MOVIE: The Original ‘CONTACT’

Paras in Northern Ireland 1970’s, based on a book by the same name. Good training movie, old school.

It is based in the rural areas in South Armagh, near the border with the Republic, known as ‘bandit country.’

Before we were in Iraq, before we were in Afghanistan, before we were in the Balkans, we were in Northern Ireland.

There is a lot of patrolling in the video, interspersed with violent action, and it’s pretty realistic. It’s not call of duty navy seal spec ops. It’s guys on constant patrols.

Note how much the young officer, the patrol leader /platoon commander, takes on himself.

If you watch closely, you will note the satellite patrolling technique, with the 12 man ‘multiple’ broken down into 3 x 4 man ‘bricks.’ As you watch it, note that it is a rural area, and consider having to patrol your AO, around your small community or retreat, with potential for incursions from hostiles, perhaps even shoot and scoot type tactics as employed in the movie.

In the ambush, the primary team is initially pinned down, but then they go ‘hard and fast’ after the ‘shoot and scoot’ style enemy attack. With the satellite teams moving up rapidly on the flanks.

Oh yeah:

1) Counter IED tactics have moved on since the movie!

2) If you support terrorism, fuck you.

Here is the link to a previous post with the Paras TV series from 1983, including some good training (episode 6 for some live firing): VIDEO series: ‘The Paras’

Why?

Because….

Max