John has nothing to be ashamed of. His bravery speaks for itself. Anyone who thinks he gave in has no concept of what he endured. It takes a special kind of person to fly at 30 feet at 509 knots. God bless you John.
No doubt. And I feel like I went through a lot having a car problem 30 miles in the desert and getting out of it. That ain't jack compared to this. Holy crap.
Admiral Stockdale noted that everyone has their breaking point, and there's no shame when you're forced into it. Not every interrogator is a Hans Scharff
Agree John has nothing to be ashamed off Respect to him and all POWs of all wars And reverence and respect to all that lost their lives Keep up the great content all the best from Scotland
Ward has hands down the most interesting videos and topics where first hand experience in combat aviation is shared. Nobody is producing content of this caliber.
Amen. I’ve been a fan since his “Goose” video. I think he had 12-14k fans. He’s so relatable and can explain complexities of dogfighting to those of us who have only watched in awe from the ground with such ease. Such a talent on so many levels. 🤙🏻🤙🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸
the old war films made out British all talked like posh English speaking Lords. but in reality the Nation was made up of all accents but they always portraid us as typical BBC accents. i heard a real transcript of a Lancaster bomber raid over Germany and navigator had real Yorkshire accent and so on. they made a film about Titanic called 'Night to remember' where Kenneth Moore played 2nd officer Charles Lightholler and in typical fashion he had a BBC accent...i have heard a recording of Lightholler speak..he was a Lancashire man from Chorley. why they do it i don't know. Britain does not speak like the way the world thinks. The S.A.S. regiment stands for Scots and Scousers ha
So this is the Iraqi desert then? His comment to his pilot just after they joined up after ejecting. Classic British humor on face of adversity that both amuses me, and makes me proud of that part of my heritage.
I thank you for this comment, it's the stiff upper lip and maybe Gin! Jokes aside The UK, USA and it's allies are a formidable force with outstanding attributes. God bless all who commit themselves to defending freedom and stand tall
There’s an amazing documentary about a RN cruiser that was sacrificed in a landing operation during the Falklands war. The survivors are floating in the cold sea, covered in oil, exhausted, traumatized. Then they all start singing “ The Bright Side of Life.” By Monty Python. Must be the Gin.
I last met John in 1989 after MC 122 in Cottesmore. The next time he was on TV after his capture. That day was difficult when I strapped in the back seat of a Navy Tornado in Naval Air Wing 2 of the German Navy. I always admired him for his spirit and thought about his experience. John, time passes, active duty in the airplane long gone, but I will never forget you. All the best, Stefan Nievelstein
@johnnicholraf1485 - a humble and eloquent individual… I met you briefly at Coningsby, where I was the RCAF exchange officer at 29(F) Sqn. I salute you, sir 🫡
And then there was the "Banana" Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft...... The Buccaneer. ua-cam.com/video/lteL18wd15Y/v-deo.html How does having to CLIMB to 20ft AGL grab you? ua-cam.com/video/24CaLD8l0OE/v-deo.html
RAF still trains for low level. I live about 1000 ft above sea level on a hill farm in the North of England and the RAF train low level flight down the valley we live over. Our house is above the level they fly at in the valley, we look down on them, they are about 90ft above the ground
As a Desert Storm Prowler guy I really enjoyed your session with John. My crew and our F-14 escort flew top cover for a Tornado day strike during the early days of the war. Those guys were courageous operating in the AAA. Great content...press on!!
John naturally produces caffeine, he's a unique human. Always speaks with high energy and passion. After all these years he's never slowed down once talking about these things.
Wow, just wow. Fantastic story. I was in Desert Storm myself as Forward Air Controller with 3rd Armor Division (US), coming out of an F-16 assignment in Germany (Hahn Air Base). So I knew about John, but the details here were just fascinating. Glad it turned out OK for him, jolly good chap!
3/11 ACR (Bad Hersfeld Germany) attached to 3rd army as casualty replacement because we didn't get our vehicles in time or we would have been with the 2 ACR at the battle of 73 easting
Ward ... every time I think you have surpassed yourself You come back with something stronger. John's testimonial is a great tribute to himself and others who suffered his prisoner fate. Thankfully his imprisonment was short (never short enough) and his attitude, while tested, survived in tacked. Thank you Ward for yet another great episode.
It's always terrific to see John interviewed. He and JP signed a photo for me at Leuchars when I was 15, and that experience was a big factor in my joining as pilot 8 years later. I had the privilege of seeing another of those who were shot down recount their experiences in person at Cranwell. It was sobering stuff - but their courage and professionalism was intensely inspiring to all of us.
I've always been a fan of the Tornado. I served in the USAF in Europe at RAF Upper Heyford, 1976-1978 as a Security Specialist in Aircraft Security. We were the infantry of the USAF. The F-111 was in service there at that time. Cheers! 🇺🇲 🇬🇧
As a teenager I watched CNN for the daily information of Desert Storm in 1991 and I remember very well faces of Peters and Nichol. Thank you both of all for this great interview.
What a story! You are incredible, Sir. Thank you. I was 11 when you got shot down and I can't possibly imagine what you went through. I got emotional listening to you. What a Hero.
USMC pilots were living in tents during OP DESERT STORM in the south of Bahrain while British RAF Tornado pilots were living in five-star hotels in the north of the island, says John Nicol - and he's not wrong. Pongoes and Ruperts and those of a Dark Blue persuasion happily josh their muckers in the light blue Crabs about how stars are used by the different service branches. The British Army uses stars to define the seniority of its Generals. The Royal Navy uses stars to navigate by. Whereas the Royal Air Force counts the number of stars to work out if the deployment hotel is worth staying at...
