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Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
A friend's Norton Commando 750. Oh those student days..!
Photo taken outside where I lived as a student in Sheffield....1978
Old snapshot scanned and with my pathetic attempts to re-vitalize it
Commandos set their sights on close-combat training
Royal Marines of 40 Commando honed their day and night-fighting skills with a week of intense training in mock towns in Kent. The Norton Manor-based commandos practised close quarters battle on special ranges at Lydd and Hythe, trying out an enhanced rifle sight to improve their already-impressive marksmanship.
Royal Marines of 40 Commando stand guard at the façade of a house on the ranges at Lydd and Hythe in Kent as Exercise Hawk – a week of close-combat training – draws to a close.
The commandos decamped from their base at Norton Manor in Somerset to the two training areas on the Channel.
The ranges at Lydd, about five miles west of Dungeness, have been used by troops for more than 150 years, while those at Hythe, a dozen miles to the east, are two centuries old and are dominated by a couple of Martello towers and Grand Redoubt, built to keep Napoleon at bay.
Some 200 years later, the ranges are in use almost daily – and have been adapted to meet the demands of today’s Armed Forces, with a mock modern-day housing estate, complete with roads, roundabouts and cars, built at both, while the Lydd ranges are strewn with wrecked old armoured vehicles.
40 Commando made full use of their week in Kent, from the annual combat marksmanship test to compound clearance and defending forward operating bases.
There was also the opportunity for the Royals to let loose with heavy weapons and each company carried out nighttime live firing.
And for the first time 40 tested the new ELCAN sight – there’s a small red cross for the aiming point – which is easier to use and better in the dark than the existing sights; troops still need to understand its capability, how to mount it on SA80 rifles and how to zero it – all of which was done in Kent.
For close quarters battle (also known as close combat or, in old parlance, hand-to-hand fighting), a separate sight is fitted on top of the ELCAN sight to allow the commandos to rapidly engage their targets.
As well as live firing, the Norton Manor men also used ‘simunition’ – simulated ammunition, which possesses the dynamics of the real thing, minus the lethality – to add an extra layer of realism to Exercise Hawk.
“40 Commando had plenty of time to practise close quarters skills and the simunition added a realistic dimension to the training,” explained Lt Dougal Loadman.
Royal Marines held at high-readiness for maritime security operations have pyshed themselves in a vast underground comokex beneath a town in the South West ahead of being deployed to the Mediterranean.
Marines from Juliet Company of Plymouth-based 42 Commando work in small teams on Royal Navy warships around the world, ready to react to emergencies and specialist missions, like counter-piracy and boarding operations.
J Company is also the home of the Fleet Contingency Troop (FCT) – experts in a range of security missions and the UK’s only force trained in opposed boarding operations (known as Level 3 (Opposed)) outside of Special Forces.
The complex of tunnels became a facility for the potential relocation of the government in times of crisis during the 1950s with the threat of nuclear war looming large.
These days, parts of it are a useful training area; a place where the commandos can push themselves in the art of close-quarters combat, testing their well-rehearsed tactics, techniques and procedures to quickly assess and deal with threats in even the trickiest of environments.
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Photos: Royal Navy
Exercise Black Alligator
Images captured show Royal Marines from M Company 42 Commando making a helicopter insertion into the Mojave Dessert. The troops were flown in by Merlin helicopter during the initial stages of the week long final exercise of Black Alligator. 27th November 2012
MOD Crown Copyright2012
TOP Secret - Chile
Fotografía y edición: Raúl de la Jara
Strobist con 2 SB-600 vía CLS, uno por lado a 1/16
Don’t use this image on websites, blogs or other media without my permission.
Thank you! © All rights reserved 2009
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
45 Commando On Exercise Cold Response
The New Year saw the main body of 45 Commando deploy to northern Norway on Exercise LUPUS 2. This afforded the Commando the golden opportunity to refresh its ‘survive, move and fight’ skills in the Arctic environment in preparation for Exercise Cold Response.
This winter deployment has provided welcome Afghanistan respite and an equally welcome return to the Commando’s roots, grown over three decades of regular Arctic forays. The winter has been hallmarked by unpredictable weather, forcing snow to be ‘chased’; a cohort with much operational but limited cold weather experience; and some compressed timelines. No matter the frictions, as ever, the defining feature of the trip has been Royal Marines rising admirably to every challenge, proving their ability to survive, move and fight in the harshest of conditions.
