Soltau Luneburg Training Area (SLTA)

recce83 wrote:

Does anyone remember those "Prehistoric Graves" signs that were planted in the ground in the Luneberg training area? It was great sport to pull them up and replant them outside the tents of NCOs/WOs/Officers.

Better still stick one on the back of a tank from SHQ Tp, especially when the OC was Maj John 'Digger' Graves! He saw the funny side of it, he's 2nd in from the LHS.

Now THAT is priceless!!!

Nice one!!!

[quote="soprano54"]

recce83 wrote:

Does anyone remember those "Prehistoric Graves" signs that were planted in the ground in the Luneberg training area? It was great sport to pull them up and replant them outside the tents of NCOs/WOs/Officers.

Better still stick one on the back of a tank from SHQ Tp, especially when the OC was Maj John 'Digger' Graves! He saw the funny side of it, he's 2nd in from the LHS.

[/quote


That bloke, fourth from the left. Isn't he wearing Soviet headgear ?

No, not Soviet gear, rather NBC kit (Noddy Suits). The guy first on left has still got his trouser part on, you can tell by the canvas braces. The rest of the crew actually are still wearing there kit, except of course the Major. His trousers are far too tight for Noddy ones...

Anyone remember the first kits that were issued mid 60's? The charcoal impregnation used to run when it got wet. Talk about 'Black and White Minstrels.'

alan8376 wrote:

No, not Soviet gear, rather NBC kit (Noddy Suits). The guy first on left has still got his trouser part on, you can tell by the canvas braces. The rest of the crew actually are still wearing there kit, except of course the Major. His trousers are far too tight for Noddy ones...

Anyone remember the first kits that were issued mid 60's? The charcoal impregnation used to run when it got wet. Talk about 'Black and White Minstrels.'

Ah, the dreaded Noddy suit ! (It just looks like a Soviet tank crew helmet).

I remember when we were first issued with the Noddy suit, in its nice plastic packets, we were told "Dont unwrap 'em keep 'em with yer f...... gas mask".

When the panic call came during an exercise we found that the various garments had to be torn apart before we could get into them. It took ages.

Absolute cock up !

That bloke, fourth from the left. Isn't he wearing Soviet headgear ?[/quote]

Soprano,
do RTR Regts still recruit regionally ? I notice you're in the south west.

We took over from 3RTR in Cyprus (way back !), they were from your area and they called themselves "The Swedebashers".

I can't recall all of them but we used to call 4RTR "Fourth Jocks".

BobG wrote:

Jim the sheltered life at Bde and higher protected you from such delights.
Bob

Point!!

brum wrote:

That bloke, fourth from the left. Isn't he wearing Soviet headgear ?

Thats me and no I'm not! As others have said its the hood of my 'Noddy Suit', ISTR this was taken at ENDEX and the lads are in various states of undress. The OC is actually in a pair of 'Green Jeans' (Lightwieghts), as was SOP in those days we'd take our denims off as once you're in an NBC suit its very hard taking a dump if you're still wearing them. These days it doesn't matter as the tank suit has got a 'Crap Flap'!

brum wrote:

Soprano,
do RTR Regts still recruit regionally ? I notice you're in the south west.

We took over from 3RTR in Cyprus (way back !), they were from your area and they called themselves "The Swedebashers".

I can't recall all of them but we used to call 4RTR "Fourth Jocks".

We certainly do! The 1RTR recruit from the North West and Scotland and 2RTR from the South East & West. In the old days when we still had four regiments the 1st recruited from the NW, the 2nd from the SE & Home Counties, the 3rd from the SW and the 4th from Scotland. Hope that explains it and the 3rd were known as the 'Armoured Farmers'.

Nobby wrote:

Hi Guys
I would still like someone to explain to me how come all the Military equipment used to get bogged in but Wolfgang's Bratty van could travel where no other vehicle would dare to tread.

Lol good old Wolfgang. You could tip up at your Bivvy area and wolfy would already be there He could get some places you wouldn't dram of taking vehicles. Then the other good thing was if you wanted to know your next bivvy area then just ask Wolfy.

I remember doing active edges and deploying from Munsterlager to Soltau you could always guarantee a chain of broken down Cents or Chiefies and the funny thing was they always seemed to brake down outside a schnellie or Guestie.

Those were the days.

Nobby wrote:

Hi Guys
I would still like someone to explain to me how come all the Military equipment used to get bogged in but Wolfgang's Bratty van could travel where no other vehicle would dare to tread.

He was probably an ex German tankie!

soprano54 wrote:

brum wrote:

That bloke, fourth from the left. Isn't he wearing Soviet headgear ?

