harry7134

Thanks Jocky, sorry for delay in replying, been on holiday. Harry.

Jocky, Your photos of the half tracks at 12 fld, was that just before they moved to 4 Armd? Its just that the fellow reading the map looks like Rocky Reynolds. Harry.

On exercise with the RHA, we, Roger and myself in our 434, were sitting having a quiet cuppa in our nice quiet location, when the BSM came over the air to us that one of the subs, (guns), had a fault and we were to go and fix it. I acknowledged his message and had a look at the map to see where the casualty was. From the map I could see I had two choices, on leaving our location I could turn left, over bumpy cross country, the shortest route, or turn right and travel down a nice level tarmac road, a fair bit longer. But we had all our beds and comfy kit set up, and did not fancy bumps much. So right it was. Just after turning right the BSM`s voice was in my ear saying, in that gentle voice that all WO`s possess, "You are going the wrong way!" I politely acknowledged him, and completely forgetting to change the mike switch to I/C, said "Rog, the bloody BSM has got his map upside down again!" Back through the headset "No I haven`t, and guess who is on guard tonight!":-(

At one time we were told to name our Half Tracks with classical names. Mine was "Icarus", as I tended to disappear with the sunlight, but my friend named his " Bucephalas", after Alexander The Great`s horse, but had to rename it when a visiting dignitary thought the name too suggestive!

The two 432`s in Aden were used by the REME as recovery wagons, as they had armour and were tracked, a vital feature as wheeled recovery were prone to having the tyres shot out. My memory does not go back to registration numbers, but the one pictured above was put out of action by a mine, which buckled the chassis under the engine , and (I think) blew the wheel station off. "My" 432 had a Ferret turret fitted, complete with 30 Browning with no sights. To get to a target you simply "walked" the shots to where you wanted them. ( see photo). Before leaving Aden, we filled the hull with as much "kit" as we could, mainly brand new washing machines, freezers, fridges, all tightly packed in by carpets, sleeping bags, and any thing else lying around. In fact , the 43 was so full I had to sit on the outside, but still in reach of the Browning. All went well until we reached the docks where I was told to to on HMS Fearless, whilst my laden 43 went on some grotty transport bound for some port in England, and I never saw her again. One point about the Browning. Although it was good for frightening the locals, I once fired 4000 rounds at a tin can in the sea , and missed!

Scott, The half track pictured was not mine, but I had one just like it. We were the FRG from 4 Armd Wksp, and the time could be anywhere between 1963 and 1970 ish. The location looks like Soltau training area, and yes, we did take our cars on exercise sometimes! The track in my avatar is the standard photo used by REME museum. Harry.

It must be getting late, as I seen to have posted the same image twice! Put it down to a senior moment !!! Harry, ( slinking away in moth eaten slippers.):blush:

All I can find at the moment.

:laugh:See my avatar! Will try to find some pictures of half tracks at work, but to be really boastful, we never had time to sit around and have our photos taken!! I did write a small piece about them on 22-02-2010, page 5, but unfortunately no pics. Harry.

They were also good as Naafi areas, and part-time bars!

Ferretfixer, Just had a look at Reinsehlen, (thanks sch92 for correct spelling)and nearly fell off my chair when I spotted "Hotel Reinsehlen". It looks like the hotel is situated where German barracks used to be, but the only sight of the dreaded showers seems to be just some shadows on the ground. As part of a workshop FRG, I spent many months in that camp, and in the end we were actually invited into the German canteen, as a thanks for repairing some of their kit. I know this will sound like an exaggeration, but once when we were working there, it rained so hard that our spanners were being swept along the road! Another time, another exercise, and as this one had been a real b&gger, we had a little celebration on the last night, which resulted in the 434`s missing the train the next morning. Our glorious leader decided that we had enough fuel to motor back to Detmold. He was right , but it was so close one 434 was towed up the hill into camp. Does nobody remember the Church of Scotland ladies?? Harry.

Having been on the receiving end of many of Wolgangs teas and coffees, I can fully appreciate why he is remembered so fondly. But does anyone here remember the other Opel Blitz van, driven by one of the ladies from the Church of Scotland `s outpost in Fallingbostel? I seem to think that they used to be on the ranges before Wolfgang, and they used to get in some impossible places too. Another character was the old fellow who had a push bike with a little trailer attached, who used to come round our usual resting place at Heber Crossroads, and for a few marks would sweep the area. He would also trog off and fetch some of the local brew in his little anhanger. Then there were the showers at Rhiensahlen (sp?) camp, but since I`ve just eaten,:-X enough said!!:-X Harry.

