chrisgrove

I learnt to drive on 20CL08 - or at least I passed my test in it. That vehicle was a driver training vehicle with whatever RASC unit was in Yeovil in 1961. There were lots of others and I assume they were 4x2 as well. The next military vehicle I drove was a Bedford RL during floods in Kenya! Little did my platoon know how little driving experience I had. Chris

I've never seen the 105 pack how towed by anything except a 109 Landrover. Chris

How very nice to see anything on a pre-WW2 vehicle that is not as early as WW1. Chris

Not so. They would get confused with gunners who didn't get their fingers out of the way in time when loading heavy artillery! Chris (ex infantry)

Westcott was still in use as a range in 1958; put many a round down there when I was at school in Leatherhead. Was that really 60 years ago? I must be getting on! Chris

Pete As you can see, it is obvious to many that the rules were not always followed (and it is a pain to find anywhere on the back of a jeep big and flat enough to paint any signs at all), but I think I can see a circular (sorry, disc shaped) background to the triangle on that nearest jeep. But I'm sure it happened now and again. In fact we (in 19 Brigade, also with a triangular sign) rigged one of our vehicles with a bogus triangular 3 Div sign in order to do a clandestine recce of an airfield we were supposed to be raiding! I reckon your last pic would be fine. Chris

Its a disk - solid red colour! What you would see if you put the triangle on a red dinner plate! Chris

Yes, that's the one but that is what it looks like sewn on battledress. I have yet to see a wartime photo (or for that matter a post war photo) of a real truck in Army service that did not have a red circular background (the points of the triangle touch the circumference of the circle). But never say never! I have seen restored vehicles showing the triangle without the circle! Chris

8 Infantry brigade appears to have formed part of 3 Infantry Division for the whole of WW2. As such they would have carried the 3 Div sign on their vehicles (indeed 8 Inf Bde does not appear even to have a sign of its own at this time). 3 Div sign (on vehicles) is a black 60 degree triangle with an inverted (and obviously smaller) red triangle centred on it; the whole set on a red circle. Up until May 1942, 8 Bde was the second senior brigade - thereafter the senior. 1 Suffolks were the senior battalion in the brigade all the time. Therefore, in theory, the opposite mudguard should have carried the following; 1939/40 white 17 on a green square 1941-42 white 60 on a green square 1942-5 white 55 on a red square. The rules state that the divisional sign should have been on the front left (passenger side) mudguard and the unit AoS (the red or green square with number) on the other mudguard. Those signs were repeated on the same sides at the back. BEF trucks often had the AoS sign centrally mounted. Like most marking questions, the question lies in whether the rules were strictly followed or not, and in the exact timings of the changes. If you can find a clear pic of such a truck, then copy that! Chris

Sorry Ruxy. I cannot be more precise than to say it must have been between early 1971 and Aug 1973. Albuhera Barracks Werl, if it interests you, (aka Stadtwald Camp 6) though actually the Annexe across the road where our vehicles were kept. Now sold and used as a leisure centre (Having a golf course and ice rink inherited from the Canadians). Chris

Oops; I don't think I've posted this one. Fort Monagh in Andersonstown again, but this one did not belong to us. Memory suggests ut belonged to some RMPs who were billeted with us; Chris

Hi guys I think these are the last of my NI pics (and a few besides) I will check further to make sure there are no more that I haven't posted. Looking at the background building, I think this one was taken in Germany as well as the ones below, and not in NI. These four are of, I think, the first Lightweight we got in Germany - certainly an early one as you can see from the headlight position. It was the MTO's truck! Chris

As supposed above, that Picasso style Landrover 'in the background' looks to me like an 88 - Mk 8 perhaps - rather than a LtWt. I can't explain the pattern; it rather looks to me like the driver was given a pot of black paint and told to paint a camo pattern on it. More interesting than the normal, but none of those black and green camo patterns were of much use in an urban environment. Chris

Yes; that Landrover ambulance has the VPK appropriate to Landrover ambulances. Didn't stop the driver of our ambulance (in Belfast) being shot, but maybe that one was not armoured (can't remember). Chris

A few Landrovers: Getting near the end of my stock, I'm afraid, but maybe I'll find a few more. Chris

It was just after Motorman. Frankly I cannot remember what year that was - I'm sure you can find out quicker than I can. I don't remember any of our vehicles being in DBG, certainly not the ones with VPK as they all had to be painted after the VPK was fitted (unless of course the stuff had been taken off another vehicle). I think it is just a dark photo. Chris

Hi guys Here I go again. Some Bedfords and probably a few Landrovers - more to come. Just ignore the thread title as these are not Pigs and in Londonderry (just post Motorman) and not Belfast! First Bedfords (RL) have cab armour and tank armour but not loadbed armour. Next two are MKs with complete armour. Finally a lightweight with VPK to whet your appetites for Landies. Chris

Speaking as a modeller, so primarily interested in taking photographs of interesting vehicles, please do not put your board too close to the vehicle where it might obscure significant detail. Yes I know I could ask you to move it, but you might not be there! Chris

Hi guys I think I'm getting old and forgetting things, so here are my remaning pics of Saracens. Black and White are from Palace barracks; colour are from Fort Monagh in Andersonstown a couple of years later. Landrovers start soon! Chris

Note also that this is not a 'truck' (licence plate Z), but a 'Van' (licence plate V). Vans had permanently fitted tilts whereas trucks were originally open backed. Chris

Hi guys A few more pics. First two more pics of that Saracen Ambulance from Fort Monagh (and a bit of a landrover beside it). I have not posted the early small pics of Saracens at Palace Barracks; I have put them somewhere safe and can't find them! Now some more from Palace Barracks. Our Bedford RLs were fitted with unusual canvas tilts. These were apple green (reputedly fireproof), had plastic windows in front and sides, and were raised in the centre so that burning liquid would run off (not sure if anyone proved this worked!). The floor was lined with sandbags. More Bedford to come, and Landrovers. Chris

I have a few more pics of Saracens in Belfast BUT; The good ones are all of the one you can see the back of in my last picture post above which is 83BA36 (and mostly include the Landrover ambulance 57FG60 beside it). There are a couple of others which are more distant, in black and white and the only number visible is the callsign 32. I will put them up when I come home again after Christmas. And I don't do Facebook either! Chris

3.5 RL fires a hollow charge projectile. This, when it hits, projects a high speed and hot jet of gas through the armour which, in the case of a tank, probably whizzes round inside damaging crew and equipment. but in the case of a pig, with so little armour thickness, the jet went straight through and out the other side leaving a hole not much bigger than the one you see. OK so, some stuff went around inside and the soldiers were not entirely unharmed, but nothing serious. The remainder of the projectile probably just fell in the road, but I doubt that Paddy was fined for littering. Chris

Hi all More pics: The third pic shows a Pig (not one of my unit) which was hit by a 3.5 rocket launcher bomb. I used to have a pic of the 'exit wound' but cannot locate it. Paddy must have been peeved as there were only two people in it; the driver and escort right at the back. So after being hit, the pig drove on and came into Fort Monagh where two slightly deaf and shell shocked squaddies climbed out, pretty well unharmed. The 'exit wound' looked much like the one you can see - nothing dramatic. The last two pics show a Saracen ambulance and the rear of a VPK Landrover ambulance, sent to make up 5 pics. I shall be away over Christmas, but will look out more VPK pics in the New Year. Happy Christmas everybody. Chris

More still. Getting on to some tasteful redecoration by the residents of Turf Lodge! Chris