John is one heck of a humble man...admitting to the cock up as most probably being his bad as he was in charge of the sequence of key presses to initiate the loft bombing HUD symbology. Regardless of whether or not there was a technical failure at the critical moment, after all these years he still willingly takes responsibility for the loft bombing failure of his first mission. Respect.
I love hearing the "mistakes." All of us that have flown in combat have made mistakes. It's different when your mistakes become visible to the general public. It's another to admit those mistakes 30 years later to the public. Huge props from an MH-53J/M Pave Low guy.
Great interview. I remember seeing him and his pilot on the news back in the day when I was stuck in Japan, starved for information about the war. It's great to hear that they were able to make it out. The idea that his pilot said, "There's always hope," resonates true. I'm glad that they didn't do the Butch and Sundance way out. Now I'll go and find the book.
Mr. Nichol's story is a very similar to Gen. Gianmarco Bellini's one: he and his wizzo (Maurizio Cocciolone) were shot down in an Italian Air Force Tornado in their very first low-level bombing mission. Their a/c was the only one in their flight that could refuel successfully in an extreme turbulence area, so they proceeded to the target alone. IIRC even the Wild Weasel flight that was supposed to precede them, aborted the mission. They got shot down shortly after bomb release on their egress route at about 550 knots and 120 ft. You can find the actual audio tape of his shotdown here on UA-cam. Mr. Carroll, it would be amazing if you could contact him and set up an interview. I think he still flies for a cargo airline and he lives in the Norfolk VA area.
Yes, I remember the shooting of Bellini and Cocciolone's Tornado kept Italy on suspense for weeks until their release. Cocciolone was also paraded on tv, with some bruises on his face possibly from beatings. Thanks Ward and John, great interview!
being a former italian tornado pilot myself I really appreciated this video...The italian tornado shootdown during desert storm was from my squadron : 155th black panthers At that time I was not combat ready so I did not partecipated at that deployment... Anyways I recall everithing very well.... I remember whatching on television Jhon Peters , jhon Nichols and of course my friend Maurizio Cocciolone (that was a navigator of that tornado ) As I have already written your videos are all greats!.... I remember once during a simulated low level attack against USS Saratoga In late 1993 , me and my wingman were intercepted at 540 kts 150ft (maybe lower) by two Tomcats that they arrived completely silent (nothing on our RWR) and they almost rejoing on our wing!!!!!!!!!!! then after the RIO saluted us, they accellerated , climbed almost verticaly and disappeared!!! ! :-))))))))))
What a fast 45 minutes! Cmdr. Ward, please send kudos to Mr. Nichol. Saying he is a dynamic storyteller is a gross understatement. Not to mention that he exhibited the most commendable attributes of true bravery as a POW. He demonstrated extraordinary courage, with the addition of both intelligent consideration of the reality of his situation, and astute problem solving under the most extreme pressure. Tremendous episode!
I do remember the RAF pilot whose bruised face was on the television news in Jan 1991. P.O.W. in the first Persian Gulf War. That time I was only 15-year-old middle school student.
No amount of SERE training can prepare someone that's shot down and captured, bravery is severely tested and those that make it through should be damn proud. Ward, thanks for this interview and John, thank you for your Service!! "GSTQ"
Yeah there are always people who virtue signal and imagine themselves as the tough hero who would do all the brave things expected. I remember after 9/11 lots of people (Mark Wahlberg springs to mind) said they would have overcome the hijackers. This man is braver than I could ever be. Truth is, they would likely be shitting their pants. If you haven’t done it, keep your yap shut.
How very British, understated and self effacing. Thanks Mooch for shining a light on the RAF in the Gulf. Have you got any stories of working with the British aviators?
Proud to be a fellow countryman, I was 14 years old during the 1st gulf war and vividly remember watching the bbc news everyday when I got home from school. John Nichols and John peters became my hero’s of mine when they appeared on the TV beaten and bruised. John, your still a hero of mine and I thoroughly enjoy every thing you write! Great channel Ward, I’ve been here from the start, your content gets better and better!! 🇬🇧
John Nichol got a lot of stick when he first came back, most of it from people who wanted to say 'if I'd been there I woulda...!' but obviously were not. I love to see how he's fought back and owned his misfortunes. He's a good bloke. To those of you in America wondering if there was a problem with his microphone settings or the playback, Flt Lt. Nichol is what we call a Geordie, a breed of Englishman from Tyneside in the extreme north of the country - practically Scotland. He grew up in South Shields which boasts a local dialect most commonly compared to morse code. High pitched, fast and low-drag syllables. John is actually quite posh talking for the region, but when he gets excited you can hear the Geordie morse code coming through. They don't need me to spin a dit of their humour, culture and hardiness (their womenfolk make it a point of pride to never wear coats on a night out - slows you down too much at the hat check - this applies to 3am jaunts up Grey Street in mid winter at the same latitude as the Alaskan panhandle.) but the idea of interrogating one of them is just tailor made for farce.
