I would certainly not call the British responding force small. The supporting naval and air assets required a huge amount of support personnel, and are honestly what made some of the largest difference
@@colinharbinson8284UN forces are not legally allowed to engage the enemy. This is why a lot of the missions are fails, they are humanitarian missions with armed soldiers led by civilians not a military peacekeeping missions lead by military personnel.
@@neildavid10 That's not true, from the UN website: "Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate UN peacekeeping operations are not an enforcement tool. However, they may use force at the tactical level, with the authorization of the Security Council, if acting in self-defence and defence of the mandate.". The main problem comes down to the calibre of troops that countries use for the UN; it's never top tier, but lower echelon soldier's with little to no training, basically conscripts. And governments do not want to see their soldiers being killed under the UN banner, as it will cause backlash within the country of the soldiers; see the 24 Pakistani soldiers were ambushed and killed while inspecting a weapons-storage facility in Somalia, the Pakistani government took a huge amount of criticism within their own country. So, most UN soldiers will hold back and not engage due to either incompetence at the local level, or cowardice at the national level, or that the UN mandate is muddied and nonsensical, so, no one knows what the hell they are doing there.
Massively underrated and appreciated channel. Amazing commentary, animations, and almost impossibly specific/accurate details minute by minute. Thank you so much for posting these videos.
I read about Lunghi Loi in a book about the Pathfinders. It again showed how well the British Army can do it's job under the most demanding circumstances with limited resources.
The UN intervention would have been a good idea. If the UN wasn't completely useless. I thought it was also pretty stupid that the UN also condemned Siera Leone for employing Executive Solutions to come and kick the RUF's arses. When the UN hadn't yet intervened, and when they did their performance was absolutely no substitute for the South African mercenaries.
Yeah of course. And if they are not deployed with sufficient force they can't even defend themselves. Hence the 17 dead peacekeepers and the captured ones before the British intervention. I don't have a problem with the peacekeepers themselves, but the UN ought to have sent more forces and given them parameter to defend the communities they were stationed in. Otherwise they're just there observe horrific things being done to the locals, which I'd wish on no-one.
The UN only started caring when special interests were being threatened by the fall of the capitol, till then they seemed content on looking to be doing something while letting the "rebels" terrorize innocent civilians
The amount of restrictions given to the UN peacekeepers always ruin their effectiveness. The problem is that UN top brass is ran by bureaucrats who know nothing about warfighting.
@@rileyernst9086 I agree. I served as a peacekeeper in Lebanon in 1989, with the Norwegian contigent, but we had little trouble. During 20 years, Norway lost 21 casualties, most to accidents. In total, Norway has participated in about 100 missions, in about 40 countries, since WWII. Around 120 000 have served, whith a loss of 200. Unfortunately many suffer from PTSD. Still, most of us feel we made a difference....
Unfortunately, our leaders are the only enemy we can't beat. The British armed forces have taken a huge dive in quality for diversity, inclusivty, and equity. We have at least 10% female soldiers who in combat are fucking useless. Imagine a 18 year old woman with 100 lbs of kit clearing a trench? It's not going to happen. If women can't compete against men in sport, how do they compete in war?
@fedyno4reviews well you fed us to the Japanese while were fighting your war, then made us all apply for visas to be able to return in favour of the EU, 3 generations of my family fought in British conflicts and i cant even visit for over 90 days without good reason.
Pathfinder Platoon’s effort in holding and fending off Lungi Lolfrom the RFU was really impressive. What was not mentioned here was that the 26 Pathfinders were under equipped, under strength and not enough Ammon because they had just arrived a few days prior and quarmasters were still sorting out supplies at the airport. Steve Heaney in his book mentioned that when contact was made with RFU, he requested reinforcement from HQ. A Chinook arrived the next day with only an officer onboard. When Steve and his CO saw only 1 guy disembarking from the Chinook, they went into a rage and anger because that officer was sent on a fact finding mission. Needless to say that officer got F by them for coming empty handed. They felt abandoned by the HQ. After that 9 mortar men from the Royal Artillery were sent to reinforce the Pathfinders. With the long range and heavy weapons of the RA, that proved decisive in the battle with RUF.
Not quite accurate. C Coy were on the ground reinforcing the PF by about 0700. The company extracted that evening after the rebels had withdrawn / been defeated. C Coy were back out the following day and stayed for 5 or 6 days. I was there on both occasions as part of a medical team. Most surreal was the arrival of a RMP SIB team to assess if the rebels were killed legally.
@@barryalexander2909 Thanks for sharing your experience. Just read the book again, and indeed C Coy was sent to reinforce. In the book, it was mentioned Major Bob Bryant led the C Coy. Probably not his real name but his character in the book was quite bossy and he tried to pull rank on the PF. There was also a RM Capt who was sent before the C Coy’s arrival where the RM was planned to take over from the PF afterwards
The Brits conducted themselves and their operations *impeccably* in SL - shout out to the lads and ladies involved in this often overshadowed deployment ❤🙏🏻🇬🇧
There is a book called Operation Mayhem about the Pathfinders in Lungi Lol. An Operation Certain Death, when the Sas/Paras attacked the West SIde Boys in Sierra Leone to rescue British soliders. Both are great books.
