Problems with comments on Facebook

Somebody posted some interesting photos of the Falklands from 82 on our Regimental Face book group. He made a comment about the terrible conditions those poor Argentinian lads had to live in. He was with our sister battery that took over from us after the War. I made a jokey comment saying “It wasn't too cushy for us lads either,” Someone else jumped in and escalated everything by casting doubts on how many aircraft we hit, saying maybe we should have taken photographs to prove our kills. Nowhere was anything said disrespectful towards our sister battery, I have no doubt that if hostilities has continued that they would have continued the air defence of the Falklands with utmost professionalism. I think this proves how things said on Face book can be taken the wrong way. If that soldier was recounting his time in the Falklands in a bar with me, and I said the same thing, with a smile on my face, we would have laughed and got the next round and continued the crack. I am used to other Regiments and know it all civilians attacking our Record in the War, but when it comes from someone in the same Regiment it is harder to take. While I am on a rant I might as well continue. Someone put a photograph on the 12 Regt group of my Rapier showing Mickey Quinn, who is no longer with us, on the anniversary of the attack on the Galahad. You can tell how many people had seen the image it was over 80. only one person commented. Now if someone puts a photograph of a big breakfast, there are dozens of comments. I was extremely saddened by this. I know some people in the Regiment don’t like me, but that is no excuse for not respecting one of our own. That is the difference between a Royal Artillery Battery like ours compared to say a Facebook group of the Parachute Regiment, where a photo of a fallen Para would rightly so have received hundreds of comments. The truth is the camaraderie and brotherhood is far stronger in the Para’s the Marines and other infantry Regiments. (Above is the photo of Mickey Quinn R.I.P. )Well that’s how I see things anyway. That gentleman concludes my thoughts for today.

I AM AN AIR DEFENDER

I'm a Air Defender
Here to protect the skies
We have a saying
“If it flies it dies.”
So go about your business 
Knowing we are here
When you hear that jet engine
We understand your fear
It’s `Weapons Free`
The missile fires
Aircraft hit and destroyed
You’re safe again
At least for now
So please don’t be annoyed
When you hear our geny roar
You know you can be sure
That Air Defenders have your back
For air attack, we are the cure

© Tony McNally

FALKLANDS WAR AIR DEFENCE TATTOO

This is a Tattoo on the back of former Sergeant Steve Brookes, it is in dedication to the men of T battery 12 Regt Royal Artillery that defended the skies from Argentine air attack with Rapier missiles.

12 REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY POLO SHIRT.

I am delighted with my new 12 Regt RA polo shirt, but I'm still shit at polo.

H TROOP T BATTERY 12 REGT RA FALKLANDS WAR 1982

One of the good things about Facebook is finding an interesting photo. I found this photo, its my old troop H troop straight after the Falklands War ended, to be honest I cannot remember having it taken. You can just see my head on the back row on the left of our Lieutenant Mr Waddle. I am in contact with a small majority of some of these ex soldiers, some have sadly passed away. If only we had the ability to take photographs then like we can now.

War Diary from T Battery (Sha Shujas Troop ) Royal Artillery Falklands War.

Its been over 30 years now since I went to War a young Gunner with the Royal artillery as a Rapier missile operator in the Falklands War of 1982. There has been much written about the Falklands War, some so called journalists get their information from sites such as Wikipedea. They can write what they want about our Regiment and our performance, but those of us who were there no the truth. T battery 12 Regt Royal Artillery had a challenging War, but we achieved 14 confirmed kills and six probable. Some of  what has been written in latter years is nothing short of disgraceful and a slur on a fine Regiment and T battery (Sha Shujas Troop). This is the official War diary.

If you want to read about the air battle for the Falklands you can read my book Watching Men Burn

RAPIER MISSILE FIRING

CLOUDPUNCHERS WORLDWIDE

CLOUDPUNCHERS WORLDWIDE 

RAPIER MISSILE LAUNCHER IN NORWAY

HT/ Jon Mel Melroy.

RAPIER MISSILE IN FLIGHT

Artist /  James Tracey

The Birth of Cloudpunchers worldwide Facebook Group

Like many ex servicemen as well as many millions of civilians I have a Facebook account. I am also a member of several military Facebook groups with people from all walks of life and many different branches of the Armed Forces. One other group I am a member with to keep in touch with friends I served with is the 12 Regiment Royal Artillery face book page. The group is run by several admins a few ex Senior NCOs and is watched over by the Commanding Officer of 12 Regiment.  I obviously can understand why you need Admins as you can always get a few bad apples falling through the net to cause trouble or post obscene , Racist and other objectionable material. Plus there is obviously the relatives of those soldiers that have sadly lost their lives fighting in recent conflicts around  the world, so we wouldn't want photographs of dead British soldiers as this would be obviously extremely upsetting to all concerned. The one great thing about the serviceman especially the British one is their sense of humour, to a civilian it can be seen as very close to the knuckle, we just have a way of ripping the piss out of each other as a way of letting off steam and keeping up moral, but most of us do know when to draw the line. I have noticed on other sites where there is a mixture of ex and serving military with civilians that the civilians just don’t get the humour and take it very seriously and spit the dummy out, or have a hair trigger when it comes to reporting certain images, to me if they find it offensive then don’t read it or look at it, or even state their objections, but don't go running to the Nannies at Facebook every five minutes.  Some perfectly decent honest and down to earth Facebook groups have been closed down for a ridiculous objections. Well to get to my story, I made one of those piss take Hitler videos on You Tube , I didn't post in on my Blog for a few reasons, one, it was piss take about members of an Air Defence Battery and Hitler being rejected for my old Battery T Battery so anyone who hasent been Air Defence wouldn't understand it and two it used swear words. Knowing the squaddy sense of humour I posted it on my old Regimental Facebook page 12 Regt RA. You can watch the video Here  After about 24 hours the video was removed by one of the Admins. I thought this was a shame as I new the vast majority of the soldiers it was meant for would find it hilarious, so after a few chops and name changes I have started a new Facebook group called CloudPunchers Worldwide   Obviously the bulk of this group is ex British army and particularly Air Defence Gunners, although there now is a Royal Navy presence, I would like a few more sailors and Marines and Air Force. As it is Cloudpunchers Worldwide the group is open Internationally, I welcome servicemen from all corners of the earth who would like to strike up new bonds with like minded people that have done a similar job with Air Defence. So if you’re an American, Canadian, Australian to name a few Countries please apply to join, love to hear from you and see photos of your Air Defence equipment. So “This is 32 Alpha Cloudpuncher Worldwide needs reinforcements Out”…

T BATTERY FALKLANDS WAR

RAPIER MISSILE SITE FALKLANDS

HT/Peter Ogden

As you can see above this site has had plenty of time spent on it giving it overhead cover and concealment, during the 1982 War Rapier sites didn't have the time to provide this cover as they had to be operational straight away. Some detachments were directly attacked by Argentine aircraft and were hit with cannon fire, but were not knocked out and continued to function, with a few holes here and there. 

RAPIER MISSILE OPTICAL TRACKER

Above you see an operator looking through the tracker to search for targets as I did in the 1982 War where our detachment shot down three enemy aircraft.

RAPIER MISSILE SITE FALKLANDS

As my detachment did in 1982 during the War, this soldier is armed with the 84mm Carl Gustav anti tank weapon. We lovingly referred  to it as the Charlie G.

RAPIER MISSILE LAUNCHER FALKLANDS

HT/ Peter Ogden

12 REGIMENT ROYAL ARTILLERY

My Old Regiment I am proud to have served with.