Well, that's all folks! For 2011 at least... but what a year it's been. On the whole a busy and interesting season for the Garrison with lots of positives, although some undoubted difficulties along the way. For me, the most satisfying thing about the year was the way the group worked together to put on a broad range of events, from small one and two gun events, to much larger shows like at Tilly and the Victory Show; from the Ops Room at Goodwood, to the combined anti-aircraft display at the National Army Museum; from the 21-gun salute for the royal wedding, to the 1812 Overture at Leeds Castle. It's this flexibility that really makes the Garrison something special. And, with the acquisition of an 18-pounder and the 49-pattern battledress, our range of historical offerings is growing ever wider.
New Year's resolutions? Well, not so much resolutions as ambitions, but it would be great to get another working gun-tractor at Larkhill, so we can have two full sets on call. It would also be good to arrange more events (such as the NAM) that integrate the guns and searchlight. Finally, I'm looking forward to getting up to Yorkshire next year to support some events arranged by the 69 Regt. The Yorkshire mob are constantly travelling south to participate in Garrison events down here, and it's hightime that we repaid the favour and put in some miles to help support their local scene.
The calendar for 2012 is filling up fast, and promises another good spread of events, both large and small. As soon as these are confirmed, details will be posted to the Garrison website. In the meantime, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all at Garrison Central.
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Monday, 5 December 2011
Ultra - 004
Saturday saw a large contingent of Garrison members turn up to the National Army Museum in London to put on a series of anti-aircraft displays. This was the first public outing for the 3.7" AA gun, and despite a few minor teething issues, everything went remarkably smoothly. The last display of the day, in the darkness with the gun working in conjunction with the searchlight, was particularly spectacular. Also quite evocative, as this was quite possibly the first time a 150cm carbon-arc searchlight had lit up the skies over central London since 1945...
Photos and a report will be added to the Garrison website in the near future.
Photos and a report will be added to the Garrison website in the near future.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
SigInt - 002
Keith pointed me in the direction of the discussion forum on the Royal Artillery Association website, where some great 1950s photos have been posted. These offer some really useful reference material for the post-war artillery impression that the Garrison is currently developing.
Thursday, 24 November 2011
REME - 003
Last night (Wednesday) saw a small group of Garrison members meet at Larkhill for the first test-firings of the 3.7” anti-aircraft gun. Barry had done a fantastic job of fabricating from scratch the missing parts of the firing-mechanism linkage, but until last night it hadn’t been tested with a live charge. As can be seen from the footage posted on the YouTube site everything worked perfectly.
As well as trying out the firing mechanism, another reason for the test was to ascertain the size of the blackpowder charge needed to generate a decent bang. As such three cartridges were prepared: the first contained a similar sized charge as is used for the 25-pounder carts; the second was about half as big again, and the third was bigger still. As can be seen from the footage (and the audience reaction!), the results were pretty decisive. The smallest charge provided a pretty feeble bang and was much derided, the medium charge was much better, whilst the third and largest was seriously impressive! The result was that it was felt that the medium charge would be perfectly adequate for most situations, and will probably be the one used for the forthcoming displays at the National Army Museum
Once again, getting up-close and personal with the 3.7 underlines just what a beast of a gun this is; at nine-tons, everything about it is built on a much bigger and heavier scale than the 25-pounder. Having an opportunity to help crew the gun really begins to give a small insight into just how much hard work it must have been working on these during the war.
Whilst at the workshop, I also got to have a first look at the Garrison’s latest acquisition, a First World War 18-pounder field gun.(Again, see the YouTube site for a sneak-peek) The contrast with the 3.7 couldn’t be greater. Whereas everything about the AA gun is on massive scale, the 18-pounder is built upon decidedly trim lines. The spoked wheels, slender trail and sloped shield do, however, give the whole thing a rather graceful appearance and reflect its origins as a weapon intended for wars of manoeuvre rather than the static trench warfare in which it made its name. What was really surprising was the lack of elevation, even at maximum elevation the barrel was barely above the horizontal! The gun itself appears to be in excellent condition, though will benefit from a thorough servicing. It is also missing quite a few bits and pieces, including the dial-sight holder, the hinged upper-section of the shield, firing pin, not to mention the limber! So, we will need to be on the lookout for these before we can get the piece back into action (any leads gratefully received). Once up-and-running though, it will add another facet to the range of displays that the Garrison can offer. With the addition of this gun to the collection, and the MKIII 25-pounder (together with and the recently acquired sets of 49 pattern battle dress) we can now potentially portray British field artillery from about 1914 right through to the 1960s!
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Ultra - 003
Attended a nice little event at Larkhill last night, providing a couple of guns for the farewell dinner for the Commandant of the School of Artillery. The Commandant was delivered to the Officers's Mess in Keith's Austin staff car (driven by Tracey in her ATS service dress) where he was met by a two mounted gunners of the King's Troop, and two of the Garrison's 25-pounders parked on the lawn. The Commandant and his wife then both fired off the guns to signal the start of the celebrations.
