Urban Patrolling

British Army training video from 1980. Some classic 'aches and a bonus point if you remember the training area.

[@whitelinefever8769]

'should be smart and well turned out, this helps to instill confidence in themselves and impress the local people with their professionalism'...todays police force/service etc could do with a bit of this

[@AnonAnonAnon]

Watched this video in basic training in 1986! I think this is the Tin City in Sennelager. Only ever trained here in 1987. My NI training was around the barracks before deploying and then in the CQB village in Ballykinler. Best times was playing civpop and throwing hundreds of used plastic bullets at soldiers! 'Don't aim at the heads', so we aimed at the heads. This is why the training staff threw the petrol bombs and not us! Great times, prepared us for the streets although nothing really prepares you for a mouth almighty player giving you a mouthful!

[@anisocoro]

It is very interesting. Did You ever do some exercise, in order to test the better ways of patrolling? I explain, one squad was the "goods" on patrol and another was the "bad" disguised as civilians ready to make an ambush.

[@markdavids2511]

The problem in Belfast was a round from an SLR could go through a house wall.

[@Taffwildmanofthewoods]

This video takes me back especially the ropey intro tune. The narration on many of these types of videos was done by the same bloke. I can remember in the mid 80s patrolling in combats because lightweight trousers were prone to melting if petrol bombed and the INIBA jackets were in use. Enjoyed my time in Ireland plenty of tea stops.

[@Oscarhobbit]

I used to watch the Army patrols as a kid in Northern Ireland. I was mesmerized at how they used to move. It was just normal, back then to see the Army on the street. I was never afraid of them because neither I nor my family had anything to hide. We always felt sorry for these young men, far away from home in a place where a lot of the people hated them. Later, I worked for the government for fourteen years and found out what it was like to be spat on, called an "Orange B*****d" and a "Brit", I had urine thrown at me, rotten eggs and a firework shot at me from a plastic pipe like a bosoka. My house and car were acid bombed and I was threatened by a terrorist organisation. These were terrible days and sad to say that the sectarian hate in Ireland has not gone away it is still lurking just under the surface both in the North and the South of Ireland.

[@micoolkidfilms3270]

It could’ve been worse, luckily the irish government had sensible individuals in the cabinet at the time so they didn’t invade NI

[@HamishBanish]

.. but mot of the people wanted them there... Important point. Most of the people WANTED US PATROLLING MOST OF THE POPULATION WANTED US PATROLLLING

[@theloniuspunk383]

There was a reason why people hated you

[@craigcooknf]

A coworker of mine in the early 90s, Mary, was from Northern Ireland. She was a sweetheart but tough as nails. A bomb went off in Bishops(?) while I was in London over the weekend. I heard the blast and left amongst the chaos afterwards. I was checked by police twice. I was nowhere near the site but must have been within some radius. I remember dust and bits of paper falling down like snow. When I saw her on Monday she just laughed and said "Yer notta vergen no more!".

[@karlp8484]

It's great how the British Army can adapt to changing circumstances. Fluid.

[@Arthur54321]

Blimey I was doing it for real when this film was made....

[@buckmerdoc8860]

"now today were we're gonna do marching up and down... That is, unless you have something be'ah to do!" ;-)

[@georgeyarborough1463]

I saw what you did there lol

[@sebby324]

Monty python reference

[@stevecunningham6537]

😂 5 months in ulster, Unless you've something better to do?

[@j2msu341]

You gotta love the skin tight lightweight's of the 70 /80

[@MzLunaCee]

Two tone lightweights!

[@terrier7832]

Loved them but trouble was they melted into your leg with. Petrol bombs etc. You weren't even supposed to light a No1 burner while wearing them.

[@yottiechick]

yeah, plastic as fuck and zero flame retardence, two tours with 1Para in early eighties and we wore OG's or tropical cam trousers.