I remember once being told to take my 434 to this wood and cam it up as a demonstration for some Ruperts. The wood was a new plantation full of young saplings, and the usual "Thou shalt not knock down trees" command was still in effect. Not being in the best of moods at messing about with Ruperts, I reversed the 434 into the nearest patch of trees, threw some cam nets over the top, and then gathered all the trees we had knocked down and uprooted and replanted them all the way round the barrow. The overall effect was a big sprawling bush in the middle of a bunch of saplings. Eventually the future leaders of men appeared, looked at our creation, did a few immature "Hurmphs" and wandered away, not one of them having the gumption to ask how the wagon had squeezed itself in the six inch gaps between the trees, or even if we had been there since the seeds had been sown. When they had all cleared off for their tea and biscuits, we roared off back to camp, leaving behind a messy churned up patch of ground. ( Well it wasn`t our normal stamping ground anyway). Harry.

Al, The first part is at :- , but deals more with REME set-up than actual repairs, however some of the vehicles are interesting, and bring back lots of memories to old fogeys like me!:cry:

Dont know if this video has been shown on here, if it has my apologies. Not a great deal of attention paid too health and safety in those days. Changing a Cent final drive has been changed, with a special sling being used in place of the masses of chains shown here.

As Schliesser 92 says, the Radar Troop Saracens used to tow Green Archer and Silent gennys,all the way from Detmold to Hohne, over 100 miles, with only a stop at the Blau Zee, and no sign of wind-up. I know as I was the troop fitter! As to sliding with tracks on snow, I once received a large rollicking for sliding sideways, but in a straight line, across the red airfield lights in Detmold in a Centurion. It was probably the only time the brakes worked! However in 1963, (or 64) we were requested by the Germans to help out with the snowbound traffic using half -tracks, and they performed admirably.

On a different web site,I was gibbering on about fitting a Ferret turret to a 432 in Aden, and within hours someone had a photo of it! Must go and shake the sand out of my Hush Puppies! Harry.

Sit in drivers seat. Ensure handbrake is engaged (pulled back). Start engine. Ensure forward/reverse lever is in correct position. Select first gear position on selector box. Push Gear Change Pedal fully to floor and allow to return to normal position. (The GPC should return without any “kick” or undue force. If it does, switch off engine and press and release the GPC at least five times, with the gear select lever in all the different gear positions.) Then restart the engine and carry on as above. Release handbrake and gently depress accelerator, and the vehicle will start to move. Select second gear position on the selector box. As speed increases, release accelerator, depress and release GPC fully, and gently press accelerator. Engage third gear position on selector box. When engine revs have built up sufficiently, repeat above procedure with GPC and accelerator. Engage fourth gear on selector box and repeat above procedure. Ditto for fifth gear. Carry on repeating the sequences until desired speed is achieved. When the highest gear you require for the conditions has been selected and engaged, it is advisable to put the gear lever in the next lower gear position on the selector box ready to change down to the next lowest gear. However caution is advised not to down change too early as the braking effect of the engine can be abrupt. Also changing down in sequence is much smoother. When changing down the accelerator should not be used, until you attain the speed you require. Until reasonable proficiency is achieved, it is best to use all the gears in sequence, ie do not miss out gears, as irate commanders can always reach you, but you cannot reach them!:embarrassed:

Hi Ray, I also was posted to 5 Armd Wsps, but a lot later than you, and by my time they had moved to Soest. My spiritual home though is 4 Armd Wksps in Detmold, from 63 until 70, then they started on with this Btn rubbish. I see among your vehicles you have a Half Track, that was my mobile wksps and home for years, with the FRG. Is your one in its original state or the REME version? I would love to have one with all the gear on it that we had. Nice to see you here , enjoy! Harry. ( and no, I`m not going to tell you my regtl number!):-\