@@DONK8118 The book sounds as though there was a bit more going on than described. Not knocking this channel as it's great but perhaps the MOD should stop preening themselves and let British troops be acknowledged for what they face and what they do. Mirbat comes to mind . Many thanks for your mate for his service. I hope he is ok.
FYI Operation Certain Death was the planned mission to land SAS troops in Argentina during the Falklands War. The one in Sierra Leone you are referring to is called Operation Barras 😊
The proposed operation in the Falklands was Operation Mikado. There was no "Operation Certain Death"; that's not how operations are named. Will Fowler wrote a book for Osprey Publishing titled "Certain Death in Sierra Leone: The SAS and Operation Barras 2000" That's probably where the confusion is coming from.
Follow up on this with Op Silkman next please. Especially covering II Sqn RAF Regt only Operational jump this century and last since Suez. Followed by Barras.
My experience of UN peace keepers in the former Yugoslavia supplied by third world countries was similar….Malaysia and Nigeria spring to mind. Quite simply they wouldn’t soldier or even leave their barracks. Utterly useless….🇬🇧
It takes a special kind of liberal to demonise the ones ready to risk their lives to help others who by their own corruption and incompetence have managed to turn independence into a living hell.
If you haven't seen it already watch, The Pathfinders: Jungle Battle in Sierra Leone | TEA & MEDALS it's a 45 minute interview that goes into great detail about lungi lol
the thing is operation kukri lead by the indian forces was the one that led to operation pallister because after operation kukri did india set the stage that direct action needed to be taken against these rebels if yall dont know operation kukri was an indian special forces mission to rescue i think 400 indian UN troops and bring them back to india
India did Op Khukri going against UN mandate. Jaitley was as much angry at UN headquarters as much he was at RUF. No wonder after Sierra Leone Indian peacekeepers were given much more autonomy in places like South Sudan, causing to things like Bloody Christmas battle in 2013
Interestingly, The Para's captured a couple of L1A1 Rifles, and took them home as trophies. When they looked up the serial numbers, they were surprised to discover that some of them were used by the Regiment on "Bloody Sunday". Worryingly, these rifles were meant to be held in embargo at Donnington as part of the criminal inquiry into events that day.
I heard several times about the Barras operation...a difficult and very complicated operation.Great respect to the services that successfully completed the operation...great respect from 🇵🇱🕊️🤝
Great no nonsense video on the British intervention that saved Sierra Leone from becoming another Somalia. On another note, will you do a video on another event that occurred in Sierra Leone involving the British military and a certain group called the West Side Boys? (Hint: Operation Barras)
The odd thing about this is that I recently went into contract to buy a house in Sierra Leone. I knew that once there was a Civil War. But I didn't know the extent of the war. Too I am adopting a son who is in Sierra Leone.
A decent summary but you omit a significant chunk of some.of the most interesting aspects leading up to and of OP PALLISER itself. This includes the 4 day escape and evasion from RUF captivity by Royal Marines Major Phil Ashby who had been a UN Observer. Then subsequent tasks conducted by the Amphibious Readiness Group who set about conducting an urgent Non Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) before reconfiguring into a warfighting role, conducting foot, vehicle and boat patrols against the RUF. The ARG was led by Captain Scot Lidbetter RN (Captain of HMS Ocean) and Lt Col Andy Salmon RM ( CO 42 Commando Royal Marines). I happened to be one of 2 Royal Marines Officers leading 4 day boat patrols with 9 ASRM and 42 Cdo against the rebels. I also commanded the first ARG mission, to find a channel up the Sierra Leone river in order to get HMS Chatham at least 5km upriver, bringing 42 Cdo Recce Troop under the protection of naval gunfire support. Major Phil Ashby joined me on that mission fresh off his r day E&E. I hope this fills in some gaps.
Fantastic video as always. Once again and unfortunate example of a UN deployment being nothing more than a paper tiger. I spent some time working with and being around a lot of UN admin/policy types in Africa as a pilot on contract. I'm convinced they only worked for the UN because they couldn't get a job as a barista or bartender.
If you want to know more about the battle at Lungi Lol, there’s a great interview with the Pathfinder’s Platoon Sergeant Steve Heaney MC on the Tea & Medals podcast.
There is an excellent podcast called "Tea & Medals" that did an episode about the contact at Longi Lol that interviews Brig. David Richards and the infantry on the ground
There is a great interview with the CO of the pathfinders detailing the conflict on the ground. The Pathfinders: Jungle Battle in Sierra Leone | TEA & MEDALS is the name of it, it's a great channel with some interviews with some very interesting people and I highly recommended it
Slight problem. The Airport layout at the time of the civil war did not look like that shown. The northern 'Terminal' shown did not exist. The terminal then in existence is on the other, southern opposite side, of the runway - the apron can be seen as what looks like a three legged table. Those 'legs' are the taxiways onto the apron.