Summing up the deployment thus far, the Commanding Officer of 45 Commando, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Lee said:
“This trip has provided a wonderful opportunity to refresh some of our essential core amphibious and cold weather skills in the harshest environment there is. The training has been progressive, challenging, rewarding and fun. 45 Commando Royal Marines has thrived on this deployment and stands ready to fight and win on operations around the world”.
At the invitation of the Norwegian government, Exercise Cold Response is a crisis response operation set in a high intensity, multi-threat cold weather environment and is directed by the Norwegian National Joint Headquarters. The two week long exercise involved a multi-national task group of troops, air assets and a variety of amphibious shipping. One of those multi-national elements attached to 45 Commando was the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and old friendships were rekindled as both embarked together to warm welcomes aboard HMS Ocean and the Dutch warship Johan De Witt.
Major Tim Hiel, the USMC operations officer, said:
“We have been looking forward to Exercise Cold Response and have not been disappointed. For the 200 US Marines participating, this represents several rare opportunities – operating in the Arctic environment, honing our amphibious techniques and, of course, we always enjoy working alongside the Royal Marines. I’m confident that we will return home better prepared as individuals and as a Unit”.
Exercise Cold Response provided for many the inaugural opportunity to live on ship, practice beach landings, project ashore into the fight and thereby witness firsthand the fundamentals of the Royal Marines’ undeniable amphibious utility and flexibility. During the landing phase, Commandos raided ashore by helicopter and landing craft before the main body of Marines were landed. With the beachhead established, 45 Commando out-manoeuvred the enemy, played by the Norwegian army, and delivered a devastating deliberate attack.
Although Royal Marines train in this wonderfully uncompromising environment less than they did, its value endures beyond doubt. The Royal Marines’ cold weather and amphibious skills have been learnt or refreshed such that their flame continues to burn brightly; but deployments such as this also breed teamwork, cohesion and resilience and underpin the Commando’s recent success on operations in Afghanistan.
The Ultimate Builder rolled into Cleveland, OH and for the 3rd year in a row, snow greeted the custom bike builders as they unloaded their sled into the show.
Cleveland, founded in 1796, is located in northeastern Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie and just 60 miles West of the Pennsylvania border. It’s home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Ultimate Builder FreeStyle Class
Jesse Bassett at The Gasbox began the custom Indian sled build with an eBay-found 1940 741 Indian frame. A Norton Commando 4-speed transmission was chosen to replace the OEM Indian 3-speed. New engine plates were made and the scout primary was cut in half, offset and mated with a 1920’s Indian outer primary. All aluminum was polished, all steel was nickel plated, and all cast iron was electroless plated. The entire frame and fork were nickel plated then painted Indian red.
1. Jesse Bassett, The GasBox – 741 Indian, 1940 Military Scout
2. Jesse Bassett, The GasBox – The Grape Escape, ’75 Shovelead
3. Justin Kenley – 2012 Softail
Ultimate Builder MOD Harley Class
Three years ago Bob McAreavey rolled his orange and black Softail into Cleveland’s IX Center and took the MOD Harley win. In 2013 he came back with a Roadking and took the win again. 2 shows and 2 wins.
1. Bob McAreavey – 2009 Roadking
2. Little John Kuklisin, Klock Werks – Softglide, 2010 Roadglide
3. David Cook, Sledgehammer Bobbers – Sledge, ’11 Dyna
Ultimate Builder Performance Custom Class
Chris Carr won the 1992, 1999, and 2001-2005 AMA Grand National Dirt Track (Flat Track) championships, the 2000 Formula USA Dirt Track Championship and the AMA 600cc Dirt Track championship seven times (1988–1993, and 1995). And now he is a 2013 Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show winner of Cleveland in the Performance Custom class.
1. Chris Carr, Kenny Tolbert – Beaulah, ’08 XR750
2. Perry Paugh, Dougherty MC – S/C & Pro ET Race Bike, ’95 ZX11 Ninja
Ultimate Builder RETRO MOD Class
Jesse Srpan of Raw Iron Choppers built this ’50 Panhead with a wishbone frame, 61ci mill and blue metal flake paint. The frame was raked to 44 degrees.
