BFG Driving Licence

It would probably been a Morris 1 Ton Bowser!

my bfg licence was issued after 4 attempts at the tick test[iam sure some one said 5 tries was the limit]that was 1969,when the hgv was introduced around 71/72 we were sent to the blues mto in detmold,if you had been driving 3 toners for more than 6months you were issued a pass certificate for hgv 3 ,and directions from hobart bks into town usually started,down the hill to the swinging tit,the nickname given to the old clock style traffic lights,dave.

alan8376 wrote:

It would probably been a Morris 1 Ton Bowser!

Thats the one, I looked it up on Wikie.. I hated driving that when full as it never seemed to want to stop! Thanks for the reminder.

BFG drivers license for us on both my tours (yes we used the BFG in Lahr) was a matter of writing the exam. It was only for driving civilian vehicles. Our DND drivers license (known as Standing Orders for some reason) as was issued in Canada was valid in Germany on exchange at your unit, which was done on every posting in Canada to. When I wrote my BFG test in Lahr I noticed it was the same German civilian we had in Soest. On marking my test, with the punched out over lay, he noticed I had made multi mistakes and couldn't keep his glee to him self about this dozy Cdn. (I was only 2 years out of Germany) but had to share this information with some Meat Heads (M.P.'s) in the office, who stared at me as if I were the village idiot. So when he came to showing me and explaining my errors, he started to realize the mistake was in using the wrong over lay. I actually had one mistake. Just another example of small minded civil servants who had no life of their own, but that of trying to lord it over the rich Canadian soldier.

reme ece wrote:

alan8376 wrote:

It would probably been a Morris 1 Ton Bowser!

Thats the one, I looked it up on Wikie.. I hated driving that when full as it never seemed to want to stop! Thanks for the reminder.

Yes that was a Morris one -ton. On an exercise at Soltau it used to supply our Company which was located miles away from Rheinsalen Camp. Everyday the engine used to conk out coming back from Rheinsalen, with still a full tank of petrol.We worked extensively on this wagon , but it still used to cut out.One day we dragged it back to our location.,and while working on it asked the driver, who was sitting behind the steering wheel to change over the fuel tanks. Without moving he replied "DONE!" .That's when our Q chased him through the woods with a large adjustable wrench. Unlike the Land Rover, the fuel change-over tap was outside ,above one of the tanks. What the driver was really doing was changing over the Fuel Gauge from one tank to the other.

I also got my 'driving license' while in the mob .. I needed extra trade qualifications for promotion to Sgt, well as cipher upgrading meant travelling from Munster to Bad Oyenhausen and a lineman was too long a course in addition to every other job that was tossed at me, it was decided that I would try for a B2 driving ticket straight off and not bother with the basics. Took all my training on a beautiful Bedford QL. had it off to a fine art, no problem ... day came to do my toad test .. bloody 15cwt Canadiian Chevvy with brake and clutch side by side, and the bloody accelerator below them in the centre ... my test was the biggest cock up since Mons ..

Len (Ciphers)

One of the lads in our troop had a full licence for tracks, Saracens, etc but bizarrely not Group A.

He got a BFG licence when we arrived in late 1977 and it was marked provisional. At this time the licence was filled in by hand at CPO BAOR at Moenchenstrapback (I later did a couple of courses there and came to know the staff very well). The licence was not valid for particularly long, so they were forever being renewed. Likewise we bought car insurance for three months at a time (no such thing as direct debit: squaddies find a lump sum for car insurance for a year? Right) so an entire deoartment at CPO worked flat out 52 weeks a year just keeping BFG docs up to date.

Mistakes were made.

My mukker found his rank shown at LtCpl (he was a Lance Corporal). Then next time he got his licence back the issuer had failed to tick Provisional.

Mukker applied instantly for a full UK licence on the strength of this and found himself sorted. I do believe the rules about getting a full UK from a BFG licence changed numerous times, particularly so that wives who passed the BFG test got a full UK licence. And sometime in the 1980s, licensing became computerised, saving a vast amount of work and removing the chance of this sort of error.

