I have to verbalise a few thoughts that struck me at Beltring, and don't
want to start a flame war, but kinda wonder what direction people are going
in. I know a few OTHER people think the same way so at least I know I'm not
the only crazy person here.
First issue is the uniform thing. Now I don't wear any uniforms when I drive
my ferret, I'm not trying to portray anything so its not my gig. Secondly I
don't have the body shape too grace a uniform which is the second part of
this rant. God damn it if your going to wear a Para uniform then look the
part and get rid of that size 55 waist that you sport, cos no active para
had a waist that size!! you just look like a goof.
And if you are going to wear a uniform then what's with all these wanna be
insignia. I was amazed at the junk that some people think they can wear and
pass as kosher. Take the fellow with the 4 x 4 vehicle (no names but if you
were there you will spot him) which claimed to be from my current home
country and had every sticker and flag on everything he owned.
No don't get me wrong, everyone should be free to have a pink chieftain and
wear leopard skin bodysuit while doing so, just don't tell me this was the
dress for 3 RTR in Northern Ireland and this was their vehicle, because no
how many variances there are to military dress something's aren't within the
realms of reality. I have seen lots of weird things but please, get a life!!
I love to see truly excellent the modern afvs and trucks, and would have to
say it is weird that reading the press after the fact the WW2 stuff does get
much more space. Did anyone see that Abbott in pristine shape? How about
those prototype / trials Leyland DAFs with the drops / pls bodies. How about
the factory demo 90 on the same pitch?
The Ex Military Land Rover Association guys had a very good selection of
surprisingly uncluttered vehicles, which went against the trend to take a
vehicle and bolt onto it every widget ever painted olive drab and say it was
ex Para which all too sadly some people thing is required to have a real
mans vehicle.
Too me some of the straight tidy vehicles such as some of the EMLRA trucks
were the best at the show, except for the Swedes and there tankette and
scania pls and the Husqvarna ski equipped bike and that lovely team member,
but I digress................. But I know Richard Notton thought those same
thoughts, didn't you Richard?!!
I have to say a very public thank you to Richard Notton and Dave the fellow
with the Polsten mount on the CMP who were very gracious hosts at Beltring,
made a mean cup of tea.
Also part of the eclectic Beltring mob were Mario Aliperti aka Blobby and
his motley crue of followers / fellow camp dwellers who are great folks to
sit back and sink a pint with. The fellow who was ex RAF fire department
told a wonderful tale of a TACR 1 crash truck leaving a RAF station to
assist the local Fire Dept with a motor vehicle crash. The TACR 1 has a rear
facing seat at the back of the body, it is in the open and the guy in the
silver fire suit sits there as the unit hurtles along to the scene. When
they arrive at the scene he jumps off and pulls out a hose and does the
business with the foam / water etc. Anyway on this occasion the truck was
hurtling along and the guy in the suit just watches the world going by from
his backwards position. He is keyed up to jump off when the truck stops,
which as it is a traffic accident will be along the road somewhere, but he
wont see it coming. Unbeknownst to him they are approaching a roundabout
which is on a dual carriage way. Some Yahoo doesn't yield to the TACR 1
with all its flashing lights etc so the driver has to do a full emergency
stop. At this point the guy in the silver suit thinks they have arrived and
jumps off the back. At the same instant the other vehicle passes and the
driver floors it ( as much as you can in a Land Rover ) and takes off again
towards the incident. Only to arrive and find the guy on the back is not
there!!!! Had me in stitches, I can just imagine this guy in the silver suit
looking like a plonker in the middle of the road trying to flag down a
ride............
Anyhow the last rant is one about ammo cans, did anyone else spot, as it was
pointed out to me all the 7.62 ammo cans on 30 cal mounts and the like, a
bit of a let down after all that work eh? Just like all hose civvy licence
plates......
Oh well I better retire to my bunker and get off the list as I feel the
shout INCOMING will be around the corner, someone is bound not too have a
sense of humour with me as usual.
TTFN Robin in Canada
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Sep 02 2000 - 09:32:27 PDT