Interesting how the SAS was deployed but nothing was heard about their (obviously successful) operations. Contrast with if SEALs had been deployed. There'd be 20 books written about their operations. 😂
Except there are how many SAS's programs around the world? Also, at least one of the groups like SAS in the United States, says they just copied the SAS.
@@bbbb98765 so you missed the part where it took the British having to send manpower out to the UN to organize them and get them motivated to actually do what they were they were there in the first place to do... Selective hearing I take it...?
@@ca9968 Nope. Caught it. Obviously. What you haven't clicked onto yet is that that is exactly why Kofi Anan asked the Brits et al to go in and beef it up. And it worked. Because the UN played it cleverly. All clear now? I can dumb it down if necessary, and I fear it might be
Do one for the 1st battalion paratroops at Djebel Alliliga Feb 1943,described as some of the toughest they faced. The Fallschirmjäger they faced called them the red devils ( their nickname to this day).
Once again a failure by UN forces, many people do not realise the countries that provide these troops are very well paid for their role. If they cannot do the job they should not be paid and replaced asap.
@@dragonstormdipro1013 It's not "upper management" it's "senior officers" and a lack of leadership. As they say "management is knowing what needs to be done but leadership is getting it done".
@@johnallen7807 No, the upper political management is to blame for UN failures. For example, in Sierra Leone itself the military head of UNAMSIL was Maj Gen VK Jaitley. He was a capable officer who helped India win Kargil War. But in SL he was utterly frustrated because his troops only had the permission to accept the surrender of rebels by UN management in NY. These resulted in 223 Indian Gorkha troops being surrounded by RUF. Jaitley had enough by this point to start Operation Khukri going against UN Mandate.
@@johnallen7807 He did ultimately. He was also dealing with Cancer by 2000. However before retiring he also almost threatened UN to never send Indian peacekeepers ever again if they weren’t given more autonomy on field. This resulted in peacekeepers gaining more autonomy in subsequent UN missions. Read about Indian UN operations in South Sudans in 2013 and you will see marked improvement.
Yep just dont even get involved with their 'peacekeeping' sht. Getting involved with that just means helping the scummiest elements involved in these conflicts do their killjng and ethnic cleansing with less trouble. The UN gave the bosnian serbs fuel for the busses which transported the 10,000 murdered men and boys in Srebrenica and refused to give the dutch air support. NATO getting involved with balls changed that conflict in days.
nice one mate. The brits as usual show the way to go. The UN worldwide everywhere they deploy and operate are a complete waste of rations. And always have been so. Maroon machine at its best rapid deployment and getting the job done.
This hardly touch's on the true story of Lungi Lol. 26 Pathfinders 1 Royal Marine a platoon of UN Nigerian troops with very little ammunition and the unarmed villagers against an estimated 2000 rebels. Only illum rounds for the mortars, no claymores, there wasn't even a QRF available, read Operation Mayhem by Steve Heaney MC and Damien Lewis
YOU DIDN'T MENTION THE NAME OF INDIAN PARA SF BUT YOUR ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT SOLDIERS WERE RESCUED BY THE INDIAN SPECIAL FORCES DURING OPERATION KHUKRKI.............
My go to military channel, hands down. It's hard not to grow cynical when you think of the amount of logistics and infrastructure left behind by the colonial powers after independence, in addition to the trillions of dollars in foreign aid as well as refugee assistance. All wasted to the point the new independent nations have to beg their former colonial rulers to step in and sort out the mess it was allowed to turn in to.
They left behind only logistics fit for resource extraction and for a few to get rich, and everyone else to be poor. Almost all of the nations were also designed to be top down in government, ruled by paranoid minorities, as they were easy to control. Every single dollar's worth that is embezzled and sent overseas, for decades and decades, was stored in Swiss bank accounts. When the American Revolution happened, they already had a government in place and the leadership were not prevented from basically getting PhDs. The colonies meanwhile, were given no examples of government except corrupt dictatorships and almost all of them were banned from being educated. Some areas people were shot for learning to read. The countries that are doing well now, were doing better. South America was treated better, as so many Natives were killed, that the population ended up being about 50% European. North America was settled by Europeans, who weren't butchered or oppressed. Africa got the worst of it and faired the worst too. - To this day it is rather common for the children of abusers to become abusers or to become chronically depressed and waste away. Lots of dictators were beaten by their fathers and grew up in intense poverty. Africa was not setup for success.
@@Seth9809 I don't disagree with a single word of your reply. Despite all that, it is still hard not to feel cynical about Africa in comparison with Australia, India, Canada, USA and a select few of the Middle Eastern countries.
@@Seth9809 You should watch the chinese documentary "Empire of dust" even the Chinese agreed that the Africans fucked up after the colonial powers left and they have only themselfs to blame. It's all so tiresome.
@@nartin2222 Except mainland Chinese are famous for how racist they are. They hate people who are almost identical to them. They don't even have different cultures really either.
