Coming off the bridge was terribly unfortunate but incidents like this happen all the time, to prevent this happening these days you are guided across all tank bridges by a Sapper carrying his 2 fluorescent marker sticks, drivers and commanders are also closed down in case the driver decides to do his own thing and fall off the bridge. If it wasn't for drivers having lapses in concentration through lack of sleep or otherwise then us recovery mechanics would be out of a job, so my reaction has and always will be, never mind mate sh!t happens that's why we're here, and to those that like to make the smug comments try and do better yourself.
I actually think it added a spot of realism to the day as that's what happens in the real world so the driver shouldn't feel to bad, shame he's stopped displaying though. Oh and AlienFM, great story I love to read about the Cold War years, you should start a thread of stories for us current serving blokes to see how it was done back then.