Thank you Ward for this interview/chat with John. I was serving in the British Army in Gulf War 1; I never got deployed in the end, but remember watching the daily news and following John,s captivity story from the UK. Fast forward to 1994 and I’m serving (still in the Army) at RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands and I’m doing some phys on a treadmill in the gym when the one and only John Nichol (now a Navigator in the Tornado F3) hops on the treadmill next to me! Between huffs and puffs we got chatting and John kindly agreed to sign the copy of ‘Tornado Down’ that I was reading at the time… still have the book kept in good condition. As part of the Falklands tour I also got to visit the 1423 Tornado Flight crew bar for a ‘Gozome’ (a localised send off ceremony [with beers!] for those ending tour) and managed to catch up again with John and have a beer. An amazing man, always with a smile on his face and happy to talk. Thanks John for being humble and continuing to remain staunchly British.
My mum was in the WRAF, mum passed away in 2019 aged 95. I had an uncle who was a P.O.W in WWII I had an uncle that was an R.A.F pilot! It sounds easy for me to say thank you for what you did back then! Whilst I know a bit about my uncles time as a POW! It was nothing like your time! I just say thank you for what you did back than! I am glad you survived! May I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New year! May I thank you ward Carroll for creating this clip! Thank you very much as it has brought home the bravery of folks like you and John! may I wish you too, a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year! Thank you once again!
What an amazing story. I am glad John Nicol and the pilot J.P made it out alive to tell their story. There is a couple of excellent documentaries here on UA-cam about them, where John and J.P explain everything in detail, it's a must watch for anyone who is interested in aviation and war. Stay safe and healthy John and J.P.
Terrific interview. My heart goes out to Mr. John Nichols; I am thankful for his words and perspective. Every one has their own personal limit while being tortured, and Mr. Nichols endured to his limit with true patriotism and grit -- as an aviator, officer, coalition member, and British citizen. Godspeed, always. Again, another great learning experience you offer to all of us. Thank you, CDR Carroll.
Isn’t it amazing how those who have suffered so much seem to have such a positive outlook on their experience. I first encountered this as a young office back in the 1980s when I had the privilege of attending a lecture by a Vietnam veteran. Inspirational men.
I volunteered in 1969 for infantry, airborne and Ranger. I made it and ended up Ranger qualified SF Medic. Never came close to Vietnam. But we were trained name, rank, serial number if captured but unofficially hold out for 48 hours until any codes could be changed. God bless your guest and every other like him. I sit in awe!
No sanitized agenda story here, just clear & honest history -- reaffirms the brutal reality of what the Viet Nam POWs had to process and endure. Ward, your topics and guests are purely legit & fascinating. Thanks to both of you gents for the rapid-fire facts and anecdotes, shared for anyone to comprehend and appreciate.
I remember back when I was a kid I got given a magazine by the name of "Airplane". In it was the story of the mission where John got shot down, written by the flight lead. Must have read that story 50 times and I still remember the last line, "I radioed in to tell them we were coming home without our number two". A good few years later (in my twenties by this point) I was reading a book by a British SAS soldier who had been captured, and in the last chapter when he was being released made mention of meeting a Brit called John Nichol. Something in my memory tweaked and I went back, dug up the old magazine and sure enough the names matched. I remember being so happy to find out John had survived because the original article made no mention of it. Now I stumble across this video and get to hear from him myself. Thanks so much for having him on.
Loved the Video! During Desert Storm I was an AE1 assigned to HSL-47 Det 8 on board USS Princeton CG-59. After we hit the mines on the 18th of Feb 1991 we were off loaded in Bahrain and worked out of the Airfield there and lived in the Hilton. I remember watching the RAF aircraft operating out of there as well. Watching the Torandos take off and land was always an impressive event.
I met John Nichol at an air show at RAF Leaming North Yorkshire in the mid 90's, a true hero and a gentleman who let me have a photograph with him back in the day when it took days to have pics developed long before instant selfies, I still have the picture.
Mooch, another fantastic video. As a Veteran of Desert Sheild/Storm I was on the ground wondering how the hell any aircraft could make it through that insane AAA. Congratulations to Navy for beating my Army on Saturday. 🇺🇸
Another great interview highlighting the bravery & sacrifice of all that serve in the military...doing what we are told...politics aside. John Nichols story of how flying in at low level/high speed & just trusting the equipment & maintainers to get the job done & hopefully bring them home. And the POW experience...Gen Schwartzkoff...The Bear! As free nations, we are grateful for all that keep us safe at night because warriors standby ready to protect free people! Thank you John Nichol for your service & sacrifice!!! And as always, thank u Ward for another great interview highlighting military aviation!
Ward, I have to commend you for the way you conduct your interviews, being able to keep them interesting, pointed, conversational, while always remaining gracious and empathetic. Fantastic work!
Yes it is. Ward is an absolute natural. On the same level as Alistair Cook (letter from America....remember that?) unhurried but always salient. Puts guests as ease with a polite easy going style. Top guy on about nine levels!
Many thanks Ward. I was in the RAF during the Gulf conflict; groundcrew and nowhere near the conflict but it was my era. It is so good to hear you guys talking about history from the same point of view. Keep it up; real is far better than dramatised (deliberate English spelling:))
TIME is a precious commodity and only available in limited supply. Thank you both for free giving some of yours so that I can enjoy the freedom and liberty thus far during my human experience. I am indeed grateful. May the Almighty God bless you and all who served.
I have no idea where I got it from, but I do have a signed copy of "Vanishing Point". Thanks for the books, John. For a Tornado Fan, like me, it's always a good read!
Amazing interview! Mr. John Nichol is an outstanding storyteller and seems to be an awesome person (like you Mr. Ward Carrol and i hope you visit Portugal someday and can be possible to meet you) very humble and polite. Really loved this interview. Thank you both for your courage and service. Be safe. Kind regards from Lisbon, Portugal.
