a little distressed and he said yes I know lets go and have a quick smoke :wink: then we will get back on with things. That smoke saved his life. He worked in the galley where I think most of them survived (I did read the book a long time ago) but as in the book he told me how he went to 42 funerals after the disaster 

Well by this time I'm speachless but he still managed to tell me of another quite amazing story when he was out with his daughters and some nutter recently out of hospital decided to pour petrol over himself and hold a lighted match away from himself - the idea was to attract attention but it obviously went wrong. My friend just found this guy in flames on a sunny day in a park and had no idea what had happened. It didn't matter to him the only thing he knew was to try and save this man. He threw his jacket over him and rolled him over and over for about 20 mins  The man did die later that night and my friend was later awarded something for his actions (I will find out what it was just too gobsmacked by it all to remember)

He is the kind of guy that would never boast about his past and I think he just opened up to me in conversation but I really don't think it is something he talks about unless you ask. I have to say it was one of the most intense, gripping and amazing chats I have ever had with anyone.

It makes me proud to know someone like this and that he is a fellow Brit. Awesome.


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## Dotti (Mar 9, 2003)

I quite enjoyed reading your write up. I always take the view, it's good to ask questions and get answers especially if your fond of someone or something about them make you interested in them  . He sounds an inspiring man to have as a dear friend


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## SteviedTT (Apr 10, 2009)

Sounds like a load of bull to me mate. The Falklands war was in 1982, if he killed someone in that war at the age of 18 that makes him 15 when he joined the Paras. I don't think so :? And the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster was in 1987. If you work it out from his account, he got out of the army in 1990, deep sea fished for 2 years, worked on the ferries for 7 years till the disaster happened, which would make it 1999. Someones having you on bud :?

Edit: the Kosovo conflict was in 98/99, when your friend was supposed to be on a ship that sank 11/12 years earlier :?


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## BLinky (Jul 3, 2009)

SteviedTT said:


> Sounds like a load of bull to me mate. The Falklands war was in 1982, if he killed someone in that war at the age of 18 that makes him 15 when he joined the Paras. I don't think so :? And the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster was in 1987. If you work it out from his account, he got out of the army in 1990, deep sea fished for 2 years, worked on the ferries for 7 years till the disaster happened, which would make it 1999. Someones having you on bud :?
> 
> Edit: the Kosovo conflict was in 98/99, when your friend was supposed to be on a ship that sank 11/12 years earlier :?


even I didn't try and ruin it for him/dotti.


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## corradoman (Sep 11, 2010)

Surely nobody would tell that many lies :? Give the bloke a chance!


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

I don't see any reason that this guy would come out with a load of crap. He never has talked about anything other than work and his farm for the last couple of years which is all I've known him for. It was me that questioned him into offering this info.

I think perhaps I may have the dates/timings/years confused in my amazement. I don't think he is lying.


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## Widget (May 7, 2002)

TT51 said:


> I don't see any reason that this guy would come out with a load of crap.


Some people thrive on talking bullshit.

I used to work with a fella who'd 'done the lot' too.

Pinch of salt mate, pinch of salt.


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## mighTy Tee (Jul 10, 2002)

I am 48, I was in my late teens during the Falklands war, so I am in agreement with the embellished theories.


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## bluush (Feb 24, 2010)

same old, same old.

if you counted all the people who have claimed to be in Para's, Marines, SAS you would have a force size about the same as the current US forces. There have always been "Walter Mitty" charachters (Walts) about who claim this stuff, it ranges from someone whose closest connection to the forces has been watching Where Eagles Dare on DVD right though to existing services claiming there work is a little more exciting than their current "shelf stacking " duties.

i on the other hand had pretty dull Air Force career, most excitment I had was being on night shift (sleeping!) the night the first gulf war broke out, we only found out when we woke to make the shift tea and toast!!


