Originally Posted by
NutLoose
Another requirement of the CVR(T) project was the low ground pressure – similar to that of a soldier on foot – and this would serve it well in boggy conditions.
Sorry, experience says one has to challenge that one....
One 'fine' late evening in the early 80's saw me on Soltau Trg Area doing a minefield recce with the Sqn OC in a 'borrowed' CVRT... 'He' decided it would be a really, really good idea to take a short cut across a nice German bog... Cue minor disagreement settled in the traditional manner sans rolled map case enthusiastically wacked across the crewmen's bone-dome I was wearing with the promise he would upgrade to the pick helve if I didn't do a left turn NOW and get on with it....
Cue one left turn and off we went... splosh and all that. To be honest we were doing well, the Sparton took to the task like it was made for it...
Of course, as always when these things are going to plan hrh
EmporerMong (PBUH) is sat in the back planning and scheming... He managed to get the boss to change his mind and demand (more usage of a rolled up map case was involved mind) a 'right turn' and head for this other track.... (I may have mentioned something like this might not be a good idea as we will probably throw a track... or words to that effect) however
EM's (PBUH) plan rapidly came to fruition with bells as we managed to throw not one, but BOTH tracks.... And, to just make our day we began to take in water as it became pretty obvious the regular driver of the vehicle hadn't replaced the engine oil drain hatch thing and water was now coming in..... and in.... and in.....Yes, it was sinking!
Now, there are major advantages of being in a RE Field Sqn over one of those
Rock Ape ones, and that's having the odd CET (that's a Combat Engineer Tractor btw) complete with a 'rocket powered recovery anchor thing... lying around. The boss got on the Sqn net and got one sent over. To be fair, he did try and be pretty nonchalant about it and tried not to attract attention to the matter in hand, but as always it failed and within the hour we really did feel like Custer with the Indians all lined up on the horizon as the rest of the Sqn lined up on the track we were headed for complete with the compo equivalent of popcorn and ready for the nights entertainment...
Now, we retreated into the vehicle and the rocket powered recovery anchor thing was fired over us (and they even remembered to attach the winch rope this time which was a first as the normal procedure was to fire the anchor, followed by 15 mins looking for the anchor before attaching and re-firing...) The boss, having admitted that ex MT Cpls who had commissioned still came into the 'don't give an officer a map' rule and did the right thing by going to get the wire rope and attaching it to the front recovery eye that was now under water, much splashing and non-gentlemanly language later, and we were finally pulled out... As far as I know, the two tracks are still there....
So, do they work well in boggy ground? kind of... But:
1. Don't let the guy sat in the top hatch navigate.... Giving him the map's okay, even give him some wax crayons to make wriggly lines on it, but give directions???
2. Put the **** hull plates back in following an oil change....
3. Stay on concrete, dry concrete...
4. Quick gear changes (down) always wakes up the guy sat in the top hatch when you can hear snoring coming over the intercom....
Oh and good luck to her... I'm sure she will enjoy her time in the Sqn and do well.