Another terrific interview - thanks very much, Ward. I still remember my SERE training vividly. (It was in '82, in between fighter lead-in at Holloman and F-111 crew training at Mtn Home.) Watching John Peters and John Nichol on the BBC news one night during Desert Storm being paraded by the Iraqis was very unsettling (as were similar incidents during the Vietnam War and the USS Pueblo incident).
Very brave guy, great to hear from him. Heard all about these missions at an Air Power Conference in the early 1990s with the RAAF. Delivering those JP233s at low level flying right over the airfield at very low level with every man and his dog shooting at you…those aviators had Balls of Steel.
A great conversation with a true hero. John is your typical charming Brit, with self-deprecating humor, but there's no mistaking his courage and valor. The man has titanium balls!
I remember seeing John’s face on TV when I was a kid and have heard some of his story before. Seeing him tell it was something else entirely. Thanks Ward!
John is such a great guy, his books are a great read, well researched and written. Lancaster had me reading lots with a lump in my throat for much of the interviews with survivors.
Greetings all from the UK. I have always been impressed by John Nicholls and also saw him recently as a passenger in the awesome Lightning somewhere in South Africa. I discovered your channel a while ago and love it. Its great to see you two chatting about the experience. I love British aircraft but nothing looks as great as the F14. Keep the channel going.
John Nichol interview probably one of the best interviews you have had. Exceptionally entertaining with cool British humor. Part of the legendary Tornado fighters - 600 kn at 50 feet off the ground! It makes a person realize the massive effort and delicate dance the Allies played together in a scary desert war.
I never tire of listening to John talk, he's an absolute hero and a complete gentleman. Great to see you talking to John and showing his story to a new audience. Brilliant 👍
An excellent video Ward, I remember clearly seeing John and his pilot John Peters paraded on TV. JP had been beaten so he was almost unrecognisable. John’s first book Tornado Down, really brought it home what they’d been through. Thanks for organising this, it was great to hear it first hand.
"7 weeks captivity are mildly annoying and somewhat hurty" , "...then they set me on fire" big balls, sir, very big balls. thank you .
John has nothing to be ashamed of. His bravery speaks for itself. Anyone who thinks he gave in has no concept of what he endured. It takes a special kind of person to fly at 30 feet at 509 knots. God bless you John.
And anyone who thinks that hasnt been through SERE or didnt learn what they teach there.
At least he finally admits he cocked up, rather than blaming the jet like he did in Tornado Down.
No doubt. And I feel like I went through a lot having a car problem 30 miles in the desert and getting out of it. That ain't jack compared to this. Holy crap.
Admiral Stockdale noted that everyone has their breaking point, and there's no shame when you're forced into it. Not every interrogator is a Hans Scharff
Agree John has nothing to be ashamed off
Respect to him and all POWs of all wars
And reverence and respect to all that lost their lives
Keep up the great content all the best from Scotland
Ward has hands down the most interesting videos and topics where first hand experience in combat aviation is shared. Nobody is producing content of this caliber.
Amen. I’ve been a fan since his “Goose” video. I think he had 12-14k fans. He’s so relatable and can explain complexities of dogfighting to those of us who have only watched in awe from the ground with such ease. Such a talent on so many levels. 🤙🏻🤙🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸
Let's show him the love via Patreon!
I absolutely agree.
Between him and Mover, they got old school Air Force and Navy covered. Love them both.
Check out Aircrew Interview hes got a number of excellent interviews on youtube as well
John Nichol, the quintessential British gentleman: polite, dry wit with an underlying humility about the fears he had for those 7 weeks.
the old war films made out British all talked like posh English speaking Lords. but in reality the Nation was made up of all accents but they always portraid us as typical BBC accents. i heard a real transcript of a Lancaster bomber raid over Germany and navigator had real Yorkshire accent and so on. they made a film about Titanic called 'Night to remember' where Kenneth Moore played 2nd officer Charles Lightholler and in typical fashion he had a BBC accent...i have heard a recording of Lightholler speak..he was a Lancashire man from Chorley. why they do it i don't know. Britain does not speak like the way the world thinks. The S.A.S. regiment stands for Scots and Scousers ha
So this is the Iraqi desert then? His comment to his pilot just after they joined up after ejecting. Classic British humor on face of adversity that both amuses me, and makes me proud of that part of my heritage.
Only classic British stoicism could minimize the horrors of detention in Saddam Hussein's POW camps. Cheers.
God bless the Brits. I can't think of another nation's warriors who face adversity with such cheer.
I thank you for this comment, it's the stiff upper lip and maybe Gin! Jokes aside The UK, USA and it's allies are a formidable force with outstanding attributes. God bless all who commit themselves to defending freedom and stand tall
Their long-time comrades, the Gurkhas, certainly qualify.
@@flagmichael, thanks for mentioning the Gurkhas. I did some reading on them. Now I know about them.
It's called _merry old England_ for a reason...
There’s an amazing documentary about a RN cruiser that was sacrificed in a landing operation during the Falklands war. The survivors are floating in the cold sea, covered in oil, exhausted, traumatized. Then they all start singing “ The Bright Side of Life.” By Monty Python. Must be the Gin.
I last met John in 1989 after MC 122 in Cottesmore. The next time he was on TV after his capture. That day was difficult when I strapped in the back seat of a Navy Tornado in Naval Air Wing 2 of the German Navy. I always admired him for his spirit and thought about his experience. John, time passes, active duty in the airplane long gone, but I will never forget you. All the best, Stefan Nievelstein
danke schön Stefan. Hope you are well.