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

mighTy Tee said:


> I am 48, I was in my late teens during the Falklands war, so I am in agreement with the embellished theories.


my next door neighbours at the time i'm telling about now were an elderley couple joan & arthur adams from cheltenham. lovely old couple. she the bossy sort he the quiet jokey old fella, always pulling my mrs leg over things. i found out over the next couple of years arthur had been a prisoner of war with the japs for nearly 7 years and tortured daily just cos they could.
joan and arthur had two sons steve and paul, steve was army through and through he was in 1 para when falklands was on and took several bullets at goose green. paul was the well spoken well to do sort of guy.

one day our door was banging violently mrs answered, i was on sofa as had been down boozer for sunday lunch. it was joan, tremmbling something was wrong with arthur, i bolted off sofa and next door. he was sat slumped on sofa and i could tell he was having a massive stroke. rang ambulance, undone his collar and tie (always had one on bless him real old school) made him comfortable and tried to keep joan calm while i did my best for art as i called him. he was rushed in and managed to hold on long enough for his sons to get to see him. paul was fairly local but steve was away on manouvers and got flown to cheltenham racecourse in a heli, still had his 9mm browning on him.
next morning this fucking monster of a man knocked my door in tears and said hi gary i'm steve, thanks for trying to help dad but he died early hours of this morning.
we sat had a cuppa and chatted, lovely guy smashing not the sort i had imagined for a trained killer.

day of the funeral all went well, joan stiff upper lip thanked everyone for coming, as if they had been put out!!! at the sisters house abig four story building, mrs and i kept somewhat to ourselves as we were not family. then steve asked me for a word upstairs, bollx had i said or done something wrong!!!!. i followed and was met by three other guys all turned out were in the regiment and i was given a glass, cant recall what is was and they saluted me for being so good to joan and arthur. this is the absolute truth and if you know or knew para 1 back in the falklands then steve adams & ian pring boyhood m8s and then soldiers in para and the regiment. ian was actually dinger in bravo 2 zero, steve by then was an instructor,

sleep well art, love always gary n pat xx


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## Charlie (Dec 15, 2006)

gazzer1964 said:


> mighTy Tee said:
> 
> 
> > I am 48, I was in my late teens during the Falklands war, so I am in agreement with the embellished theories.
> ...


Brought a tear to my eye and no I am not taking the p 

Charlie


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

charli, to watch that man basically dying before me was horrible. even worse were his eyes bud, looking all over in fear at what was happening to him. wells me up everytime i think of him.
joan is now in sheltered accom and still ruling the roost in her late 80s. both sons and grandsons visit her
regularly and bless her she still enjoys the odd slowe gin her fav.


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

Top man gaz very sad though [smiley=bigcry.gif]

But on a slightly different note and this is not a dig at you but have you noticed all them that jumped on the thread and told me my mates story must be bullshit have kept their gobs shut when you are in fact telling your own story. Somehow they feel they mustn't dare doubt you as you were supposedly there, which as I said I am not doubting you one single bit.

Just don't understand why some people have to say their piece when they know fek all about the facts and can only assume :?

I was purely relaying a story that I found quite fascinating and don't have any reason to disbelieve the guy. I had had a few beers and may have got the timing of a few things incorrect when I told it but I didn't put it on a public forum expecting them comments. When I post up a pic of my car I expect good and bad comments but just thought you guys had a bit more heart.


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

TT51 said:


> Top man gaz very sad though [smiley=bigcry.gif]
> 
> But on a slightly different note and this is not a dig at you but have you noticed all them that jumped on the thread and told me my mates story must be bullshit have kept their gobs shut when you are in fact telling your own story. Somehow they feel they mustn't dare doubt you as you were supposedly there, which as I said I am not doubting you one single bit.
> 
> ...


hiya m8,
i can't answer for others only my own views in life, let me be clear on that.
i take everyone at face value on what they tell me and bend over backwards to help folks out even if it costs me a tad more dosh in life (ask charlie and harrismo) i read your story and i didnt reply as some folks had already laid bare there thoughts and some comments in my view were OTT. i wasnt there when you were havin those beers and nor were anyone else that commented i assume? so maybe some dates or times of working history had been wrongly put forward by yourself i dont know but on what you have said i am assuming that bud. 
so my response as it was going to be when i first read it was fuck me, gow can a guy go through so much and just hold it all inside and act like a normal human being. he obviously felt he could confide in you that night, take pleasure in that cos he trusted you with his most inner thoughts and fears. wd for being there for him that night and if it ever happens again do the right thing and be the ear that is required. gazz
ps, sometimes i go overboard and get too heavy and gobby, took charlies pm's to calm me down last time. so sorry to the forum and any members i pissed off in the recent past