@@nartin2222 It's also bullshit, as there is literally a correlation to how good conditions are and how much people are allowed to succeed, and the performance of African people. For example, Ethiopia was far above average in how it performed, compared to most other nations in the area. There is also a significant list of exceptional leaders produced in Africa....and they were all assassinated by colonial powers, the USSR, the CIA, ect ect. Zimbabwe also is way worse than all it's neighboors, with the only major difference between it and them, is it started with a stronger economy, but also no leaders who had education or any examples of leadership besides the Apartied.
It was a mercenaries unit : Guns for hire S.A.S , Legionnaires, American marines rodesians about 120 men This men stopped 3000 guerillas who want to captured the capital
It was ecomog forces led by Nigeria that stabilized Sierra Leone not the British, British want to steal ecomog forces glory through false intervention in that country
490 UN peace keepers taken prisoner? What? The problem here is not UN policy but competency and dedication. 490 is unthinkable in most other conflicts of this scale
If you have spent any time around British Paras you will get that they are less Hollywood and more Sid Vicious. Basically, short mad and very bad to know, lol
France was present in Sierra Leone rebel war in the form of Guinea Conakry military to protect people like me,ya'll see I am a rebel too . I'm a French too . I'm French -American. Although I was also supporting the rebels too
Always fascinating seeing the impact a small professional force can have in these 'low-intensity' conflicts with rebels and poorly trained militias.
I would certainly not call the British responding force small. The supporting naval and air assets required a huge amount of support personnel, and are honestly what made some of the largest difference
@@mezzanoon And the fact that their soldiers were willing to engage the enemy, unlike the UN forces who had the same or indeed more resources.
Laughs in executive outcomes
@@colinharbinson8284UN forces are not legally allowed to engage the enemy. This is why a lot of the missions are fails, they are humanitarian missions with armed soldiers led by civilians not a military peacekeeping missions lead by military personnel.
@@neildavid10 That's not true, from the UN website: "Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate
UN peacekeeping operations are not an enforcement tool. However, they may use force at the tactical level, with the authorization of the Security Council, if acting in self-defence and defence of the mandate.". The main problem comes down to the calibre of troops that countries use for the UN; it's never top tier, but lower echelon soldier's with little to no training, basically conscripts. And governments do not want to see their soldiers being killed under the UN banner, as it will cause backlash within the country of the soldiers; see the 24 Pakistani soldiers were ambushed and killed while inspecting a weapons-storage facility in Somalia, the Pakistani government took a huge amount of criticism within their own country. So, most UN soldiers will hold back and not engage due to either incompetence at the local level, or cowardice at the national level, or that the UN mandate is muddied and nonsensical, so, no one knows what the hell they are doing there.
I was on this operation.
I'm really proud of what we did there to help those people.
Massively underrated and appreciated channel. Amazing commentary, animations, and almost impossibly specific/accurate details minute by minute. Thank you so much for posting these videos.
This is by far my favorite channel.
Well said. The attention to detail is fantastic 👌
I read about Lunghi Loi in a book about the Pathfinders. It again showed how well the British Army can do it's job under the most demanding circumstances with limited resources.
Best book I’ve ever read
Can any of you remember the name of the book ?
Lol, limited resources? That must be not a UK
@@52wy .
The UN intervention would have been a good idea. If the UN wasn't completely useless.
I thought it was also pretty stupid that the UN also condemned Siera Leone for employing Executive Solutions to come and kick the RUF's arses. When the UN hadn't yet intervened, and when they did their performance was absolutely no substitute for the South African mercenaries.
The problem is what mandate is given. Peacekeeping is just that, being neutral observers, only allowed to defend themselves....
Yeah of course. And if they are not deployed with sufficient force they can't even defend themselves. Hence the 17 dead peacekeepers and the captured ones before the British intervention. I don't have a problem with the peacekeepers themselves, but the UN ought to have sent more forces and given them parameter to defend the communities they were stationed in. Otherwise they're just there observe horrific things being done to the locals, which I'd wish on no-one.
The UN only started caring when special interests were being threatened by the fall of the capitol, till then they seemed content on looking to be doing something while letting the "rebels" terrorize innocent civilians
The amount of restrictions given to the UN peacekeepers always ruin their effectiveness. The problem is that UN top brass is ran by bureaucrats who know nothing about warfighting.
@@rileyernst9086 I agree. I served as a peacekeeper in Lebanon in 1989, with the Norwegian contigent, but we had little trouble. During 20 years, Norway lost 21 casualties, most to accidents. In total, Norway has participated in about 100 missions, in about 40 countries, since WWII. Around 120 000 have served, whith a loss of 200. Unfortunately many suffer from PTSD. Still, most of us feel we made a difference....
Outstanding as usual. British troops as always a credit to their country
Unfortunately, our leaders are the only enemy we can't beat.
The British armed forces have taken a huge dive in quality for diversity, inclusivty, and equity.
We have at least 10% female soldiers who in combat are fucking useless.
Imagine a 18 year old woman with 100 lbs of kit clearing a trench?
It's not going to happen.
If women can't compete against men in sport, how do they compete in war?
with how the world has repayed us we should have pulled up the drawbridge and left you all to it.
