"I say, are you married, engaged?"

L-R Tug, John, Jim, Rob.
During the early part of 1964 the Tanganyika Rifles (TR), Julius Nyerere’s main fighting force, based in Dar Es Salaam, decided that with no pay, no food and no leadership, they could do a better job themselves. Their leaders led a coup d’etat against their President. Julius requested help from the British. Being nice people the British embarked 45 Commando RM from the luxurious environs of Aden, now Yemen, onto HMS Centaur. She sailed towards the delights of Africa, the lads of 45 were battle hardened as they had been conducting operations in the Radfan against terrorist tribesmen, or as Cpl Jones has it, “Fuzzie Wuzzies.” Nothing much changes. 

On the morning of Jan 25th 1964 Podge was the Sgt Major of a Fighting Company, part of 45 Commando RM. His Company was landed in the dock area of Dar Es Salaam, while another Company was flown into an area behind the TR barracks. There were two things missing. Transport, easily sorted, local drivers were removed from their trucks, Marines loaded off we jolly well go. Ammunition. Yes you read right, ammunition. The quartermaster at Aden had loaded blank ammo on the ship. 45 were unarmed, only having mortar rounds and ammo for pistols and sub-machine guns. Undaunted the convoy headed for the airfield, the enemy headed away from the airfield, disappearing into the jungle. Nearly all of them were captured once 45 had been to the barracks and “borrowed” the TR’s ammo. 

Now the fun bit. One of Podge’s Corporals, Andy O’Pray, had a quiet word in Podge’s shell like ears. “Can I have a land rover for 30 minutes?” Trusting his NCO Podge let him take one and waited. Andy came back with a couple of men and a loaded landy. When the canvas was pulled back Podge immediately replaced it. Secret does not begin to describe their haul. The land rover and contents were reloaded onto Centaur, the contents spirited away as if they had never existed. 

Once the unit returned to the UK the spoils of battle became evident. The Sergeant’s Mess opened the sliding glass doors to the Silver Cabinet and doubled the contents by adding the silver borrowed from Tanganyika’s finest. Most of your taxes that go into foreign aid are usually diverted en-route to the needy by the not so needy but greedy. The Tanganyika Rifles and Airforce “needed” silver ornaments for their dining in nights. Hence Andy O’Pray’s delight at discovering their loot. 

That silver resides in new cabinets these days, my friends and I are standing in front of a small fraction of it, this was the first and only occasion four SNCO pilots were in one unit. Back in 1978 when this image was taken we used the old Naval barracks, one of our mess members instituted the 1815 club. Sherry was served at 1815, sensible conversation was indulged until 1830 then it was full on. 

Andy O’Pray and I had a link, but that will keep for later. Podge and I had lunch one day, he gave me this timeless gem of RM history. 

The quartermaster was returned to UK for court martial.