This Story started by Denis Holroyd
11 Independent Field Squadron Royal Engineers
I'm searching for guys who took part in a trip to Laos that occurred, according to my little red book Sept 66 for a period of 18 days (were you one of the crew). I know we were flown in by chopper from Singapore/Changi to Vientiane/Laos, I think there were six of us ?.
The whole thing was a hearts and minds operation, created by extensive flooding , setting up and supplying drinking water for the local population , Scandinavian TV guy, American embassy party plus pool, British embassy staff.
Meeting with President before we left, If you were there you'll know what i mean. As you can see I need info to get some facts correct, and names of guys who were in the party. Any idea's???? Take care,
I'm searching for guys who took part in a trip to Laos that occurred, according to my little red book Sept 66 for a period of 18 days (were you one of the crew). I know we were flown in by chopper from Singapore/Changi to Vientiane/Laos, I think there were six of us ?.
The whole thing was a hearts and minds operation, created by extensive flooding , setting up and supplying drinking water for the local population , Scandinavian TV guy, American embassy party plus pool, British embassy staff.
Meeting with President before we left, If you were there you'll know what i mean. As you can see I need info to get some facts correct, and names of guys who were in the party. Any idea's???? Take care,
Denis Holroyd.
____________________________
From Colwyn Taff Morris
What i remember about it the Guard waking me up on a Sunday morning O.C wants you down the office now your going to Vietnam. Tell the O.C i am not in , the guard came again and told me we were going to Vientian Laos, I Reported to
O.C who asked how soon we could have the water purification kit ready to move .There was a delay as they could not make a decision to carry weapons or not eventually decision was given for us not to carry weapons.We then went to Shangi flew up to Thailand Were a helicopter flew us across the Mekong to Laos were we set up by a monestry and had 9x9 set up. We slept if my memory serves upstairs in a vets store.
Regards Taff Morris
What i remember about it the Guard waking me up on a Sunday morning O.C wants you down the office now your going to Vietnam. Tell the O.C i am not in , the guard came again and told me we were going to Vientian Laos, I Reported to
O.C who asked how soon we could have the water purification kit ready to move .There was a delay as they could not make a decision to carry weapons or not eventually decision was given for us not to carry weapons.We then went to Shangi flew up to Thailand Were a helicopter flew us across the Mekong to Laos were we set up by a monestry and had 9x9 set up. We slept if my memory serves upstairs in a vets store.
Regards Taff Morris
Ian Sumpter
___________________________________________________
From John Spriggs
MAY66-AUG67 saw many different locations including LAOS.the team that eventually did get to travel LAOS was drawn from all the different troops each having thier own skills.
Scouse Sumpter & myself for the water supply
Taff Morriss engine maintenance
Jimmy Dow electricianl
Brian Mellet was snco
( brian was my SSM when i was an instructor @DOVER 71-73)
we did some good work in LAOS
and were rewarded with a lot off parties
after the task was completed,from all the different embassy,s
MAY66-AUG67 saw many different locations including LAOS.the team that eventually did get to travel LAOS was drawn from all the different troops each having thier own skills.
Scouse Sumpter & myself for the water supply
Taff Morriss engine maintenance
Jimmy Dow electricianl
Brian Mellet was snco
( brian was my SSM when i was an instructor @DOVER 71-73)
we did some good work in LAOS
and were rewarded with a lot off parties
after the task was completed,from all the different embassy,s
______________________________________________
Members So Far
Dennis Holroyd
Colwyn Taff Morris
Ian Sumpter
John Spriggs
Brian Mellett SNCO Deceased
Jimmy Dow electrician
Rob Deeming
Michael Cheesley ACC new
______________________
Photos From Colwyn Morris
Dennis Holroyd
Colwyn Taff Morris
Ian Sumpter
John Spriggs
Brian Mellett SNCO Deceased
Jimmy Dow electrician
Rob Deeming
Michael Cheesley ACC new
______________________
Photos From Colwyn Morris
Continuation From 2nd Lt Rob Cooke
Laos
Flood Relief 1966
The call came to 11 Sqn on a Sunday
afternoon. There was a scramble to put together the G1098 stores that might be
needed amid some confusion about what we might be called upon to do. That
evening the group of about 8 or 9 bodies plus stores set off for Singapore
arriving in the small hours at Nee Soon Transit Camp.
That was the hurry up then came the wait.
We spent the next 4 or 5 days waiting for the politicians to decide whether we
would indeed be sent to Laos. In that time we were joined by a couple of
reinforcements from 54 Sqn and a RAMC Field Hygiene Team. Each day as we waited
more and more stores and supplies arrived as the Singapore staff tried to
second guess what we might need.
Eventually the decision was made and we
departed by Hercules with a small selection from the large stockpile of stores
that had grown up in the Transit Camp.
The Hercules deposited us at the American
airbase at Udorn in Thailand about 50 kms to the south of Vientiane. Waiting
for us there was a RAF Wessex which shuttled us north to Vientiane. The British
Embassy staff made us welcome and we were accommodated in a section of the
embassy that was being refurbished.
Having expected to find ourselves in a
disaster zone it was a bit of an anticlimax to find that whilst there was a lot
of the town flooded the locals were coping pretty well and were quietly waiting
for the flood to subside. The Americans had been on the ground for a while and
were already providing all sorts of assistance.
The only thing the locals were short of was
clean water and outpatient level medical assistance, so that’s what we got on
with.
Three water points were established, one
fairly close to the embassy and one by a central monument both using water
drawn from the embassy swimming pool and the third further towards the town
centre in the grounds of a monastery using water drawn from the monastery well.
The Hygiene Team based itself at the monument water point.
It rapidly became clear that the locals
were only interested in collecting water during daylight hours so life became
fairly relaxed. The group were given access to the American Embassy Club where
decent food and drink were available - any fear of misbehaviour was nipped in
the bud with a strong warning from the club manager, an ex Coldstream Guards
RSM.
There wasn’t a lot of opportunity for
socialising though the doctor from the Hygiene Team managed to strike up a
friendship with a lady on the embassy staff and one of the Sappers at the
monastery water point got a date with the daughter of a Laotian government
minister who lived across the road from the monastery. Said minister endeared
himself to the monastery team by arranging several deliveries of whisky.
Towards the end of the stay we were all
invited along with some of the embassy staff, as a thankyou, to afternoon tea with the Laotian Prime
Minister - all very pleasant and civilised.
We were only in Vientiane for a little over
a week before being choppered back to Udorn Airbase and then flown by Hercules
back to Singapore.
Arriving
Arriving
Flooding
Embassy
Embassy Pool
Embassy Pool
Water truck
Water Point
Water Point
Monument Waterpoint
Monument Waterpoint
Monument Waterpoint
Monument Waterpoint
Monastery Waterpoint
Monastery Waterpoint
Monastery waterpoint
Tea party
Udorn going home