@fedyno4reviews well you fed us to the Japanese while were fighting your war, then made us all apply for visas to be able to return in favour of the EU, 3 generations of my family fought in British conflicts and i cant even visit for over 90 days without good reason.
That escalated quickly 😅
@@fedyno4reviews Self-pitying tosh. Quite typical of your ilk. Ppull up the drawbridge, hypocrite. Now!
Pathfinder Platoon’s effort in holding and fending off Lungi Lolfrom the RFU was really impressive. What was not mentioned here was that the 26 Pathfinders were under equipped, under strength and not enough Ammon because they had just arrived a few days prior and quarmasters were still sorting out supplies at the airport. Steve Heaney in his book mentioned that when contact was made with RFU, he requested reinforcement from HQ. A Chinook arrived the next day with only an officer onboard. When Steve and his CO saw only 1 guy disembarking from the Chinook, they went into a rage and anger because that officer was sent on a fact finding mission. Needless to say that officer got F by them for coming empty handed. They felt abandoned by the HQ. After that 9 mortar men from the Royal Artillery were sent to reinforce the Pathfinders. With the long range and heavy weapons of the RA, that proved decisive in the battle with RUF.
Not quite accurate. C Coy were on the ground reinforcing the PF by about 0700. The company extracted that evening after the rebels had withdrawn / been defeated. C Coy were back out the following day and stayed for 5 or 6 days. I was there on both occasions as part of a medical team. Most surreal was the arrival of a RMP SIB team to assess if the rebels were killed legally.
@@barryalexander2909 Thanks for sharing your experience. Just read the book again, and indeed C Coy was sent to reinforce. In the book, it was mentioned Major Bob Bryant led the C Coy. Probably not his real name but his character in the book was quite bossy and he tried to pull rank on the PF.
There was also a RM Capt who was sent before the C Coy’s arrival where the RM was planned to take over from the PF afterwards
Thank you for again an outstanding upload!
The Brits conducted themselves and their operations *impeccably* in SL - shout out to the lads and ladies involved in this often overshadowed deployment ❤🙏🏻🇬🇧
Thank you, UK forces for bringing much-needed leadership and relief to the people of Sierra Leone 😊
We thank the British very much for their service , every day is poppy day
Thank you and yet another outstanding presentation video on our forces worldwide.
There is a book called Operation Mayhem about the Pathfinders in Lungi Lol. An Operation Certain Death, when the Sas/Paras attacked the West SIde Boys in Sierra Leone to rescue British soliders. Both are great books.
My mate was one of the Pathfinders on that operation
@@DONK8118 The book sounds as though there was a bit more going on than described. Not knocking this channel as it's great but perhaps the MOD should stop preening themselves and let British troops be acknowledged for what they face and what they do. Mirbat comes to mind . Many thanks for your mate for his service. I hope he is ok.
FYI Operation Certain Death was the planned mission to land SAS troops in Argentina during the Falklands War. The one in Sierra Leone you are referring to is called Operation Barras 😊
@DONK8118 my mate was one of the captured. I also would of been there if not kicked out for fighting a few months earlier.. sad times
The proposed operation in the Falklands was Operation Mikado.
There was no "Operation Certain Death"; that's not how operations are named.
Will Fowler wrote a book for Osprey Publishing titled "Certain Death in Sierra Leone: The SAS and Operation Barras 2000"
That's probably where the confusion is coming from.
Follow up on this with Op Silkman next please. Especially covering II Sqn RAF Regt only Operational jump this century and last since Suez. Followed by Barras.
I agree, please do follow ups as suggested by @mrjonnylowes
There are two versions of Barras. The Official one and the real one.
@@chethemerc7841 yeah? That’s interesting, doesn’t surprise me. Something doesn’t tally with the KIA Trooper.
As a survivor the British Soldiers saved so much life including mine the RUF would have killed everyone if they didn’t intervene
Love your content brother. Watching the vid now. Keep up the outstanding work. Long live the fighters!
Another excellent episode. Well done the lads. Thanks for uploading.
Shows how important good training and communication is. A small trained force is superior to a bunch of rebels running around like headless chickens.
This channel is superb
Great content! Well made and a favourite of mine on you tube.
Brother your content is always center mass!!!
How about the excellent work of Executive Outcomes in Sierra Leone?
My experience of UN peace keepers in the former Yugoslavia supplied by third world countries was similar….Malaysia and Nigeria spring to mind. Quite simply they wouldn’t soldier or even leave their barracks. Utterly useless….🇬🇧
But in Malaysia it's been advertised as if Msian troops have been highly successful. Even deployed crack commandos to ward off Serbians.
Funny how quickly the accusations of "evil colonizers" are forgotten when it's time to ask for help so you don't get ravaged by your own kind
So colonising other people's land is a good thing then?
@@skepticalbadger Don't think he said that did he
It takes a special kind of liberal to demonise the ones ready to risk their lives to help others who by their own corruption and incompetence have managed to turn independence into a living hell.
