Mick Gibbons 2Para
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- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2020 10:58 pm
- Service details: Joined Regt Novenber 1969 in Paderborn served in Hong Kong Singapore Malaya Herford Denmark Omagh Bovington Hohne Belfast BATUS Range safety Catterick Munster Gulf war left Army Jan 1992
- Real name:
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Mick Gibbons 2Para
I was in pub in Bury Sunday afternoon watching the football spotted this bloke with his wife also having a drink he was wearing maroon Parachute Regiment t shirt got talking to him told me he served in 2 Para in Falklands he told me he knew Bill Bentley he spoke about him in glowing terms asked me to say hello to Bill via this site and extend his best wishes
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- Posts: 436
- Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:40 pm
- Location: Spain
- Service details: 1970 - JLR RAC, 14/20KH, Para Sqn RAC, 14/20KH, Hereford, 14/20KH, 2 Para, DLOY - 1990.
- Real name: Martin William Lester Bentley (Bill) (Basha !)
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- x 38
Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
My thanks Joe Mc ?
and my regards back to Mick Gibbons and all and any former comrades. Some knew me better and have, perhaps, less favourable things to report ... I had my bad days as well as my good ones .
and my regards back to Mick Gibbons and all and any former comrades. Some knew me better and have, perhaps, less favourable things to report ... I had my bad days as well as my good ones .
- BobH
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 4:16 pm
- Location: Lytham St Annes
- Service details: DLOY - 1961 - 1966
14th/20th King's Hussars - 1966 - 1978
RAOC - 1978 - 1988 - Real name: Bob Harrison
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Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
My own relationship with Operation Corporate (Falklands) is very different from that of Bill. You may find it interesting though
In early 1982 I was stationed with the Directorate of Supply Computer Systems (DSCS) in Graven Hill Bicester within the RAOC Garrison. At that time I was working on the development of a new computerised ammunition system. I was approached by Brigadier John Spackman who asked me to look at the possibility of a 'Secret' communication system for use during the Falklands War.
The end result was a system known as 'Mail' (produced entirely single-handedly by myself)) and it was recognised as the World's first secret electronic mail system written to the US Orange Book Standard. Its original intention was to be used by the Press: Commanders realised early on that this was going to be a media-intense war and they worried that TV and newspaper reporters could spend lengthy periods using ship's communications systems to make their reports - channels which could be 'located' by the Argentine scanning devices.
In use, the reporters (enclosed within Faraday cages) would enter their reports into Mail and, when complete, zap them into the ether in around 20ns (compared with the previous half-an-hour or so upwards).
When the senior Army heirarchy learned of Mail they also rushed to use it as a computerised stowage system. Huge numbers of items of kit loaded onto the fleet were recorded onto Mail, and then located and retrieved when needed.
At a Press Conference held at the London Headquarters of International Computers Limited (ICL) I lectured on data security and the use of Mail and was described (by an ATO) as 'Probably the best Computer Programmer in the World' (now, that's worth a Carlsberg or two)!
In later life I also wrote the 'Berlin Evacuation System', managed the FRIS system (you'll know what that is if you were in Berlin), and was Senior Programmer introducing a (secret) Management Information System into 1st (BR) Corps, Bielefeld.
After retirement from the Army I was appointed manager of the maintenance of the DHSS benefit systems of Income Support, Social Fund, Jobseekers' Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Social Fund and Winter Fuel Allowance. If DWP reported a problem - my team repaired, tested and released updates (and there were many). At that time the Head of DHSS was ???? Brigadier (retired) John Spackman
In early 1982 I was stationed with the Directorate of Supply Computer Systems (DSCS) in Graven Hill Bicester within the RAOC Garrison. At that time I was working on the development of a new computerised ammunition system. I was approached by Brigadier John Spackman who asked me to look at the possibility of a 'Secret' communication system for use during the Falklands War.
The end result was a system known as 'Mail' (produced entirely single-handedly by myself)) and it was recognised as the World's first secret electronic mail system written to the US Orange Book Standard. Its original intention was to be used by the Press: Commanders realised early on that this was going to be a media-intense war and they worried that TV and newspaper reporters could spend lengthy periods using ship's communications systems to make their reports - channels which could be 'located' by the Argentine scanning devices.
