ACHIEVEMENT
Some 21 years after the First Gulf War that heading seems, in some ways, inappropriate. However, it accurately sums up what we did.
At our pre-deployment briefings I expressed a sincere wish that we would bring back everyone we took. I got my wish.
All came home - that is a more pleasing definition of achievement…
And we returned to a splendid welcome from our families and the local populace who had turned out to greet us - and a month’s leave!
Whilst I did not believe that there were any particularly heroic achievements by our people, I believe they made one of the most significant contributions to the RAF’s participation in Desert Storm. That also applies to the then still experimental, 2 aeroplane TIALD Detachment. I was very disappointed when, in both cases, these contributions were largely ignored when the post-war decorations were handed out.
That was somewhat remedied, a few years after the War, when I met General Sir Peter de la Billiere, at Bentley Priory at a dinner to mark Sir Paddy Hine’s retirement from the RAF. I had not previously met him, so I introduced myself as “the commander of the oldest frontline aircraft unit under his command in 1991”.
His response was ………
“Young man…
I knew I was going to like him.
……“your aircraft saved the RAF’s reputation“.
I have Sir Peter’s written permission to use that quote.