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## Charlie (Dec 15, 2006)

TT51 said:


> Top man gaz very sad though [smiley=bigcry.gif]
> 
> But on a slightly different note and this is not a dig at you but have you noticed all them that jumped on the thread and told me my mates story must be bullshit have kept their gobs shut when you are in fact telling your own story. Somehow they feel they mustn't dare doubt you as you were supposedly there, which as I said I am not doubting you one single bit.
> 
> ...


Don't sweat it Nelly - I still luvs ya :-*

Charlie


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## Harvester (Aug 24, 2010)

SteviedTT said:


> Sounds like a load of bull to me mate. The Falklands war was in 1982, if he killed someone in that war at the age of 18 that makes him 15 when he joined the Paras. I don't think so :? And the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster was in 1987. If you work it out from his account, he got out of the army in 1990, deep sea fished for 2 years, worked on the ferries for 7 years till the disaster happened, which would make it 1999. Someones having you on bud :?
> 
> Edit: the Kosovo conflict was in 98/99, when your friend was supposed to be on a ship that sank 11/12 years earlier :?


I think you may be absolutely spot on!!

:wink:


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

Harvester said:


> SteviedTT said:
> 
> 
> > Sounds like a load of bull to me mate. The Falklands war was in 1982, if he killed someone in that war at the age of 18 that makes him 15 when he joined the Paras. I don't think so :? And the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster was in 1987. If you work it out from his account, he got out of the army in 1990, deep sea fished for 2 years, worked on the ferries for 7 years till the disaster happened, which would make it 1999. Someones having you on bud :?
> ...


Go back and read my original post properly you might work out that this was someone else, actually a very good freind of mine who was in Kosovo and not the so-called bullshitter :wink:


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

gazzer1964 said:


> TT51 said:
> 
> 
> > Top man gaz very sad though [smiley=bigcry.gif]
> ...


Fair comments buddy.

Ps I have found your sarcasm in some threads very entertaining especially when they are aimed at Charlie alias beard boy :lol:

Neil.....


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

Moi sarcastic?? dunno what ya mean lol


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## SteviedTT (Apr 10, 2009)

TT51 said:


> Harvester said:
> 
> 
> > SteviedTT said:
> ...


WTF You said yourself that history isn't your strong point, I was merely pointing out the inconsistencies in your mates story. Unless the guy, or yourself , were absolutely blotto, nobody could get the dates that wrong :? I didn't mean any offence, I was merely pointing out the facts. The worlds full of bullshitters mate and when you find out that you've met one, no appology will be necessary.


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## Charlie (Dec 15, 2006)

TT51 said:


> Ps I have found your sarcasm in some threads very entertaining especially when they are aimed at Charlie alias beard boy :lol:
> 
> Neil.....


 I feel very ganged up upon and may cry :lol: :lol: :lol:



gazzer1964 said:


> ps, sometimes i go overboard and get too heavy and gobby, took charlies pm's to calm me down last time. so sorry to the forum and any members i pissed off in the recent past


I didn't want to see you getting yourself banned buddy, that's the only reason I stepped in so to speak  the forum needs as much humour/banter as it can get 

Charlie


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

good man charlie, despite what the rest of em say in pm's to me about u bud. i for one dont believe for one second u had a sex change and am now called charlene. (big hugs bud)
diff note yes i do get a tad head strong when someone basically calls me aliar in pm's to cetain peeps, but thats over i made my case and have now dropped it 8)


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

SteviedTT said:


> TT51 said:
> 
> 
> > Go back and read my original post properly you might work out that this was someone else, actually a very good freind of mine who was in Kosovo and not the so-called bullshitter :wink:
> ...


