Kit and Equipment page - main site

Six weeks on the trooper Devonshire meant no blancoing, but all belts had to be scrubbed, trust the Signals to do it better, add Brasso to the water, result a snow white belt.
We also used to add Brasso to the scrub water at Somme lines to get white floor boards for Saturday barrack inspection .. bloody nuts ..

Len (Ciphers)

That`s one i never came across or used Len.Heard of people drinking Brasso but not watering it down

HIC

I've wandered in vain through the various threads to find the right one but plumped for "Kit & Equipment".

An old buddy of mine sent me a picture of himself yesterday, leaning against an Austin Champ.

The picture was taken in 1954 and shows a "snorkel" - like tube folded along the right hand wing. This would've been used for shallow fording of course.

I never saw this modification during my time on Champs. Does anyone remember seeing it ?

Check this link

http://www.austinchamp.com/03%20Register/extras/photogallery/History.htm

We had snorkel equipped Champs in the Ever Readies - (TA) circa 1963

Len (Ciphers)

Re info on the Austin(Rolls-Royce) Champ,
I put a piece on here somewhere a few weeks ago with an old Cpl leaning against the vehicle. That was around 1952/4 but that one did not have the snorkel fitted. I Also put a piece by John Mastrangelo on the history of the Champ - looks like the same piece Len.

Jimsigs1

jimsigs1 wrote:

Re info on the Austin(Rolls-Royce) Champ,
I put a piece on here somewhere a few weeks ago with an old Cpl leaning against the vehicle.
Jimsigs1

This is a totally different picture Jim.

Taken in Hildesheim, this shows a fresh faced, 18 year old gunner from Glasgow.

brum

[quote="ciphers"]Check this link

http://www.austinchamp.com/03%20Register/extras/photogallery/History.htm

We had snorkel equipped Champs in the Ever Readies - (TA) circa 1963

Len (Ciphers)


Thaks Len

Always thought the snorkel was standard equipment or, at least , original, as- drawn- from- the- depot equipment. I believe air for the ignition system was taken in through it anyway whether it was up, or down. There'll be someone out there with more know how, but my memory was that it could be driven in 4' 6" ( !500 mm, about) of water.......(.OK, OK, just seen Cipher's earlier paragraph )..But only after Bluebell had squirted lots of grease & stuff into dodgy bits and had carried out laid down waterproofing procedure, which took a bit more than ten minutes. Don't remember any advice on how, or if, the poor squaddy was waterproofed, but he was allowed to stand up when driving through a water obstacle to avoid sitting on a wet seat.

It had duck boards in the footwells and drain holes to rid the the body of the pond which would have collected inside. Presumably the driver was allowed to remove his gaiters for the same purpose. I've mentioned the hand throttle & the dash mounted horn button before. This latter bit was below windscreen level, on the right of the driver, & was waterproofed by a screwed on cover cap.

I seem to remember a couple of coloured knobs on the Champ dash. One red and the other yellow. Perhaps I've got my wires crossed after all it is some 60 years ago.

Jimsigs1

Could be warning lights for electrics & oil pressure, etc. Seem to remember there were largish plastic covers on some bits like that...........

Brum, anything on that pic you have from the re-enactment lot ?

PS. Have checked Brum's pic of Champ dash......... looks like I'm right.
It also shows the horn button & cap. If we twist his arm. he might repeat it for you.

Thanks for that Cartav. Look forward to anything Brum might have regarding the Champ dash.

Jimsigs1

jimsigs1 wrote:

Thanks for that Cartav. Look forward to anything Brum might have regarding the Champ dash.

Jimsigs1

Happy to oblige Jim.

Unfortunately I've lost your address since you sent the Zarzycki photo.

If you PM me again I'll comply !

Browsing through my photos I find I have pictures of a "Valkyrie" ,ex of 14 Signals (EW) Regt and also a headstone of a lad called Bracegirdle of the same Regt.

The Valkyrie started life with 14 at Celle in '87 so this is comparitively recent stuff.

I was wondering if there is anyone out there who was with the regt during that time.

[quote="cartav"]Could be warning lights for electrics & oil pressure, etc. Seem to remember there were largish plastic covers on some bits like that...........

Brum, anything on that pic you have from the re-enactment lot ?

