Ooops! Sorry.

Willem · February 19, 2002, 12:31

U.K. apologizes for mistakenly invading Spain
Off-course troops end up storming resort town's beach

GIBRALTAR (AP) — The British military apologized today for invading Spain on the weekend — by mistake.

About 20 Royal Marines went slightly off course in an amphibious exercise and stormed a Spanish beach Sunday morning near the British colony of Gibraltar, a British Defence Ministry spokesperson said.

Residents of the Spanish border town of La Linea watched in astonishment as the beach filled with combat-ready troops wielding mortar launchers and SA 80 assault rifles, according to Spanish press reports, which said at least 30 troops were involved.

Spanish television station Telecinco showed footage of an advance team in combat fatigues dashing through the surf to a beach several metres from the border, with paratroopers dotting the sky in the background.

Spain's Efe news agency said the soldiers left after several fishermen and local police officers told them they were on Spanish soil.

The accidental incursion came at a delicate time in negotiations between Spain and Britain over the future of Gibraltar, where Britain established a military base in 1704.

The 6.5-square-kilometre territory was formally ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Gibraltar is an irritant to British-Spanish relations and the two countries are trying to reach an agreement by summer that would include the colony's internal self-governance.

The spokesman, who could not be identified under Defence Ministry rules, said the "regrettable and embarrassing" error lasted no more than five minutes.

He said the mishap was likely caused by a map-reading error, although details of an investigation carried out on board the HMS Ocean helicopter carrier, where the soldiers came from, were being kept secret.

Local police spokesman David Iria said the mistake was understandable, because it is "difficult to know exactly where you are" on the poorly marked coastline.

The HMS Ocean, which had stopped at Gibraltar for maintenance, was heading to the Indian Ocean to support military operations in Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.

ColdWizard · February 19, 2002, 12:43

I assume you've not discovered the Off-Topic Forum yet? or is this somehow related to civ 3?

yin26 · February 19, 2002, 12:49

I think he was answering the other thread about what use, if any, marines have in Civ3. Brilliantly put, I might add.

Willem · February 19, 2002, 12:58

Quote:

Originally posted by ColdWizard
I assume you've not discovered the Off-Topic Forum yet? or is this somehow related to civ 3?

Geez, chill. It's a funny story, so what if it's off topic. No sense of humour?
And after all, it is about 1 nation invading another, sort of

, which is what Civ is about.

Maybe someone can device a new strategy from it. It could be called the HL strat. (Hopelessly Lost Strategy)

PS Actually, it kind of reminds me of how the AI does things sometimes. You think maybe Soren has some influence in the British high command?

randommushroom · February 19, 2002, 13:02

Spain: Remove your forces from our territory or declare war!

England: Oops...my bad! (Troops move automatically)

ACooper · February 19, 2002, 13:02

It has to do with the combat system. Those fishermen almost beat the English marines!

Willem · February 19, 2002, 13:05

Quote:

Originally posted by ACooper
It has to do with the combat system. Those fishermen almost beat the English marines!

How could they, they didn't have spears.

Thrawn05 · February 19, 2002, 13:06

I can't wait to see what williem will write about England and France...

DrFell · February 19, 2002, 13:08

Wonder how long this one'll last.

candidgamera · February 19, 2002, 13:15

Reminds of "Sir Philip Sidney" Monty Python sketch hunting down Spanish porn.

Zachriel · February 19, 2002, 13:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Willem
How could they, they didn't have spears.

Hooks.

Minuteman · February 19, 2002, 15:09

Actually, this is an amusing story. Anyone who has ever read any history texts printed in the UK will attest to the fact that the Brits are under the impression that their erstwhile empire was some kind of an accident-that they really didn't mean to do it!...it was just some great big accident of history.

In other words, they woke up one morning and stumbled into an empire that encompassed over one-third of the earth's surface.

They didn't mean to subjugate India, Southern Africa, parts of the Middle East, etc. They merely woke up one morning and found themselves there.

Well, the evasion of truth isn't quite that grotesque, but you get the idea.

Willem · February 19, 2002, 15:27

Quote:

Originally posted by Minuteman
Actually, this is an amusing story.

Are you kidding? This is a hilarious story! I can just imagine some heavily armed British marine being chased down the road by some housewife with a broom, all the while saying "Sorry maam, sorry. Didn't mean to intrude."

ColdWizard · February 19, 2002, 15:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Willem

Geez, chill. It's a funny story, so what if it's off topic. No sense of humour?
And after all, it is about 1 nation invading another, sort of

, which is what Civ is about.

Maybe someone can device a new strategy from it. It could be called the HL strat. (Hopelessly Lost Strategy)

PS Actually, it kind of reminds me of how the AI does things sometimes. You think maybe Soren has some influence in the British high command?

every forum needs some spam in it i guess

Dis · February 19, 2002, 15:45

LOL

good thing nobody had a heart attack on that beach, or we'd be smelling lawsuit.

ColdWizard · February 19, 2002, 16:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Willem
GIBRALTAR (AP) — The British military apologized today for invading Spain on the weekend — by mistake.

they were really testing Spain's reaction time and readiness

Terser · February 19, 2002, 17:18

I have a source within the Spanish Governement's Defense Ministry who tells me they are ready: their going to offer the French Music Theory and the Russians Sanitation in exchange for an alliance against the Brits.

Watch out, Limeys, you're about to get dogpiled...