No offence taken mate. And yes I was quite merry not blotto but I have the memory of a goldfish :lol:

I will endeavor to get my facts 100% correct next time I tell someone else's story. I may even get the chance to chat to this guy again and make sure I get hard evidence before I post again :wink:


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

ways of saying things and ways of saying things fellas.........hmmm my personal view is that was the wrong way, critisice in pm but not open forum unless its joking about. as i said i wasnt there and tbh dont know either way as i said but i take all at face value and until proved wrong in life wont question it....
either way lets all be friends and look forward to someone else droppin a foot up on a topic and rippin the piss out of em


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## SteviedTT (Apr 10, 2009)

I appologise if I came over a bit strong, all friends


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

SteviedTT said:


> I appologise if I came over a bit strong, all friends


stevied..........top man for saying that (passes an ice cold nice cold beer)


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## TT51 (Feb 28, 2009)

SteviedTT said:


> I appologise if I came over a bit strong, all friends


No apology needed really mate I never spat my dummy but accepted anyway. Fair play so onwards and upwards


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## Gazzer (Jun 12, 2010)

TT51 said:


> SteviedTT said:
> 
> 
> > I appologise if I came over a bit strong, all friends
> ...


coffff fellas costin me on beers now (passes another ice cold nice cold beer)


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## Ex Para (Jun 30, 2018)

TT51 said:


> Don't know where to start with this but here goes....
> 
> I'm friends with a guy from a working mans club over the road from me. I'd put him at late 40's. I know him by his first name only and have always had time to chat with him over the last couple of years and more recently took the kids to his farm (which is just a little sideline to his building business) to choose a couple of chickens for our garden - just for the eggs I couldn't eat one once its had enough!!!
> 
> ...


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## Ex Para (Jun 30, 2018)

Just stumbled across this whilst researching something else.

Sadly this guy is a bullshitter. His first big mistake was that he said One Para did the business in the Falklands. I'm pretty sure that they were doing public duties in Scotland at the time and it was Two and Three Para who deployed to the Falklands and definitely not One Para who were mercilessly ripped for years after.

One Para did in deed deploy to Kosovo but the guy claims to be ex Two Para so would not have gone as he should have been in Northern Ireland with the rest of the battalion.



TT51 said:


> Don't know where to start with this but here goes....
> 
> I'm friends with a guy from a working mans club over the road from me. I'd put him at late 40's. I know him by his first name only and have always had time to chat with him over the last couple of years and more recently took the kids to his farm (which is just a little sideline to his building business) to choose a couple of chickens for our garden - just for the eggs I couldn't eat one once its had enough!!!
> 
> ...


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## Ex Para (Jun 30, 2018)

Just stumbled across this whilst researching something else.

Sadly this guy is a bullshitter. His first big mistake was that he said One Para did the business in the Falklands. I'm pretty sure that they were doing public duties in Scotland at the time and it was Two and Three Para who deployed to the Falklands and definitely not One Para who were mercilessly ripped for years after.

One Para did in deed deploy to Kosovo but the guy claims to be ex Two Para so would not have gone as he should have been in Northern Ireland with the rest of the battalion.



TT51 said:


> Don't know where to start with this but here goes....
> 
> I'm friends with a guy from a working mans club over the road from me. I'd put him at late 40's. I know him by his first name only and have always had time to chat with him over the last couple of years and more recently took the kids to his farm (which is just a little sideline to his building business) to choose a couple of chickens for our garden - just for the eggs I couldn't eat one once its had enough!!!
> 
> ...


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## Shug750S (Feb 6, 2012)

Not quite the same but similar outcome.

Had a work colleague from the US over on business and one of the lads out with us was a terrific BS artist; been there / done that, always trumping everyone else's story. He was in the territorial army and had just done his first couple of parachute jumps, although we all thought he'd paid for a private lesson strapped to someone else.

Went on for ages about prepping the kit, leaping from the plane, all Rambo like, went on and on, and on and on..

I sat there waiting for the end, sitting next to the yank in his late 40s, who I knew was a colonel in the national guard, and had been on various deployments over the years, and kept disappearing for 12 months every 4 years or so, plus had a months holiday in one go every year for training.

At the end the yank all politely as people who have been there often do, said that sounds interesting and then told him he 
had over 80 jumps and had done the airborne and ranger training courses...

Enough said :lol:


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