Royal Tournament?

[kevmusic]

Not sure whether here or JB is the place for this, and I know it's naval, but here goes.........

A highlight of my youth some 30-odd years ago was the televising of the Royal Tournament, in particular the gun and limber crew competitions. They seemed, to me, to epitomise fitness, coordiantion and teamwork. Does this competition still exist? I wonder, whether with a resurgence of interest in HM armed services in general, it might not be a bad idea to give this another airing?

Just a thought. :)

[onlywatching]

All we have now is the Brickwoods field gun competition, held every year at HMS COLLINGWOOD in the summer. The teams are mostly RN, but there are also quite a few joint, RAF and army ones.

[Wholigan]

This should tell you what is happening with the Royal Tournament nowadays.

RoyalTournament.org (http://www.royaltournament.org/)

[stackedup]

All we have now is the Brickwoods field gun competition, held every year at HMS COLLINGWOOD in the summer. The teams are mostly RN, but there are also quite a few joint, RAF and army ones.

If H & S find out about it you won't have that!http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif I'm glad it's still Brickwoods , a fine pint that we will never get again !http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[kevmusic]

Thanks, chaps. The RT website contains a link to sign up for email updates to generally support the campaign to re-start the event:

RoyalTournament.org (http://www.royaltournament.org/mailing%20list.htm)

I'm in! :ok:

[PPRuNe Pop]

I would love to see it back but I fancy the cost would be too prohibitive to the MoD - but then again people would pay more if asked I am sure.

I've signed in hope.

[Blacksheep]

In its day the Royal Tournament was an attraction, but the format became outdated to a modern audience. I appeared in two Royal Tournaments back in 1965 and 1966 and it was already "old fashioned". If the Royal Tournament is to return, it needs to be an outdoor event comprising of demonstrations of modern military prowess, not motor cycle despatch riders, police dog demonstrations, mass gymnastics, musical rides and such.

Looking back to my youth we had Navy Day, the occasional Fleet Review at Spithead and the annual Battle of Britain Week when all RAF Stations were open to the public with impressive air displays. But we still had a bit of national pride left in those days.

[chevvron]

When I was a kid, one highlight of summer hols was one or more visits (different programmes on some days y'see) to the Royal Tournament at Earls Court; easy to get to from our home in south Bucks. Pity they didn't re-develop the idea of the Aldershot Miltary Tattoos - the ones held at Rushmoor Arena in the '80s NOT the present day miltary show at Queens Parade in July, as these were in an outdoor arena.

[Tankertrashnav]

In its day the Royal Tournament was an attraction, but the format became outdated to a modern audience. I appeared in two Royal Tournaments back in 1965 and 1966 and it was already "old fashioned".


Maybe so, but it still played to packed audiences right to the end. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo may have made a nod or two to modern culture, but is essentially a very traditional display of marching and pipe music. Try getting a ticket for that much after May any year and you'll be laughed out of the box-office.

[JEM60]

Went to Edinburgh Tattoo last year, after many years watching on T.V. I was amazed as to how close to the action we were. Unforgettable, much better than the tele.

[Wander00]

Went to the Royal Tournament several times as a kid, and my youngest son asked again and again to be taken, right to the end when he was a (cynical) 16 year old. Very nearly recruited him too, then he decided to go for commercially endorsed Ocean Yachtmster at 20, and is now studying to be a yacht designer. However, he keeps talking about the TA.....

[Tim00]

Hope it's OK to post here, but as a civvy (with an RAF dad & now with kids in the CCF), I used to love going to the RT as a child in the '70s (we even used to buy the LPs of the band music).

It's a real shame it ended, for continuity & tradition, PR, pride & many other reasons. Everyone who saw it always remarks on the field gun competition.

There's a govt response to the epetition to restore it Tournament - epetition response | Number10.gov.uk (http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page19053) here.

"Sorry, we're skint. Carry on.", basically.

[Gainesy]

What we want is an Armed Forces Week, Navy can bombard some old hulks off Beachy Head (if they've got a boat with a gun, if not, lob canapes), Army can demo MLRS on Swindon, RAF do live weapons on Peterborough (we'll effin wear what we want, right?).

Ah, well, time for me tablets...

[Wader2]

it needs to be an outdoor event comprising of demonstrations of modern military prowess

open to the public with impressive air displays.

The RAF tried that a couple of years ago with entirely predictable results - organised by Media Relations and a outdoor events organiser,mounted at a non-(ex) RAF airfield bare two weeks after an entirely successful and long-standing airshow with atrocious weather added to the agony. The second show at a disused airfield in the middle of nowhere was fortunately put out of its misery and cancelled.

The problem with outdoor events is getting a venue where the audience can see everything. The side of a hill overlooking a plain would be ideal and avoid the temptation to put a bit of everything in to it.

[Lancastrian]

As "Tankertrashnav" said, we did indeed play to packed audiences right to the very end. For my part, I did the 63 Tournament. Wearing a padded suit for two police dogs to attack and apprehend. Each unit were stars in their own right ( except the Kings Horse musical ride... which gave us all the Tournament throat due to the massive amounts of dust thrown up by the horses and carriages, but....their timing was impecable) Always high jinks on the last night. Cat in the arena care of the gun crew:) when the dogs were on,....rubber ducks stuffed down the barrels of the field guns. My personal high was listening to the massed bands and watching the Queens Colour Squadron.

[dead_pan]

The RAF tried that a couple of years ago with entirely predictable results - organised by Media Relations and a outdoor events organiser,mounted at a non-(ex) RAF airfield bare two weeks after an entirely successful and long-standing airshow with atrocious weather added to the agony. The second show at a disused airfield in the middle of nowhere was fortunately put out of its misery and cancelled.


Ah yes, the infamous Abingdon debacle. A triumph of style and spin over substance. I reckon a few careers foundered as a consequence.

The problem with outdoor events is getting a venue where the audience can see everything. The side of a hill overlooking a plain would be ideal and avoid the temptation to put a bit of everything in to it.

Its a shame Joe Public isn't allowed in to the occasional fire power demos at SPTA. The 'elfin safety risk assessment would be a sea of red ink.

I remember being taken to Larkhill as a nipper - what a day out that was.

[Pontius Navigator]

the occasional fire power demos at SPTA. The 'elfin safety risk assessment would be a sea of red ink.
- what a day out that was.

Aye, we had one at Akrotiri abuut '72-73. Buccaneer formation diving bombing with 1000lb HE and then rockets. Ditto F4 with 3xF4 with 3x1000lb then sneb and suu.

Finally, from behind the crowd, below Paramalie West (where the troops now decompress), and at 300 feet lower than the Buccs and Tooms came Baz Gowling in a Vulcan and laying 21x1000lb retard and closer in too. Now that was awesome especially for the time.

[dead_pan]

Larkhill

I remember Harriers dropping thousand pounders on the front edge of the range not too far from the arena 'for effect', also a flight of US army Cobras letting rip with their rockets and cannon. The most impressive thing I saw however was a SP 175mm gun doing its party piece of firing one shell almost directly upwards into space, then lowering its barrel to almost horizontal and waiting what seemed like an eternity before loosing off another round. The two shells exploded simultaneously beside each other on the range.