If you're a racist just say that and go on with your day
@@DBlockSquadron
I was involved in basilica, great deployment
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your service. Because of it. Today we are free in Sierra leone 🇸🇱
@@mohamedjalloh8048 No worries mate. It was heartbreaking to see all the amputees, yet still managed to be a beautiful and welcoming country
respect to Nigeria for also participating in the operation in the country. They proved their metal
Amazing as always
Recently read the Para Pathfinders RSM Steve Browns biography in which he describes Lungi Lol and Op Palliser, Highly recommend his books.
If you haven't seen it already watch, The Pathfinders: Jungle Battle in Sierra Leone | TEA & MEDALS it's a 45 minute interview that goes into great detail about lungi lol
@@alexward7536 is it on YT? I don't have a a tv. but sounds great
Great piece mate, keep 'em coming.
the thing is operation kukri lead by the indian forces was the one that led to operation pallister because after operation kukri did india set the stage that direct action needed to be taken against these rebels if yall dont know operation kukri was an indian special forces mission to rescue i think 400 indian UN troops and bring them back to india
India did Op Khukri going against UN mandate. Jaitley was as much angry at UN headquarters as much he was at RUF. No wonder after Sierra Leone Indian peacekeepers were given much more autonomy in places like South Sudan, causing to things like Bloody Christmas battle in 2013
The un peacemakers were trying to rescue the Indian soldiers instead of fight against RUF?
Interestingly, The Para's captured a couple of L1A1 Rifles, and took them home as trophies. When they looked up the serial numbers, they were surprised to discover that some of them were used by the Regiment on "Bloody Sunday". Worryingly, these rifles were meant to be held in embargo at Donnington as part of the criminal inquiry into events that day.
I was there in 91-92. I helped train SLA and SLA-Navy units. Busy days.
Thanks for a terrific video!
Operation Barras next 👍🏻
Short for "Embarrass"...
How to rescue an imbecilic officer and his men after he makes a total coc* up on a patrol...
Nah Silkman Op jump next, followed by Barras.
I heard several times about the Barras operation...a difficult and very complicated operation.Great respect to the services that successfully completed the operation...great respect from 🇵🇱🕊️🤝
Can you do a video on Operation silkman
As a Brit and labour member on both counts one of our finest hours
The UN excuse sounds a lot like the excuse used in Mogadishu in 1993.
Great no nonsense video on the British intervention that saved Sierra Leone from becoming another Somalia. On another note, will you do a video on another event that occurred in Sierra Leone involving the British military and a certain group called the West Side Boys? (Hint: Operation Barras)
The odd thing about this is that I recently went into contract to buy a house in Sierra Leone. I knew that once there was a Civil War. But I didn't know the extent of the war.
Too I am adopting a son who is in Sierra Leone.
I just read Gunship Ace about Neall Ellis, the Sierra Leone Civil War is tragic.
I was there on RFA Sir Percivale. Got the medal. I saw a few dead bodies float down the Leone river.
A decent summary but you omit a significant chunk of some.of the most interesting aspects leading up to and of OP PALLISER itself. This includes the 4 day escape and evasion from RUF captivity by Royal Marines Major Phil Ashby who had been a UN Observer. Then subsequent tasks conducted by the Amphibious Readiness Group who set about conducting an urgent Non Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) before reconfiguring into a warfighting role, conducting foot, vehicle and boat patrols against the RUF. The ARG was led by Captain Scot Lidbetter RN (Captain of HMS Ocean) and Lt Col Andy Salmon RM ( CO 42 Commando Royal Marines). I happened to be one of 2 Royal Marines Officers leading 4 day boat patrols with 9 ASRM and 42 Cdo against the rebels. I also commanded the first ARG mission, to find a channel up the Sierra Leone river in order to get HMS Chatham at least 5km upriver, bringing 42 Cdo Recce Troop under the protection of naval gunfire support. Major Phil Ashby joined me on that mission fresh off his r day E&E. I hope this fills in some gaps.
Hi, nice to have a Rupert speak up for a change, Sir!
You know youre gonna have a bad day coming up against a few SAS and paras... great video 👍
Great video as always. When will you do one on Operation Barras in Sierra Leone?
loved the video mate! you could have also included Operation Khukri in this video.
Do one on operation Barriss next.
Fantastic video as always. Once again and unfortunate example of a UN deployment being nothing more than a paper tiger. I spent some time working with and being around a lot of UN admin/policy types in Africa as a pilot on contract. I'm convinced they only worked for the UN because they couldn't get a job as a barista or bartender.
And now, the Army finds itself stretched thinly with just 72k personnel...
Not to mention 6 front line fighter squadrons in the RAF and 19 major surface units in the RN!
More money spent on booze at Boris Johnson's Covid party and dodgy ppe contracts given to Tory cronies.
If you want to know more about the battle at Lungi Lol, there’s a great interview with the Pathfinder’s Platoon Sergeant Steve Heaney MC on the Tea & Medals podcast.
There is an excellent podcast called "Tea & Medals" that did an episode about the contact at Longi Lol that interviews Brig. David Richards and the infantry on the ground
Another excellent story presented by yourself.