Although the Garrison's part in the evening's proceedings was relatively modest, it was nevertheless nice to be able to help out. Indeed it is always a pleasure to be able to do something for the Army to repay their generosity in allowing the group to use the workshop facilities. Also, to be invited by the Royal Artillery to put on a display at so prestigious a location as the Officer's Mess, does provide a sense that - as a group - we must be doing something right. I think that this endoresement is particularly appreciated by those of us who don't have a services background, and sometimes feel slightly like impostors when in uniform.
After the event we got the chance to see Mel's 3.7" AA gun, which arrived at Larkhill earlier in the week for a quick spruce-up before it travels to London for the two events we have there in December. It really is a big beast, and it is going to be quite a challenge to get it into action with a suitably trained crew. Still should be fun!
Although the Garrison's part in the evening's proceedings was relatively modest, it was nevertheless nice to be able to help out. Indeed it is always a pleasure to be able to do something for the Army to repay their generosity in allowing the group to use the workshop facilities. Also, to be invited by the Royal Artillery to put on a display at so prestigious a location as the Officer's Mess, does provide a sense that - as a group - we must be doing something right. I think that this endoresement is particularly appreciated by those of us who don't have a services background, and sometimes feel slightly like impostors when in uniform.
After the event we got the chance to see Mel's 3.7" AA gun, which arrived at Larkhill earlier in the week for a quick spruce-up before it travels to London for the two events we have there in December. It really is a big beast, and it is going to be quite a challenge to get it into action with a suitably trained crew. Still should be fun!
Friday, 21 October 2011
REME - 002
Whilst at the Larkhill workshop on Sunday, I took the opportunity to get an update on the restoration work currently underway. At the moment attention is focused on refurbishing one of the Army's gate guardian 25-pounders ('paying the rent' as Keith put it). The gun is currently in several bits, the barrel and recoil mechanism having been removed, together with the wheels, shield and platform. The paintwork is in the process of being rubbed down ready for re-spraying, and various moving parts that had seized (such as platform handles and traveling steady) have been freed-up. The wheel-hubs also need to be stripped down, cleaned and lubricated before the gun can be painted and re-assembled. Once this gun has been finished and returned to the Army, work can recommence on the MKIII, which is currently gathering dust in the shed next door.
The MKIII has had some provisional work done to it, so it's in reasonable nick, but will require a full stripdown, renovation and repaint before it is ready for use at a Garrison event. One of the great advantages we have at Larkhill is the shed space available to us, which means all the guns and vehicles can be kept undercover. As such, once a gun like the MKIII has been cleaned up, it can be left for a few months without fear of it deteriorating in the way as a gun left exposed to the elements would.
The other restoration project currently on the books is a No.27 Ammunition Trailer (or limber as it is more usually called). These went out of service much sooner than the 25-pounder guns, and as such tend to be somewhat rarer. Whilst perhaps not as exciting as the guns, limbers are nonetheless a vital part of a WWII gun-set, and it will be very useful to have another one up and running. The limber currently under the knife at Larkhill has been stripped back to bare metal, and is in the process of having any areas that are too rusted to be repairable removed and replaced. There's a lot of surface area on a limber, so quite a bit of work still to do on this one, but hopefully it will be back in action sometime next year.
The MKIII has had some provisional work done to it, so it's in reasonable nick, but will require a full stripdown, renovation and repaint before it is ready for use at a Garrison event. One of the great advantages we have at Larkhill is the shed space available to us, which means all the guns and vehicles can be kept undercover. As such, once a gun like the MKIII has been cleaned up, it can be left for a few months without fear of it deteriorating in the way as a gun left exposed to the elements would.
The other restoration project currently on the books is a No.27 Ammunition Trailer (or limber as it is more usually called). These went out of service much sooner than the 25-pounder guns, and as such tend to be somewhat rarer. Whilst perhaps not as exciting as the guns, limbers are nonetheless a vital part of a WWII gun-set, and it will be very useful to have another one up and running. The limber currently under the knife at Larkhill has been stripped back to bare metal, and is in the process of having any areas that are too rusted to be repairable removed and replaced. There's a lot of surface area on a limber, so quite a bit of work still to do on this one, but hopefully it will be back in action sometime next year.
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Ultra - 002
Last Sunday (16 October) saw the Garrison take part in the annual commemoration of the Battle of El Alamien that is put on by the village of Enham Alamein
Ably supported by various friends, the Garrison was able to provide two full gun-sets, a Dingo armoured car, a K2 truck, a jeep, anAustin
Ably supported by various friends, the Garrison was able to provide two full gun-sets, a Dingo armoured car, a K2 truck, a jeep, an
Thursday, 6 October 2011
REME - 001
Well, the main reason for starting this blog was to provide up-dates on the various restoration and maintenance projects undertaken by the Garrison Living History Group at its Larkhill workshop, so here goes.
Let’s start with an overview of what the group does. The majority of the Garrison’s efforts are directed towards its 25-pounder field guns. These guns are at the heart of the Garrison's displays, and require a fair bit of attention to keep them in good, safe working order and up the kind of standard of presentation that reflects the pride we feel in them, their history and (especially) the men who served them during times of conflict.
