Kit and Equipment

This is a AEC Armoured Command Vehicle Signals Centre as used by 6 Armoured Division Signals circa 1953/56, it weighed in at 21 tons and had a 6x6 axle base. Each brigade in the division had one as standard equipment. This particular unit was at HQ 20 Armoured Brigade at Munster and I was its crew chief for 2 years. It carried a crew of Ten, crew chief (Sigs Office Supt), driver, switchboard op, ciphers (2), Sigcen (3), base lineman, Fuller phone/wireless operator, a bit crowded even for a pig of this size.

Ciphers ..

Sorry Guy's but after endless tries Paul is coming to my rescue and will be posting the photo's of the vehicle described above ... just put it down to old age, my number tells the story ... 22560928 ..

Len (Ciphers)

I think that it is now sorted Ciphers. I deleted the other posts, retitled the original as "Armoured Command Vehicle", and entered all photos on to it.

Paul.

Thanks Paul .. good job .. was I ever that young

Len (Ciphers)

ciphers wrote:

Thanks Paul .. good job .. was I ever that young

Len (Ciphers)

We all were Len

Heading for the scratcher now.

Paul

So here's one that puzzles me .............

I can remember how left-handers struggled with the bolt action of a Mk 4
Enfield....... & even recall that in "Saving Pte Ryan" the sniper was left
handed and had a bolt action Springfield rather than a Garand. However, I don't remember how a Bren could be aimed from the left shoulder when the sights were on the left side of the barrel, or whether Stens & Stirlings could be held left handed when the ejection aperture is on the right and, maybe, is covered by part of a forward right hand. Any old sweats got an answer ?

And, yes, I do know that the SA80 chucks empty cases out to the right, which must be inconvenient for anybody who's face might be in the way !

cartav wrote:

So here's one that puzzles me .............

I can remember how left-handers struggled with the bolt action of a Mk 4
Enfield....... & even recall that in "Saving Pte Ryan" the sniper was left
handed and had a bolt action Springfield rather than a Garand. However, I don't remember how a Bren could be aimed from the left shoulder when the sights were on the left side of the barrel, or whether Stens & Stirlings could be held left handed when the ejection aperture is on the right and, maybe, is covered by part of a forward right hand. Any old sweats got an answer ?

And, yes, I do know that the SA80 chucks empty cases out to the right, which must be inconvenient for anybody who's face might be in the way !

Don't know what you are worried about, you can fire a bow and arrow with either hand!

Isn`t this what our older RA members used

cartav wrote:

So here's one that puzzles me .............

I can remember how left-handers struggled with the bolt action of a Mk 4
Enfield....... & even recall that in "Saving Pte Ryan" the sniper was left
handed and had a bolt action Springfield rather than a Garand. However, I don't remember how a Bren could be aimed from the left shoulder when the sights were on the left side of the barrel, or whether Stens & Stirlings could be held left handed when the ejection aperture is on the right and, maybe, is covered by part of a forward right hand. Any old sweats got an answer ?

And, yes, I do know that the SA80 chucks empty cases out to the right, which must be inconvenient for anybody who's face might be in the way !

Well as a left hander who uses a no4 regularly I just got used to the bolt action, left hand over the top and away you go, SLR was never a problem because it ejected forwards,Stirling I just canted over to the right and the empty cases missed my face, never aimed a Bren from the shoulder only prone or " proper John Wayne" from the hip. I do have a left handed Anschutz bolt action and every time I use it the first couple of rounds feel strange until I get used to it again. I think the SA80 would be a real problem with the ejection opening being so far back, not much room for adjustment there as I see it. Maybe thats why they make a leftie version?. About time they stopped all these wars, no surplus ammo for us old guys at weekends and handloading works out around 90p a round now. How do theTaliban afford all those IED's when I pay £40 a pound for powder.....
Dave

Gordon. wrote:

Isn`t this what our older RA members used

Ah, . . .that'll be one of those bits of kit that The Hammer of the Scots used to hammer the Scots

brum wrote:

Gordon. wrote:

Isn`t this what our older RA members used

Ah, . . .that'll be one of those bits of kit that The Hammer of the Scots used to hammer the Scots

Blimey Gordon, that takes me back - when doing "Kneeling Gun Drill" we had to run round the Square carrying one of those above our heads. Happy days.

Ref Smokeless Projector ............

We were shown these in the TAVR, together with the No. 3 Mk.6 Ram,( Battering) which was being developed for demolitions. At that time, in the mid 1970's, we were told that, due to financial constraints, the MOD didn't anticipate an issue would be made to Reserve Army.

'Lo Daveb.......... Thanks for the advice. You must have had some problem sighting a Bren in the prone position, though ! And unlike the clever French, whose FA MAS bullpup can be altered for right or left-handed shooters, SA80 is right-hand only.

I'm surprised there's a shortage of .303 even this long after we ditched it. There must have been millions in storage. We did some of those WW1 battlefield tours and found quite a few Mk.V11 & rimless Mauser rounds scattered in the ploughed fields. A bit rusty but better than nowt!

cartav wrote:

'Lo Daveb.......... Thanks for the advice. You must have had some problem sighting a Bren in the prone position, though ! And unlike the clever French, whose FA MAS bullpup can be altered for right or left-handed shooters, SA80 is right-hand only.

I'm surprised there's a shortage of .303 even this long after we ditched it. There must have been millions in storage. We did some of those WW1 battlefield tours and found quite a few Mk.V11 & rimless Mauser rounds scattered in the ploughed fields. A bit rusty but better than nowt!

My old no4 now has a 7.62 heavy barrel and plastic furniture, upsets the purists but keeps an old weapon competitive against this new fangled gear out to 600yds

Tried to put pic here but dont know how it will work, used host it but can't see it on preview