Episode 2- TheOldParatrooper podcast talks to ex 3 Para and Falklands veteran Sgt Mick Southall.
Apr 15, 2024okay um the only problem with me is that I hadn't even signed up, so how do I leave? Well, I hadn't even signed up. I didn't sign up until about September, October, until they came out with the paperwork, um, but yeah, I never had the feeling that I was going to leave, I always thought. I was going to try to make a career out of this, well I never had the inclination, but I saw a lot of people leave or maybe move on to other things, another job, that kind of thing and it didn't happen that way.
It takes a long time for the Battalion to disband quite quickly, so of course you know the young recruits start coming in and and and and that's that circle of life, it's its cycle, the recruits come out and and and it went on, but it seemed like they just seemed to pick up a pace, I thought because around 1985 86 I would say the Forkland
veteran
s were the minority in the Battalion yes, probably yes, yes, yes, definitely among the headshed, for example, yes, absolutely, I think they know a lot. Obviously, all the young officers, the young men who left tenants and, you know, people like James Bashel and Jim Chiswell, and well, those guys who are now joining the thread, obviously, they had brilliant careers, but everyone knows them, as you know , they start somewhere. and all the young officers obviously weren'tveteran
s of Forkland that kind of thing, so it was just that cycle, it just gets done, you know, people go out, people join in, yeah, things move, which I did notice It's also like not much.
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episode 2 theoldparatrooper podcast talks to ex 3 para and falklands veteran sgt mick southall...
Many of you didn't see a lot of folklore veterans who then rose through the ranks and I spoke to a guy before and he said, "Well, why would I want to take a professional course when I've actually done it?" and that was a guy. um general, yeah, that's really true. I mean, when I went to do juniors in 1988 at that stage, I think the DSs there were absolutely sick of it, so he told me who he was now. It could have been Mick Cullen, is it Mick or someone like that, whatever you do, don't say anything, so when I got there I obviously never said a word and it wasn't until 3 weeks into the course that DS Jordy um Jordy Patterson.
The bright Green Jacket guy turned around and said uh doing something you know this you gotta study weekend LS and he just turned around and said like this wa C so he was in the forland and I was like , yes, Coler and then everyone looked. to me because I never said a word about it no one asked me because they didn't want to hear about it you could say jealousy but they didn't want to hear about it and also um they didn't want to um they didn't want to listen and I didn't want to draw attention to it so yeah , um, it was one of those things, dude, I just kept Gob shot, yeah, it's probably better, yeah, they were just sick of it, dude, all I want to do is pass. the course, as you know, you don't want to go down there too many times, right?
Definitely not, no, but um, yeah, so you went on and did it for 28 years on TOT, right? I did a tour in Northern Ireland working in support of um, SF, I'm not a member of them in any way, I just worked to support them on a training job, uh, I came back from there and then I went to T um I went. I was on T for a few months and then Colonel Shaw realized he was some kind of TR. In a way, he was a complete idiot because, like my God, I was a complete idiot for about eight years.
Okay, I didn't have my superior upbringing, but because I did that job, uh, it messed me up a little. I came back, he promoted me to sergeant and sent me to Arfield as an opportunity sergeant, Princess Marine College, it's the core, uh, Remy, signals, like they were junior. I was, I was a platoon. Sergeant there for two platoons, yeah, yeah, that was an interesting job, yeah, some good guys met some really good ones, some good K. I mean, believe it or not, a lot of the recruits I took on at Arfield I'm still in touch . They today well, yes, they still call me boss, yes, yes, because they say that now, yes, the platoon commanders thought they would be in charge, but we all knew that he was, yes, yes, well, that's obvious, right?
Don't you know what it was? and then um he went back to T um he kind of stood still again okay um I'm not going to beat you what's wrong? sometimes you're in the right place sometimes you're not you know people walked past me I don't stop them Grudge uh and then I went down to P when a DS came down there. I know all about that, yeah, four years ago, uh and then I was about to leave. James Bashel or J Bashel said yes, no problem because we have known each other for 20 ODs. years sh, yeah, no problem Mick, you're out in August, do what you want, oh great, so gardening, stop that sort of thing.
I was in the process of doing my resettlement reserve courses and then I got a phone call and this guy says can you? I'll be in Holland in two weeks, we have a long list of service jobs for you, so sure, cool, I ended up in Holland for five years there, yeah, with RF guys, really really good guys, um Scout was one of They, um, we had a guy named Chris Adams. Mike Landor ad ad Shaw really good rdf regiment full of screws. I had Amish Bal was a maaz and we had a European training team and our job was to go around NATO headquarters and get all the generals and their staff there and then handle testing and things like that.
