Museum - Bosnia Postcards

Banja Luka Metal Factory (BLMF)
Picture Post Cards

Contributed by C/Sgt Raymond Fyfe
ex 7/8 Bn A and SH, 51 Highland Regiment
(1975 - 2002)

Postcard Images used with the permission of Nick Peucelle

During late 1998 and 1999, both HQ MND (SW) and the HQ (UK) NSE were both located within the area of
the Metal Factory, on the outskirts of Banja Luka, northern Bosnia.

This postcard shows a general view of the "Metal Factory" at the top with three Lynx helicopters from the Army Air Corps flying overhead.

Below this, from left to right, the sentry on the approach road, the EFI (Expeditionary Forces Institute) Shop sign, "Tommy Tucker's" coffee shop, and a Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle being guided under the Factory pipe bridge towards the site exit.

Below this: that same Warrior AFV in close-up, an advert for "Tommy Tucker's" and some of the white "COR-I-MEC" 4 man Accommodation Units.

This postcard shows a series of views of the "Metal Factory". In the top left, a patrol of three landrovers are preparing to leave the Guardroom, then the same Warrior Armoured Fighting Vehicle being guided under the Factory pipe bridge towards the site exit, while in the top right, is a view of a church tower on a hill within the town.

Along the middle of the card, an American Blackhawk helicopter on the "Stars and Stripes" at the left is separated from the British Lynx helicopter on the Union Flag at the right by a road sign marker. GULL is the MSR which goes North to South through Bosnia down to Split in Croatia. There are very few native signposts and the Royal Military Police maintain the Operational signs every few hundred metres along every main road, and many minor roads in both Bosnia and Croatia.

Along the bottom of the card we see a sign from the Guardroom, reminding visitors to unload their weapons, the end of the Factory wall, which faces onto the RHQ building and "Tommy Tucker's" coffee shop. A soldier relaxing behind "Tommy Tucker's" and in the bottom right-hand corner, a close-up of the turret on the Warrior AFV below the factory pipe-bridge.

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Museum Curator : Peter Jordan