Peter4456

If the MOD continue their apparent programme of disposing of UK Gate Guardians, then Withams please put me down for this one, seen this weekend at Lulworth Camp, Dorset (with a Challenger I on the other side of the road and a Saladin visible further inside the camp)!!

.......and on Sunday I taught my 11 year step daughter how to drive her Mum's Champ!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3 03 CC 42

I know this is a very long shot, but does anyone have a copy of the Ruddington catalogue for 29th October 1964? I'm looking for my wife's Champ, 78 BE 87, which was Lot 463C (one of four). If anyone has this, I'd really appreciate a copy of the cover and the relevant page - I'll obviously cover any costs incurred. Here's hoping!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Now you've really got me started - anyone on the forum connected with H4H? We need a proper, sewn, cotton, pennant in H4H colours and yes, they should be part of the CES of all ex military vehicles!! I know I'd pay £10 for a decent one, knowing it was going to this outstanding charity which has done so much for wounded members of my local unit - 16 Air Assault Brigade, who go back out to Afghan in the next month -good luck to them all. Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Troy, This is a Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) pennant that came with my Ferret and it looks pretty much the same size as all the others I've seen. Dimensions = 34cm from antenna end to the tip, 17cm 'wide' at the antenna end. These seem to be quite difficult to find now, so if you could find someone to make quality copies of the various regimental (or perhaps H4H!) colours, I think they'd sell very well. Good luck, Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

DISASTER!!! I really hope this isn't true - the USO show is by far the best evening entertainment at W&P SAVE OUR KITTEN!!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Well, I've taken the plunge, moved away from armour and bought an Austin Champ, 78 BE 87 (WSY 108) - or rather my wife has! Just a couple of things: I am right in thinking that there are no surviving records for the Champs, apart from those held by the Champ Register (ie no cards at Deepcut)? Could anyone with a copy of the Ruddington catalogue for 29th October 1964, copy the page with Lot 463C on it for me - that's where my Champ was, on the Burning Field! Thanks in advance, Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

We're probably not helping whoever wants to buy it from Withams tender, but what an interesting vehicle! Easy to fabricate a new wing and source a new headlight! I've never seen any other Ferrets with Macrolon screens still fitted - are they real? - surely very unusual to have them still fitted on release in, let's say, the mid to late eighties. From the photos, it looks like the data plate has been there a while! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Don, 23 Base Workshops, REME, Wetter, Germany 212 (12th Armoured Brigade) Sig Sqn, Quebec Barracks, Osnabruck, Germany 207 (7th Armoured Brigade) Sig Sqn, Bournemouth Barracks, Soltau, Germany 212 (12th Armoured Brigade) Sig Sqn, Quebec Barracks, Osnabruck, Germany (to Herford in 1993) 4th Armoured Brigade HQ Sig Sqn (204), Quebec Barracks, Osnabruck, Germany Hope this helps a bit!, Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Aden and NI - a real combat veteran!! Interesting that it was actually used as a Mk1 and then converted to a Mk2/3, which is why I wondered if it is really 34 BA 64 - was it's data plate fitted when Boys had it? Has anyone else heard of this happening to other Ferrets - used as a Mk1 and then converted to Mk 2/3? Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

There is a Mk 2/3 Ferret with reg no 34 BA 64 in the August tender at Withams - looks like another ex gate guardian. The superb website www.ferret-fv701.co.uk has an in service photo of it as a Mk 1 in desert colours. A closer look at the photo shows what I'm sure is a Centurion in the background, in Aden style camouflage. This theory is strengthened by a Land Rover next to the Ferret with the Aden dhow marking (it looks like the same badge is also on the Ferret). Assuming the Withams Ferret really is 34 BA 64, there's a rare opportunity here for someone to acquire a nice veteran of the Aden conflict! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

You're lucky that your Ferret still has it's Data Plate fitted - many are missing. FV 18378 - Contract Number (1958, 82 Mk 2/3 Ferrets) 01 CA 11 - Army Registration Number. The Tank Museum at Bovington will send the vehicle history card if you send them this number. Let me know when you get it and I'll help you translate it! Base Overhaul, February 1989, at 34 Central Workshops, REME, Donnington, Shropshire. Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Sorry Alien, but I've checked the 16/5 L history and they used Scimitars on Op Granby. You're right about the T55 though - using Swingfire missiles and 30mm Rarden they destroyed 2 T62s and 7 T55s! I've posed the question on here before but imagine finding that your ex Withams Sabre was formerly one of the Scorpions used by the Blue and Royals in the Falklands - they're out there somewhere! I'd love to know if Scorpions were used in the Gulf War - I always thought the RAF Regt used them but I've never seen any pictures. Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Any ideas on how I might obtain a Merlin printout for my old 432, 02 EE 49? Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42 (probably disposed of before Merlin came in!)