@johnnicholraf1485 - a humble and eloquent individual… I met you briefly at Coningsby, where I was the RCAF exchange officer at 29(F) Sqn. I salute you, sir 🫡
The next shitty day I have at work, I’m going to remember that I was never a POW. Perspective, bro.
Well stated -- that straight-up philosophy has kept me on the rails for a lot of years.
What an amazing story. Brass balls on those RAF Tornado guys. Had no idea what kind of low level hell they went through.
An old RAF chap who flew Mosquito in WW2 once told me;
_"If you can't see their fillings, it isn't low level!"_
When they say 30ft, they mean it 😂
And then there was the "Banana" Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft......
The Buccaneer.
ua-cam.com/video/lteL18wd15Y/v-deo.html
How does having to CLIMB to 20ft AGL grab you?
ua-cam.com/video/24CaLD8l0OE/v-deo.html
RAF still trains for low level. I live about 1000 ft above sea level on a hill farm in the North of England and the RAF train low level flight down the valley we live over. Our house is above the level they fly at in the valley, we look down on them, they are about 90ft above the ground
Mr. Nichol being able to joke about his experiences being a POW truly is an amazing statement to his character! :D
Indeed!
Yes and once he managed to see it that way i bet its now helping him cope with the trauma.
and then his wife uses his experience as a casual jab for physical fitness.
Classic British descriptive understatements. Articulate, modest, and intelligent. Wonderful interview. A lot to digest. 🇬🇧✈️😎👍
"where do we get such men"
Just outstanding people, and outstanding allies.
As a Desert Storm Prowler guy I really enjoyed your session with John. My crew and our F-14 escort flew top cover for a Tornado day strike during the early days of the war. Those guys were courageous operating in the AAA. Great content...press on!!
what carrier were you flying from?
USS America@@pontiacGXPfan
@@stevehoefel47 VAQ 137 Rooks.....Diamondbacks and the Starfighters were there. I remember that Snort Snodgrass was an XO during that time
Did the Falklands at 18, Armilla patrol, Gulf War, and Bosnia, I'm a year younger than John, I must say I would do it all again, great times.
John naturally produces caffeine, he's a unique human. Always speaks with high energy and passion. After all these years he's never slowed down once talking about these things.
He takes his tea extra dark ☕️
Wow, just wow. Fantastic story. I was in Desert Storm myself as Forward Air Controller with 3rd Armor Division (US), coming out of an F-16 assignment in Germany (Hahn Air Base). So I knew about John, but the details here were just fascinating. Glad it turned out OK for him, jolly good chap!
3AD Desert Storm vet here (23d Eng Bn). Glad you were with us.
@@ceddavis Hi! I was with 3rd Brigade, 5/18 Infantry.
3/11 ACR (Bad Hersfeld Germany) attached to 3rd army as casualty replacement because we didn't get our vehicles in time or we would have been with the 2 ACR at the battle of 73 easting
Ditto but 1st Armoured division (ex British Army)
@@ceddavis Ditto but 1AD (ex radio relay)
The term 'hero' applies to John Nichol like few others, he's certainly one of my own personal hero's! Happy Christmas to you all
John Nichol and his pilot J.P are both heros. Actually J.P the pilot got tortured really badly he talks about that in a documentary here on UA-cam.
@@termitreter6545 wtf, do you even know what the battle in Kuwait was even about? One ignorant moe-foe...
@@termitreter6545 that other country was invading another country. It wasnt for nothing.
What a fantastic interview! He loves to talk, acknowledges mistakes: he’s a great person.
I love that Nichol has an ejection handle on a plaque.
Ward ... every time I think you have surpassed yourself You come back with something stronger. John's testimonial is a great tribute to himself and others who suffered his prisoner fate. Thankfully his imprisonment was short (never short enough) and his attitude, while tested, survived in tacked. Thank you Ward for yet another great episode.
Ward is "the real deal" nothing phony or pretentious.
It's always terrific to see John interviewed. He and JP signed a photo for me at Leuchars when I was 15, and that experience was a big factor in my joining as pilot 8 years later. I had the privilege of seeing another of those who were shot down recount their experiences in person at Cranwell. It was sobering stuff - but their courage and professionalism was intensely inspiring to all of us.
I've always been a fan of the Tornado. I served in the USAF in Europe at RAF Upper Heyford, 1976-1978 as a Security Specialist in Aircraft Security. We were the infantry of the USAF. The F-111 was in service there at that time. Cheers! 🇺🇲 🇬🇧
As a kid my dad was stationed in Germany for the USAF and we got to see the German variant quite a few times. Beautiful birds.
❤🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿❤
In true British style, under state the worst and laugh it off.
But we all know those 7 weeks were absolute pure hell just being without tea. LOL
Ahahahaa,
Tea fixes everything!
Thanks BHIS, that was funny!!
As a teenager I watched CNN for the daily information of Desert Storm in 1991 and I remember very well faces of Peters and Nichol. Thank you both of all for this great interview.
Getting the shit kicked out of him. “I can empathize with their rage”. What a guy
John is a good man.
What a story! You are incredible, Sir. Thank you. I was 11 when you got shot down and I can't possibly imagine what you went through. I got emotional listening to you. What a Hero.