[@stevecunningham6537]

Army kit 70s an 80s a lot to improve. 1st tour Ireland winter tour, We got issued winter kit. After we got back On April the 1st 1984 I shit u not lol

[@jaydaviston8612]

Tactical strides before there were tactical strides

[@MichaelKng-fk5jk]

Never had ANY of the additional kit, totally balls. We went out as we were. Lucky to have more the 1 dressing, we had morphine. Honestly we had basic kit, as of Malaya. He thought were ok though. Sight setting, totally against SOPs and the Yellow Card. We really never had cover, apart from parallels. Subsequent tours, the infantry never wanted to provide cover to Signals troops, they did but, worthlessly. In S Armagh and E Tyrone we never wanted infantry cover as it was pointless. Depending on unit and time on tour they were often restrictive on their protection. Black Watch were certainly different, loved those boys. Queen's Company in XMG were more interested on their reds for the next job, they were adverse to any patrol. At the time we, 3 Bde didn't like ground cover. In 4 days, we went up every day and night, mg attacks every time, we had a job. Queen's Company, stayed inside XMG apart from when we did the Sq Sanger, well second time. There's a huge difference in prospective, some units are not the same

[@craigrobertson6082]

I had to laugh when I saw Fazackerly Road...just like it was yesterday.

[@danielmarshall4587]

"one or two Yobos on street corners" .........I say how jolly unpleasant. Silly comment aside, THANK YOU for posting this film, very interesting, FOURTY YEARS OLD boy oh boy.

[@davidthefirst6195]

Aw sweet memories of the NITAT training pre tour It was always fun doing civi pop in tin town

[@jollyjohnzz]

Brings it all back.

[@petertripp3153]

did 4 tours in ulster during the 70' and i dont recall any of that crap near the beginning, must ave been one of those posh regiments

[@PokeEyeSlapSlap]

Posh Regiments? This Regiment which I served in had the most commendations in NI. A very professional Regiment with fantastic Soldiers. The Royal Welch Fusiliers.

[@arthurgoodness7865]

What chance did these British soldiers have when they can’t even get it right where they were deployed.

[@professorminstrels6460]

It's called northern Ireland not Ulster. 3 counties of Ulster are part of the Republic

[@thecurlew7403]

@@professorminstrels6460 No the republic is migrant owned 80 000 males of fighting age and coming still no women thats why protests are happening .

[@j2msu341]

Set up for the camera,all spit and polish routine BS 🤮

[@BellogsTheChicken]

Brings back memories of my youth

[@cowgoesmoo2]

underrated channel

[@davidravenscroft177]

Memories of The Royal Hampshires.

[@PokeEyeSlapSlap]

These are Royal Welch Fusiliers, same Division at the time.

[@gagasmancave8859]

Did a couple of tours in tin City lol plus one in W Belfast. I do not remember us having kids when we did civil pop

[@fasteddie406]

The music on these Army videos was always the same, just hearing it I picture my recruitment office.

[@sheriff0017]

Whenever I go to the shops, I hard target out of the driveway.

[@selwynowen6213]

Those soldiers were in the same regiment as I was in. I served there in 1975, 1976/77, 1978/79 and 1982 three of those tours were in west Belfast, and one in Londonderry. The 1981 was in west Belfast when the hunger strikers were dieing off 👍👍👍👍

[@melbeasley9762]

I was there at the same time in Belfast City Centre. Did Tin City of course.

[@kerrystewart3857]

My uncle done 3tours of Ireland and every drink he had, he would tell me story's n he always ended the talk with how he should never have been they're. He was never the same and never got over that shit till the day he died. Sad as fk 😢

[@danielmarshall4587]

As a civvy I've worked with those who've served in the Army with tours in Ireland and for sure a very dark episode.

[@peterstubbs5934]

I did four years almost over there including being one of the survivors at Warrenpoint. 2 bombs 30 mins apart 18 dead, 16 x 2 Para and 2 x QOH. I just got on with life. If your dad said he shouldnt have been there, he should have left the military. We were there trying to keep the peace. We lost far more soldiers over there than we did in Afghanistan. Very difficult circumstances.

[@noodlyappendage6729]

Why shouldn’t he have been protecting his country? He did a good job!

[@noodlyappendage6729]

@@peterstubbs5934well said! And thank you for doing what you done. Keeping the UK safe ❤ 🇬🇧🥇

[@Steve-st5ji]

This is of course 'Tin City!' I did Civ pop & then Nitat training there in 88. I was a Corporal at the time & in charge of a section. I was shitting myself through most of the training but managed to blag myself through it. We were Tankies. We had the worst OC at the time, he was a twat. After we had completed our training it was 'piss up' time. He dragged us out of our pits & bollocked us for no reason?! When we eventually got to NI all he could manage was make us fill sandbags. Not that I'm bitter? Civ pop was hilarious, managed to smuggle an SMG past the troops. Fish & Chips, pubs & then onto battle. Killymurphy bricks.

[@vickiegroome3220]

My Dad was in Us Army.. He said it was the best thing for a man to get 3 hots and a cot. He learned how to be presentable and carry on an intelligent conversation .Korean War.

