'Puff the Magic Dragon' -- 49 (Inkerman) Battery Message Board

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Subject: 'Puff the Magic Dragon'

Author:
Jim Martin

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Date Posted: 12:45:59 04/03/05 Sun

Live Firing on these 175mm monsters was something that I will never forget. The Yanks were not as crazy as us when it came to 'Live Firing'. They would Load and Lay the bloody Gun and de-bunk off the equipment to what they considered to be a safe distance behind the Gun using the demolition lanyard to Fire the Gun! We on the other hand used to stand our ground on the Gun regardless, as there was no such thing as a safe distance if things went pear-shaped! Miss-fires and flashbacks were the things that we dreaded. I remember that we had this 'Bad Ram' situation and nobody wanted to take the responsibility whether to fire it or what! The AIG or as we used to call him 'The Milkman'came forward and viewed the situation and ordered us to Fire it! When he saw the hesitant looks that we gave one another he stayed on the Gun with us. I've always had the utmost respect for these guys. That was one round I was relieved to be well shot of I can assure you!....The relief on seeing that particular shell depart from the dangerous end of the barrel was tangible to say the least!......
There were other Mishaps that occurred that I remember. One I believe concerned 32 Regt whilst Live Firing, another happened to 18 Bty. I remember that there was an investigation as to the cause and it was found that the shell casings on a particular batch of Ammunition was faulty causing the round to go off prematurily whilst still in the barrel of the Gun!...I remember seeing one of the Guns in question parked up in the REME compound in Fallingbostel. The Gun was aptly named 'Typhoon'. Strange but true! The actual barrel had disintegrated! A very sobering sight which made us realize and consider our own mortality especially working on that equipment in them days!...Don't you think?

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