Hi Cathy
The VC is a bit of a joke on my part, with regard to how we are prone to exaggerate things a little in our declining years.
The truth of the matter is that I only have a "South Arabia" clasp to my General Service Medal in recognition of the fact that that I was there for the prescribed period.
Only brave people get VCs. I'm not one of them.
Have great Christmas and a safe 2019.
Best wishes
Vic

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com

Hi Vic,

As a 12 year old, I was extremely grateful to see the soldiers going around. Although you may not have received a VC your contribution to being there was indeed very welcome. Nowadays, I see terrified children in Syria and such places on TV and think what a hell their lives are. As a 12 year old I did get scared from time to time as when I became that age my awareness of what was going on was more acute.

Email: none given

Hi Cathy
We were just doing a job; a job that we joined to do and for which we were being paid. It was also a privilege to be helping to allow the brave people such as your parents carry on their vital work. Not many people would have wanted to step into their shoes.
I'm an old man now, and I look back on my time in Aden with a mixture of pride and sadness - pride that I was given the opportunity to serve in such an ancient and beautiful country, sadness because of the friends that didn't go home.
Hold on to your good memories of Aden; the happy times and not the ones when you felt afraid.
I hope that you had a good Christmas and that this year will be a good one for you in every way.
Stay safe
Kind regards
Vic

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com

I got the joke immediately. Like I say I got my Aden medal for being first in the NAAFI Q. Aint that the truth. lol.

Email: don@snap.net.nz

NAAFI, Don? You had access to a NAAFI?
What privileged lives some of us led! :laughing:

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com