Thats me and no I'm not! As others have said its the hood of my 'Noddy Suit', ISTR this was taken at ENDEX and the lads are in various states of undress. The OC is actually in a pair of 'Green Jeans' (Lightwieghts), as was SOP in those days we'd take our denims off as once you're in an NBC suit its very hard taking a dump if you're still wearing them. These days it doesn't matter as the tank suit has got a 'Crap Flap'!

brum wrote:

Soprano,
do RTR Regts still recruit regionally ? I notice you're in the south west.

We took over from 3RTR in Cyprus (way back !), they were from your area and they called themselves "The Swedebashers".

I can't recall all of them but we used to call 4RTR "Fourth Jocks".

We certainly do! The 1RTR recruit from the North West and Scotland and 2RTR from the South East & West. In the old days when we still had four regiments the 1st recruited from the NW, the 2nd from the SE & Home Counties, the 3rd from the SW and the 4th from Scotland. Hope that explains it and the 3rd were known as the 'Armoured Farmers'.

Thought it was only the Armoured Engineers (26 Sqn in Hohne in my time there 59-61) who were known as "Armoured Farmers"

always wondered how the NAAFI van new which leaguer area a tank unit would be using on any one day, or did they just drive round them all.

They were told in advance????

BigJock wrote:

always wondered how the NAAFI van new which leaguer area a tank unit would be using on any one day, or did they just drive round them all.

Welcome as the NAAFI waggon was, (God, those bread rolls were wonderful !), my vote goes to the Salvation Army.

I remember once, it must've been in the Soltau area, we'd just finished loading our tracks on to the flats in the pouring rain.

Up the line, visible through the mist & murk, was a single light burning. We got up to it to find a "Sally Basher" sitting there. This must've been 3 in the morning. You never found NAAFI out during unsocial hours.

Nowadays, I never pass a Salvation Army collecting tin without dropping a quid in it.

Never saw any of those caterers while on exercise.They must have been kept for the real soldiers,

exreboy wrote:

soprano54 wrote:

brum wrote:

That bloke, fourth from the left. Isn't he wearing Soviet headgear ?

Thats me and no I'm not! As others have said its the hood of my 'Noddy Suit', ISTR this was taken at ENDEX and the lads are in various states of undress. The OC is actually in a pair of 'Green Jeans' (Lightwieghts), as was SOP in those days we'd take our denims off as once you're in an NBC suit its very hard taking a dump if you're still wearing them. These days it doesn't matter as the tank suit has got a 'Crap Flap'!

brum wrote:

Soprano,
do RTR Regts still recruit regionally ? I notice you're in the south west.

We took over from 3RTR in Cyprus (way back !), they were from your area and they called themselves "The Swedebashers".

I can't recall all of them but we used to call 4RTR "Fourth Jocks".

We certainly do! The 1RTR recruit from the North West and Scotland and 2RTR from the South East & West. In the old days when we still had four regiments the 1st recruited from the NW, the 2nd from the SE & Home Counties, the 3rd from the SW and the 4th from Scotland. Hope that explains it and the 3rd were known as the 'Armoured Farmers'.

https://2img.net/h/i58.photobucket.com/albums/g266/andylynfisher58/plate1.jpg

Thought it was only the Armoured Engineers (26 Sqn in Hohne in my time there 59-61) who were known as "Armoured Farmers"

No sorry, they might have been but once the RAC sorted out their recruiting areas and 'The Third of Track' got the Sarf West the name sort of stuck.........amongst others!

Talking of Mercedes Mary, any one recall Layby Lil from Fally.

Think we've done that one Mal, on another thread. Also Magdeburg Annie, I thought she was calling the Lotto Numbers.

We always used to ask Wolfgang or the other wagons including the 'sally bash' just when and what time our exercises finished.

They always knew.

They always knew exactly where we were too.

Cammed up and in the forests was no hindrance to the brocky wagon folk.

exreboy wrote:

Thought it was only the Armoured Engineers (26 Sqn in Hohne in my time there 59-61) who were known as "Armoured Farmers"

I was 26 but never heard the name 'armoured farmers' used for 26 Ind Armd Engr Sqn till after I left them in 1976.

When i was FRG in the late 70`s, on exercise, when we got a job call we used to look for the grey Buttie Van and follow him to find the `casualty`, as the driver always seemed to know where the tanks etc were hiding, made our job a lot easier.
And there was some scoff before we started.

Guys, a few old and bold are taking a trip down memory lane to Soltau in June this year. I will post pictures on return.

Looking forward to seeing them Geordie..and welcome to the site.

Gordon. wrote:

Looking forward to seeing them Geordie..and welcome to the site.

A few of us are booked in at the Camp Reinsehlen hotel, should be fun, lol.