story9140.xml
Title
story9140.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2003-03-09
911DA Story: Story
I AM A MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ARMED FORCES. I WAS ON EXERCISE SAIF SAREEA, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OMAN.
IT WAS 1830 AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CIRCUIT TRAINING SESSION. WE HAD TO USE THE MAIN TENT FOR THIS WHICH ALSO INCLUDED THE HUGE WELFARE TV. HALF WAY THROUGH THE LESSON PEOPLE STARTED TO CROWD AROUND THE TV. IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR US ALL TO BE THERE. AT FIRST I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, TO BE HONEST I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE TRADE CENTRE WAS, NAIVE I KNOW!!!!!!
AS WORD GOT AROUND ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT, AND THEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY VERY EYES THE FIRST TOWER COLLAPSED. THE LOOK OF DISBELIEF ON PEOPLES FACES IS SOMETHING I WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
WE WERE LATER TOLD THAT DAY THAT IT HAD BEEN A TERRORIST ATTACK, AND NOT TO HOLD OUR BREATHS ON GOING HOME TOO SOON. TO BE HONEST I HAD SOME PRETTY SELFISH THOUGHTS AT THAT POINT. MY FINANCE WAS ALSO ON THIS EXERCISE BUT AT THE TOP END OF THE COUNTRY, MY THOUGHTS WERE MAINLY WITH HIM.
WE SPENT THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WORKING AWAY WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, THEN A FEW DAYS LATER AMERICANS STARTED TO TURN UP AND SET UP HOME ACROSS THE ROAD FROM WHERE WE WORKED. OVER THE FOLLOWING WEEK ABOUT TWO THOUSAND AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE INTEGRATED WITH US, US ON EXERCISE THEM FOR REAL.
THIS WAS WHEN IT HIT HOME TO ME JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I COULD NEVER IMAGINE GOING THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THERE HAS BEEN GOOD COME OUT OF THIS, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THAT BUT I HAVE LEARNT TO APRECIATE MY FAMILY AND MY HUSBAND ALOT MORE. LIVE FOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT WAS 1830 AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A CIRCUIT TRAINING SESSION. WE HAD TO USE THE MAIN TENT FOR THIS WHICH ALSO INCLUDED THE HUGE WELFARE TV. HALF WAY THROUGH THE LESSON PEOPLE STARTED TO CROWD AROUND THE TV. IT DIDNT TAKE LONG FOR US ALL TO BE THERE. AT FIRST I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON, TO BE HONEST I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE TRADE CENTRE WAS, NAIVE I KNOW!!!!!!
AS WORD GOT AROUND ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT, AND THEN RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY VERY EYES THE FIRST TOWER COLLAPSED. THE LOOK OF DISBELIEF ON PEOPLES FACES IS SOMETHING I WILL REMEMBER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.
WE WERE LATER TOLD THAT DAY THAT IT HAD BEEN A TERRORIST ATTACK, AND NOT TO HOLD OUR BREATHS ON GOING HOME TOO SOON. TO BE HONEST I HAD SOME PRETTY SELFISH THOUGHTS AT THAT POINT. MY FINANCE WAS ALSO ON THIS EXERCISE BUT AT THE TOP END OF THE COUNTRY, MY THOUGHTS WERE MAINLY WITH HIM.
WE SPENT THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WORKING AWAY WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, THEN A FEW DAYS LATER AMERICANS STARTED TO TURN UP AND SET UP HOME ACROSS THE ROAD FROM WHERE WE WORKED. OVER THE FOLLOWING WEEK ABOUT TWO THOUSAND AMERICAN SOLDIERS WERE INTEGRATED WITH US, US ON EXERCISE THEM FOR REAL.
THIS WAS WHEN IT HIT HOME TO ME JUST WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I COULD NEVER IMAGINE GOING THROUGH ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THERE HAS BEEN GOOD COME OUT OF THIS, I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY THAT BUT I HAVE LEARNT TO APRECIATE MY FAMILY AND MY HUSBAND ALOT MORE. LIVE FOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Collection
Citation
“story9140.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 18, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/17029.