BBC - Empire Warriors (2010) Part 1 Mad Mitch and His Tribal Law

Empire Warriors

As the Union Jack finally descended on former colonies all over the world after the Second World War, Communist, Nationalist and religious guerrilla forces saw their chance. The British Empire was leaving a dangerous power vacuum in its place. The war to succeed the British had begun.

Part 1: Mad Mitch and His Tribal Law

Aden, 1967: Lt Col Colin 'Mad Mitch' Mitchell “Mad Mitch”, as he was affectionately known, cut through the British policy of neutral peacekeeping in Aden by leading his Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to retake the terrorist-dominated Crater district of the city. On June 20 British forces had been repulsed from the district with the loss of 22 lives. Mitchell determined to reoccupy it, though he had been warned that 500 well-armed police mutineers and terrorists had taken up positions there and were prepared to fight.