[@freefall1963]

Definately Sennelarger, Rype village was much smaller.

[@afp0756]

Makes me homesick

[@hollanddutchman3169]

This is why British soldiers are so relaxed in crisis situations

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

I joined in 1979 so this was my time.

[@dondouglass6415]

I thought it was tin city in Sennalager. I was there in 81...jesus... So long ago. 😮

[@pete1927]

As a former gunrunner, gunman getaway driver and local taxi driver and resident of No3 Brooke Crescent, Ballymurphy I can confirm it is indeed Tin City Sennelager :-) Nothing like a riot after a meeting of the Pidgeon Club, or an unlucky brick trying to empty the bar!

[@bastogne315]

And freedom loving hero.

[@markstevenson7884]

Memories

[@tomo870]

Is that rype village?

[@ianmangham4570]

Total trip ,its crazy thinking we're all OLD now 😅 , total trip ,rip 🙏 all who left the party 🥳 early 🌎 , bricks and sangars 🇬🇧🤠🤟

[@jojokeavy2835]

You must All ways..... Watch Ure Back when You are the Target 👌

[@chaz725]

And that's my bloody car there,?I wondered who bleeding nicked it ?.

[@keithjohnson7677]

Money talks think about it no more war thank you Tony b .

[@matthewrowe9903]

is it just me or is the L1A1 SLR with an optic just epic ?

[@Demun1649]

It is just you. Go and get some help.

[@limeydavey]

SUIT (sight unit infatry trilux)

[@stevenpremmel4116]

Weren't the optics a bit crap and prone to misting internally?

[@Demun1649]

@@stevenpremmel4116 Not when shooting at unarmed civilians.

[@jambo28]

@@Demun1649 do you think thats all the british army did in northen ireland? are you aware of the kind of war that was fought? do you think the IRA ran around in uniform?

[@daveyboyunders]

Nice combat tache @2 mins

[@SSGTStryker]

This looks like a training village. Does anyone happen to know what unit this is? I couldn’t tell if the berets were black or a really dark green w/a subdued Royal Marine badge. Hard to tell w/being grainy SD.

[@PokeEyeSlapSlap]

The Royal Welch Fusiliers, my old Regiment.

[@SSGTStryker]

@@PokeEyeSlapSlap Outstanding, Sir 🫡

[@Taff16992]

The best Regiment in the British Army the 23rd

[@melbeasley9762]

@@Taff16992 Funny how we all served in the best regiment. I guess yours was fucked by the government like mine was?

[@DavidSmith-rb9rd]

Looks like Sennelager

[@aarongordon1845]

❤💪🏻

[@chaz725]

Those derry girls where gorgeous.

[@HistoryForYouOfficial]

What's made you say that?

[@WO2Royalengineersretired]

@@HistoryForYouOfficial because they where just gorgeous to a 19 yr old squaddie??? End off ?

[@MzLunaCee]

Especially the ones that still had their own teeth! 😂😂😂😂

[@WO2Royalengineersretired]

@@MzLunaCee they where even better ?

[@madgeordie4469]

Having the weapon sights set for 200m makes sense in an urban environment but at that range a round from an SLR could go through a brick wall and still kill two people on the other side.

[@thecurlew7403]

SLR fn 762 .

[@peterstubbs5934]

Who puts the sling on the stock attachment point? If they wrestle the rifle away from you, it will naturally point directly back at you. Boom, one dead squaddie. My unit, 2 Para, attached the sling to the weapon butt so in the same situation, if they got the weapon away from you, it naturally pointed at THEM. boom, dead terrorist.

[@mobrien145]

Tin City Sennalger West Germany.

[@ec6052]

With IRA and "Fxxk the Queen" tagged on walls?

[@SnakePliskin762]

He's right,it's tin city

[@experimental9017]

Those are not residential areas. Theyre urban training grounds. No dogs, no elderly and ypu wont find a tricolour beside a UVF mural. And the UVF mural is a bit too well done to be real.

[@bpd1111]

The best way to spot a uvf mural is to look at the hands. They'll have 6 fingers

[@johnnunn8688]

@@bpd1111 😂🤣

[@johnnunn8688]

Really? I thought the whole of Nireland was made of wriggly tin.

[@olliephelan]

@@johnnunn8688 No, Mainly soil

[@dogsnads5634]

Its a training area in Sennelager...