1. Rick Srpan, Raw Iron Choppers – 1950 Panhead EL
2. Jerry Horvath – 1976 Kawasaki KZ400
3. T. McEnally, Ace Classic Cycles – ’74 Triumph Trackmaster
Ultimate Builder MOD Street Class
GIO from Blacksmith Motoring drove in from Chicago with his latest turbo build, El Vendetta, and took the win in MOD Street at Ultimate Builder in the Great white North. The 2008 Yamaha Retroliner features a Blacksmith 120ci stroker with forged pistons, lighten crank with HIPO heads & intake. The bike rolls with a 26” front wheel, air ride and 6 piston Hawg Halters brakes.
1. GIO, Blacksmith Motoring - El Vendetta, 2008 Yamaha Roadliner
2. Andrew Ella - First Attempt, ’77 XS650
Additional Awards
Jerry from JHL Choppers won the Show Dog Award sponsored by Rocking K Custom Leather for his promotion at the show.
Jesse Bassett of The GasBox won the People’s Choice Award with his 1940 Military Scout.
The Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show is produced by www.bikerpros.com. At each round of the competition Biker Pros photographs each bike and makes them available in their Flickr gallery at www.flickr.com/photos/bikerpros.
We are awarding $100,000 in cash and prizes over our 13 event series. The big money winners to date are:
GIO - $7,500
Kyle Shorey - $5,000
Bruce Bolden - $3,000
Pictured: British Army Commando from 7 (Sphinx) Commando Battery , 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
HMS Albion’s embarked royal Marines from X Coy 45 Cdo RM operating in Estonia in the main amphibious element of Exercise Spring Storm 2023.
Royal Marines conduct beach raid in Estonia during NATO exercise.
Around 100 marines from 45 Commando conducted an exercise to stage an amphibious raid at a beach in Estonia, as part of a major NATO exercise Members of 45 Commando deployed from the Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Albion, under the cover of darkness on Saturday.
The commandos manoeuvred their Inflatable Raiding Craft, which can travel at speeds of up to 20knots, through the waves to close in on the beach at Kaberneeme, on the north coast of Estonia.
The beach raid is just the latest in a series of planned scenarios the UK Armed Forces are exercising as part of a 14,000-strong deployment from 11 NATO countries for Exercise Spring Storm.
The beach raid scenario saw 45 Commando facing off against Estonia’s Armed Forces, with an Estonian naval missile unit acting as the marines’ target.
Photo: LPhot Bill Spurr
Royal Marines from Reconnaissance Troop 42 Commando conducting Modern Urban Combat (MUC) drills. The training was part of Exercise Black Alligator and was conducted in Area Delta of the Mount Facility at 29 Palms in California, USA.
Crown Copyright 2012
Royal Marines held at high-readiness for maritime security operations have pyshed themselves in a vast underground comokex beneath a town in the South West ahead of being deployed to the Mediterranean.
Marines from Juliet Company of Plymouth-based 42 Commando work in small teams on Royal Navy warships around the world, ready to react to emergencies and specialist missions, like counter-piracy and boarding operations.
J Company is also the home of the Fleet Contingency Troop (FCT) – experts in a range of security missions and the UK’s only force trained in opposed boarding operations (known as Level 3 (Opposed)) outside of Special Forces.
The complex of tunnels became a facility for the potential relocation of the government in times of crisis during the 1950s with the threat of nuclear war looming large.
These days, parts of it are a useful training area; a place where the commandos can push themselves in the art of close-quarters combat, testing their well-rehearsed tactics, techniques and procedures to quickly assess and deal with threats in even the trickiest of environments.
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Photos: Royal Navy
K COMPANY, 42 COMMANDO RM TRAINING IN MOJAVE DESERT
PLYMOUTH-based Royal Marines have commenced training on extensive live-fire ranges in the Mojave Desert, California.
Working from the US Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Centre in Twenty nine Palms, Kilo Company, 42 Commando RM have been using a mock-up Middle Eastern village in this vast training facility with its 932 square miles of desert terr
ain in which to operate.
One serial saw the Bickleigh-based unit carrying out a Troop Level Advanced to Contact exercise which was carried out at Nobles Pass, 29 Palms.