:rolleyes:When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of a " knife edge" about two feet high with steeply sloping sides, made out of concrete, with the top about six inches wide. The object of the exercise was to drive up on the wall and position the Cent so that it balanced on the top. If done properly, the driver should be able to tip the tank like a seesaw by standing at each end, his weight being sufficient to upset the balance. I never saw anything like this in real life, so it is posible that it belongs in the same catergory as the one were a good Cent driver should be able to go up and down the gearbox whilst the tank only travels its own length. One thing I do remember being taught was only to change up when the nose went down, and we practised this by dropping the drivers seat and changing gear by the attitude of the tank, encouraged by the instructor standing behind you with a big stick!! Unfortunately this technique was carried too far when a "sprog" driver was loading his tank onto a loader for the first time, and had just got over the point of balance when he changed up and ran into the transporter cab. His excuse was as above "My instructor said when the nose drops , change up"!:nono:

Hi, Here is the official REME museum blurb about half -tracks:- In the early 1950s REME began to refine its doctrine of forward repair. This held that, in suitable battlefield circumstances, it was simpler to carry out major maintenance or repairs where a vehicle stood, rather than to laboriously tow or carry it back to a workshop site. This concept was particularly appropriate for engine and gearbox changes. Also gun barrel changes to tanks, where a new or repaired assembly could be taken to and swapped ‘in situ'. Some workshops were already using half tracks in similar roles but most depended on other vehicles to lift out the major tank assemblies. In the British Army of the Rhine a standard crane was designed to fit the front of the half track, using its front mounted winch to carry out the lift. An earlier type of crane for this vehicle used tubular steel poles hinged at the base. These cranes could be stowed at an angle, leaning back to the hull of the half track. But they got in the way of the canopy and in some instances snagged power lines and tramway overhead cables. The better and later universal version of this crane used a folding ‘A' frame, the top of which stowed flat and level with the top of the half track's cab. The body of the vehicle was originally intended to carry the replacement tank engine, but this left no room for the repair crew and their equipment and stores. The solution was a one ton trailer, which could just carry a crated engine, leaving the interior of the vehicle for crew, tools, minor stores, etc. Soon half tracks were being fitted with sheet metal bodies extending well above the armoured sides and fitted out as workshop-cum-caravans. Few REME tradesmen would forego personal comfort when personal ingenuity could provide it. Some half tracks for a time retained the canvas top but most eventually were converted to metal tops all to a similar design. The vehicles were superseded in the early 1970s by the FV 434 fully tracked fitters vehicle. What they fail to say is that we,the REME fitters, lived in those vehicles probably about six months every year up until the early 70`s. We did make them as comfortable as possible, with bunk beds, (4), floor coverings, ( normally sheet rubber as it could be washed), reading lights, an electric shaving point, ( cannabilised from some radio set, it upped the 24v to 240v with just enough power to run a razor ) and here was even one that boasted a stove with gypsy like chimney. The beds were mounted on "U" type brackets on the sides, with chains coming down from the roof. This way they could be stowed out of the way during the day. The trouble with them was that the "U" brackets were not very big, so if you leant too hard on the side when getting in, the bed did a quick roll and you ended on the floor. The secret was to slide in from one end. Some people, especially after a few bevvies, never seemed to get the hang of it, and ended up sleeping on the petrol tanks instead. Driving one of those beasts was an adventure all on its own, as peering through that slit of a windscreen, with twelve feet of jib in front of the bumper, you were lethal. In fact I once ripped the whole side of a woofer,( slang for German lorry and trailer) when trying to come out of a blind junction. For people who have never seen inside the cab, as you got in, watching that the armoured door did not bash you on the back of your knees, you were confronted with five levers spread across the floor. The first lever was the winch "in and out" lever, then came the hand brake, then a strangely "S" shaped lever for the gears. Across the other side of the cab floor was, ( and here my memory is a bit dodgy)the low range lever, and then, out of reach of any normal being, the four wheel drive lever, generally operated by your mate. We also carried all the tools for all major assembly changes, as well as spare oil, water, and frequently rations for stranded tankies. There was even a full size welding and cutting gear on board, and a thirty gallon tank for coolant. Since the half track was virtually at the end of its service, several unofficial modifications were, if not sanctioned, allowed. One of the favorite ones was to replace the drivers seat with something a bit more comfortable, and favorite for this was the seat and steering wheel from an Opel Record. Also a semi comfortable seat was made to rest for the centre of the cab, for the radio operator. He had to be there as no-one could hear him over the noise. The winch lever had a little gate at the bottom which locked it in posotion when travelling. Unfertunately, with lots of use , this lock used to wear, and many a track has gone down the road spooling out its winch rope as the lever had been knocked into gear by a stray knee. I should explain that the winch worked by putting the vehicle gearbox in neutral, putting the winch lever forwards or backwards, and controlling the winch by the clutch lever. This was a nightmare for the driver when lifting or lowering any assembly, as you sat there with the clutch pushed in for hours , waiting for a half-heard shout of " Up a gnats!" or other muffled command. Woe betide you if you got it wrong! And most of the time you could not see either the assembly or the people working on or under it! With some jobs, like a Cent engine change, taking up to three days, the drivers leg muscles were magnificent! One of the most daunting times was loading the track onto a tank transporter. You were guided in to position by the transporter driver, in those days they weree either Russian or Polish, and then as the front lifted all you could see was sky until you came down with a hell of a bang to see this little man frantically waving his arms. I must say thougth I drove a half track for about six years and I never was in any danger of getting stuck, in spite of one nervous lad putting his in a ditch, and I then had to drive it to the nearest bridge and get it out by driving up the bridge support. Also they had enough power to "bump" start Centurions. On most of the wagons self centring steering was a joke, but this did mean that by putting it in first gear , setting the hand throttle, and full lock, you could get out and let your wagon go round you forever! One advantage that has served me well up until this dayis that we carriefd our assembleys in a one ton Sankey trailer, and it quickly taught you all about reversing a trailer in all kinds of conditions. I actually was the unfortunate person who done the demonstration against the 434, but we lost!!!:undecided: Sorry for rabitting on, but I will be back on Soltau tonight , filthy, tired, with a bottle of Amstel in my mitt, and tnen I will wake up!!!