[@frankedgar6694]

No discussion of observation of civilians present? In Vietnam it was often wise to see just how nervous they seemed to be. Sometimes they just didn't trust outsiders. Sometimes they weren't nervous because they didn't know the local VC were about to attack. "Watch everything all the time and never draw attention to what you're suspicious of until I am ready." SFC Daniel

[@dulls8475]

What do you think the patrol is about if it is not to observe people? It is not an architecture tour....It even mentions that one of the patrol is up to speed on the id of terrorists in the area. One guy even uses a tape recorder to log details of an individual. Observation not your strong point? Now go and play the banjo.

[@frankedgar6694]

I can see why your name is dulls. Your nailed the tiny bit about identifying and recording terrorists. Now, genius, oops, I mean dulls, tell me where in the video they cover observation of the general poplilation? They do a fantastic job of discussing movement, arcs of fire, cover and being aware of their surroundings. It’s an excellent video for training new guys how to move and support each other. It is not intended to discuss what goes on when local people are present. In that regard, I find it weak. Perhaps they have other videos to address dealing with civilians?

[@frankedgar6694]

And if you had ever seen me try to play any instrument, sing or dance, you’d understand how incredibly dull your suggestion is for me to “…go play a banjo.” Being that judgementally presumptions is just not a good way of dealing with people, numbnutz.

[@dulls8475]

@@frankedgar6694 I googled part 2 of this which you can as well. It will bring you to urban patrolling part 2 and I quote.. .Object description Army Instructional film giving a brief introduction to multiple patrolling, the most used and recommended technique for Army patrolling with several mutually-supporting teams (known as 'bricks') in urban areas. After describing the aims and basic principles of the method, an Army unit is seen preparing for a patrol, probably in Northern Ireland, although this is not stated. The pre-patrol drills, ways of moving through urban areas and the procedure for divergence from the original plan on spotting people of interest to the security forces, for example, are all shown, before the patrol returns to base for debriefing. Does "spotting people of interest cover it?" Does "brief introduction" cover it or not....I seem to remember that "hearts and minds" was a concept in the British Army long before the US looked into it in any detail. This video is a brief look not a comprehensive look as you would know. But you had to point something out that was not needed nor made you look clever.

[@peterstubbs5934]

It was the same in Ireland mate. We just call it Combat Indicators.

[@louisb7419]

"don't be afraid to use a civilian as cover" 💀

[@Drifty40]

@jason corlett The IRA and Republican movement, murdered more of the catholic community than the RUC and British army combined, if you care to check. More false statements from people of your ilk.

[@Drifty40]

The IRA and Provos were hiding behind civilians in built up areas for 30 years. Step out of the crowd, crack off a few rounds at security forces and disappear back into the crowd.

[@neilharrison8568]

@jason corlett 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@8610sarge]

@jason corlett are you joking, they killed more innocent civilians then the RUC and British army, and yes we'd use people as we went through choke points, but we never held old people hostage with the threat of death like the provos did when they carried out attacks on patrols, endangering the residents with return fire from us.

[@sebby324]

Br’ish

[@webtoedman]

STANTA in Norfolk?

[@davidjohn7510]

Remember it well :-) Happy days eh!

[@glennwall552]

Must say desperately cheap housing one bullet could go through many before stopping. Then wooden fences you be in trouble if nasties where about.

[@anthonywalsh7613]

This is deffo sennelager

[@theromanorder]

8:10 being patrol

[@cglees]

It’s important to carry the FFD in an inside pocket so that you bleed to death before your oppo can get to it

[@michaelfilinski4828]

Tin City Sennelager

[@mancroft]

The worst lager in the world.

[@Geezah1]

1 mag of 18rnds...seems awfully light..

[@melbeasley9762]

We had a full mag.

[@davidcollishaw2771]

Bear in mind we liberated Kuwait with five rounds per man I'd say they carried a war load. 18 was to reduce misfeeds due to long periods loaded but not made ready. I had two mags so we must have expected aks by then. We had armalites before the sa80.

[@nicklittle7168]

5 magazines of 20 each 7.62mm, i was a gunner in Armagh and carried a lot of belted ammo, i would say 300/400 and the additional spread out among the brick, probably totalled 1000 rounds.

[@memelord9853]

At first I thought this was talking about urban patrols in west Germany against the soviets, then I realised it was for the troubles in Ireland, grim.

[@davidcollishaw2771]

Most fun we had back then apart from Norway, hk or the Cyprus green line. The body armour was funky from the Ten years of sweaty smelly occupants before you got it.