In use, the reporters (enclosed within Faraday cages) would enter their reports into Mail and, when complete, zap them into the ether in around 20ns (compared with the previous half-an-hour or so upwards).
When the senior Army heirarchy learned of Mail they also rushed to use it as a computerised stowage system. Huge numbers of items of kit loaded onto the fleet were recorded onto Mail, and then located and retrieved when needed.
At a Press Conference held at the London Headquarters of International Computers Limited (ICL) I lectured on data security and the use of Mail and was described (by an ATO) as 'Probably the best Computer Programmer in the World' (now, that's worth a Carlsberg or two)!
In later life I also wrote the 'Berlin Evacuation System', managed the FRIS system (you'll know what that is if you were in Berlin), and was Senior Programmer introducing a (secret) Management Information System into 1st (BR) Corps, Bielefeld.
After retirement from the Army I was appointed manager of the maintenance of the DHSS benefit systems of Income Support, Social Fund, Jobseekers' Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Social Fund and Winter Fuel Allowance. If DWP reported a problem - my team repaired, tested and released updates (and there were many). At that time the Head of DHSS was ???? Brigadier (retired) John Spackman
Bob Harrison
Westhoughton born and Warburtons bred
Westhoughton born and Warburtons bred
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- Location: Western Australia
- Service details: Enlisted in 14th/20th King's Hussars on 2 Feb 1959.
Served Hohne and Rheindahlen 1959 - 1962
Libya 1962 Cyprus with C Sqn Dec 1963 - Feb 1964. Returned to Benghazi
then to Tripoli with B Sqn until Sep 1964. Left for Courses in NBC then to 7 Armoured Brigade till 1967.
Transferred to Intelligence Corps 67. First posting to Northern Ireland 67 - 70.
Singapore 70 - 71, Hong Kong 71 - 72. NI 72 - 74. NITAT (Northern Ireland Training and Advisory Team) 74 - 76. Berlin 76 - 79. Final Posting, Preston Int and Security Section. Stupidly Retired on 1 Feb 81, and emigrated to Australia. - Real name:
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Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
BobH, WOW!!!!
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- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Service details: 1979 JLR RAC. 14/20H then that other regiment. 1979-2003
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Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
What he said
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- Posts: 102
- Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 6:37 pm
- Location: Uk Dorset
- Service details: Boy's Sqn RAC 1956 B Sqn Berlin 1958. Stayed Regt Duty till 1990 then RAC Gunnery School till Xmas 2006. Completed 50years and 6 months service.
- Real name: Mick Burgess
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Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
Amazing Bob
Never knew you were a "GEEK" well done no wonder you could get this site up and running again thank god.
By the way Singe had a great send off with lots of old Hawks there. Waggy as usual gave a great Eulogy of his time
In the regiment.
Regards to Lynn M & M
Never knew you were a "GEEK" well done no wonder you could get this site up and running again thank god.
By the way Singe had a great send off with lots of old Hawks there. Waggy as usual gave a great Eulogy of his time
In the regiment.
Regards to Lynn M & M
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- Posts: 436
- Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:40 pm
- Location: Spain
- Service details: 1970 - JLR RAC, 14/20KH, Para Sqn RAC, 14/20KH, Hereford, 14/20KH, 2 Para, DLOY - 1990.
- Real name: Martin William Lester Bentley (Bill) (Basha !)
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- x 38
Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para
Bob,
we have chatted about some of this before, I knew that you had helped us boys on the ground back in '82, but I didn't know the rest of it. So it's Bob's 'coming out' time . And what a revelation, didn't think that you could grow in my eyes, but you have !
I just wonder if you feel that you did the right thing ... helping to save wretches like me who are so often bucking the system and preaching armagedon .. Ach, eh, life would be boring if everyone was the same.
Keep up the good work and thanks again !
we have chatted about some of this before, I knew that you had helped us boys on the ground back in '82, but I didn't know the rest of it. So it's Bob's 'coming out' time . And what a revelation, didn't think that you could grow in my eyes, but you have !
I just wonder if you feel that you did the right thing ... helping to save wretches like me who are so often bucking the system and preaching armagedon .. Ach, eh, life would be boring if everyone was the same.
Keep up the good work and thanks again !