A few simple questions and some self-indulgence

[TerribleTerry]

afterall, one of the chaps who inspired me to join the military was a fighting man of Oxford, Robert Nairac. He actually revived the Oxford University boxing club and won four blues versus Cambridge. That said, I would still imagine that you were one of the few at college.

That name rings a bell Macho - wasn't he the SAS officer who was serving undercover in N.I when the 'RA sussed him out and he was executed?

I think it was something like that anyway..

Did u know him personally or were u inspired by his story?

[Counter-puncher]

OT, macho, but didn't Nairac get lifted by the provos while indulging himself in a bit of extra-curricular surveillance? IE he wasn't supposed to be tooling round on his own like a hero from a gerald fricken seymour novel? from what i recall he was basically not 'on the job' when he got lifted, but, ummm, well just knobbing about for curiosity's sake, almost.

[orbtastic]

The problem is with govt and SAS stuff is that they often won't admit that someone is "there" or "working", so it's hard to say if he was, or wasn't. The same way they were being used in a lot of those 50s and 60s hotspots post war.

[Counter-puncher]

i read interviews in the 80s with real sass dudes saying he was a slightly insane amateur ummm, i am looking for the right phrase here, walter mitty maybe, a kindof wannabe. like, example, not sure he even had a radio on him, that kind of thing. don't think it was a deniability thing, just, the fooker shouldn't have been there. this is how i remember it, anyway.

[Counter-puncher]

thanks macho.

he was Intelligence, as i recall, which certainly wouldn't mean it was impossible that he'd be doing secret squirrel shiznit.

i read the interview in a book by- whats the buggers name? gah. Tony geraghty, i think. apologies for the OT but i think that ship had already sailed on this thread and personally i like long meandering threads that go everywhere

[DavidPayne]

There used to be a bloke in our boozer who hinted at a past in the SAS....he didn't take kindly to someone suggesting he fetch a hot flannel and a small can of Ginger Ale.

Well, he didn't look like a Scandanavian flight attendant to be fair.

[DavidPayne]

It was the tache like the spiv in Dad's Army that undermined it all....oh and the pony-tail.

[orbtastic]

SAS flight attendants are PFP, better than Cathay Pacific in my opinion.

Yeah I saw you'd said he wasn't badged SAS, my point was more a general one really - I should have clarified - I've no real recollection of the guy you're on about other than vague back story. I think I remember some passing reference to him in one of the many SAS books I've read, but they are often well..shall we say, called into question by others.

[DavidPayne]

The ultimate waltermitty must be the 62 year old who had medals for fighting the Germans, the Koreans, the Japs, The Iraqis and I think the Boars and marched through White Hall......to impress his girlfriend.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... efits.html

This feller - joined the army the same year as me as a junior leader (I assume) but won the GSM with Cyprus bar - the same medal my dad won in 1957-8. And the Daily Mail swallowed it!

Nairiac might have been a romancer but he was also a Guards officer with the Coldstreams and an Oxbridge graduate - so total respect!

[DavidPayne]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... efits.html

This feller - joined the army the same year as me as a junior leader (I assume) but won the GSM with Cyprus bar - the same medal my dad won in 1957-8. :lol: And the Daily Mail swallowed it!

Nairiac might have been a romancer but he was also a Guards officer with the Coldstreams and an Oxbridge graduate - so total respect! :TU:

No...this one.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -wife.html

[DavidPayne]

He said the girl in question was looking for a father figure.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... efits.html

This feller - joined the army the same year as me as a junior leader (I assume) but won the GSM with Cyprus bar - the same medal my dad won in 1957-8. And the Daily Mail swallowed it!

Nairiac might have been a romancer but he was also a Guards officer with the Coldstreams and an Oxbridge graduate - so total respect!

No...this one.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -wife.html

Shiiiiiiiiiiiit - I am suprised he didn't fall over sideways! I remember my dad telling me about this in his weekly email to me but this is the first time I have seen the picture.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... efits.html

This feller - joined the army the same year as me as a junior leader (I assume) but won the GSM with Cyprus bar - the same medal my dad won in 1957-8. And the Daily Mail swallowed it!

Nairiac might have been a romancer but he was also a Guards officer with the Coldstreams and an Oxbridge graduate - so total respect!

Grenadiers.

I stand corrected. I remember reading about Nariac somewhere but still - a guards officer - no mean feat as it stands!

[m1kee50]

Try Death Of A Hero by John Parker