55th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF PLAMAN MAPU

[Gil Boyd]

I launched this in 2015 but today is a special day for the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment of which I was a member. Two of our Battalion died on this day in 1965 and are always remembered albeit they are buried in a graveyard "Forever England" Kranji Military Cemetery, Singapore.

It iwas a special day, so much so that Field Marshall Lord Carver said at the time "This battle is on par with the battle of Rourkes Drift in the Zulu War of 1879"

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Password: Paras

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[Flying10uk]

It speaks volumes that the veterans are welcomed back by the locals, with open arms, after 50 years.

[Gil Boyd]

Before the virus hit, the Parachute Regiment training cadre at the Jungle Warfare School in Brunei called back and had the same welcome as we got. The monument is cared for by the villagers and the plaque was in really good condition.

[Gil Boyd]

Its amazing how the jungle climate takes its toll on concrete after five years but the acylic plaque which was tested up to 150 degrees fairs well for the future!

[browningautorifle]

I watched the piece on that. The area after was covered in cartridge brass and mortar safety caps wasn't it? They'd fired hundreds of mortar rounds...

[Gil Boyd]

Here you go Jim,
Loads of what we found when we were there. Thousands of empty cases and everything else, mortars etc
Frightening how dangerous some were even today, but as it is owned and only access by the owner and noone else he feels it should be left as it was, there is literally thousands of empty cases still laying on the surface!!
The headman also found a dog tag in really good condition from one of the lads who fought there!

[browningautorifle]

a dog tag

Send a message to him and ask where his dogtags are... Nice looking two inch. Nothing quite as sketchy as a blind mortar bomb in my thoughts.

[mrclark303]

It was good to watch it again Gil, it was an incredible achievement without any doubt.

I doubt any of them would have survived had the Indonesians managed to overran their position.

The maroon machine certainly gave them a bloody good hiding!

[Gil Boyd]

Sergeant Major "Patch" Williams held the men together with a couple of good NCO;s in each area which is what saved he day.
Should've had a good kicking from 400 specially trained men who came in heavy rain, but sadly it was the arrogance of moving in such a large force that they made so much noise they were detected.
On top of that, the jungle had been cut back a further 50 metres, and punji poles and traps were laid as well as Claymores and other nice stuff to surprise them, after a recce had been done, so they were up against it.
They thought there were less then 36 in camp. During the attack. even the cook used a 2" mortar for the first time to put up PARA Illum Flares but once he had his arsed kicked for sending them in the wrong direction being blown away from the hill, he sooned learned how to send up flares correctly