With tribute to:

Martin Spirit

James Paul

Co-written by:

David Carter

Britain's Small Wars

The preservation of British Military History

Launched, Sunday 11th November 2018. Dedicated and paying tribute to veterans who have served in small conflicts since World War Two. This is an unofficial website with no ties to the Ministry of Defence. We would also like to pay a special tribute to Martin Spirit. For more information please read the About BSW page.

Latest updates

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Aden Withdrawal November 1967 - Aden - 1964-1967

In 1966 whilst onboard H.M. Submarine Auriga, I spent a most enjoyable stay in Aden stopping there enroute for a long commission based on Singapore. From my diary of that time, I note that we arrived at 1340 on Sunday the 20th February when the weather was 85f... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Ever Readies Aden 1965 - Aden - 1964-1967

I became involved in the British Army's operations in Aden as a member of the Territorial Army; I was not a regular soldier. I had originally joined the services as a boy seaman in the Royal Navy, aged 15, in 1951.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

Tales from Aden 1955 to 1957 - Aden - 1964-1967

I remember when we were in Aden in 66 Rifle Squadron and we used to go up country when the natives got restless. One time we were going up with a convoy of supplies and we came under fire.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

RASC in Aden and the Radfan - Aden - 1964-1967

I was posted to Aden from Aldershot in Feb 1964 after basic training as a driver in the RASC, at Yeovil, & Aldershot. I was so excited to be going to a place like Aden and not Germany... read more.

Some of the Featured

Introduction - Palestine - 1945-1948
Medal Ribbon

With the assistance of the Arabs the British in 1917-18 took Palestine from the Turks near the end of WW1 The Arabs assisted the British because they were led to understand they would be independent at the end of hostilities.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

Within a few days, following the allied initiation of retaliation, we were now getting into the routine of what was happening. The air raid sirens would sound with a deafening and ear piercing tone and it was on with your chemical suits, now a lot quicker then before... read more.

Medal Ribbon

In the late 1950s that part of the Army's world known generically as 'Aden' consisted of a Crown Colony, which included the port and strategic staging post of Aden itself, the BP oil refinery five miles to the west, and, to the north east, a number of tribal territories divided into the Western and Eastern Aden Protectorates.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

Contributors to UN Forces in Korea... read more.

Operation Jaguar - Oman - 1969-1976
Medal Ribbon

Operation Jaguar began in October 1971 with G Squadron SAS, a battalion of the Sultan's Armed Forces and 5 Firqats, all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Watts MC (Royal Irish Rangers).... read more.

700 Glengarried Men - Aden - 1964-1967
Medal Ribbon

In January 1967 Lt-Col. Colin Mitchell took over command of the 1st Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Seaton Barracks outside Plymouth.... read more.

100 Hour War - Gulf War - 1990-1991
Medal Ribbon

After waiting to deploy from Saudi Arabia into Kuwait from the south,orders came to move in a flanking movement away from the line of advance from the south into Kuwait with the U.S. Marines, to a north west approach along the MSR... read more.

SBS Operations - Gulf War - 1990-1991
Medal Ribbon

After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the Special Forces were assigned two possible actions in the emerging Allied contingency plans:... read more.