USMC pilots were living in tents during OP DESERT STORM in the south of Bahrain while British RAF Tornado pilots were living in five-star hotels in the north of the island, says John Nicol - and he's not wrong. Pongoes and Ruperts and those of a Dark Blue persuasion happily josh their muckers in the light blue Crabs about how stars are used by the different service branches.
The British Army uses stars to define the seniority of its Generals.
The Royal Navy uses stars to navigate by.
Whereas the Royal Air Force counts the number of stars to work out if the deployment hotel is worth staying at...
😂So true ;)
John is one heck of a humble man...admitting to the cock up as most probably being his bad as he was in charge of the sequence of key presses to initiate the loft bombing HUD symbology. Regardless of whether or not there was a technical failure at the critical moment, after all these years he still willingly takes responsibility for the loft bombing failure of his first mission. Respect.
When doing a weight loss routine, avoid talking to John's wife. She will recommend the the ultimate weight loss regime that works. See 34:00 to 33:15
I love hearing the "mistakes." All of us that have flown in combat have made mistakes. It's different when your mistakes become visible to the general public. It's another to admit those mistakes 30 years later to the public. Huge props from an MH-53J/M Pave Low guy.
Great interview. The BBC has an excellent three-hour documentary on the Gulf War from the early 90s. The 1991 Gulf War a BBC production
Great interview. I remember seeing him and his pilot on the news back in the day when I was stuck in Japan, starved for information about the war. It's great to hear that they were able to make it out. The idea that his pilot said, "There's always hope," resonates true. I'm glad that they didn't do the Butch and Sundance way out. Now I'll go and find the book.
Mr. Nichol's story is a very similar to Gen. Gianmarco Bellini's one: he and his wizzo (Maurizio Cocciolone) were shot down in an Italian Air Force Tornado in their very first low-level bombing mission. Their a/c was the only one in their flight that could refuel successfully in an extreme turbulence area, so they proceeded to the target alone.
IIRC even the Wild Weasel flight that was supposed to precede them, aborted the mission.
They got shot down shortly after bomb release on their egress route at about 550 knots and 120 ft. You can find the actual audio tape of his shotdown here on UA-cam.
Mr. Carroll, it would be amazing if you could contact him and set up an interview. I think he still flies for a cargo airline and he lives in the Norfolk VA area.
Yes, I remember the shooting of Bellini and Cocciolone's Tornado kept Italy on suspense for weeks until their release. Cocciolone was also paraded on tv, with some bruises on his face possibly from beatings.
Thanks Ward and John, great interview!
Yes great idea. Mooch you are starting to have a lot of italian fan, this will be a great video!
Good call
being a former italian tornado pilot myself I really appreciated this video...The italian tornado shootdown during desert storm was from my squadron : 155th black panthers
At that time I was not combat ready so I did not partecipated at that deployment... Anyways I recall everithing very well.... I remember whatching on television Jhon Peters , jhon Nichols and of course my friend Maurizio Cocciolone (that was a navigator of that tornado )
As I have already written your videos are all greats!....
I remember once during a simulated low level attack against USS Saratoga In late 1993 , me and my wingman were intercepted at 540 kts 150ft (maybe lower) by two Tomcats that they arrived completely silent (nothing on our RWR) and they almost rejoing on our wing!!!!!!!!!!! then after the RIO saluted us, they accellerated , climbed almost verticaly and disappeared!!! ! :-))))))))))
What a fast 45 minutes! Cmdr. Ward, please send kudos to Mr. Nichol. Saying he is a dynamic storyteller is a gross understatement. Not to mention that he exhibited the most commendable attributes of true bravery as a POW. He demonstrated extraordinary courage, with the addition of both intelligent consideration of the reality of his situation, and astute problem solving under the most extreme pressure. Tremendous episode!
I do remember the RAF pilot whose bruised face was on the television news in Jan 1991. P.O.W. in the first Persian Gulf War. That time I was only 15-year-old middle school student.
No amount of SERE training can prepare someone that's shot down and captured, bravery is severely tested and those that make it through should be damn proud. Ward, thanks for this interview and John, thank you for your Service!! "GSTQ"
Yeah there are always people who virtue signal and imagine themselves as the tough hero who would do all the brave things expected. I remember after 9/11 lots of people (Mark Wahlberg springs to mind) said they would have overcome the hijackers. This man is braver than I could ever be.
Truth is, they would likely be shitting their pants. If you haven’t done it, keep your yap shut.
How very British, understated and self effacing. Thanks Mooch for shining a light on the RAF in the Gulf. Have you got any stories of working with the British aviators?
Proud to be a fellow countryman, I was 14 years old during the 1st gulf war and vividly remember watching the bbc news everyday when I got home from school. John Nichols and John peters became my hero’s of mine when they appeared on the TV beaten and bruised. John, your still a hero of mine and I thoroughly enjoy every thing you write! Great channel Ward, I’ve been here from the start, your content gets better and better!! 🇬🇧
John Nichol got a lot of stick when he first came back, most of it from people who wanted to say 'if I'd been there I woulda...!' but obviously were not. I love to see how he's fought back and owned his misfortunes. He's a good bloke.
To those of you in America wondering if there was a problem with his microphone settings or the playback, Flt Lt. Nichol is what we call a Geordie, a breed of Englishman from Tyneside in the extreme north of the country - practically Scotland. He grew up in South Shields which boasts a local dialect most commonly compared to morse code. High pitched, fast and low-drag syllables. John is actually quite posh talking for the region, but when he gets excited you can hear the Geordie morse code coming through.
