Royal Navy Commando - Didn't know he was shot... for 40 years.

[Ninja_Stoker]

A war hero who underwent surgery for a routine groin operation was stunned when doctors retrieved a bullet that had been lodged in his leg for 40 years.

Former Royal Navy Commando Robert Mitchell, 63, was injured in two separate battles in the Far East during the 1970s.

He was later awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for bravery but continued to feel pain in his groin.

Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...trieve-bullet-lodged-inside-man-40-years.html
​

 

[MacheteMeetsBiscuit]

Cool story, he was obviously shot at some point but some of it seems a bit waltish really "top secret raids into Vietnam and Laos" :notrust:

Full respect for his service and DSM but the sneaky-beaky underwater knife-fighting steely-eyed dealer of death stuff seems a bit fabricated.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

It's always difficult to tell - who knows, maybe he was SF. Either way he stopped a bullet somehow & not all covert ops make the news, but I'm sure I'd have remembered if someone shot me in the groin.

My Granddad told some whoppers about being in the Marines & his exploits in the war, my Dad always dismissed his tales as a "vivid imagination". But, whilst I firmly follow the adage "never let the truth get in the way of a good dit", - Who knows?

 

[MacheteMeetsBiscuit]

Yeah it's a good story whether it's true or not!

It's currently being hotly debated on ARRSE and, for all its many downfalls, they are good at outing walts so maybe we'll find out soon enough.

 

[Rover]

Also noted on OAMAAM.

Rover

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Yup, the fact that it's also been counter claimed that no-one of that name has been awarded a DSM does kind of cast a shadow on all that follows.

Damn, it's folk like that who make me loath to wear my VC. :smile:

 

[Kentish]

I can kind of understand how someone could not realise they had been shot after adrenaline, morphine and receiving shrapnel wounds to the upper body, but surely you would notice a bit of a leaking gap in your groin at a later date and get it checked?!

 

[Newguy2011]

I though if a bullet didn't deform it would go straight through someone. That one doesn't even have a dent.
He went from a burst eardrum from his diving couse to SF operations in a year.
His tag says 1967 but he joined in 1969.
And went apparently from waking up in gunboats with two bullet wounds to secret raids in vietnam and cambodia.
I don't buy it.

 

[DD]

He must of gotten a lot of grief at the airport security metal detecter.

 

[Caversham]

I was stationed in the Far East until the withdrawal in 1971 of all UK forces. There was always speculation that some of our troops were working in Vietnam, but it remained speculation.

What I find strange is firstly the ID tags. They are certainly not issued ones of that era, and they definitely would not have Commando stamped on them. Secondly, the report states that he Joined the RN Commandos in 1969, which is my time. If he did do the All Arms Course as an RN Medic, then he would have been drafted to a Commando Unit, not a ship. He was certainly not in 40 Commando then.

Lastly, to my knowledge of SF, particularly SBS, they do their own Combat Medics Course, plus is that not an Officers badge on his beret? That would make him a Surgeon Commander?

I wish the guy all the best of health, but if he is a Walt, then his days of daring do are limited!

Alan

 

[Caversham]

As well as ARSSE the Walt Hunters are raising their heads on the OAMAAM site.

Definitely a warning to anyone, don't try it, you will be found out! My old Sgt Major always used to say that you cannot b*text deleted** s*text deleted** in UK. With the coming of the Internet you cannot do it anywhere!

Alan

 

[Kentish]

Caversham, I notice he also has the Globe & Laurel cap badge attached to his jacket, would this be normal practice for a Royal Navy Commando? The only justification I can make is that if someone served in a commando unit they may be "awarded" it, but even that doesn't make much sense.

 

[Caversham]

Caversham, I notice he also has the Globe & Laurel cap badge attached to his jacket, would this be normal practice for a Royal Navy Commando? The only justification I can make is that if someone served in a commando unit they may be "awarded" it, but even that doesn't make much sense.

There is quite a bit of speculation as to what the badges are on other sites. The consensus is that it is a Royal British Legion badge and a Veterans Badge, but you're right insomuch that first and foremost your loyalty is to your original unit/regiment etc. in his case it is the Royal Navy and why he would want to embellish a Naval Career is beyond me. The award of a CGB would be sufficient to earn respect.

If he is Walting, and the general feeling he is, then my sympathies go to his children and grandchildren who will have looked up to him over the years.