There is a great interview with the CO of the pathfinders detailing the conflict on the ground. The Pathfinders: Jungle Battle in Sierra Leone | TEA & MEDALS is the name of it, it's a great channel with some interviews with some very interesting people and I highly recommended it
Damn, popped into my feed as my kid is getting in the car. I’ll be back!!!!!!!!
Slight problem. The Airport layout at the time of the civil war did not look like that shown. The northern 'Terminal' shown did not exist. The terminal then in existence is on the other, southern opposite side, of the runway - the apron can be seen as what looks like a three legged table. Those 'legs' are the taxiways onto the apron.
The effectiveness of the British army cannot be more clearer than this.
Quality!💛
Great Work❤
Simply the best !
Executive Outcomes also did operations in Sierra Leone
Valentine Strasser sounds totally like an invented name for a rpg game
Interesting how the SAS was deployed but nothing was heard about their (obviously successful) operations.
Contrast with if SEALs had been deployed. There'd be 20 books written about their operations. 😂
You have to have a degree in creative writing to be chosen for SEAL selection now
Except there are how many SAS's programs around the world? Also, at least one of the groups like SAS in the United States, says they just copied the SAS.
@@Ukraineaissance2014 or a good agent.
It's heart wrenching to observe that the British army can pacify the madness of African leaders to stick in power.
Wow, they should make a movie out of it.
I love us 🇬🇧
These were the operations that gave Tony Blair a taste for war. He liked the idea of being seen as a hero to the world while doing it on the cheap.
"Invetervention"? Don't ya hate it when typos are immortalized in thumbnails?
Good spot! Don't know how I missed that typo, but I will quickly amend it. Thanks 👍
Ah yes, the UN...UNinterested in doing anything...as usual...
Except that, in this case, the UN was the driving force behind this Op. It has had its moments, though not recently
@@bbbb98765Don't expect nuance from YT commenters.
@@skepticalbadger Never give up. It's always worth adding something useful. Despite the very low success rate
@@bbbb98765 so you missed the part where it took the British having to send manpower out to the UN to organize them and get them motivated to actually do what they were they were there in the first place to do...
Selective hearing I take it...?
@@ca9968 Nope. Caught it. Obviously. What you haven't clicked onto yet is that that is exactly why Kofi Anan asked the Brits et al to go in and beef it up. And it worked. Because the UN played it cleverly. All clear now? I can dumb it down if necessary, and I fear it might be
Just an average British trip to Africa
South African P.M.C Executive Outcomes finest hour as well iirc?🧐🇬🇧👌😎👍👍👍
Rest in peace Brad Tinion.
Do one for the 1st battalion paratroops at Djebel Alliliga Feb 1943,described as some of the toughest they faced. The Fallschirmjäger they faced called them the red devils ( their nickname to this day).
Once again a failure by UN forces, many people do not realise the countries that provide these troops are very well paid for their role. If they cannot do the job they should not be paid and replaced asap.
The troops are for most part, not to blame. It is mainly the upper management who fails the mission.
@@dragonstormdipro1013 It's not "upper management" it's "senior officers" and a lack of leadership. As they say "management is knowing what needs to be done but leadership is getting it done".
@@johnallen7807 No, the upper political management is to blame for UN failures. For example, in Sierra Leone itself the military head of UNAMSIL was Maj Gen VK Jaitley. He was a capable officer who helped India win Kargil War. But in SL he was utterly frustrated because his troops only had the permission to accept the surrender of rebels by UN management in NY. These resulted in 223 Indian Gorkha troops being surrounded by RUF. Jaitley had enough by this point to start Operation Khukri going against UN Mandate.
@@dragonstormdipro1013 So he should have resigned.
@@johnallen7807 He did ultimately. He was also dealing with Cancer by 2000. However before retiring he also almost threatened UN to never send Indian peacekeepers ever again if they weren’t given more autonomy on field. This resulted in peacekeepers gaining more autonomy in subsequent UN missions. Read about Indian UN operations in South Sudans in 2013 and you will see marked improvement.
Why did the U.N peacemakers arrive so late, in 1999?
the moral of this story is NEVER let the un con you into peacekeepers or allow them to dictate any terms of your military's actions!!!
Great advice for all the 3rd world leaders in this comment section!
Yep just dont even get involved with their 'peacekeeping' sht. Getting involved with that just means helping the scummiest elements involved in these conflicts do their killjng and ethnic cleansing with less trouble. The UN gave the bosnian serbs fuel for the busses which transported the 10,000 murdered men and boys in Srebrenica and refused to give the dutch air support. NATO getting involved with balls changed that conflict in days.
And that has happened when?
@@Seth9809 Rwanda the congo beirut Cyprus etc!!!
I started Baby para training around this time and already heard that a few after completion would be going here
Sad part of the world. In my prayers. No plans to retire there. Yea British Armed forces!
nice one mate. The brits as usual show the way to go. The UN worldwide everywhere they deploy and operate are a complete waste of rations. And always have been so.
