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Cas

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  1. Hello everyone, I take up my pen to try to answer some of the questions I have come across in forums regarding the ST4 from Activ Fisher(AF), as used in the Royal Marines (RM). I was in the original team carrying out acceptance trials along with Captain John Chatfield RM, WO2 (QMS) Eric (Crankshaft) Crookshank, Sgt. Alec Bruce and myself Mne. Kevin (Cas) Cassidy. All the trials were carried out at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth and on location in North Norway from 1969 until 1972 when the original team broke up. In the now famous photograph off the split track incedent, the only time it ever happened to my knowledge, the characters in the picture are from r to l AF Director, Liason Officer, Lars Larson Designer, Eric Crookshank, AF Director, Alec Bruce and finally me. Captain (the rank he held when I served with him) John Chatfield took the picture. The track snapped cleanly across one track-bar after hitting a stow covered rock. I can't remember who was driving but I know it wasn't me! It was a bit of a pain as of course we had no spares. We managed to rejoin the track by slackening the rear main adjuster and overlapping the broken ends. As I remember we had to slacken the LH drive chain as well to get enough slack. It was remarkable to see Lars Larson working out the available slack using a slide rule. That's how long ago it was! It is difficult to see in the photo but the track was of the Two Band design. Later models used three bands maybe as a result of our mishap. This is the reason you see two track patches on each track wing. I spent three very happy years with the team working on Snotrac and have fond memories of all the team members particularly of John Chatfield who was a giant in the MT world of the Royal Marines. I am happy to know that his son Philip has been tireless in the maintenance of his father's legacy. i hope this fills in some blanks and stimulates a bit of debate. Cas
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