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

Medal Ribbon

At last, Korea began to loom over the horizon, and a very daunting sight it was - dark mysterious islands rising sheer from the sea with dark mountains stretching into the distant horizon.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

Within seven days of the UN resolution on the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait the British government announced the deployment of a squadron each of Tornado F.Mk 3 and Jaguar GR.Mk 1A aircraft to the region.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

By January 1964, a significant force was in position to oppose the Radfan tribesmen, with No.45 Commando sent to quell an Army mutiny in Tanganyika, then Brigadier Lunt prepared Operation Nutcracker to penetrate the country east of the Dhala road and quell the more intransigent Radfan tribes.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

At 2 am on August 2nd, 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. It was no contest, the Kuwaitis were outnumbered 50 to 1. As the Emir's Royal Guard made a desperate stand... read more.

Medal Ribbon

In May 1967, HMS Victorious was coming to the end of the Far East foreign leg of a general service commission. We were looking forward to heading west from the Singapore area to rendezvous with HMS Hermes in the area of Gan.... 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.

Medal Ribbon

On the 22nd of September 1950 the 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders moved across the Nantong River to support the left flank of a new American offensive against the North Koreans. ... read more.

Medal Ribbon

The EC security plan, devised by Lord Carrington, was an attempt by the European Community to stop the Yugoslavian civil war in 1991.... read more.