Maroon machine at its best rapid deployment and getting the job done.
Well done!
Important note: Sierra Leone was a colony established by the British for those rescued from slavers. It's protection is part of our debt of honour.
Ten years later. Too little too late you people are so full of yourselves shame on you.
This hardly touch's on the true story of Lungi Lol. 26 Pathfinders 1 Royal Marine a platoon of UN Nigerian troops with very little ammunition and the unarmed villagers against an estimated 2000 rebels. Only illum rounds for the mortars, no claymores, there wasn't even a QRF available, read Operation Mayhem by Steve Heaney MC and Damien Lewis
Please cover operation Franklin (the cockleshell heroes raid)
I am surprised that no mention was made here of the role of EO?
Here I mean in the background history leading to Ops Peleser.
YOU DIDN'T MENTION THE NAME OF INDIAN PARA SF BUT YOUR ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT SOLDIERS WERE RESCUED BY THE INDIAN SPECIAL FORCES DURING OPERATION KHUKRKI.............
And we all know those Paras just wanted to get stuck in.
My go to military channel, hands down.
It's hard not to grow cynical when you think of the amount of logistics and infrastructure left behind by the colonial powers after independence, in addition to the trillions of dollars in foreign aid as well as refugee assistance. All wasted to the point the new independent nations have to beg their former colonial rulers to step in and sort out the mess it was allowed to turn in to.
They left behind only logistics fit for resource extraction and for a few to get rich, and everyone else to be poor. Almost all of the nations were also designed to be top down in government, ruled by paranoid minorities, as they were easy to control.
Every single dollar's worth that is embezzled and sent overseas, for decades and decades, was stored in Swiss bank accounts.
When the American Revolution happened, they already had a government in place and the leadership were not prevented from basically getting PhDs.
The colonies meanwhile, were given no examples of government except corrupt dictatorships and almost all of them were banned from being educated. Some areas people were shot for learning to read.
The countries that are doing well now, were doing better. South America was treated better, as so many Natives were killed, that the population ended up being about 50% European. North America was settled by Europeans, who weren't butchered or oppressed. Africa got the worst of it and faired the worst too.
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To this day it is rather common for the children of abusers to become abusers or to become chronically depressed and waste away. Lots of dictators were beaten by their fathers and grew up in intense poverty.
Africa was not setup for success.
@@Seth9809 I don't disagree with a single word of your reply. Despite all that, it is still hard not to feel cynical about Africa in comparison with Australia, India, Canada, USA and a select few of the Middle Eastern countries.
@@Seth9809 You should watch the chinese documentary "Empire of dust" even the Chinese agreed that the Africans fucked up after the colonial powers left and they have only themselfs to blame.
It's all so tiresome.
@@nartin2222 Except mainland Chinese are famous for how racist they are. They hate people who are almost identical to them. They don't even have different cultures really either.
@@nartin2222 It's also bullshit, as there is literally a correlation to how good conditions are and how much people are allowed to succeed, and the performance of African people.
For example, Ethiopia was far above average in how it performed, compared to most other nations in the area.
There is also a significant list of exceptional leaders produced in Africa....and they were all assassinated by colonial powers, the USSR, the CIA, ect ect.
Zimbabwe also is way worse than all it's neighboors, with the only major difference between it and them, is it started with a stronger economy, but also no leaders who had education or any examples of leadership besides the Apartied.
Back when Britain (we) did stuff
It was a mercenaries unit : Guns for hire
S.A.S , Legionnaires, American marines rodesians about 120 men
This men stopped 3000 guerillas who want to captured the capital
military hardware and technology made the differences .....
The British did an outstanding job in Africa in general. However Executive Outcomes also had quite an impact.
It was ecomog forces led by Nigeria that stabilized Sierra Leone not the British, British want to steal ecomog forces glory through false intervention in that country
The UN 😂
My thoughts exactly. Absolutely not surprised at all.....😄
Make Indian special forces operation video too Operation khukri in Sierra Leone which waa done before this operation
490 UN peace keepers taken prisoner? What?
The problem here is not UN policy but competency and dedication. 490 is unthinkable in most other conflicts of this scale
If you have spent any time around British Paras you will get that they are less Hollywood and more Sid Vicious.
Basically, short mad and very bad to know, lol
Who ever said aggressive attitude doesn’t help?
France was present in Sierra Leone rebel war in the form of Guinea Conakry military to protect people like me,ya'll see I am a rebel too . I'm a French too . I'm French -American. Although I was also supporting the rebels too
Horrific suffering of these poor innocent people.
So.....why do we need the UN again?
UN being useful as always
Difficult when their mandate, directed by security council, states they cannot fire unless attacked and are mostly under funded.
@@archstanton6102 I can second that. I served in Lebanon in 1989....
@@archstanton6102 True. The security council is more interested in appearances rather than actually doing anything....
AS always in Military matters ; just do the basic things right BUT there must be a clear objective - war is always politics by other means.
Proud to be English
Go back to 1995.
Executive Outcomes did the same with 76 men in total.