Page 1 of 1

Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:37 pm
by JOEMC
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

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 1:52 pm
by Bill Bentley
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 :lol: :lol: :lol:.

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2020 10:28 am
by BobH
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 :)

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 2:18 am
by Arnie
BobH, WOW!!!!

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:20 am
by Pinky
What he said

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2020 7:29 pm
by Michael Burgess
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 :lol: :oops:

Re: Mick Gibbons 2Para

Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2020 11:10 am
by Bill Bentley
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 :lol: :lol: . 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 :lol: :lol: :lol: .. Ach, eh, life would be boring if everyone was the same.

Keep up the good work ;) and thanks again !