Chips... When The Monkey Is In The Basket...

[Zipperhead]

I have pictures from Gornji Vakuf. No one was living there back then. It was a ghost town, one of the most idillic places, and yet vacant because of hate. I lived up the road at Kullen Vakuf at the time. I was an Ambulance Driver that tour. Seems so long ago.

 

[Ned]

I have pictures from Gornji Vakuf. No one was living there back then. It was a ghost town, one of the most idillic places, and yet vacant because of hate. I lived up the road at Kullen Vakuf at the time. I was an Ambulance Driver that tour. Seems so long ago.

Yep, long time since. That'd be '93ish? We moved in a year or so later and the one really positive thing I remember is how over time things got better.
First tour - kids ran & hid because all they saw was soldiers and soldiers = bad news.
Next tour - kids peeped out & waved when they saw we were Brit.
Next tour(s) - kids chased us as we chucked NAAFI pies & compo sweets at them (I know, I have already begged forgiveness off Alan for this)
Last few tours - Kids ignored us 'cos it's not cool and the cars were appearing on drives and gardens looked good again.
It got better.
But what used to put the shivers up me were the ghost villages in the central highlands (east of Kupres and out to TSG). Poor people.......

 

[BV101]

I tell you what put the shits up me... everything. Everything all the time when I was there. I still don't understand it all. I was watching Tito's funeral in the week on youtube, like you do, and then I started to watch all the usual crap on there as well. Even though I am supposed to have stopped.
But you know, in our sector the kids didn't run. Well obviously outside, but not with us. You remember their faces though? Those first years when it looked like we were all going to die? I can still feel that.

 

[Ned]

Yes I remember that the faces changed. The first couple of years was like being in 'The World at War', pinched anxious faces from a history book. Got to me. Was really lovely when the kids realised who we were and started laughing and smiling though, really good.

 

[BV101]

now the litte bastards are parking all over the place, having kids of their own and emptying Konsum of Raki! And wearing designer clothes. I've still got slip on plastic shoes!