I had a similar experience with my 432 (02 EE 49) when I bought it in 2005. The cards from Bovington only covered it's service from 1968 - 1974, with 3 RGJ & 1 RGJ at Celle, which was odd because I found Gulf War and SFOR markings and a Welsh (which turned out to be Chinese!) Dragon on the rear door! I managed to obtain a basic Merlin record (I'd still like to get the full one, even though I sold the 432 in 2008) which showed it's subsequent RA service until release in 2004. The Ferret record cards are even stranger as all of those I've seen for vehicles which entered service in the late 50s / early 60s are blank until c1967 and so missing any Malaya or Aden service! It's good to see people researching the history of their vehicles, Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

As a searched trained person, and knowing of possible Gulf War 'goodies', I searched every nook and cranny of my 432 (02 EE 49) when I bought it in 2005. I was really hopeful as it had seen service in both the Gulf War and Bosnia with 26 Regt, RA, but all I found was....a (used) TEABAG - hidden behind the external NBC filters!!!! As it took some considerable effort to get to, I'm sure some Gunner was having a laugh with the post Op Granby RMP search teams!! I did find a few Pfenigs under the driver's seat though! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I was there from Sat 17th until Mon 26th, camped right next to the USO Show. In my opinion the bar was much quieter this year (probably well aware of having a noise abatement order slapped on them!), the USO Show was a delightful way to end the day and I too think it was the best Beltring for a long time. Snippets from the front: Bumped into the NLBA on the way down at the Oakdene Cafe (who were expecting a quiet Saturday morning!) on the old A20 at Wrotham. What a really nice bunch of people - no really! - very polite to the staff and very, very funny. I know that Elvis went on to at least 04.00 but I never heard him! A reported sighting of Rex in the shower block -that's what I call leading by example, especially when you've just left the world's largest motor home! The US chopper departure on Sunday was as bad as described elsewhere. Well done to Greg and others for organising a list of witnesses so quickly (& quelling the riot!). The BRAND NEW 432s on Witham's stand - GORGEOUS!! Whoever set off those HUGE fireworks at 03.00 ish on two nights - T****r!! Roll on next year!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03CC 42

Chaps, As promised, a photo of the second of two 20 mm Rheinmetall Zwillingsflak Mark 20 Rh 202 A/A guns restored by my friends Eddie and Roger for 2 PARA, based at Merville Barracks, Colchester. Another superb restoration, this gun will be rejoining it's mate next week some time. Both were captured by 2 PARA in the Falklands. Sorry for the delay - my Ferret (and the guns) took longer than planned to restore! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Wayne, It looks to me like the 'All Seeing Eye' of the Guards and Guards Armoured Division, but these were First and Second World War respectively and I can't find any Post war or BAOR reference to them. I could easily be wrong, but are these original markings? - Fingers crossed for a result from Deepcut!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

We're going down early on the Saturday before the show. My wife has promised to leave me at Beltring if I break anything this year (both wrists last year!), so if you see an injured bloke sitting where living history used to be on the Monday after the show, please throw me some Biscuits, Dog and Biscuits, Fruit! Thanks, Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I'd reckon about £750 for a deact Browning .30 1919A4 MG , possibly up to £1000 for a British marked L3A3 / L3A4. Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Interesting...... Well, unless someone can show me that Ops Grapple & Resolute, or any of the units listed, were in Iraq in 1994, I think he's wrong - VERY wrong!! The first Gulf War was in 1990 - 91 - Op Granby The second Gulf War began in 2003 - Op Telic On other other hand, perhaps there was a Signals Land Rover 90 there in 1994 - 2000 - deep, deep, undercover!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I'll do my best: DSDC (Defence Storage & Distribution Centre), Ashchurch, Gloucestershire 362 SS (Signal Squadron? - possible, looking at the rest of the record, but I can't find any trace of this unit) Operation Grapple - British forces in Bosnia, 1992 onwards, as part of UNPROFOR (United Nations Protection Force) COMBRITFOR (Combined British Force) Signal Squadron - Bosnia Operation Resolute - British operations in Bosnia, 20th Dec 95 onwards 105 Logistic Support Squadron, BATUS (British Army Training Unit, Suffield), Canada ABRO (Army Base Repair Organisation), Donnington, Shropshire Your vehicle has an interesting Balkan history - I've no doubt that other forum member can fill in the gaps! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I got my 432's history card from Bovington (you may also find someone who could also supply the more recent Merlin records). If you post the card (s) on here, I'll try and translate it for you! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Chaps, Thanks for all your help with my research. I thought you'd like to see this photo of the TRW and Eddie's other bike - an ex Dutch Army 3TA! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42