These were our homes and workplaces for many a happy year!

From a dim and distant memory, I seem to recall a great deal of consternation about the constant velocity joints on the Stalwart, and that trials showed that running the vehicle with little or no load increased the chances of failure, whilst running under full load was a better option. Apparently this was due to the shafts running in a " straighter" line when carrying a heavy load. Also I believe that the lubricating oil was changed, but I do not know from what to what. One further point is that the individual tyre circumference wear must also be taken into account, but again it is so long ago that the actual dimensions have been forgotten, but would be available in the relevant EMER. All this may sound like a "killjoy" atitude, but if the Stolly is only going to be used for short runs it may, hopefully, be completely irrelevant.:undecided:

Not really sure if the following belongs here or not, but if not perhaps the moderators can consign it to wherever, but it is about the inside of a tank. Many years ago when I was serving in REME, a bunch of us, Centurion mechanics, were sent from Germany to Bordon on a II to I upgrading course. The course itself was very boring as we worked on the things daily, whilst our instructors seemed to us to be behind the times. During our time there an exhibition was going to take place, and we had been given the honour(?) of crewing the tanks , to answer questions from the public. All right so far, but then we learnt that we had to dress up in our best uniforms, including peaked caps. After a lot of protests we were allowed to wear our normal berets , as you can imagine trying to move around the turret in the big hats. Then we found out that all the interiors of the tanks wer being resprayed with that lovely silver paint that is guaranteed to turn anything it touches into a silver mess. But the authorities were firm about this so no amount of protesting helped. The exihibition was on a Saturday, but on the Friday there was to be a full dress rehersal with visiting staff officers and their families to be the guests. So on a Friday morning I was hiding deep down in the turret of a Cent, hoping nobody would come my way, and trying to stay away from the freshly painted walls. But I was unlucky as I heard a very plummy accent above me on the top of the turret. not only some bigwig, but he had his young teenage daughter with him. When I glanced, (stared?) up I just happened to notice that the daughter was standing astride the gunners hatch. This was too good a chance to miss, so I climbed out through the the commanders hatch, and told the dear girl to be careful. As she realised where I had come from she turned the colour of an overipe beetroot, and almost jumped off, but her father confounded the issue by holding her arm whilst asking me some silly questions. All of the course thought the whole week-end was a waste of time, but it did have its brighter moments!:cool2:

Hi, Dont know if this helps in any way , but found this on Google:- The Scottish Maritime Museum is based partly at the Laird Forge Buildings in Irvine and partly at the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank in Dumbarton. Archive material for the Denny Ship Model Experiment Tank in Dumbarton, as well as the Museum in Irvine, is centrally administered at Laird Forge Buildings, Irvine. Harry.