I was in the BP hospital in Aden with severe dermatitus, probably as a result of bilge cleaning.
but anyways some interesting snippets of our colonial days here a mention of a Mrs Pounder coming in 2nd place in the golf tourney -----any relation Whip?
Thanks for that Colin. I had called at Aden many times but all I recall of the place was buying those bone China crockery sets from Japan, that's the one where you held the cup up to the light and you could see a Geisha Girl in the bottom. A friend of mine proudly displays his set in a glass case, none of mine survived. I think we also got rabbits fur blankets in cardboard suitcases from there. No idea where they came from. The ones that I got were always either powder blue or pink. I have no idea where they landed up.
Some time later I had a cousin who was posted to RAF Kormaksar which was at Aden. He was telling me how girls were in very short supply there so the NAAFI girls rationed their time. You got one side of an LP record. When the music stopped your time was up, you left the room and someone else took your place. He never did elaborate. Aden was a very unpopular posting, although your time there was limited to 12 months, as oposed to 2 and a half years to 3 years elsewhere apart from RAF El Adam in the Libyan desert which was also 12 months. If you had to be there you got used to visitors telling you that it was the Rs hole of the Earth, to which you responded by saying "so are you just passing through then mate?" Stu
which reminds me of a song A tribute to "Mad Mitch" Colin Campbell Mitchell (17 November 1925 -- 20 July 1996) was a British Army lieutenant-colonel and politician. He became famous in July 1967 when he led the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the British reoccupation of the Crater district of Aden. At that time, Aden was a British colony and the Crater district had briefly been taken over by nationalist insurgents. Mitchell became widely known as "Mad Mitch". His reoccupation of the Crater became known as "the Last Battle of the British Empire". Although some observers questioned whether the Last Battle was ever worth fighting, the event marked the end of an era in British history and made Mitchell an iconic figure.
This march tune is associated with the Gordon Highlanders Regiment, because it is played for the dance called 'The Gay Gordons'.
The tune is said to have been composed by piper James Mauchline, who was delighted that his regiment was leaving the hot, dry port of Aden, in what is now South Yemen, in Arabia. There is some disagreement about when the tune was composed and named. It may date from the mid-19th century. One website concerned with regimental tradition says that James Mauchline gave it no title. While a detachment of the 78th Seaforth Highlanders Regiment was stationed in Aden, Pipe Major Alexander Mackellar rearranged and named the tune. Accompanied by the music The Barren Rocks of Aden by The Kings Own Scottish Borderers.
There is some disagreement about when the tune was composed and named. It may date from the mid-19th century. One website concerned with regimental tradition says that James Mauchline gave it no title. While a detachment of the 78th Seaforth Highlanders Regiment was stationed in Aden, Pipe Major Alexander Mackellar rearranged and named the tune.
The tune has four parts and is often played for the dance 'The Gay Gordons'. People used to sing a verse that made fun of the way native Gaels used to speak English, as they danced to the first part of the tune.
See the laddie ower there, wi the tartan kilt and the twa legs bare
An aa the ladies they declare, 'She's a fine braw chiel is her nainsel'
(Music of the Scottish Regiments, Murray, 1994)
More recently, the Singing Kettle show recorded a song that uses a simpler version of the first part of the tune. Their song begins:
Ma, Ma, will you buy me a
Buy me a, buy me a
Ma, Ma, will you buy me a
Buy me a banana
The mother buys her child one, then eats it all herself!
I was listening to the music, heard a noise behind me and my 5 year old granddaughter is there, hands in the air, moving her feet as if to do a Scottish dance. Would not have a clue how she knew that dance went with that music.
No golf fans in the family Colin as far as I know, but they are a wierd bunch, got an Hitler Youth member(who still retained her belief), now past away. Excellent input and a long time since I was in Aden, almost forgotten. Enjoyed the music as always!. Sat and listen and thought:-'that beginning bit(kettle drum?) sounds so much like the start of the music from Where Eagles Dare'.
. Sat and listen and thought:-'that beginning bit(kettle drum?) sounds so much like the start of the music from Where Eagles Dare'.
