Its always the case with any Historical drama, especially for some reasons those involving HM Forces of a certain era, that they manage to make a string of continuity errors. The Last Post didn't hold any surprises and it was clear the programme makers wanted to make an effort to re-create Aden in 1965. The first two glaring errors concern the aircraft at what I assume was the R.A.F. Base at Khormaksar. I'll skip comments about the lack of Hawker Hunters which filled the place at the time. The programme maker had caught wind that the English Electric Lightning was in service at the time. But however unlikely it was that Lightnings would have deployed to Aden at the time, they certainly wouldn't be painted in the Ghost and Sea Grey scheme with toned down markings. They were all in natural metal finish, that year in particular, the RAF's Lightnings carried striking fin and spine squadron markings. Another, the Vulcan seen far to quite whistling overhead and with out of date anti-flash white paint scheme further, roundels on the underside of the Vulcan, never. Most curious of all, however, were the cap badges of the RMPs, I've never seen such a thing! the initials inside the laurels should read E II R, with the roman numerals in the centre of the ER in miniature, surmounted by the St Edward's crown. Beyond this, the infantry weapons depicted were certainly of the era and of course the women looked straight out of a 1960s fashion catalogue. Back to the uniforms,something the telly usually can't get right are soldiers' Berets, but by thunder they got it right, rather than looking like small under inflated Balloons perched on each man's bonce as usual, they were actually shaped with the loose material pulled flat down the right side with the cap badge positioned over the left eye. Then again the redcaps redcaps looked like they'd been shipped to location squashed down too many in the container. The peaks did not point down to the bridge of the wearers nose with the crown of the red top pointing almost vertical at the front. As for the story line, it started to pick up after a while, but I can't for the life in me understand why a serving Military Police NCO failed to report a rifle shot that nearly killed his boss's small son. He may not have had an iPad but I'm sure there was a landline with a short dial number for the Guardroom to hand. Verdict, must do better!
Review of The Last Post
