With tribute to:

Martin Spirit

James Paul

Co-written by:

David Carter

Britain's Small Wars

The preservation of British Military History

Launched, Sunday 11th November 2018. Dedicated and paying tribute to veterans who have served in small conflicts since World War Two. This is an unofficial website with no ties to the Ministry of Defence. We would also like to pay a special tribute to Martin Spirit. For more information please read the About BSW page.

Latest updates

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Aden Withdrawal November 1967 - Aden - 1964-1967

In 1966 whilst onboard H.M. Submarine Auriga, I spent a most enjoyable stay in Aden stopping there enroute for a long commission based on Singapore. From my diary of that time, I note that we arrived at 1340 on Sunday the 20th February when the weather was 85f... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

The Ever Readies Aden 1965 - Aden - 1964-1967

I became involved in the British Army's operations in Aden as a member of the Territorial Army; I was not a regular soldier. I had originally joined the services as a boy seaman in the Royal Navy, aged 15, in 1951.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

Tales from Aden 1955 to 1957 - Aden - 1964-1967

I remember when we were in Aden in 66 Rifle Squadron and we used to go up country when the natives got restless. One time we were going up with a convoy of supplies and we came under fire.... read more.

Last updated: Feb 10, 2019

RASC in Aden and the Radfan - Aden - 1964-1967

I was posted to Aden from Aldershot in Feb 1964 after basic training as a driver in the RASC, at Yeovil, & Aldershot. I was so excited to be going to a place like Aden and not Germany... read more.

Some of the Featured

The Marines in Korea - Korea - 1950-1957
Medal Ribbon

The Royal marines began their work in Korea, when, at the Request of the UN Naval Force Command, the Admiralty had called for volunteers, and Lt E.G.D.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

The SAS Selection course was, and still is, incredibly tough, designed to weed out the candidates not suited to the service's special sort of operations. At that time, the SAS was only operational unit in Malaya,... read more.

Medal Ribbon

During the Spring of 1951, The Independent Commando had re-equipped, and its strength had risen to about 300. They trained for coastal raids once more, as the North Koreans and Chinese once again held the coastlines.... read more.

Introduction - Bosnia - 1992
Medal Ribbon

In 1990 the Republic of Yugoslavia destabilized following the death of Marshal Tito and the collapse of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact.... read more.

Medal Ribbon

On the morning of the 22nd of July 1946 a party of between 15 and 20 Jews, dressed as Arabs entered the King David Hotel.... read more.

The Dhofar - Oman - 1969-1976
Medal Ribbon

By July 1970, the province of Dhofar in western Oman was almost entirely in the hands of Communist-backed rebels belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of the Occupied Arabian Gulf (PFLOAG).... read more.

The War At Sea - Korea - 1950-1957
Medal Ribbon

The Korean War was principally a land war, with air support being provided by the UN Air Forces and aircraft carrier based fighters and strike aircraft.... read more.

Farrar the Para - Radfan - 1964-1967
Medal Ribbon

In the spring of 1964, the sniping war waged in the hinterland of the South Arabian Federation flared up and the campaign that followed was reminiscent of the pre-war fighting on the North-West Frontier of India.... read more.