This painting is taken from an original photograph, and if memory serves, the artist was somewhat 'liberal' with his interpretation of the details, although the positioning of the main characters is correct; alas that didn't translate to the longs being depicted.
To the right of the painting (of the two men standing facing those seated, he is the one with the dark hair) is former 22 RSM Peter Ratcliffe. If you've ever read his book, 'In the Eye of the Storm', he's quite disparaging about both 'McNab' and 'Ryan' and asks the very plaintive question: "If their stories about B20 were true, how come they never mentioned them at the time or in the after-action debrief? I was in-country with them during their time in Iraq and a lot of what has subsequently come out in print was never mentioned either then, or back at the Hereford debrief..."
Oh, by the way, this group shot of the Sgt's Mess Meeting was put together so that they could have a Chinese Parliament over the redecoration and colour-scheme of the Mess back in Hereford. Gotta love that, in the middle of a war!
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I remember many years ago, asking you all what your thoughts were on Ratcliffs book before I read it. If I remember correctly " Tommy" said something along the lines of... Read it and make up your own mind.
My thoughts are
McNab and Ryan, both as trained SF chaps should of done better.
McNab made lots of basic errors, and was a stubbon fool, however, what he and the rest of the Patrol went though, was harsh, and cruel, but thats war, and you know the risks when you get sworn in.
As for Ryan, even if he did nothing but walk for a few days, he still covered lots of ground behind enemy lines, while alone and deserves credit for that.
I am just greatfull, that this country has the worlds leading Special Forces, I'm sure just by the very fact we have the best, deters a lot of would be agressors to this fine county I live in.
I have seen Ratcliff interviewed several times, and I feel his writting of the book was not so much a big chq adventure, it was more a, don't believe all the bollox you have read about B20 exercise.
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If you've not already done so, grab yourself a copy of 'Victor Two', by 'Peter Crossland'.
This call-sign's (successful) mission was to dispose of various comms stations (towers, fibre-optics, RADAR etc.) Things looked like they might be 'wobbling' at one stage and Ratcliffe (as RSM) actually came out on op's (not the usual form) with Crossland's column and 'licked them into shape'.
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You may remember that the QMS for 22's deployment to theatre was a tad, ahem, 'could have been better'.
D Sqn got all the Browning Highpower 9mm's (when B Sqn needed them for their foot patrols, but there were none left), radio and secure comms frequencies were non-existent etc.
It may be the case that some of the troopers, when it came to drawing their longs from QMS, were faced with having only SA-80s left.
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Hi Tommy.
I guess that could be the reason although I would have thought that there would have been enough M16/60 to go round.
I remember being issued with blanks once in Borneo when an Indonesian patrol was thought to be close to our base camp. We were short of 7.62 ball at the time. Happy to say we didn't need them.
Back to the books I have read both of P Ratcliffe' books and out of all that I have read on Gulf 1 I would give his 2 most credence.
Faugh-a-ballagh
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If you're after a version of events which is not completely uncritical of the B20 fiasco (and without it coming across as having an axe to grind), and you've not yet read Mike Coburn's 'Soldier Five', grab a bag of it mate. I hold this above both 'Ryan's' and 'McNab's' sorry accounts - whilst taking nothing away from 'Ryan's' effort in tabbing all the way out on his Jack.
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I'd Agree with Tom, Coburns Book is the better of the four, if you count M Asher book aswell. Ratcliffs book is good also, so is DLB "Dirty Lying Bastard"
Victor two was a dodgy mission but thelads pulled it off....and as you said before an Officer was a little hesetent, so was told to step onto the tail gate foxtrot oscar....Terry C oterwise know as Yorkie is now Director of Training at Armor Group... After working with Barrie Davies on a few projects
this must be a right money maker...
Take a look here
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I was watching a re run of the Programme SAS down under and there was a corridor in the NZSAS HQ with a number of pictures of where NZSAS have served. One of the pictures was of the 22SAS mess meeting at Wadi Tubal.
This is the first time that I have heard of NZSAS being involved in the first Gulf workout.
Faugh-a-ballagh
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OC, there are permanent secondments and exchanges between Hereford, Papakura & Swanborne. Have been for a long while. Names like 'Kangers' (for teh Aussies) and 'Kiwi' for, well, the Kiwis, are common at Credenhill. Not uncommon for there to be yearly exchanges between Delta and a few SEALs knocking round too.
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