They don't need me to spin a dit of their humour, culture and hardiness (their womenfolk make it a point of pride to never wear coats on a night out - slows you down too much at the hat check - this applies to 3am jaunts up Grey Street in mid winter at the same latitude as the Alaskan panhandle.) but the idea of interrogating one of them is just tailor made for farce.
Thank you Ward for this interview/chat with John. I was serving in the British Army in Gulf War 1; I never got deployed in the end, but remember watching the daily news and following John,s captivity story from the UK. Fast forward to 1994 and I’m serving (still in the Army) at RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands and I’m doing some phys on a treadmill in the gym when the one and only John Nichol (now a Navigator in the Tornado F3) hops on the treadmill next to me! Between huffs and puffs we got chatting and John kindly agreed to sign the copy of ‘Tornado Down’ that I was reading at the time… still have the book kept in good condition. As part of the Falklands tour I also got to visit the 1423 Tornado Flight crew bar for a ‘Gozome’ (a localised send off ceremony [with beers!] for those ending tour) and managed to catch up again with John and have a beer. An amazing man, always with a smile on his face and happy to talk. Thanks John for being humble and continuing to remain staunchly British.
I vividly remember John being paraded around on TV as a boy. Fascinating story, thank you !
You hit this one out of the park!😤😤😤
the crossover i never saw coming, but my god im happy it did
My mum was in the WRAF, mum passed away in 2019 aged 95. I had an uncle who was a P.O.W in WWII I had an uncle that was an R.A.F pilot! It sounds easy for me to say thank you for what you did back then! Whilst I know a bit about my uncles time as a POW! It was nothing like your time! I just say thank you for what you did back than! I am glad you survived! May I wish you a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New year! May I thank you ward Carroll for creating this clip! Thank you very much as it has brought home the bravery of folks like you and John! may I wish you too, a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year! Thank you once again!
What an amazing story. I am glad John Nicol and the pilot J.P made it out alive to tell their story. There is a couple of excellent documentaries here on UA-cam about them, where John and J.P explain everything in detail, it's a must watch for anyone who is interested in aviation and war. Stay safe and healthy John and J.P.
Thanks
Thanks for the support, Robert!
Terrific interview. My heart goes out to Mr. John Nichols; I am thankful for his words and perspective. Every one has their own personal limit while being tortured, and Mr. Nichols endured to his limit with true patriotism and grit -- as an aviator, officer, coalition member, and British citizen. Godspeed, always.
Again, another great learning experience you offer to all of us. Thank you, CDR Carroll.
Great interview. Hats off to our friends across the pond for being the most stable and dependable ally we have.
The Brit’s are so great! What a wonderful guy. Would love to have beers with him! Bet his storytelling is fun.
A fantastic interview. Us Brits are all proud of you and JP, John. You should never think otherwise. Thank you and god bless.
Isn’t it amazing how those who have suffered so much seem to have such a positive outlook on their experience. I first encountered this as a young office back in the 1980s when I had the privilege of attending a lecture by a Vietnam veteran. Inspirational men.
I volunteered in 1969 for infantry, airborne and Ranger. I made it and ended up Ranger qualified SF Medic. Never came close to Vietnam. But we were trained name, rank, serial number if captured but unofficially hold out for 48 hours until any codes could be changed. God bless your guest and every other like him. I sit in awe!
This is one of your best interviews. This channel keeps getting better.
Thank you
WOW, Thanks for having John on, Thanks to all that served.
No sanitized agenda story here, just clear & honest history -- reaffirms the brutal reality of what the Viet Nam POWs had to process and endure. Ward, your topics and guests are purely legit & fascinating. Thanks to both of you gents for the rapid-fire facts and anecdotes, shared for anyone to comprehend and appreciate.
@@perfumedmanatee6235 Fortune cookies.
What a character.
I remember back when I was a kid I got given a magazine by the name of "Airplane". In it was the story of the mission where John got shot down, written by the flight lead. Must have read that story 50 times and I still remember the last line, "I radioed in to tell them we were coming home without our number two". A good few years later (in my twenties by this point) I was reading a book by a British SAS soldier who had been captured, and in the last chapter when he was being released made mention of meeting a Brit called John Nichol. Something in my memory tweaked and I went back, dug up the old magazine and sure enough the names matched. I remember being so happy to find out John had survived because the original article made no mention of it. Now I stumble across this video and get to hear from him myself. Thanks so much for having him on.
Loved the Video! During Desert Storm I was an AE1 assigned to HSL-47 Det 8 on board USS Princeton CG-59. After we hit the mines on the 18th of Feb 1991 we were off loaded in Bahrain and worked out of the Airfield there and lived in the Hilton. I remember watching the RAF aircraft operating out of there as well. Watching the Torandos take off and land was always an impressive event.
I met John Nichol at an air show at RAF Leaming North Yorkshire in the mid 90's, a true hero and a gentleman who let me have a photograph with him back in the day when it took days to have pics developed long before instant selfies, I still have the picture.
Glad you are still with us. Thank you for your service
Mooch, another fantastic video. As a Veteran of Desert Sheild/Storm I was on the ground wondering how the hell any aircraft could make it through that insane AAA. Congratulations to Navy for beating my Army on Saturday. 🇺🇸
Thanks, Christopher! Awesome game!
Used to watch trios of Luftwaffe Tornadoes at Red Rio Bombing Range.
All power to John Nichol!
Retired German TORNADO WSO talking here. Dropped many bombs at Red Rio. Cool bombing range! Greetings from New Mexico.