[@cyclesgoff9768]

Ahh, Tin City 😃

[@bryanprice9539]

Blimey, that takes me back! Remember it like it was yesterday. I wonder how today's generation of young soldiers would adapt their experience in Afghanistan, to doing this sort of thing in the British isles...

[@stevecunningham6537]

Thank fk I never had to watch this sht lol

[@user-pi4kf9uw3m]

6:15

[@redhen2123]

20:00 "And don't be afraid to use civilians as cover." WTF?

[@nicklittle7168]

Absolutely put them in front of you and you crouch down, makes sense. You are harder to hit.

[@meeruisland]

Thankfully someone had a brain wave and stopped the ridicules idea of emptying your crap on the floor

[@mole389]

1 magazine a bit parsimonious

[@johnhughes8016]

Ahhhh, ‘tin city’ how i wasted months of my life there.... pretty good training, but god how i hated the place....

[@annhennessy178]

Didn't work

[@noodlyappendage6729]

NI is still in the UK and now it’s better off so yes it did work.

[@kevinwaterfield7400]

I like how they were taking the knee, way before their time

[@matthewwaddington2777]

All the capital invesred in keeping garrisons in Northern Ireland...When all you needed to do was improve existing infrastructure...Be polite, courteous, and respectful...The IRA wouldn't have had a bloody leg to stand on!

[@markhorton5300]

Apparently you never served there ffs

[@williambuchanan8607]

@@markhorton5300 🤣

[@jimmyjazz1570]

They had 300 years of lies, counter lies and the tayto famine to keep them going ..oh, and more lies. Being too polite and too courteous would have gotten us shot to f*ck on every patrol... Civvy kn*b

[@bastogne315]

And stop mass shooting of civil rights marchers.

[@peterstubbs5934]

They KNEW they had to seperate the people from the army. Thats why they started killing innocent protestants, knowing full well that the protestants would start killin innocent catholics. They then sold the story "Look, the Brits cant protect you, only the IRA/UDA can". Sadly the normal Irishman fell for the ploy and we lost their support.. The terrorist wankers murdered their own people by proxy. Fucking animals.

[@AngloAm]

Did people have to live with this going on all around them - soldiers "covering threats" while they went shopping? So glad I didn't live there/then. They don't seem to be doing much to protect the civilians walking and driving around. Or were they trying to menace them? "Be firm but polite" = "Give me your name and address." Word "please" didn't exist? I can't imagine the stress that this must have put on every day life. Jeeze.

[@sebby324]

Yep and the soldiers where not shy of shooting civilians who annoyed them

[@Kitiwake]

You got it in one.

[@frankedgar6694]

In Saigon, you paid attention to people around you without being obvious. They went about their daily lives as much as possible. Some of the local people wanted you there. Some of the local people wanted you dead. You couldn't tell by looking at them which was which. Sitting in a little corner bar one afternoon, my buddy noticed that the civilians were suddenly leaving so we got the heck out of there. We were about half a block away when we heard an explosion. That little bar had been the target of a satchel bomb. Two guys didn't get the joy of coming home. They chose "finish this beer first."

[@ProfileP246]

I grew up with the soldiers on patrol on the streets of Northern Ireland They were fab! They used to chat to us and have great crack, I loved them great lads.

[@jimmyjazz1570]

@@sebby324 Ha ha, utter rubbish .....and PIRA weren't shy of bombing shoppers or kids going about there usual lives or murdering unarmed Cops

[@dannyconway7366]

Every one of them unemployable in the real world.......so joint the army.

[@stevewebster317]

"Joint"? And you are employable then?

[@SnakePliskin762]

Smoking a joint writing that

[@BRUNO-hl9yb]

What do you do then ?

[@noodlyappendage6729]

The army is “the real world”. In fact you can’t get more “real world” then these chaps on patrol saving their country from terrorists.

[@Kitiwake]

Yes.. The brits were all talk but we're actually s*it ting themselves. That's why half of them were PTSD victims without having experienced anything.

[@thesimpletonautum5567]

Can't even grow potatoes 😂😂

[@dulls8475]

Aww still got hurty feelings?

[@noodlyappendage6729]

If they were “all talk” why aren’t the 6 counties a part of the RoI? I think it’s you who is “all talk”.

[@jasonbrown2718]

War is hell

[@elzorro7of9]

More than one squaddie got taken out with clever booby traps. The porn mag on waste ground comes to mind.