Printable View
There's been plenty of posts on the Swift spotting scope used in the later days of the L42, but rarely any photographs showing them in use
Came across this interesting one taken during the Falklands campaign along with the L42
Note also the IWS being used on the M16
Great photo! for several reasons, I've certainly not seen it before.
A picture tells a thousand words.......... one piece of kit stands out in that picture that tells me they maybe something special.
With the AR15s and soft head gear I assume they are SAS. What does the guy reclining top right have on his head? Assume it is some sort of comms gear.
BTW I picked up a nice cased Swift scope with tripod and camera adapter for $29 on ebay. Not military issue (no NSN) but otherwise identical. Of course it cost a bit to ship to Canada but still in my collection for less than $100 Canadian. A bit of work with a printer and I was able to reproduce the labels on the outside of the case using photos for reference.
They are the big give aways (The comms gear, I thought was a single sided headset used with the clansman radio but expanding the picture looks more like the headsets for the Racal 5080 (also can be used on all the clansman radios), but there is one bit of kit there that certainly points towards the "Regiment"Quote:
Originally Posted by 55recce
I think the M16's point in that direction too..........Quote:
Originally Posted by bigduke6
---------- Post added at 09:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:05 AM ----------
There were no military markings on the issue swifts, other than (occasionally) stick on labels, same goes for the very 'civilian' case they were issued in...Quote:
Originally Posted by 55recce
Someone has resurrected an old post 'British Army Spotting Scopes' that shows mine fresh from MOD disposal.
Only IDs were small square labels on the tripod and NSN numbers on the case
I have one with broad arrow marks. One on the mount on the underside of the scope and one on the tripod.
Nice picture Neil!!!
Was the 2nd M16 for another member or was it a secondary weapon for the sniper?
After I came out of the army in 1974 I spent the rest of my working life in the photo trade; mainly the second hand side of it and over the years had quite a few ex military Swift Spotting scopes pass through the shop.
A number of them still had Dyno tape stickers on giving away their past ownership....which we would rip off and clean up with lighter fuel to hide any past involvement with the military to get a better price!
On another matter regarding procurement I was once told to buy a couple of spotting scopes for use in Belfast's gas works and Telephone House because the ones we had were crap! (my memory is a little dim but I'm sure they were Scout regiment scopes) I was tasked to do this being one of the regimental Int photographers and therefore supposedly knowing all about optics.
I asked what sort of deal the shop could do for the army and was given a price, I then returned with a cheque from regimental funds and took away the two scopes.
They were Greenkat scopes which I had seen advertised in Guns Review back in the day, if they were in Guns Review they had to be good!
We also bought other stuff like photographic lighting and darkroom equipment that was just left for the next regiment to use.
Its what I meant in the big give aways......, but no one has spotted the other bit of kit......Quote:
Originally Posted by waco16
Here it is from a different angle in colour. Can't be sure of the unit as his mug isn't familiar, regardless of the M16 in use, possibly a Patrols section.
Still no takers ........ Look at the PLCE, non (UK) standard issue water bootle........... anyway I'm just wondering if they may of been from the M&AW Cadre ?
The 44 pattern water bottle cover with 58 Pattern bottle?Quote:
Originally Posted by bigduke6
That would have been me in Germany! :cool:
Geoff,
Thats where my money lies as the guy with the headset looks like a good friend now dead sadly, Stevie Groves RIP who was an ML RM. He went on thier Freefall Team for a number of years before breaking his back as he crashed through a hangar roo. On recovery he became the Freefall Pilot. Died last year of cancer, sadly missed. Great friend and soldier.
I also think those two photos were taken above Top Malo house, just before they tried to get the Argentine SF out under control.
They burst out and fired in all directions catching Stevie in the shoulder, as he stood up and called in support.
Sadly Wikipedia and others automatically call the images SAS when they can't be identified properly.
I also think the photographer was Tom Smith Daily Express who I spoke with last week to authorise some of his pics during the conflict for my book which is being released on Goose Green Day 28th May 2020 in aid of SAMA and Airborne Forces Museum.
He took the colour one so one has to assume he also took the B/W one.
The book is as last year finalised and called:
FALKLANDS WAR - SNIPERS DOWN SOUTH all about the L42A1 and latterly the L96A1 its replacement which myself and my co-author C/Sgt Frank Fletcher, 2 PARA's Master Sniper have finally completed. He worked on the L96A1 with both Daves of AI.
Price & Postage to follow. There thats done it, advertised the book at the same time as answering the thread :lol:
To be picky my understanding is that AR15s were in use at the time not M16s but I am no expert.....
55recce,
Old school I'm afraid, same beast slight mods. :thup:
The son of a good mate of my Dad was in the MAW Cadre, can't remember now whether he was with them in the FI though....we used to hang around a bit as kids/early teens in the 70's and he joined the Marines about 1979-ish IIRC. Was probably the last time I saw him. I know he qualified as ski-instructor with the Marines at some point as well, as remember Dad telling me.
Certainly the Cadre in Norway do all those things including Skiing, which we in PARA Reg did for a while to supplement the Northern flanks under 16 PARA Brigade during the days of the Cold War.
Thank God we finally gave that one up and left it to the Royals. If God meant us to be pulled along by a tracked vehicle on skis for miles freezing our "preverbials off" he wouild have made our feet paddles :lol:
Me, too. I've still got it, somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by Strangely Brown
Thats it Mick, my post should of read water bottle carrier..... I thought it was a US one at first until I got it up on a bigger screen.Quote:
Originally Posted by Strangely Brown
I'll have a signed one Gil, I'll take another too for someone we know, he probably could do with something good to read......Quote:
Originally Posted by Gil Boyd
Yes left a message last week.
We are going for Goose Green day the 28th May at the Airborne Assault Museum at Duxford for the book signing and Dave for AI will be there with a few new pieces on show. I will put up a separate thread when we have decided how much we are charging as we want to give a healthy portion to both charities, as that was always the intention.
Gil
How does an Aussie get a copy.
Most definitely up for a copy. And preferably scribbled on by you, Gil.:thup:
Roger,
No worries
Keep us posted Gil, I don't know how you find the time to do all this mate!
Nor do I John :lol:
It was to raise money for the Airborne Forces Museum where I am the Fundraising Trustee.
Similar to BING The Parachuting Dog and Myrtle the Parachuting Chicken WW2 true story books I did previously which are both sold out now.
So hope the Sniper book does too, as this time doing it for both the South Atlantic Medal Association which cares for ex soldiers/Sailors and Airmen who served in the war and also the Airborne Assault Museum at Duxford.
One thing I wanted to include were lots of facts about the L42A1 not commonly known ending with Frank Fletcher doing a section on the L96A1 as it entered service, when the PH M85 should have won the MOD contract...................nuff said :madsmile: