RN Field Gun trials
The 'big' field gun race was a great spectacle and team builder. I have to admit to being a Royal Tournament addict. However, rather than being for PC or H&S reasons, I think one of the main reasons that the whole thing has been reduced in size is simply one of manning. The old field gun race had personnel detached away for 6 months, with the parent ship covering their absence and supporting them administratively - there just isn't the manpower today. Any RN comment?
Did have it's dangers. My cousin was the one that used to hang on under the barrel as it was swung across the'chasm'. During one event in the (I think) 50s, the barrel detached killing my cousin!
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Check out the FAA FGC web site it has links to the other commands too.
http://www.faafieldgun.org/
Comprehensive brief for "real" Field gunning not Brick-Fielding as shown on the recent TV series.
The public runs at Lee prior to the tournament were always good viewing .
W
http://www.faafieldgun.org/
Comprehensive brief for "real" Field gunning not Brick-Fielding as shown on the recent TV series.
The public runs at Lee prior to the tournament were always good viewing .
W
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Blame My Parrot
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Background Noise , you are right! The original competion simply became unsupportable from a manning perspective. Justifying the absence from normal duty of so many people became impossible - "If you can spare them for that long you don't need tham at all". The present competition is open to all comers - the MOD Abbey Wood Team includes all 3 sevices and civil servants I believe - and uses much smaller and lighter guns and limbers. The course is much simpler and safer to avoid the need for more extensive (and expensive) training.
VG
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Had a beer with"One Who Knows" yesterdayand has a finger missing to prove it. (He was the chap in the commentry box in last weeks program.)He tells me that this competion is the old "Brickwoods" competition. Calling it the Royal Navy Field Gun Competion is correct because it is open to all HM Ships and establishments. The old real competiion is the Royal Navy Inter Command Field Gun Competition. The Earls Court commentator dropped the Command bit in 1974 and the name stuck. Devonport, incedentally represented by a team of stokers in 1912, hold all the trophys except the Penalty Cup which is held by the Fleet Air Arm. All the old gear is still in storage and it will be used again. Though we may need a change of Government before it is. So for a while what you saw at Collingwood will continue so we do not loose all the skills needed for the "Toughest Sport in the World." (VG, the guns are the same, they just don't have the fitting for the blocks needed to traverse the canyon.)
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Used to be quite a popular event in South Africa. Broken limbs and concussion were not uncommon.
Saw a drill a few weeks ago by the Military Academy team.
One determined boy Scout with an air rifle and SA is fecked...
Saw a drill a few weeks ago by the Military Academy team.
One determined boy Scout with an air rifle and SA is fecked...
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On the 'Shipmates' Field Gun episode it was stated that Devonport had never won the Trophy. Did they just mean the smaller 'BrickFields' run or the entire Royal Tournament history? Anyone?
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Even the toned down field gunning has its dangers. I know of two guys from the RAF team this year that got run over by the ammunition limber, thankfully not the gun. One guy had his leg run over at Brickwoods and the other during training at Cosford, for small competition at RNAS Yeovilton. The station commander was watching when that happened and was so concerned about it he spent the next 5 minutes taking the p1ss out of the unfortunate being before the med centre ambulance turned up with crew unable to find all the kit they needed.
It is still hard work but the old competition must have been something else.
RP.
It is still hard work but the old competition must have been something else.
RP.
