NI Pub Checks - weapons

Owen W · 08-10-2012, 03:19

With my own memory failing me in a discussion I am having with a friend, I am turning to the knowledgeable members of the Forum.

Back in the days when pub checks were done in NI, what was the SOP for weapon carriage for those entering the establishment?

Many thanks for your help.

Owen

**Gwyn Nicholas** · 08-10-2012, 11:30

That may be considered RESTRICTED information not for general discussion and a breach of the Official Secrets Act, to which we are all still subject. You never know who is listening in this Big Brother world in which we live. Perhaps a PM may be a wise response.

**ivor43** · 09-10-2012, 11:10

quite right gwyn. the stuff covered by official secrets is quit remarkable.and people may not realize that you never unsign it. i signed as i PC in 1960's then again when i went to work for MOD at RAF Wyton.when i retired in 2003 i had to sign another paper reminding me that i was still bound by it. it's always best to be on the safe side and leave some stuff out of open forums.

ivor

**chow** · 11-10-2012, 22:28

Well well are we not getting a bit PC Who gives a fregg really now after 35 odd years..

come on, yes we did sign the form but really.

If you have the info Owen is after PM him.

and thats it fregg the OSA..

If I go to gail for this...big brother IS watching ...

**John Turner** · 12-10-2012, 00:51

The only pub checks I remember - and I was never a part of one that went inside - was in the cease-fire tour when B Coy were in the Ballymurphy. I'm sure anyone entering was un-armed, but there'd be many close by that were - that's just common sense; no big secret.

(and if it is - sue me)

**ivor43** · 12-10-2012, 07:55

i dont think this is about PC.this is about not letting the 'bad guys' know too much. if they want to think you have 'one up the spout' with the safety off. good , let them. their lack of gen about your weapon status just may have saved some lives back then. but if the same tactics are used today in similar circumstances. lets just keep the SOB'S guessing.

ivor

**ap1** · 12-10-2012, 08:58

For the guys with Rifles. Whatever the prevailing wpn state was.

The Main deterrent to aggro in the pub...Baton gunners, Gun broken, 35 grain round inserted into breach , kept open throughout the check, and in full view of the pub customers. No secret there, they could see it and knew the consequences if fired at close range.

JT....Lots of checks on the 81 tour by all the company's, normally with a CONCO in tow.

**Gwyn Nicholas** · 12-10-2012, 10:42

Chow you seem a little confused mate.

PC is about words or statements that might be considered offensive for example, when Black people first came to this country they were known as "Black" this was deemed PC incorrect and changed to "Coloured" which was later deemed to be PC incorrect and changed to "Black". PC is ambiguous, confusing and subject to change according to the views of certain factions of the community.

The Official Secrets Act is an act of Parliament and is unambiguous in that it is LAW. A breach of that act is (regardless of being "35 years ago") is breaking the law. Further, for someone who is in receipt of a Goverment pension, it could lead to the loss of that said pension.

My post was intended only to suggest that is may be a good idea to be cautious with responses and post via PM which you apparantly agree with despite the fingers up to the "OSA" speech. It was in no way intended to teach granny how to suck eggs, or a pathetic attempt at censorship.

Yet again, a mountain out of a molehill. Little wonder that people willing to post anything on this Forum are getting few and far between.
.
NB. Breaches of the Act are not limited to classification ie it does not have to be a "Secret". Anything that has a classification of restricted falls into the same act. It is fair to say, that the bad lads observe and learn our SOP's, the gathering of intelligence, is not afterall restricted to the "goood guys". The Act perhaps makes them work for their info rather than hand it over on a plate.

**Gwyn Nicholas** · 12-10-2012, 12:10

JT a breach of the official secrets act comes under Statutory law therefore you wouldn't be sued would you. Being "sued" comes under Common Law. Really for such a well trained "sniper", you are seriously losing your touch.

Al obviously you think that the information you have posted is "Safe" for open forum and I certainly am not qualified to agree or disagree. However, as only one person it seems was interested in a response ( the originater), would not a PM have been as effective to answer his question.

**ap1** · 12-10-2012, 13:02

I do sort of agree with you Gwyn, but anything that we discuss on here regarding the mil would be said to be covered by the official secrets act. This was a tactic used 30yrs ago and certainly never repeated on later Bn tours. If the same thing was going to occur again, its unlikely they would use the same tactic, as the weapon systems are different, plus there are new tools in the armoury such as taser, which would no doubt be utilised. I have read more damaging accounts in books about our surveillance methods over there, which certainly are still tactics we use today that have been cleared by the MOD for publication. For me its a sense of proportion. Although I accept I may be wrong. Regarding the PM, same goes, you could have PM'd Owen and asked him discreetly to remove it. Im not looking for an argument, but thats my view.