This involves three sections from Kilo Coy advancing on a target one suppressing one flanking and the third reorganising. The three sections rotate in these roles until the Goal is complete. Nobles Pass is a 100 metre long range with a lot more rolling ground and a lot more cover than the other ranges in the area.
Major Ben Halsted RM, Officer Commanding K said a So far it's going very good, I am very impressed with this range its a great setup. It’s such different terrain it makes a lot of difference for the lads to come and operate slightly differently. The troops are coming together, the guys are still working very hard l and now we are starting to see it come together at troop level
CROWN COPYRIGHT
Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay
Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.
The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Photos: LPhot Joe Cater
Royal Marines from Reconnaissance Troop 42 Commando conducting Modern Urban Combat (MUC) drills. The training was part of Exercise Black Alligator and was conducted in Area Delta of the Mount Facility at 29 Palms in California, USA.
Crown Copyright 2012
45 Commando On Exercise Cold Response
The New Year saw the main body of 45 Commando deploy to northern Norway on Exercise LUPUS 2. This afforded the Commando the golden opportunity to refresh its ‘survive, move and fight’ skills in the Arctic environment in preparation for Exercise Cold Response.
This winter deployment has provided welcome Afghanistan respite and an equally welcome return to the Commando’s roots, grown over three decades of regular Arctic forays. The winter has been hallmarked by unpredictable weather, forcing snow to be ‘chased’; a cohort with much operational but limited cold weather experience; and some compressed timelines. No matter the frictions, as ever, the defining feature of the trip has been Royal Marines rising admirably to every challenge, proving their ability to survive, move and fight in the harshest of conditions.
Summing up the deployment thus far, the Commanding Officer of 45 Commando, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Lee said:
“This trip has provided a wonderful opportunity to refresh some of our essential core amphibious and cold weather skills in the harshest environment there is. The training has been progressive, challenging, rewarding and fun. 45 Commando Royal Marines has thrived on this deployment and stands ready to fight and win on operations around the world”.
At the invitation of the Norwegian government, Exercise Cold Response is a crisis response operation set in a high intensity, multi-threat cold weather environment and is directed by the Norwegian National Joint Headquarters. The two week long exercise involved a multi-national task group of troops, air assets and a variety of amphibious shipping. One of those multi-national elements attached to 45 Commando was the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and old friendships were rekindled as both embarked together to warm welcomes aboard HMS Ocean and the Dutch warship Johan De Witt.
Major Tim Hiel, the USMC operations officer, said:
“We have been looking forward to Exercise Cold Response and have not been disappointed. For the 200 US Marines participating, this represents several rare opportunities – operating in the Arctic environment, honing our amphibious techniques and, of course, we always enjoy working alongside the Royal Marines. I’m confident that we will return home better prepared as individuals and as a Unit”.
Exercise Cold Response provided for many the inaugural opportunity to live on ship, practice beach landings, project ashore into the fight and thereby witness firsthand the fundamentals of the Royal Marines’ undeniable amphibious utility and flexibility. During the landing phase, Commandos raided ashore by helicopter and landing craft before the main body of Marines were landed. With the beachhead established, 45 Commando out-manoeuvred the enemy, played by the Norwegian army, and delivered a devastating deliberate attack.
Although Royal Marines train in this wonderfully uncompromising environment less than they did, its value endures beyond doubt. The Royal Marines’ cold weather and amphibious skills have been learnt or refreshed such that their flame continues to burn brightly; but deployments such as this also breed teamwork, cohesion and resilience and underpin the Commando’s recent success on operations in Afghanistan.
Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay
Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.
The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Photos: LPhot Joe Cater
Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines - Exercise Black Alligator
Images show a dawn raid by Lima Company 42 Commando Royal Marines on to objective Ruby. The mission saw the commando’s clear enemy from buildings and the surrounding terrain. The attack was part of 42 Commando's week long final exercise of Black Alligator.
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee MOD Crown copyright 2012
Royal Marines from 42 Commando Boarding RFA Mounts Bay
Members of 42 Commando Fleet Contingency conducting high vertical assaults on RFA Mounts Bay as part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials. 42 Commando Royal Marine’s Fleet Contingency Troop have been conducting high vertical assault drills onto RFA Mounts Bay in Portland Harbour, supported by Offshore Raiding Craft and Coxswains from 47 Commando RM.