It was a gift, ah, it was the easiest job I've ever had, well, that's nice, nice, stable, a little number to finish, it's good that they took care of you like that, that's how it was and then at the end, Major Bryant. Long Services um OC said: Do you want to become an online recruiter? and I said no, I really don't want to do that. He said, well, you know you got hit and I was at a crossroads. I know some people. Come to this Crossroads before I was in a Crossroads going well if I don't get out now I'll never get out of you I can also get out now so I just said well I'll take the 12 month notice if not Nevermind my resettlement?
I went to a Medica trained as an emergency medical technician. I was in the ambulances for a few months. I came back and ended up in South Sudan with Russ Bishop, Paul Bishop, Lee Money and Billy Dryden working out. Yeah, Billy Dryden worked there as a doctor, okay, it could have gone better, but I think most of it was probably my fault because it's the first job I've had since I gave up horses, so I messed it up a little bit. I don't mind admitting, I screwed up a bit, so I came back, started my own small training company, did some training first, then did a lot of driving for a couple of months and then started working full time. a trainer, uh, then I ended up doing residential security in London, okay, okay, working with some guys and then at the end I came home and now I'm just a part-time trainer on the first day because obviously I've got my pension now complete, so I only do about 12 days a month teaching first aid.
Oh, Happy Days, that's it, but that's a summary of, you know, the last few years, to be honest, yeah, so I work about 12 days a month teaching first aid. to be honest, a little gift gets me out of the house, you know, boosts the old beer tokens and that's it, yeah, I didn't know if you had contemplated the whole CP Market because obviously what year did you do it? I came out big I came out I came out in 2008, when the CP market was still pretty good, but I had seen too many people like God bless him, Keith Butler and others.
I have seen many chasing the dollar. There's nothing wrong with guys. If they want to do it, that's fine and I just thought: do I want to be running around like a bad father or a car ball at 44 years old? Yeah, and then unfortunately I probably couldn't have done it anyway because before I got out my hip collapsed so I had to take a metal hit before I got out. I remember, I remember, yeah, I heard about that, yeah, since I probably wouldn't have been that agile anyway, um, so I didn't want to risk that, uh, so just me and then.
Someone said well, another way to work on the circuit, what they can't get are doctors, so go to the United States and qualify as and that's how I got that job. Really very lucky and very grateful to Russ Bishop and Paul Bishop. and Richard vs and at Le Mahone they got me the job in South Sudan working with gav Tims another brilliant guy yeah I've seen gav recently actually a brilliant guy G yeah absolutely fantastic BL mate um and like I said mate um first job I'm not sure how to deliver it and I screwed it up a little bit so you know, but it's cool that Russ and um Paul and all that gave us a chance and Richard RS uh and then I came back and I thought you screwed it up.
Yeah, so let's look at something else, yeah, yeah, it's hard. I flew back to mention that I messed up after leaving the record. I flew. The day I went to work at CP on a rap, it was by Keith Butler. Funeral because he was going to work for the company that he got killed working for, um, so I went out and yeah, I went straight off the record and got my first job. I was there. I was there a week before in Iraq. If I knew, you'd be surprised how many people say they go out, everyone ruins it and you know what someone told me that and I thought it can't be true? you'll screw up the first job you get and they were right, absolutely, I see, I still see R and Paul, no, there's no animosity at all, you know, no, not in the slightest, not at all, yeah, that's the way it is Like they're blessed and you know, damn, you've met some throughout your career.
I'm sure we're a constant, call them social Ang granad, you know what I mean? We're you just, you can't go through life bitter and twisted and just, yeah, okay, I think that's fair. sometimes people have um I've noticed that some people sometimes have a little bit of a problem facing themselves more and seeing what they might have done wrong, it's not always the world's fault, did you ever think it could be you yeah. yeah, you need to put your hands up and admit that you know it's a good thing, like you said, you said you went up and that's starting, oh yeah, absolutely mate, no, and I've never hidden it, I've never done that.
I didn't comment on it, but then the amount of people who like you say you just said it. I did the same. I did it on the first job. It's not? Raise your hands. I wouldn't say I was completely at fault it was a bit on both sides but I was the one who threw the punches that's all I'll say about it oh no this wasn't punches or anything like that no no no no no not at all it was just a disagreement about things and you know it's okay, no problem, I'm aware, I'm aware that I've kept you around for long enough, look, I've been able to sit and talk to you for hours, I'm sure there's a lot more to do. more folkland than this hour or hour and a half you've had with me and I'd love to sit and talk to you all day.
I find it fascinating, but um, it's um. I'll let you down now and It's been an absolute pleasure, mate, no, no, no problem. I'm always happy to help people. If anyone wants to talk about things like that, I've had people tell me they'd love to corner me and you know. sit me down for half an hour just tell us what it was like when I was 17 and I still see it that way. 17 year old Tom, no, no, with the knowledge I have now. I always looked at it from that point of view, yeah, okay, yeah. Glad to be able to help, absolutely brilliant and it's been an absolute pleasure.
I'll have a quick chat with you here in a second, but for now, like I say, thank you very much mck H, it's been a pleasure, stay safe, take it. easy
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