'Those Leyland Gun Tractor Drivers' -- 49 (Inkerman) Battery Message Board

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Subject: 'Those Leyland Gun Tractor Drivers'

Author:
Jim Martin

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Date Posted: 13:10:02 04/14/05 Thu

This is dedicated to all those individuals that drove us about with those 5.5 Howitzers on tow bounching about at the rear of the vehicle in all weathers mainly on Salisbury plain and numerous other locations. More like 'Wacky Races'. People such as Phil Spittal, Taff Roberts, Jock Alexander, Brummie Welsch, Ned Kelly and numerous other characters of our time. Being a limber gunner I usually had to travel in the back with the gear to keep an eye on the equipment hanging on for dear life when coming into action either freezing or hot and sweatty covered in dust. Everything done at breakneck speed as it was always good to get 'Adjusting Gun' on a position. The competition was always fearsome between the Gun-subs in question. Always ensured the split pin was engaged into the towing-eye as the last thing you needed was for the Gun to go walk-a-bout at speed as happened on a number of occassions ending up with the Gun doing a perverbial Chinese Salute of sorts! I remember Taff Roberts having to put blocks on the peddles of the clutch,brake and excelarator due to the fact due to his stature that he couldn't reach the peddles! I remember a certain incident on a dry firing shoot when Willy Morgan who had disappeared for a crap or something returned with a 25 Pounder shell in his hands! You have never seen so many gun-bunnies scatter in all directions! Apparently we had been told that the area we were on used to be an impact area sometime previously. Willy must of been AWOL when that vital piece of information was dispatched to us. The look on his face was priceless! Willy as far as I know never went to Spec-Savers! What a character!......

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