Ghost Train Aden 1959.
The story I am about to tell you happened one dark night when John Layton and myself Nev Hancy (Frank) were on guard. Now let me go to the beginning and tell you how we got to be where we were.
It started early one morning in September, about the 24th to 26th 1959 when we - 13plt, 14plt, 15plt D Company of the 1st Northamptonshire Regiment - were being transported by 3 ton Bedford lorrys and other vehicles towards Dhala, along a very dusty road full of holes & rocks , and we crossed a wide river which was not very deep, and I remember we went over a bridge and we had to get out of the lorrys and walk behind them because of the weight as the bridge was not very strong.
Our final destination was Mukarious Camp,(we were told we would not be able to drive all the way, now thats another story) we traveled for many hours and covered many miles, it was very hot as usual and it was getting late the first day, and we have now arrived at the place where John Layton and myself Nev Hancy were on guard, all the lorrys were parked in a close circle like the waggons in cowboy films, and it was now getting very dark, there was no moon you could not see much in front of you, I think we were on a 2 hour guard then someone else takes over.
After walking around for quite a time I could hear somthing coming towards us so I said to John "can you hear that" no he said, but I could, I knew that there was somthing there, it was very faint and was coming towards us very very slowly, a kind of suh suh suh noise, I said to John" can you hear it now" no he said, but it was still coming towards us, then he touched my right arm and he said in a very low voice" yes I can hear it now," OK we will stop it, if it doesn`t stop we will open fire, then I shouted out in a very loud voice "STOP OR WE WILL OPEN FIRE ",and also in Arabic - the words I do not remember now ,what ever it was it did not stop coming towards us, we could not see a thing, it was so dark, I warned them again, and at the same time we cocked our guns, then from the direction of the lorrys, which were over to our left, a voice in Arabic - very very loud, broke the stillnes,then the noise stopped coming towards us, the voice from the left continuned for a minut or two, then stopped, then a voice in Arabic to our front and up in the air (because he was sitting on top of a camel of which we did not know at that time ) started from the direction of where the sound had came from, these two continued talking for a while, then the person, from where the lorrys are parked, shouted in English that we can let them pass, so I shouted back to him, ok you inform them - which he did, by that time John and I were crouched down on one knee, and the sound started again, getting louder and louder untill it was almost right up to us, the sound was like an old wooden ship creaking and swishing, then the first one passed, then the next, and so on until about twenty of them passed us, and Arabic was spoken agian from up in the air, as the last one passed us the sound was getting fainter and fainter and fainter untill the sound had all gone, we never saw a thing, so what we had stopped was a Camel Trian thats why I have called the story Ghost Train because we never saw it, how about that for an experience so when that was all over John Layton and I Nev Hancy (Frank) continued the rest of our guard for that night.
Next morning we had our breakfast, a cup of tea, packed all our things, then up in the back of the lorrys again, set off towards Dhala along the track which was narrower and rougher and dusty, it was not too bad when the light wind was coming from the side, but when the convoy turned into the wind you could not see very well,after traverling many miles the hours were passing, we stoped now and agian for one thing or another, the sun was very hot and sand stuck on you as we were sweating so much, we arrived at the foot of a mountian I do not remember how hight it was, about 4000 feet, and we were told we shall slept here for the night, and in the morning we are going to climb up that mountian, after every thing was in its place, had somthing to eat, found a place to sleep, I remember sleeping under a lorry, the morning soon came, after washing, having our breakfast, getting your kit all ready, getting called together in your platoons, also the lorrys are getting ready to go back to Little Aden, I tnink thats where we started from.
I do not remember what the time was we started that morning , but I do I remember starting going up up and for ever up,and resting many times, it was very hot,very very hot, that sun just kept on blazing down on us, at some point we stopped for a rest, I sat down on a rock all the others sat further away, then I could hear buzz, buzz,buzzing, I turned around and a few yards away was a big dead camel blown up from the sun shining on it for many days,it was covered in thousands of flys, it must have stunck real rotten, but as I have no sence of smell I could not smell a thing, but my mates could thats why they were sitting futher up the track, all my mates laughed I got up and ran to where they were sitting.
Started off again, worn out, tired, hot, but we made it to the top,e ventually we arrived at Mukarious Camp.
Taken on road from Little Aden, soldier with arms in air was our Platoon Officer Lt Firnley (spelling?) (14th Plt. D Coy 1st Northampton Reg ) Setting on lorry at back left is Jeff Lynn, setting back right I remember his face very well but not his name. |
I do not remember where, on our way to Dhala |
Convoy on our way |
Convoy on our way |
A bit rough it gets worse. |
Lorrys as far as you can see. |
Not very good roads. |
The river crossing. |
Rocks and dust. |
At end of convoy looks like a Ferret Scout Car. |
Not much of a road |
Rocks and dust agian. |
Slowing down. |
Stopped for a cup of tea,after the heat and dust of the day. |
On the move agian. |
Out of lorrys and walk behind them over bridge because of the weight as the bridge was not very strong. The soldier on left at back I think is Dug Pratt. |
Getting to our jurneys end in the lorrys,no more clouds of dust. |
Soon we will park for the night,in the morning we will climb up a mountain, and the lorrys will return to Aden. |
No more lorrys, we are now on foot heading for Mukeriras Camp can you see the soldiers resting. |
Now its getting highter. |
Nev Hancy (Frank) and Brian Gruby (Shorty) having a rest. |
Setting down bottom right corner wearing a berry is our platton officer Lt Firnley (<---spelling?) Setting down to his right drinken mybe a mug of tea I think is Jeff Lynn. Top left no hat is Lofty sorry do not remember his surname. In middle with left arm on Bren Gun I know him very well just connot remember his name. |
On the way up stoping again for a drink,Nev Hancy (Frank) on left, on right Jeff Lynn. |
We have come a long way up now |
This photo is of John Layton I wonder where he is now, he was Number 2 on a Bren Gun with me. |
This photo shows how steep the climb was, The Barren Rocks of Aden |
We just came up from down there. |
 On left is Brian Gruby (Shorty) on right Nev Hancy (Frank) |
One more water or tea break, soon at the top. |
Camel trian coming down I wonder its the one `that John Layton and I stopped 2 nights before in the Ghost Trian Story. When we get to the top we will make our way to Mukeiras Camp. |
The Day It Rained At Mukarious Camp
It was wounderful after all the heat, we just stood there got soaking wet, afterwards we had to dig trenches so the water would not go in the tents.
Photo taken April...May 1959.
On photo from left to right is Nev Hancy (Frank)-- Loftty--Ken---Percy Parker---
the last two I am sorry I cannot remember their names, but I remember them very well.
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