Just watching The Last Post (and not enjoying it) and it made me wonder who was the last one of us who left Aden? I cannot comprehend (apart from the money) why anyone would want to be there after the 60s.

Hi Cathy,
Been watching the series via Iplayer. What a load of rubbish. I wonder if the author/director ever spent anytime in the country.
There were Brits working at the refinery until the mid 80's helping to keep it running. By that time it had been nationalized and the Brit personnel was working as sub contractors from BP. I cannot believe there are any Brits left in the country with all its problems.
Regards

Jonathan Wilkins

Email: n606jp@gmail.com

Hi Cathy
We left in 1969 and all my memories of Aden were that it was a great place and we had a great time! The Last Post doesn't seem very realistic to me but of course it is about the army and maybe they didn't have such a good time! One of the actors was interviewed on TV and said that the writer lived in Aden when he was 6 years old so I don't suppose he remembers the place as well as those of us who lived there when we were older. I wondered if the army compound portrayed in the programme was meant to be Falaise. The BP Club is a disappointment!
Pam

Email: pmillar@qmu.ac.uk

Hi Cathy,
I don't suppose anyone wanted to be there it was a godforsaken country with its dangers by the dozen . My parents served in the RAF and were there from 1964 until the forces withdrew ( Hence the last Post )
today I would presume the post would be and unaccompanied post if of course it still was a posting. The TV adaptation is not as accurate as it could be but apart from the 1st episode it is getting there although I feel it cannot due to protocol show exactly how nasty it was out there . I have just spoken to my Mother who obviously does remember more than us children she said that the episode where there was a beheading was nearer to the mark. I think us children were protected as much as possible but I know my father (sadly no longer with us )(RAF Police )said he had witnessed so much cruelty. Times sadly have not improved .

Email: melbailey@btinternet.com

The production staff wrote to me and asked if they could use a picture from this web site. I agreed, the picture they asked for is of a swimming gala at the Seaman's mission. I can see some of the pictures elements have been incorporated into the so called BP club.The story line is unbelievable and so is its depiction of Aden. I got myself sorted out to watch it in the USA only to be very disappointed!

Email: N606jp@gmail.com

Hi Jonathan
I expect we were always going to be disappointed as the programme wasn't filmed in Aden!
Pam

Email: pmillar@qmu.ac.uk

Hi Pam,
Your right it was not filmed in Aden but surely they could have found somewhere without so much greenery. I told the production company to use any images on this site to recreate the place but they chose not to. I suppose poetic license etc was used throughout. Watched 3 episodes and have given up with it.
Hope you and the family are doing well!
Jonathan W

Email: N606jp@gmail.com

As I have stated in a previous post, I am not watching the series.
Aden, though in its way a beautiful and majestic place - if you went further north than Lahej, then you will know what I mean - has many bad memories for me.
If, as suggested, a beheading is featured or even hinted at, then this is in extremely bad taste.
Perhaps few, if any of you, will recall that two SAS men suffered the same fate in the Radfan district in 1964. To use this as a cheap attempt at sensationalism is little short of disgraceful.
If they go even further and depict a parallel to the events of the 20th June '67, then that will be even more shameful, were that possible. The RMPs were nowhere to be seen on that day.
There were, and still are I imagine, areas of greenery in the wadis up country, but Kenya was never going to be able to reproduce those amazing jebels.
Almost all of you on this site have vastly different memories of Aden, and subsequently will have different points of view to those of an embittered old soldier.
Hang on to them, for those memories are of your childhood, and the fun you had will always be treasured.

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. I can only speak for myself and not for others so I will say that it must be extremely difficult to put behind the atrocities witnessed in many of the countries the armed services were posted and impossible to erase the emotions felt. As children we were aware of the dangers, but, as children we did what our parents told us to. Adults had to make it bearable for themselves. Children I feel took the good but knew the bad. I feel what you are saying ,very emotive and rightly so on many levels.

Email: melbailey@btinternet.com

Melanie
I am a mere guest on this site, and am grateful to be such.
I enjoy reading the experiences of the contributors to this site and can only imagine how different life was for you all as children growing up in Aden.
I am also privileged to have access to pictures of the area that I would otherwise be unable to see.
It has never been my intention to taint those childhood memories held by you and your contemporaries and, on consideration,perhaps I should have exercised a degree of restraint when posting.
Please accept the apologies of a grumpy old man, and I extend those apologies to everyone that reads my post and feels offended by it.
Take care.
Kind regards
Vic

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com

Hi Vic,

Good to see you are contributing to the site. Always enjoy your posts. No need to be PC here. Say it as you see it. I always do.

Best wishes

Jonathan Wilkins. BP Aden Kids

Email: N606jp@gmail.com

Hi Jonathan

Thanks for those kind words.
I try to remember that being old and grumpy doesn't accord the privilege of treading on other people's toes - it doesn't necessarily always happen that way, though.
My wife has long since given up apologising for me. I just get a look that says "I'll talk to you later".

Hope all is well at your end.

Stay safe

Vic

Email: vpbalsdon@btinternet.com

Hi Vic,
No apologies needed. I am a newcomer to this site and have enjoyed reading all of the posts. It also helps to understand different aspects and feelings each individual puts forward, a deeper understanding if you like. The Last Post has at least given me the reason and a kick up the backside to not just sit back but get involved.

Take care and its ok to be grumpy a right of age I tell my children and grandchildren.

Mel

Email: melbailey@btinternet.com

Can we use it with mobile tracker on Android?

Email: csgo.expertt@gmail.com