The training forms part of the Autonomous Advance Force 4.0 trials, utilising modern communication systems and autonomous capabilities, including mobile ad hoc networking radios MPU5, Ghost drone, which provides a live feed to ground commanders and the MADFOX unmanned surface vessel, used to provide deception and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).
Photos: LPhot Joe Cater
The Commanding Officer of 42 Commando Royal Marines (far left) runs the Deputy Brigade Commander, 3 Commando Brigade (right), the British Ambassador to Albania (centre)and the Chief of Defence of the Armed Forces of Albania (left centre) through the Commando Assault onto Sazan Island.
Royal Marines launch amphibious raid on abandoned submarine base
As dawn broke over an abandoned former Cold War submarine base a series of explosions announced the arrival of the Royal Marines as they began a full scale amphibious attack.
As part of Exercise Albanian Lion, the Marines landed on the shores of Sazan island and, amid a scenario based around smugglers, social unrest and the rise of terrorist groups, the Commandos attacked the hostile nation from the sea by climbing cliff faces in darkness to surprise the enemy.
Photos by PO(Phot) Sean Clee
Mortar Troop from 42 Commando Royal Marines
Images captured show Mortar Troop from 42 Commando Royal Marines illuminating enemy positions in the mountains of the Mojave Desert during the week long final exercise of Black Alligator – 2nd December 2012
Photos: PO (Phot) Sean Clee - MOD Crown Copyright 2012
British Royal Marine Commandos face immediate enemy contact after being inserted by U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 helicopters in the vicinity of Namsos, Norway. The troop delivery reinforced offensive action to take a local bridge identified as critical to the operation during a field training exercise as a part of Exercise Cold Response 2016. Cold Response 16 improves capabilities between NATO allies and partners and creates a foundation for future cooperation. This exercise enables the NATO alliance to work together and demonstrate both our unwavering commitment to our collective defense under the North Atlantic Treaty and our ability to counter transnational threats.
45 Commando On Exercise Cold Response
The New Year saw the main body of 45 Commando deploy to northern Norway on Exercise LUPUS 2. This afforded the Commando the golden opportunity to refresh its ‘survive, move and fight’ skills in the Arctic environment in preparation for Exercise Cold Response.
This winter deployment has provided welcome Afghanistan respite and an equally welcome return to the Commando’s roots, grown over three decades of regular Arctic forays. The winter has been hallmarked by unpredictable weather, forcing snow to be ‘chased’; a cohort with much operational but limited cold weather experience; and some compressed timelines. No matter the frictions, as ever, the defining feature of the trip has been Royal Marines rising admirably to every challenge, proving their ability to survive, move and fight in the harshest of conditions.
Summing up the deployment thus far, the Commanding Officer of 45 Commando, Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Lee said:
“This trip has provided a wonderful opportunity to refresh some of our essential core amphibious and cold weather skills in the harshest environment there is. The training has been progressive, challenging, rewarding and fun. 45 Commando Royal Marines has thrived on this deployment and stands ready to fight and win on operations around the world”.
At the invitation of the Norwegian government, Exercise Cold Response is a crisis response operation set in a high intensity, multi-threat cold weather environment and is directed by the Norwegian National Joint Headquarters. The two week long exercise involved a multi-national task group of troops, air assets and a variety of amphibious shipping. One of those multi-national elements attached to 45 Commando was the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and old friendships were rekindled as both embarked together to warm welcomes aboard HMS Ocean and the Dutch warship Johan De Witt.
Major Tim Hiel, the USMC operations officer, said:
“We have been looking forward to Exercise Cold Response and have not been disappointed. For the 200 US Marines participating, this represents several rare opportunities – operating in the Arctic environment, honing our amphibious techniques and, of course, we always enjoy working alongside the Royal Marines. I’m confident that we will return home better prepared as individuals and as a Unit”.
Exercise Cold Response provided for many the inaugural opportunity to live on ship, practice beach landings, project ashore into the fight and thereby witness firsthand the fundamentals of the Royal Marines’ undeniable amphibious utility and flexibility. During the landing phase, Commandos raided ashore by helicopter and landing craft before the main body of Marines were landed. With the beachhead established, 45 Commando out-manoeuvred the enemy, played by the Norwegian army, and delivered a devastating deliberate attack.
