Weapons and ammunition are stored separately, well away from each other. There were no weekends off on a short tour, and beer was limited to two cans per man, per day, if at all.
@@John_Wood_ On my first tour, South Armagh 1988, at our location we worked a four week cycle. A week on rural patrols, followed by a week on urban patrols and working with the RUC (cops). Another week on rurals and then a week on camp guard. A rural patrol could last a matter of hours or 3-4 days. If out for a number of days we would receive resupply by helicopter. Sometimes we would walk out/in, sometimes flown out/in by helicopter. Urban patrols took as long as they took but we generally got to our beds each night. Guard was hated and was harder work than it might seem. 24 hours on, twelve hours off. During off time we also did cookhouse fatigues. On time was stag in the sangar, basically an armoured guardtower, and manning a front barrier. Also, as our helipad was not actually inside the camp, we also had to secure it every time a helicopter came in regardless of the time of day. Change over times were mid-day and midnight. So if we came off at mid-day, we were back on at midnight. The change over for the weekly cycle was Thursday. We might get an admin day once every week or so to sort out kit etc, but not always. That was my first tour, the two after that were emergency tours so we had no set programme, we just moved as needed.
@@John_Wood_ The what? Those things might have existed at Bessbrook Mill as that was Battalion HQ, but not at Company locations. At our location was a telly room and a small NAAFI shop was completed about halfway through the tour. Each four man room also had a telly. Hard work but back then it was the only real soldiering that we could do as infantry. I also went to Bosnia and Iraq, equally hard work but very different to NI.
I worked for the naafi in bessbrook barracks before and during the closer, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I really miss it. It's amazing to see inside the mill again 😊
Admittedly my visits to Bessbrook were in and out affairs. Newtownhamilton and Forkhill was where I spent most of my days out there. So much more to it than meets the eye.
Was there 1998-2000. It wasn’t a great experience. Went out conducting a lot of vehicle check points (Eagle VCP’s dropped off by helicopter) and many foot patrols. People there always happy and accommodating to see us. (Not) Life there at the time was an existence, most of us couldn’t wait to get out of there and rotate back to Palace Barracks, Belfast. You’d spend an average of a month there every 3 months and a resident tour of NI at that time was 2 years. Crossmaglen and forkhill were also turd holes. Spent too much time there too
This is awesome, thankyou very much for exploring and sharing this. If you do happen to go back can you possibly film around the pads where the helicopter's flew in and out of, the Sergeant's Mess area and the old Cinema areas please
Great to see the smut is still all over the boys rooms. No doubt all that’s stopped nowadays. I had a mate who had so much porn stacked under his bed the legs didn’t touch the ground! Absolutely brilliant memories!
A few incorrect parts of your dialogue. I served in Bessbrook Mill from January to July 1991. I had only turned 18 in November 1990. I have a lot of recollections about my time at The Mill that is be happy to share.
Yep, we only hear the brave say it. The fuckers are back again. Camera's abound, drones being cunts and keeping ya kids awake. Still its the same but different. As Bobby said, do your worst.
Lets just hope the barracks doesnt get dismantled, rebuilt with fancy homes then given away to syrian or somolian refugees although that is almost certain to happen
We didn't 'flee' from anywhere. And if you lot didn't kill each other because you go to different churches, we wouldn't have been there in the first place.
Weapons and ammunition are stored separately, well away from each other. There were no weekends off on a short tour, and beer was limited to two cans per man, per day, if at all.
what would a typical timetable be for a week?
