And as for the people who interrogated me, if I met any of them in the street tomorrow and thought I could get away with it, I’d slot them.
Glossary
203 M16 rifle with 40mm grenade launcher attached
2 i/c second in command 66 lightweight, throwaway antitank rocket
AAA or Triple A antiaircraft artillery APC Armored Personnel Carrier
AWACS Airborne Warning And Control
System beasting army slang for a beating bergen pack carried by British farces on active service berm entrenchment for tank Big Four the only four pieces of information which, under the Geneva Convention, an enemy is allowed to ask for: number, rank, name, date of birth bone (adj.) stupid brew mug of tea buckshee free, without charge, surplus bulk up vomit cabby, as in fire your weapon at “have a cabby at” chin strap be on really knackered, as in “I can’t go your on, I’m on, my chin strap here.”
claymore antipersonnel mine used for area protection
COP Close Observation Platoon
CT Counter Terrorist
CTR close target recce curls countryside cyalume stick light-stick activated by squeezing
DF direction finder find the direction of Dinkie short-wheelbase Land-Rover (term first used during the Gulf War)
OOP drop-off point DPM disrupted-pattern material (i.e. camouflage)
E amp;E escape and evasion
ERV emergency rendezvous
FOB Forward Operations Base
FRY final rendezvous fuddle or getting together and having a brew kefuddle or conference gob off speak
GPMG general purpose machine gun glossary 421 green slime member of Intelligence Corps hard routine regime in the field that demands, among other things: belt kit on, weapons at hand, no flame or smoke, and all equipment packed away unless in use
HE high explosive
Head Shed nickname for anyone in authority. From Malaya days, this is what any form of leadership in the Regiment has been called-after the term for the start of a river course hex amine (hexy) small block of solid fuel
ID identify identity Jane’s military encyclopedia jundie Iraqi soldier laager an armored vehicle
LUP launched punched
LSV light strike vehicle (dune buggy)
LUP lying-up point
MSR Main Supply Route
NBC nuclear, biological, chemical (warfare)
net radio network
NVA night-viewing aid
NVG night-viewing goggles
OC officer commanding
OP observation post
OP SEC operational security
PE plastic explosive j pear-shaped got the hump pinkie (110) long-wheelbase Land-Rover, Regiment Special Air Service remf rear echelon motherfucker Rupert nickname for officer-not always derogatory
RV rendezvous point scaley signaler scaley kit signals equipment
Sit Rep situation report
SOP standard operating procedure spook member of Intelligence Corps squaddy soldier stag sentry (also sentry duty) stand stood to ready to fight in your position Syrette automatic one-time injector S60 57mm antiaircraft gun tab forced march over a long distance, usually carrying a heavy load
TACBE tactical beacon
TEL transporter erector launcher
VCP vehicle checkpoint
Andy McNab
ANDY McNAB, Sergeant, SAS, joined the British infantry as a boy soldier. In 1984 he was “badged” as a member of the SAS-the British Special Forces-and has since been involved in elite intelligence and combat operations worldwide. During the Gulf War he commanded Bravo Two Zero, a patrol that in the words of his commanding officer “will remain in regimental history forever.” After six months of medical treatment immediately following his release by the Iraqis, Andy McNab was back on active service. He remained with the SAS until February 1993, at which time he was the most highly decorated soldier in the British Army.