Although Royal Marines train in this wonderfully uncompromising environment less than they did, its value endures beyond doubt. The Royal Marines’ cold weather and amphibious skills have been learnt or refreshed such that their flame continues to burn brightly; but deployments such as this also breed teamwork, cohesion and resilience and underpin the Commando’s recent success on operations in Afghanistan.
Miniature warriors from Families across 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, assembled to face Soldiers of the 41st Engineer Battalion during the Commando brigade's second "Nerf Wars" match held inside a makeshift battlefield configured throughout the Magrath Sports Complex basketball court, April 10, 2019, at Fort Drum, New York. Foam darts littered the gym floor during the "just for fun" event as opposing forces fueled by popcorn and cotton candy engaged in a play firefight.
(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Paige Behringer)
A U.S. Marine with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa and U.K. Royal Marines with 45 Commando participate in a combined operation part of exercise Blue Raptor in Frasselli, France, Nov. 20, 2015. The Allied Maritime Basing Initiative is a proof-of-concept to provide the U.S. and NATO allies a year-round, maritime-based crisis response force by leveraging the amphibious capabilities residing in Europe. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Keonaona C. Paulo/Released)
Hero of the Day - Tony Foulds, Mi Amigo Flypast BBC Breakfast TV Special, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
It was a highly emotionally charged morning with many tears shed all round, and a real privilege to attend and witness.
Most people in the UK will know this story by now. But in case not, or you're not viewing from the UK :
75 years ago on 22nd February, US Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 'Mi Amigo' (305th Bomb Group) crashed in Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The plane circled the nearby houses and decided to try to land in Endcliffe Park. However, a group of kids were playing in the park, and rather than risk killing them, the plane crashed into trees at the back of the park. All the crew were killed.
One of those kids was (now) 82 year Tony Foulds. A memorial was installed at the crash site in 1969, which Tony has visited every day to pay homage to the 10 - his 'family' and life-saver.
BBC TV presenter Dan Walker lives nearby and walks his dog in the park. He met Tony, and one thing led to another, and escalated into a live broadcast building up to a 10 aircraft flypast at 8:45 on 22nd February 2019 - the 75th anniversary of the crash.
Presented by Charlie Stayt and Steph McGovern with a lot of special guests, including Tony Foulds, USAF and RAF dignitaries, family of the crew and music from the US Air Force Band, culminating in the flypast.
Sadly Dan Walker couldn't make the day that he organised - he had signed up to raise money for BBC fundraiser 'Comic Relief' by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
I'll upload loads more photos from this event soon, but this is a brief sneak preview. I'll also return to the memorial itself when it's slightly less busy.
The Mission :
'Mi Amigo' departed from RAF Chelveston, Northants at 08.00 on a diversionary mission to Aalborg in Denmark to confuse Luftwaffe defences. Sadly Denmark was covered in thick cloud, and circled a few times to try to find breaks in cover. They were forced to abort the mission and offload their loads in the North Sea. They were attacked by the Luftwaffe with strikes to the wing and fuselage. It was a 'spirited' fight, and the attacker lost his life, as well as 3 of the B-17 crew. At 16:10 the B-17 requested a vector to an emergency landing field in Yorkshire. With one engine already out, another cut out causing the plane to spiral out of control and crash in Endcliffe Park.
In Memory of the Crew 'Lest We Forget' :
First Lieutenant John Glennon Krieghauser, Pilot from Missouri
Second Lieutenant Lyle J Curtis, Co-Pilot from Idaho
Second Lieutenant John W Humphrey, Navigator from Illinois
Second Lieutenant Melchor Hernandez, Bombardier from California
Staff Sergeant Robert E Mayfield, Radio Operator from Illinois
Staff Sergeant Harry W Estabrooks, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner from Kansas
Sergeant Charles H Tuttle, Ball-Turret Gunner from Kentucky
Sergeant Maurice O Robbins, Tail Gunner from Texas
Sergeant Vito R Ambrosio, Right Waist Gunner from New York
Muster Sergeant George U Williams, Left Waist Gunner from Oklahoma
The Flypast Aircraft :
4x F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath
KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall
MC-130J Commando II from RAF Mildenhall
CV-22 Osprey from RAF Mildenhall
2x Typhoon from RAF Coningsby
Dakota from RAF Coningsby