The Walt Hunters are in full flight now. They have picked up on the fact that the GSM he is wearing has two clasps and during the time that he apparently served there was only the Northern Ireland one awarded, this is along with other apparent errors in his story.

Very sad.

Alan

 

[Rover]

One slight correction as regards the GSM.
During the time stated as having served there was also the Dhofar clasp for the GSM.

The NI clasp was awarded for service between 1969 and 2002, as far as I am aware. The Dhofar clasp 1969 to 1976.
I doubt very much that he served in NI, a few RN did and he would be known within such a small group.
As regards Dhofar he would have to have served within BATT, with a CGB no doubt within the SF side,not Hereford so another group. Only around ten or so people with a GCGB served within BATT and he was not one of them.
Apart from that it would seem he was rather busy in the Far East!

He is not listed in the London Gazette as regards the DSM.

Plus a number of other things that just do not fit.

What in some circles these are called clues.

Rover

 

[Jbc]

Crazy old *text deleted**text deleted**text deleted* (probably drunk) thought he'd spin a dit to someone that acted mega impressed and hung off his every word. Bet he didn't expect to end up in the daily papers!

There was a Navy rating at RNAS Yeovil that recently got 'outted' for wearing a green lid for 2 years before someone started asking questions.
Turns out the booties he was sharing a grot with just thought it would be hilarious If he'd never actually done his All Arms - the joke became a reality when things didn't start adding up; couldn't name his training team, troop numbers and dates didn't add up, couldn't prove any certificates to the troop sgt when asked, nothing on JPA.

Finally came out when he broke down in the Tp OC's office. He's now effectively ruined his career because he wanted to be something he wasn't.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

Strange isn't it?

After 31 years service I've yet to come across anyone pretending they were a Stoker. Maybe it's plainly obvious if the individual isn't good looking.

 

[Caversham]

Strange isn't it?

After 31 years service I've yet to come across anyone pretending they were a Stoker. Maybe it's plainly obvious if the individual isn't good looking.

Ninja, there's nothing more essence than a Stoker in his boiler suit wanting to be your Sea Daddy! Beats SF every time!

 

[Rover]

RN Stoker/SF.

Going back a few years. A certain stoker one evening after a few drinks with a group of people 'went SF'.
At the time the local 'airfield' was on a high security alert due to the political situation, armed patrols etc.
'H' basicly wandered in and proceeded tt mark certain aircraft with such things as RN Rules, Destroyed by Stoker 'H' etc.
He then went into the Guardroom and informed the RAF security of what he had done. The RAF did not of course believe him, after all a slighty inibriated sailor penetrating their security!!!
He was then just escorted off the base and left to make his own way back to HMS 'R'.
The next morning a rather irate RAF Officer and a party of 'snowdrops' having found 'H's handy work, wanted to arrest 'H' and have the proverbial book thrown at him.
They were sent away on being told this was a RN matter, they had their chance the night before when 'H' had surrended to them but they had let him go!
The Skipper at HMS 'R' then seems to have forgotten about it. RN 1-RAF 0.:smile:

Rover

 

[C]

RN Stoker/SF.

Going back a few years. A certain stoker one evening after a few drinks with a group of people 'went SF'.
At the time the local 'airfield' was on a high security alert due to the political situation, armed patrols etc.
'H' basicly wandered in and proceeded tt mark certain aircraft with such things as RN Rules, Destroyed by Stoker 'H' etc.
He then went into the Guardroom and informed the RAF security of what he had done. The RAF did not of course believe him, after all a slighty inibriated sailor penetrating their security!!!
He was then just escorted off the base and left to make his own way back to HMS 'R'.
The next morning a rather irate RAF Officer and a party of 'snowdrops' having found 'H's handy work, wanted to arrest 'H' and have the proverbial book thrown at him.
They were sent away on being told this was a RN matter, they had their chance the night before when 'H' had surrended to them but they had let him go!
The Skipper at HMS 'R' then seems to have forgotten about it. RN 1-RAF 0.:smile:

Rover

That stoker must have been a Ninja! :wink:

 

[Chelonian]

I did not serve in the Falklands conflict but my battalion did. In the years following 1982 it was astonishing how many men I met who claimed that they had fought at Goose Green.

Typically these individuals would be eager to regale listeners with war stories but unwilling to name their company commander or platoon boss. This was often for reasons of ?security? naturally.

I seldom burst their fantasy bubbles because I regarded their pathetic, low self esteem as being a punishment in itself.