Peter4456

Can anyone tell what the following are (seen on a Ferret Mk 2/5 history card). The vehicle saw extensive use in Northern Ireland: 8th May 1972: EME 4, 27 Command Workshops, Warminster. Is EME ® 4 the conversion to Mk 2/5 standard or something else? 1973: Internal Security Pack (IS) No 74D, Northern Ireland Is this Makrolon etc, a Hull Shocker or something else? Over to the experts! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I'm smiling as I read this thread.... You get used to scams on Yahoo, Ebay etc, but when I sold my 432 on Milweb, I was amazed to get several offers to buy the vehicle for a lot more than the asking price - as long as I didn't mind it going to the 'Isle of Jersey', or if 'and may God bless you and your family', I could meet the agent who was also buying a marine engine and give him any excess cash from the money transfer. All classic scams - quite amusing really - and it would have been really tempting to reply, asking that all relevant paperwork be forwarded to the Police Internet Fraud Unit!! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I was all excited when I read this - the prospect of 5 new tyres for the Ferret at a reasonable price -but I think you're right, REME 245, another 'intact Tiger I found in Russian bog' story!! If only one of us was wealthy enough to stump up the cash in advance for a container load of tyres from Simex and sell them on to fellow Ferret owners. You could sell them at a reasonable price, cover your costs and maybe even make a bit as well! Oh well, another project for the good of mankind when I win the Lotto!! By the way, I'd really loved to be proved wrong on this one!! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Hello, Green 'lightweight' trousers, green shirt, 'woolly pully', DPM jacket, DMS boots and puttees would cover the 70s and 80s for Ferret crews, but they're becoming quite difficult to find now. Green overalls (or black for RTR) would also be correct for this period. If you want to achieve a generally correct look reasonably cheaply (and comfortably!), I'd go for Soldier 95 shirt & trousers, green t shirt and assault boots. All available easily and really look the part. I know it's only my opinion, but I'm always surprised that some MV people spend years & £1000s restoring vehicles to an incrediblely high standard and then show them wearing jeans and a t shirt! It's easy (without going down the hardcore reenacting route!) to achieve a generally military look quite cheaply. I say again - it's only my opinion!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

That's the sort of info I was talking about - thanks Ferretfixer!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Mine do exactly that - unbelievable!! Not doubt Alien FTM, or someone else who used the Ferret for real, can tell us how to avoid crushing quite rare Thermos flasks! Also, where was the Signal Pistol (in it's leather holster) stowed? - I tuck mine in the water bottle holder near the commander's right shoulder! You wonder just how many flasks were broken in Ferrets - you'd be seriously hacked off if you found a flask full of broken glass mixed with lukewarm tomato soup on a really cold night in Germany! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

My green pressels work fine with black or yellow boxes. It appears to be that the ANR headsets (which do not work with black pressels) do not work unless you have yellow (ANR) boxes. These appeared in service c2000 - ie long after the last Ferrets had been retired from service. I learned this after a lot of trial and error in my 432 and using the excellent info on the Ferret website (http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/intercoms_&_radios.htm). I was hoping that, as I can receive but not transmit with ANR headsets, there was some way of getting them to work. Sadly, it appears not!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Whilst we're on the subject... I've got two really nice ANR headsets with green pressels that I used in my 432. The difference in sound quality is amazing - especially as I don't hear too well - but I can't get them to work properly in the Ferret which has black faced Clansman boxes. I can receive but not transmit. Any ideas - or is this kit compatible with the boxes? remove the pressel? Help the deaf bloke - please!! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Looks like the Mark 2/3 on Ebay went for £4550 - not a bad price for what looked like a reasonable Ferret. The photos weren't great, but it didn't look like an ex corporate 'victim' to me - just probably never been painted since being sold off by the Army! Assuming the rest of it was OK, you'd still need to spend £500+ to get a .30 Browning and then watch your wallet suffer as you gradually track down the various bits of CES. Still, as Lord Burley says, 'Just get one, you know it makes sense'!! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Richard, Thanks for your help - BINGO!! The card from Deepcut confirms the number is the asset code and the bike's Army reg no is 04 EN 28. The Date in Service is January 1965 and it was struck off in April 1977 having served with 1 (Br) Corps Provo Coy & 115 Provo Coy, RMP, in Germany. I thought it would have been sold at Ruddington 1977 /78, but I started a thread for the Ruddington catalogues and the great guru Clive Elliott couldn't find it, so perhaps it was sold elsewhere or in even in Germany. I'm now looking to trace someone from the RMP units who may have ridden the bike. Thanks again, Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Clive, Thanks for trawling your records for me! The bike went to the 'Vehicle Det, Disposals Organisation' on 24th March 1977 and was 'Struck Off VBT' on 27th April 1977 - probably in Germany, so perhaps it wasn't sold at Ruddington after all! It seems that TRWs were sold off as late as 1980, but it looks like I might have come to a dead end on this one. Thanks again for looking, Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Am I being naiive, or did anyone keep any of the Ruddington auctions catalogues? I'm trying to find a Triumph TRW motorcycle, 04 EN 28 (serial number 29381), struck off on 27th April 1977, so presumably sold at Ruddington later that year. A photocopy / scan of the cover and relevant page would be like finding the last missing piece of the jigsaw! Also my Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42, was struck off sometime after 3rd October 1986. Too late for Ruddington, but had Witham's started their disposal contract by then or were they disposed of elsewhere? I'm always amazed by the knowledge on this forum - let's see how you guys do with this one! Thanks, Peter Ferret 2/3, 03 CC 42

