Anyone tuning into The Last Post can't fail to notice the sweeping desert and lush shoreline of the former British colony of Aden. One of the last outposts of the British Empire, the patch of land boasted a hot climate for its military residents and much of the TV series takes in the scenery of their surroundings.

Advertisement

But where is Aden? The port city sits in modern day Yemen, on a peninsula sticking out into the Gulf of Aden, near the southern tip of the Red Sea. The country borders Saudi Arabia and Oman and is just across the water from eastern Africa's Djibouti and Eritrea.

Aden has a population of 1.7 million and some areas of lush coastline, particularly around the setting of the BP Beach club which pops up in episode two. The real-life club was situated in Little Aden, just across the water from the Aden peninsula and had a restaurant as well as movie screenings.

Aden's landscape includes everything from mountains to deserts to beaches – but rather than film in the real-life setting, the crew decamped to South Africa (a popular filming destination) to shoot The Last Post.

Advertisement

The series is set in the 1960s and written by Peter Moffat (Silk, Criminal Justice), based on his own childhood memories in Aden where he lived thanks to his father's role as an officer in the British military police. The final British troops withdrew from Aden in November 1967 following years of violent insurgency.

More like this
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement