Chip Chapman

News contributor and author of 'Notes From A Small Military'

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

A reminder (from 2017) that air superiority and the dropping of bombs does not lead to a strategic outcomes alone.

#IranWar‌

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@tobyharnden Fortunate to have a signed copy of ‘Mark of the Lion’

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@EdwardArthur5 They’re his words - first in print in 1985 in Max Arthur’s book ‘Above All,Courage’. David Cooper wrote the forewarn.

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Hail to Chris Keeble - the architect of this.
War is a dung heap, but it is a dung heap on which grow some remarkable blooms - and his humanity was part of that bloom.

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@neilh32 I really liked him - I remember thinking 'oh no, not Chris' when he was killed because of the grief that would descend upon his wife as he had a new born baby a few months old - and that's why war's a dung heap...

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@BillyRFC517 Many men - of both sides - are alive today becuase of Chris Keeble's humanity and approach to war.

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Camilla Creek - 27 May 82 - day before Goose Green

We do not join battle afraid
We do not ask favours or indulgence
We do not know or seek what our fate will be

We ask only this
That if die we must
That we die as men would die
Without complaining
Without pleading..

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Mill Life
Once the busiest heli-terminal in Europe
Forever known to many by the trigram BBK
South Armagh NI

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@dutchenglishman No, it's an extract from 1 of the finest pre-battle speeches of all time: Lt Col 'Bull' Wolverton of 3/506th PIR prior to D Day. He was KIA on 6 June. I beleive President Reagan used part of it at the 40th annivesary at Omaha. My diary was firmly in the ship one we landed!

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@Doorbundle @2PARA_HQ Met was always a problem as the readings were so far away from the action and therefore not very accurate. No Cymbeline at Goose Green either so throughout the battle the enemy guns were never located.

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

The bleak landscape: @2PARA_HQ are degrading.

I like this photo as it’s indicative of, for the army, the last analogue war. For example, Field Artillery Computer Eqpt (FACE) quickly reverted to FAME - manual eqpt.

The Falklands war of 82 was a harsh environment

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@GuyMartyr @2PARA_HQ Indeed Guy. A very likeable man

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Saddened to inform of the death of Lt Alex Ward @2PARA_HQ class of 82

He is shown here poking his head to the left of the bride at a v hastily arranged pre-war wedding.

RIP Alex.

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@IanKirkwood20 @2PARA_HQ @TheParachuteReg "Hello 2 this is 23, for f*** sake beam me up, out!"

Hope we see you on the 45th!

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

44 years ago - @2PARA_HQ landed at night on the Falklands to move to Sussex Mountain to ‘hold’ that feature prior to a breakout.

A very physically demanding night made worse by constant taking of cover due to ‘air raid warning RED’ messages.

@TheParachuteReg

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@Doorbundle @TheParachuteReg @2PARA_HQ No, but no one would read 9 on x!

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

@TheParachuteReg @2PARA_HQ

14 May 82 - the original 2 PARA Op order for the Falklands landings (Op SUTTON). Due to OPSEC, they would not be breifed downwards for quite a few days.

(from the National Archives, p1 and 9 only shown)

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Another new PM this year would put the ‘turnover rate’ as the highest since William IV (1830-37). He had Grey, Melbourne, Wellington and Peel - all still well known for one reason or another.

Anyone for tea, a trip to New South Wales, Waterloo or to a police station?

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

Still the only PM since Churchill to have been in office during the reign of 2 monarchs... 😂😂

[Chip Chapman @NotesFASMil]

There was a time when politicians had....

(from a menu at a dinner night some years ago - can't vouch for the truth of the saying...)