Richard, Thanks again - I've sent off everything that I have to Deepcut - fingers crossed! Next question; do you (or anyone else!) know what these numbers (1010-3936) on the TRW tank mean? The 4 in the second picture is painted over what looks like 'MP' in red - obviously Military Police, but 4th Division perhaps? Over to you (again!) Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Thanks Richard, It sounds like they were in service recently enough to have 00 AA 00 numbers then - do you think the RLC at Deepcut will have the record cards for the TRWs? Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Does anyone know when the last Triumphs TRWs left British Army service? I've seen an EMER publication with amendments to May 1972 - were they still in service then? Where can I find the records for British Army Triumph TRWs? Hope someone can help me! Peter, Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Or even as wide as 'What Ferret items does he have?' would be a very good start! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

I didn't think places like that existed any more! You'd flood the market if ever that lot came into the UK but i should think it would take years just to list it all! What plans does the owner have for his treasure? Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Rob, I knew I should have taken photos!! When the second gun arrives (in about a month), I'll make sure I take 'before and after photos'. I think the PARA regimental magazine and / or local press is going to feature the restoration of the first gun - I'll keep you posted. You should have seen the state of the magazines - tin worm extaordinaire!! It's amazing what real engineers / craftsmen like my friends can do - long may they continue! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Two friends of mine have just finished restoring the first of two ex Argentine Air Force Rheinmetall twin 20mm AA guns captured by 2 PARA at Port Stanley airfield in 1982. The gun was returned to Merville Barracks, Colchester, this week and looks absolutely superb. It's incredible how well they've lasted considering they've been outside since 1982! The magazines were the only really bad parts but the rest needed a lot of time and effort to free off springs, hinges etc. The chaps will start on the second gun when they've finished my Ferret! Peter Ferret Mk 2/3, 03 CC 42

Most of the Ferret history cards I've seen start around 1967, even with 1959 etc DIS. In storage until '67? Change of record system in '67? Who knows, but I should think there are a lot of Ferret owners with an Aden veteran who don't know it - me included! I should think the only hope of finding any early history is finding a pre '67 photo. Good luck! Peter Ferret MK 2/3, 03 CC 42

Any chance of a 03 CC 42 photo?! Peter

Any idea from the location or anything else which unit the Tiger belonged to? Peter, Ferret 2/3, 03 CC 42

AAH THE MEMORIES!!! It's years since I've seen that photo, which I stuck in the long since lost file with a few black & white photos from our visit. I'm sure it's really 70s Photo Shop green, but my memory is that Matilda had indeed weathered to the dark colour shown - it certainly wasn't rusty red!! It didn't look like it had been painted bronze green either. Have we actually established where it is now? - the last sightings seem to be Sussex and / or Bovington! Peter, Ferret 2/3, 03 CC 42

I agree - many Ferrets didn't have o/s centre bins and many seem to have had no bins at all - quite an unusual look now though! Aden, Cyprus and BRITFORLEB seem the most common place for this - B****y mines!! A friend bought a Ferret last year that had been completely refurbished by the Army prior to disposal in 1990. Again, it has no o/s centre bin and no sign of one ever having been fitted. I'm sure I've seen other Ferrets, especially MK 1/2s, with no centre bin and a REME made ladder in it's place. Peter, Ferret 2/3, 03 CC 42 (with all bins fitted!)

Ferrets painted sand with green cam over the top and stencilled BAOR OVERLOAD. Very interesting! A friend of mine recently bought a Ferret in these colours - it's sort of BATUS, sort of Jordanian, but I think BAOR Overload is probably a better description! It was completely overhauled (right back to bare metal, anti slip paint, new style driver's hatch and engine overhaul) AND THEN SOLD!! It's quite an attractive clour scheme (never seen any in service photos though!) and I think my mate is going to keep it as it is. Peter Ferret MK 2/3, 03 CC 42