@@John_Wood_ On my first tour, South Armagh 1988, at our location we worked a four week cycle. A week on rural patrols, followed by a week on urban patrols and working with the RUC (cops). Another week on rurals and then a week on camp guard. A rural patrol could last a matter of hours or 3-4 days. If out for a number of days we would receive resupply by helicopter. Sometimes we would walk out/in, sometimes flown out/in by helicopter. Urban patrols took as long as they took but we generally got to our beds each night. Guard was hated and was harder work than it might seem. 24 hours on, twelve hours off. During off time we also did cookhouse fatigues. On time was stag in the sangar, basically an armoured guardtower, and manning a front barrier. Also, as our helipad was not actually inside the camp, we also had to secure it every time a helicopter came in regardless of the time of day. Change over times were mid-day and midnight. So if we came off at mid-day, we were back on at midnight. The change over for the weekly cycle was Thursday. We might get an admin day once every week or so to sort out kit etc, but not always. That was my first tour, the two after that were emergency tours so we had no set programme, we just moved as needed.
@@jimmyjohnson7027 Hard enough slog, not much time for the cinema, squash court or bar!
@@John_Wood_ The what? Those things might have existed at Bessbrook Mill as that was Battalion HQ, but not at Company locations. At our location was a telly room and a small NAAFI shop was completed about halfway through the tour. Each four man room also had a telly. Hard work but back then it was the only real soldiering that we could do as infantry. I also went to Bosnia and Iraq, equally hard work but very different to NI.
@@John_Wood_is he on a Ibiza hotel video all inclusive
Very interesting, would love a longer video of this
I worked for the naafi in bessbrook barracks before and during the closer, it was one of the best experiences of my life. I really miss it. It's amazing to see inside the mill again 😊
Admittedly my visits to Bessbrook were in and out affairs. Newtownhamilton and Forkhill was where I spent most of my days out there.
So much more to it than meets the eye.
Brilliant, used to travel from Belfast to Bessbrook every week for navy intel.
I grew up in Bessbrook, glad I can find out what it looks like inside😊
Was there 1998-2000. It wasn’t a great experience. Went out conducting a lot of vehicle check points (Eagle VCP’s dropped off by helicopter) and many foot patrols.
People there always happy and accommodating to see us. (Not)
Life there at the time was an existence, most of us couldn’t wait to get out of there and rotate back to Palace Barracks, Belfast. You’d spend an average of a month there every 3 months and a resident tour of NI at that time was 2 years.
Crossmaglen and forkhill were also turd holes. Spent too much time there too
Amazing video
This is awesome, thankyou very much for exploring and sharing this. If you do happen to go back can you possibly film around the pads where the helicopter's flew in and out of, the Sergeant's Mess area and the old Cinema areas please
been there, sad days really
Great to see the smut is still all over the boys rooms.
No doubt all that’s stopped nowadays.
I had a mate who had so much porn stacked under his bed the legs didn’t touch the ground!
Absolutely brilliant memories!
A few incorrect parts of your dialogue.
I served in Bessbrook Mill from January to July 1991. I had only turned 18 in November 1990.
I have a lot of recollections about my time at The Mill that is be happy to share.
There a sauna?? Must have been in the officers mess
3000 troops wtf ?! Lol
That’s wrong. 600 max
Needs totally demolished.
Couldn’t be 3000 surly I spent months there with 1 para and was no way 3000
Why do you call it Abandoned NI
Because she films abandoned places in Northern Ireland. ( N I )
Yep, we only hear the brave say it. The fuckers are back again. Camera's abound, drones being cunts and keeping ya kids awake. Still its the same but different. As Bobby said, do your worst.
Because the Brits got trotted out.
@@NiSiochainGanSaoirse Brits out ! Africans in ! 😂😂😂
Lets just hope the barracks doesnt get dismantled, rebuilt with fancy homes then given away to syrian or somolian refugees although that is almost certain to happen
The Britts didn't abandon it, they fled from it.
You know what THEY say,
'we haven't gone away, you know'
Northern Ireland still British, you raging aye
We didn't 'flee' from anywhere. And if you lot didn't kill each other because you go to different churches, we wouldn't have been there in the first place.
Brits out 🥴
@@Bptl1234 still here and going nowhere
@@jdfiend are ye aye? Dead on!
Spell it right and you might have some credibility