These blokes aren't from re-enactment groups cartav, they're vintage vehicle enthusiasts.

Some of them spend a fortune renovating vehs back to their original state.

Some of the kit would make your hair curl !

(No comment on the Rhyl guard of honour then ?).

brum wrote:

I've wandered in vain through the various threads to find the right one but plumped for "Kit & Equipment".

An old buddy of mine sent me a picture of himself yesterday, leaning against an Austin Champ.

The picture was taken in 1954 and shows a "snorkel" - like tube folded along the right hand wing. This would've been used for shallow fording of course.

I never saw this modification during my time on Champs. Does anyone remember seeing it ?

It was an original fitting which was removed from later models.

The Snorkel:

Like all CT range of vehicles, the Austin Champ was designed to go under water with minimal preparation. In the case of the Champ, this was 6’ 6” deep. All Australian Army and Royal Navy contracts vehicles were fitted with a snorkel, the War Office was different in that it changed its specification in late 1953 and the snorkel was deleted from chassis WN1-5439 [54 BE 39]. EMER D 577 Mod 36 [17/4/56] was issued to remove the snorkel from earlier vehicles [Up to chassis WN1-5438] and UK and BAOR units did this.

However, other commands such as MELF, did not and this is why a few Champs were sold off by the WD with its snorkel still fitted. The official reason given for the removal was “No longer required” but waterproofing/fording was still carried out for Suez 56, exercises etc…

EMER D 575 WPF Instructions stated that the snorkel was to be obtained from RAOC stores with WPF Kit WPG/6883 and returned to stores when no longer required. WPF was to take some two hours and consisted of placing various fording caps, greasing fording seals, Bostik adhesive, Prestik, tape, grease, twine and silicone, and up to chassis WN1-1079 only the replacing of all wire clips with Jubilee type.

The Champ could shallow ford without preparation to a depth of 2’ 6”, reduced to 1’ 6” in 1963 after the cancellation of Austin Champ waterproofing. WPF was not unique to the CT range, the GS vehicles could also be WPF but at greater cost and time. However, WPF was very rarely required and most Champs never saw a snorkel or deep water.

And finally, remember that the Champ is waterproofed but still requires extra work to make it FULLY waterproof. Don’t think you can just drive into the water and come out the other end OK. Like the Champ manuals state “Good Servicing is Essential for Successful Fording”

Good stuff, Mike 2817 ! Answers many of those doubts about the Champ..........
Just one more .......... Where did the exhaust exit when submerged ?

And one niggle.......... We had a puncture on a CHAMP rear, offside wheel once, thank God it was near camp. SOP seemed to be to spot weld the spare on the carrier. Presume this was to stop it being nicked, but it also stopped our progress. Imagine that whatever REME should have done in the way of pre-delivery checks before it was picked up, should have included knocking the spot welds off, but the NS craftsman responsible had probably been demobbed mid servicing.

MESS TINS..I remember them, one fitted inside the other from memory. Do the Briitsh Army still have Mess Tins, or is it now...Plates, paper, disposable, troops for the use of.

This is what you remember Les



You can buy them for around a fiver.

Gordon. wrote:

This is what you remember Les



You can buy them for around a fiver.

Or for a pound in a pound shop. Inferior quality of course.

MESS TINS.quite aptly named for what was dished up in them sometimes.

Regular Basic at Somme Lines (Catterick) 1951, bottom of mess tins had to be bulled and act as mirror for shaving etc ... I kid you not ... ain't that right jimsigs

Len (Ciphers)

It was still on the go in 59

'Orrible memories of mess tins, Gordon............ Ours, in basic & tech trg. had to be polished
inside & out, use plenty of Brasso they said. We did as ordered, of course we did. Everything
more or less normal until Orders said " Plates in cookhouse being counted. Bring mess tins or go without nosh".

That was the time when Andy Clyde's mob introduced us to the old Army favourite, Curry.
Curry on its own can be tolerable, curry & Brasso is a no-no. Everybody turned green, bogs were permanently occupied. ' Orrible memories of camp at Tonfanau.......

dandc wrote:

MESS TINS.quite aptly named for what was dished up in them sometimes.

nothing like sitting on Hohne ranges in the wet and wind with a mess tin of 'meat and veg' yum yum.