@@solarwizzo8667 Hals und Beinbruch!
Thank you for sharing your story as a POW. You bring great credit to the RAF.
Thanks!
Thanks for the support, Steve!
You gotta love the British dry wit.
John, thank you Sir and welcome home.
John Carroll, I prayed for you when paraded with the black eyes. I am so proud of your service. You are a great aviator.
John was awesome.....no other words.....
Another great interview highlighting the bravery & sacrifice of all that serve in the military...doing what we are told...politics aside. John Nichols story of how flying in at low level/high speed & just trusting the equipment & maintainers to get the job done & hopefully bring them home. And the POW experience...Gen Schwartzkoff...The Bear! As free nations, we are grateful for all that keep us safe at night because warriors standby ready to protect free people!
Thank you John Nichol for your service & sacrifice!!! And as always, thank u Ward for another great interview highlighting military aviation!
Ward, I have to commend you for the way you conduct your interviews, being able to keep them interesting, pointed, conversational, while always remaining gracious and empathetic.
Fantastic work!
Yes it is. Ward is an absolute natural. On the same level as Alistair Cook (letter from America....remember that?) unhurried but always salient. Puts guests as ease with a polite easy going style. Top guy on about nine levels!
It is always great to have the Brits on our side...
Communication technology is amazing! No delays in the conversation - as if he was right next to you. Great interview!
Absolutely brilliant interview. John is a real great guy. Thanks Mooch
I couldn't click on this video fast enough. you already know this is going to be a really good video
The Tornado is also an awesome aircraft ! Great Episode !
Many thanks Ward. I was in the RAF during the Gulf conflict; groundcrew and nowhere near the conflict but it was my era. It is so good to hear you guys talking about history from the same point of view. Keep it up; real is far better than dramatised (deliberate English spelling:))
“ … and that’s when the fun started “
Damn, chills down my spine
Incredible valor. We live in comfort and safety because of men like these.
What a fine gentleman! So impressed with his calm demeanor and fantastic story. Thank you John for everything you’ve done!
Another fantastic episode Ward, thank you! Special "Thanks!" to John Nichols!
TIME is a precious commodity and only available in limited supply. Thank you both for free giving some of yours so that I can enjoy the freedom and liberty thus far during my human experience. I am indeed grateful. May the Almighty God bless you and all who served.
"...somewhat hurty at times..." Typical Brit. God bless you sir.
Hello Ward. Just want to say MC and thanks for the Freedom you gave Us and tell John God Bless and Thanks for Serving and helping with our Freedom.
I have no idea where I got it from, but I do have a signed copy of "Vanishing Point". Thanks for the books, John. For a Tornado Fan, like me, it's always a good read!
Amazing interview! Mr. John Nichol is an outstanding storyteller and seems to be an awesome person (like you Mr. Ward Carrol and i hope you visit Portugal someday and can be possible to meet you) very humble and polite. Really loved this interview. Thank you both for your courage and service. Be safe. Kind regards from Lisbon, Portugal.
I wonder if Ward ever went to Lajes Air Base while on duty.
Also meant to say what a great person John Nichol is. Thank you John!
I flew my first sortie later that afternoon. I remember watching CNN seeing these guys as POWs.
Another terrific interview - thanks very much, Ward. I still remember my SERE training vividly. (It was in '82, in between fighter lead-in at Holloman and F-111 crew training at Mtn Home.) Watching John Peters and John Nichol on the BBC news one night during Desert Storm being paraded by the Iraqis was very unsettling (as were similar incidents during the Vietnam War and the USS Pueblo incident).
Cheers 🍻 John you did your country proud
God Bless our Brit Allies! The video/photo of his beaten and tortured pilot, John Peters, is one of the enduring and sobering images of the war.
Very brave guy, great to hear from him. Heard all about these missions at an Air Power Conference in the early 1990s with the RAAF. Delivering those JP233s at low level flying right over the airfield at very low level with every man and his dog shooting at you…those aviators had Balls of Steel.
A great conversation with a true hero. John is your typical charming Brit, with self-deprecating humor, but there's no mistaking his courage and valor. The man has titanium balls!
I remember seeing John’s face on TV when I was a kid and have heard some of his story before. Seeing him tell it was something else entirely. Thanks Ward!
What a great conversation Mooch! Thank you for the experience. Great UA-cam channel... great content!
John is such a great guy, his books are a great read, well researched and written. Lancaster had me reading lots with a lump in my throat for much of the interviews with survivors.
Greetings all from the UK. I have always been impressed by John Nicholls and also saw him recently as a passenger in the awesome Lightning somewhere in South Africa. I discovered your channel a while ago and love it. Its great to see you two chatting about the experience. I love British aircraft but nothing looks as great as the F14. Keep the channel going.
Really enjoyed this.. my old man was an RAF tornadoe radar technician in Germany in 88/89, a lot of interesting stories growing up
John Nichol interview probably one of the best interviews you have had. Exceptionally entertaining with cool British humor. Part of the legendary Tornado fighters - 600 kn at 50 feet off the ground! It makes a person realize the massive effort and delicate dance the Allies played together in a scary desert war.
I never tire of listening to John talk, he's an absolute hero and a complete gentleman. Great to see you talking to John and showing his story to a new audience. Brilliant 👍
An excellent video Ward, I remember clearly seeing John and his pilot John Peters paraded on TV. JP had been beaten so he was almost unrecognisable. John’s first book Tornado Down, really brought it home what they’d been through. Thanks for organising this, it was great to hear it first hand.