Four of these guns are stored at the group's workshop at Larkhill (courtesy of the Royal Artillery). Three are Ordnance QF 25-Pounder MKIIs on MKI carriages with muzzle-breaks. This was the most common variant of the gun used by British and Commonwealth forces during the latter stages Second World War. However, we have recently acquired a MKII on a rare MKIII carriage, which is currently being renovated. (For a good introduction the various 25-pounder variants, see the Wikipedia entry). The MKIII carriage was narrower than the MKI (for ease of air transportation) and had a pivoting trail allowing the barrel to be elevated to a higher angle and thus increasing the gun's range. Details of the progress of the work on this particular gun will be posted here in the near future.
As well as the seemingly endless line of 25-pounders needing restoration and maintenance (including a number of the Army's gate guardians), time also needs to be found to do work on other pieces of kit, including the searchlight and generator, the gun-tractors and trucks. (For details of the group's vehicles, see the Garrison website). There is also a lot of smaller – but nonetheless vital - items (tents, soyer stoves, tables, benches, paraffin lamps, etc) that need to be stored and looked after. In all, it’s a lot of work to keep a group like the Garrison going.
The core of the team that undertakes the bulk of this restoration and maintenance programme (at least for the Western section of the group) is comprised of:
Well, that’s how things stand at the moment. Coming soon: details of what work’s currently being undertaken at Garrison HQ (Western Section).
Let’s start with an overview of what the group does. The majority of the Garrison’s efforts are directed towards its 25-pounder field guns. These guns are at the heart of the Garrison's displays, and require a fair bit of attention to keep them in good, safe working order and up the kind of standard of presentation that reflects the pride we feel in them, their history and (especially) the men who served them during times of conflict.
Four of these guns are stored at the group's workshop at Larkhill (courtesy of the Royal Artillery). Three are Ordnance QF 25-Pounder MKIIs on MKI carriages with muzzle-breaks. This was the most common variant of the gun used by British and Commonwealth forces during the latter stages Second World War. However, we have recently acquired a MKII on a rare MKIII carriage, which is currently being renovated. (For a good introduction the various 25-pounder variants, see the Wikipedia entry). The MKIII carriage was narrower than the MKI (for ease of air transportation) and had a pivoting trail allowing the barrel to be elevated to a higher angle and thus increasing the gun's range. Details of the progress of the work on this particular gun will be posted here in the near future.
As well as the seemingly endless line of 25-pounders needing restoration and maintenance (including a number of the Army's gate guardians), time also needs to be found to do work on other pieces of kit, including the searchlight and generator, the gun-tractors and trucks. (For details of the group's vehicles, see the Garrison website). There is also a lot of smaller – but nonetheless vital - items (tents, soyer stoves, tables, benches, paraffin lamps, etc) that need to be stored and looked after. In all, it’s a lot of work to keep a group like the Garrison going.
The core of the team that undertakes the bulk of this restoration and maintenance programme (at least for the Western section of the group) is comprised of:
- Keith: ex-Gunner, Garrison organiser par excellence and all-round Mr Fixit (if a large hammer needs wielding then Keith’s your man).
- Barry: ex-REME Gun Fitter who worked on 25-pounders for a living when they were still in regular service with the RA (what he doesn’t know about 25-pounder maintenance isn’t worth knowing).
- Andy: ex-RAF, specializes in electrical wizardry and any paint jobs that might be required (also the man tasked with removing the large hammer from Keith when things aren’t going so well).
- Rodney: ex-RAF current QinetiQ (when he’s not delivering customer-focused solutions for Chinooks, he’s delivering Morris-focused solutions for gun-tractors).
Well, that’s how things stand at the moment. Coming soon: details of what work’s currently being undertaken at Garrison HQ (Western Section).
Sunday, 2 October 2011
SigInt - 001
Whilst idly browsing through YouTube the other night looking for artillery related footage, I struck gold with these two films:
Both have excellent footage of (I think) Irish Defence Forces Reserves live-firing 25-pounders (and the music sounds familiar too). It is great to see high-definition colour film of these old guns in action on the range – with the recoil and smokeless charges it all looks very different from the black-powder blank charges we use. I guess the films must have been taken two or three year's ago, as I am reliably informed (!) that the Irish Artillery has now decommissioned its last few remaining 25-pounders and moved entirely over to 105mm Light Guns.
Both have excellent footage of (I think) Irish Defence Forces Reserves live-firing 25-pounders (and the music sounds familiar too). It is great to see high-definition colour film of these old guns in action on the range – with the recoil and smokeless charges it all looks very different from the black-powder blank charges we use. I guess the films must have been taken two or three year's ago, as I am reliably informed (!) that the Irish Artillery has now decommissioned its last few remaining 25-pounders and moved entirely over to 105mm Light Guns.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Garrison - Ultra 001
In an effort to take the Garrison forward on all digital fronts, AGRA HQ (Pewsey) has decided to establish a blog to complement the Garrison website, Flickr site and YouTube Channel. It is intended that the blog will provide on-going information about the group's activities (at least those deemed suitable for publication by the regimental censor!) and the progress of various restoration projects. So watch this space for news on all things Garrison and other related WW2 artillery posts.
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