Great War truck Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 So. have you ever come across the remains of any WW1 trucks on the ranges. I was told of a Thornycroft with an AA gun mount still on it surviving somewhere. I personally doubt it, but you never know. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Sorry Richard What I was ment to say they are having a debait about purpose built Centurion moving range targets not BARVs. These were radio controled tanks and only three were made two of which they think are on the ranges OK Tony, Seem to think I have seen a photo of one of those somewhere. Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dotty Dodge Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 Tony - this could well be a possible HMVF meet up like Rowan proposed?? Is that possible? Cheers Jack. So jack when are we all going? Rowan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 There were two if not three Sherman BARVs on the Plain, all ex-Pounds. They were placed in exchange for more interesting targets..... There is one Centaur Dozer in the pics that was a swap for the Cromwell that went to Budge. The Cromwell in the pics is actually a Centaur, there were only two Cromwells on the Plain that I know of, at least on Larkhill side. I spent many hours on the Plain recovering parts for various projects in the past. We considered nowhere to be out of bounds and I drove and walked all over the place. The impact area was often too rough and wet to take a wheeled vehicle and I certainly got stuck more than once. There was a lot of blinds laying around, everything from 2 pr solid shot up to 155mm and aerial bombs, usually practice but not always. I never touched anything doubtful.... I never did here of any instances of people being hurt by things going off when tampered with, several rumours but nothing confirmed. You would have to be stupid to try though... Acces to all ranges now is very difficult, we always went on with official permission, almost impossible to get now. :-( Comparing the pics to mine, going back to the 1980's, it's certainly changed. It was all Centaurs, Shermans Rams, the odd modern target like a Conqueror or Cent, certainly no Chietains. Then there was the Tiger 1 track I found..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FV601 (R.I.P.) Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Then there was the Tiger 1 track I found..... Sounds like there's a story attached to that Adrian :whistle: Care to elaborate? ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Well, there I was removing some parts from a Sherman V, when I spotted some track sticking out of the ground in front of the rh sprocket. I dug it out and first assumed it was Conqueror as it was so wide. However, upon cleaning the dirt off, it was obviously Tiger 1 battle track, the 'bridge' to the extra width being a giveaway. Only three links sadly. It had tack welds on some edges and I suspect it had been welded to another vehicle rather than being on a Tiger itself but who knows. We also found a small selection of German halftrack track sections of more than one size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Adrian do you actually live right on the range, i.e. it's your back garden so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Mark, no, I don't live that near to any range, of which there are loads in the UK. Salisbury Plain is about 200 miles from me. Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 What we need to do is find the rest of that Tiger!! :tup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul connor Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Pigs......poooorr pppooorrr Pigs :cry: What had they done? , some have wheel stations still? hmm.... can i just wander out and dismantle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 (edited) Pigs......poooorr pppooorrr Pigs :cry: What had they done? , some have wheel stations still? hmm.... can i just wander out and dismantle? Paul, look at the notice carefully not just for what it says but it looks as it has got hit by shrapnel, which is a bit sobering. Edited April 5, 2010 by Marmite!! photo link repaired Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tunnel_Rat Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Pigs......poooorr pppooorrr Pigs :cry: What had they done? , some have wheel stations still? hmm.... can i just wander out and dismantle? Haha, after viewing the set of pics i was horrified!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plainmilitary Posted February 5, 2007 Author Share Posted February 5, 2007 Many years ago there was rumurs of a Tiger out there painted white. It was on the centre range up on the hill. Also there was what looked like a 88 and a PAK gun but neather are marked on my wreck sheet. Also on this sheet I have the usual Ferret , Humber and Saladins but there is also quite a few Scout cars what can these be any idears? And lastly there is a picture of a Churchill with a bit sticking up at the back could this be a Croc. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 And lastly there is a picture of a Churchill with a bit sticking up at the back could this be a Croc. Tony, That could just be a Churchill Toad flail tank, as far as is known, one survives and is being restored. The bit sticking up at the back, would that be a large box shape running the whole width of the tank? Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted February 5, 2007 Share Posted February 5, 2007 Am I seeing things or is there a fish van in one of those pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plainmilitary Posted February 6, 2007 Author Share Posted February 6, 2007 The van belonged to a hare corseing gang that got caught (PIKIES). Not all things are bad out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Can these wrecks be saved, that's the question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 The Churchill is a Crocodile, there were at least two out there, several Centaur Dozers and at least two BARVs, all ex Pounds. There was a little cluster (battery!) of german artillery on the eastern end and a PAK was recovered from Warminster some years ago, now in Bovington. The Tiger track was lying near Sley Down, it could have come from a Tiger, there were certainly lots of German targets on other ranges. Something could still be out there though I think it unlikely now, it's all been picked over fairly heavily in the last 20 years. As to the risks, whilst not particularly dangerous moving around, touching ordnance is very foolish and being out there with any firing taking place is madness! Some of the shrapnel looked murderous..... There was a time we were recovering Sherman interior parts and a Range warden approached us in his Landrover to advise there would be flare dropping trials starting in a couple of hours. We planned to be off by then but you know how it goes! We were still on site when the aircraft, a Tornado and a Buccaneer made several passes a mile or so away from us. One a/c was dropping flares which proceeded to set light to the grass on the hill. The Sherman was on top of this hill...... We left! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 A Churchill Crocodile.. <Sigh> I could find a good home for that - somewhere (before any one jumps in on the stofrage front :-)) Shudder to think what it would cost to restore though.... :schocked: :schocked: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Which Churchill pics W32 & W27? Cause thats an early one (square hatches) & Crocs were all MkV11's (round hatches & ports) weren't they? Some nice stuff there though. Poor old BARV has had the stuffing knocked out of it! Shame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 WW32 and 24 are earlier Churchills, WW27 is a Comet (upside down). The Croc is WW20, behind a 432. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Ah yes i can see it now :roll: Still got the trailer coupling too... nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlienFTM Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Many years ago there was rumurs of a Tiger out there painted white. It was on the centre range up on the hill. Also there was what looked like a 88 and a PAK gun but neather are marked on my wreck sheet. Also on this sheet I have the usual Ferret , Humber and Saladins but there is also quite a few Scout cars what can these be any idears? And lastly there is a picture of a Churchill with a bit sticking up at the back could this be a Croc. Tony In February of 1976, concluding my Scorpion Gunner's course at Catterick, we went to the ranges at Warcop in Cumbria to convert live 76 rounds into empty cases. First time behind the gun, eyes on the sight, the instructor was naturally encouraging us not to be afraid of the weapon - it was far more dangerous at the other end. He guided me toward a target and asked me what I can see. No gun drills, just friiendly encouragement. Having lined the sight graticule onto a hard target, he asked me what I could see. "Well if I am perfectly honest, Sarge, it looks to me for all the world like the turret off a Tiger 1E." He double-took (double-taked?) as he looked across and peered back through his commander's sight, then regained his composure and agreed. Then we got into gun drills and a HESH round went downrange at 533mps. I was dead chuffed at my recognition skills (though looking back I wonder if he wasn't simply boosting my confidence). Throughout the range week, I kept bringing my gun back to look at the Tiger turret. Mid-week, it fell to our group to stand guard on the range overnight. The range hut was brick and solid but very cold in a Cumbrian winter wind. But I had a plan. First opportunity, two of us set off down the range track to have a close-up look at the Tiger turret. Needless to say, 1200m downrange and in the dark, the landscape looked entirely different and we never found the Tiger turret. However, from a bluff in the target area, looking northwards out of arc we had a clear view down a valley to where the Infantry Junior Bleeders, colocated in our camp for their final Battle Camp, were having a night under canvas. They were clearly just settling down as all their lights were going out. The full moon came out from behind the clouds and I felt this uncontrollable urge. I took a deep breath and released a massive werewolf howl down the valley. Oh how we larfed when all the lights flicked back on. Quick bimble back up the track, nicely in time for a hot supper to arrive. Nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Not surpised they put the lights back on We've got werewolves up here I was bitten by one when i was a kid... ...but I'm alright noooooOOOOOooooOOOOOOoooOOOOOooooOOOOoooOOOOwwww! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Where wolf? Theeeeerre woooollffffff :shocking: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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