Hi Alien, Firstly, we must know each other! Secondly one of the great BAOR wind ups originated in the BFG office in the early 80's. Somebody noticed that the letters of the number plate would soon be APE. They were held in reserve for when any RMP applied for a new plate!!! It worked for a few monthe until there was a RMP social one night and the penny dropped - there was hell to pay - their senior officers could not see the funny side.

i already had a full uk driving licence when i joined so after basic training instead of 13 weeks driver training at yeovil i spent most of the time just driving round Somerset in different size trucks till the other lads finished driver training then we all passed out and got our postings i got germany and bunde.

on arrival at bunde it was all different we all had to do our bfg test and until we got it we could not drive in germany, if you did it in a 3 tonner thats what you drove if you were put on ten tonners later on you did it again.

on my first leave home i came back on my triumph bonnie i was then 21yrs of age and had had a full motorbike licence since i was 16 so it came as a big surprise to be called to c troop squadron office for a ballocking i had been caught riding the squadron BSA b40 round the workshop,the fact that i was riding round the camp and did not have bfg entitlement to ride a bike, i replied i had a far bigger bike and held a full licence, not in germany boy and who gave you permission to bring your bike on camp was the reply, get your bike off camp now, so one of the german bus drivers let me leave it at his house till i managed to get on COs orders and he said i could keep it on camp as other people had cars on camp but i had to take a bfg entitlement to ride a motorbike our troop sergt was not a happy man,he said well enjoy your bike driver brown but its the only bike you will ride on this camp,true to his word i never rode the troop bike and 18 months later i was posted to 2div HQ lubbecke the best thing he ever did.

ab64pt2 wrote:

Hi Alien, Firstly, we must know each other! Secondly one of the great BAOR wind ups originated in the BFG office in the early 80's. Somebody noticed that the letters of the number plate would soon be APE. They were held in reserve for when any RMP applied for a new plate!!! It worked for a few monthe until there was a RMP social one night and the penny dropped - there was hell to pay - their senior officers could not see the funny side.

I have just sent you a PM on ARRSE. Now I know why your name rings a bell!

I transferred to RAPC in 1982 and worked in the Computer Centre between 1985 and 1989 when I got a posting to the Civvy Street Lancers.

THAT's where we know one-another from. But it's a small world.

I'll give you another one. this time last year I had an operation on my groin. A pair of female nurses and a male nurse stood by as consultant and anaesthesiologist got to work right next to my left goolie. I tried to maintain eye contact with the two nurses so that they didn't watch the effect of the knife as my manhood tried to keep out of the way and shrank away. I made a comment about being ex-cavalry and not feeling pain. Turns out the older one was married to an RE officer and the male nurse was ex-RN. But the younger nurse, it turns out, her father was RAPC, stationed in Omagh about 1970 (IIRC) when she was born in Omagh General. I told her I was at Worthy Down 85 - 89 and it then transpired that her father, a captain, and I were in Manning together.

For about six weeks she dressed my groin two - three times a week. I almost felt bad that she was a friend's daughter. But only almost.

I still got my BFG licence and the one i had to get when i was in Canada on scheme at wainwright alberta.

I don't think I have my BFG licence still, but I do have an old cardboard Army driving permit somewhere. I'm sure someone on here will remember the Army Form number.

oldtimer wrote:

i already had a full uk driving licence when i joined so after basic training instead of 13 weeks driver training at yeovil i spent most of the time just driving round Somerset in different size trucks till the other lads finished driver training then we all passed out and got our postings i got germany and bunde.

on arrival at bunde it was all different we all had to do our bfg test and until we got it we could not drive in germany, if you did it in a 3 tonner thats what you drove if you were put on ten tonners later on you did it again.

I passed my first driving test in a Bedford RL complete with House Body, conducted by a R Signals QTO. As I recall the BFG test only consisted of doing a tick-test on the German traffic laws. Didn't matter what you drove after that as long as you had the appropriate licence and/or ADP.

Mike

I was taught to drive in a LR at leaconsfield? beaconsfield? can't remeber now but the Instructor was RCT. I also got my track licence at the same time, not sure why though, seems a bit odd for a Staff Clerk.

jim wrote:

I was taught to drive in a LR at leaconsfield? beaconsfield? can't remeber now but the Instructor was RCT. I also got my track licence at the same time, not sure why though, seems a bit odd for a Staff Clerk.

Fully qualified as a Staff Clerk (Tracked) then?

jim wrote:

I don't think I have my BFG licence still, but I do have an old cardboard Army driving permit somewhere. I'm sure someone on here will remember the Army Form number.

Jim

That would be the FMT 600

mjm34 wrote:

jim wrote:

I was taught to drive in a LR at leaconsfield? beaconsfield? can't remeber now but the Instructor was RCT. I also got my track licence at the same time, not sure why though, seems a bit odd for a Staff Clerk.

Fully qualified as a Staff Clerk (Tracked) then?

LOL yes, came in handy at 20 Bde My only Field Force posting. Unless you count HQ 1 (BR) Corp.

I knew some one would know Nobby. Thanks.

oldtimer wrote:

on my first leave home i came back on my triumph bonnie i was then 21yrs of age and had had a full motorbike licence since i was 16 so it came as a big surprise to be called to c troop squadron office for a ballocking i had been caught riding the squadron BSA b40 round the workshop,the fact that i was riding round the camp and did not have bfg entitlement to ride a bike, i replied i had a far bigger bike and held a full licence, not in germany boy and who gave you permission to bring your bike on camp was the reply, get your bike off camp now, so one of the german bus drivers let me leave it at his house till i managed to get on COs orders and he said i could keep it on camp as other people had cars on camp but i had to take a bfg entitlement to ride a motorbike our troop sergt was not a happy man,he said well enjoy your bike driver brown but its the only bike you will ride on this camp,true to his word i never rode the troop bike and 18 months later i was posted to 2div HQ lubbecke the best thing he ever did.

Picture of me 1967 Had the total opposite To you OldTimer.
I was in RHQ alongside the RSM As you can see I used my own none issued helmet, and a heavy Tank-suit. In fact I never took a test for Motorcycle. So didn't even have a permit.
I passed my test in 1959 Yeovil on Commer's .
I spent 2.5 years in Germany, 3 years in Malaya, and a further 4.5 years back in Germany, Driving on a permit, on return to UK They wouldn't accept my Permit . Didn't have a clue where my original was, so took a re-test
Jerry

hi jerry, like the helmet and gogglles prefer them to the modern helmets at least the goggles dont mist up like the visors on most helmets, so you passed your test on commers in yeovil that would be at houndstone camp know it well i did my basic training there and my driver training across the road at lufton although i had passed my test before i joined i still had to go out but would get to drive all sorts of things but spent most of my 13wks driver training in transport cafes from dorchester to shepton mallet lovely part of the country, rode through abergele yesterday on my way back from conway red hot day.

paul.

I did some car driver training with the junior leaders however our (civilian) instructor was leaving his job so I never got to take my test. I took my H (tracked) licence in Berlin with the RSM as the tester.

When I was posted to Catterick they posted my with MT troop, the best job I have ever had in my life. When I pointed out I didn't have a license the officer said "oh! Umm ok we'll sort that out". My test consisted of driving down to the hospital and back a few weeks later.

I did also start HGV traing but had a "bit" of a personality clash with my instructor and got booted off.

That sounds like a pretty tough driving test Carl !
You weren't driving onto a roundabout in Sandbach, yesterday by any chance, were you?

APC driver training. One of the best goes I ever had. I was in a Radio Re-Bro Det. Always seem to get the right of way for some reason while driving that APC. ( Yes I was a cook but that was in the RC Sigs in another life). I was always questioned on why I was track qualified being a cook. Had to explain that I had another life before remustering trades. While on this subject of my past. Another question they asked on reading my qualifications was, " What the heck is HRPF?" Answer: Human Reliability Program Factor". Means I was a safe person to be around nuclear weapons. Why? You say. Answer: I was posted to 1 SSM Bty RCA Honest John Rockets. Still it was a unique qualification. But still very glad I never saw it being used for real.

oldtimer wrote:

hi jerry, like the helmet and gogglles prefer them to the modern helmets at least the goggles dont mist up like the visors on most helmets, so you passed your test on commers in yeovil that would be at houndstone camp know it well i did my basic training there and my driver training across the road at lufton although i had passed my test before i joined i still had to go out but would get to drive all sorts of things but spent most of my 13wks driver training in transport cafes from dorchester to shepton mallet lovely part of the country, rode through abergele yesterday on my way back from conway red hot day.

paul.

Hi Paul did you pass through on the '55' or the old road. I live between them off Sea Road.
What part of Manchester are you from?
Houndstone and Lufton are correct.
Cheers Jerry

when the HGV licences came in in 70/71 ish, i l like many others from theRAC were just being posted to the AAC,myself and about six others were sent down to lothian bks detmold to parade in front of thier MTO [the blues and royals],he asked each one of us how long we had been driving 3 tonners if we answered 6 month or more he issued us our pass certificate,

Hi Paul did you pass through on the '55' or the old road. I live between them off Sea Road.
What part of Manchester are you from?
Houndstone and Lufton are correct.
Cheers Jerry[/quote]

hi jerry both roads. on the way down a55 and the old road on the way back, i live just of the east lancs road in worsley so i go through the mersey tunnel when i go to wales to many car drivers and near misses on the motorway on a motorbike people never seem to see you.

paul.