Aussie Junk.

[muffett.2008]

Cleaning out my back shed today, came across this bit of History.
I thought I got rid of it after the buyback.
Attachment 78266Attachment 78267


These boxes were issue, the Service Rifle teams used them all the time to transport the good gear.
The Target Rifle teams were issued a steel lined one, still use that one.
I used to hate stickers on my rifle cases, so the lads would always manage to sneak one on during transit, hence the K89 sticker on the lid.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Ours were much cruder, just a plywood box...carefully made but still. They were rough as old boots. This one's nice by comparison. Someone may need that one...

[mrclark303]

One man's junk is another man's gold... Speaking with my anorak firmly zipped up, If you ever want to get rid of it, I would be interested for the L1 collection.

[Peter Laidler]

Makes you cringe.......... Just to think that on ops they were just sliding across the floor or across your lap - or just jammed anywhere when the roads and tracks were just a mass of churned up red bulldust! We called it 'the laterite mororways......'. Laterite was a thick red dust that blew for miles in every direction when the sun was out. But turned to thick deep red mud when the monsoons came in........

[browningautorifle]

Just to think that on ops they were just sliding across the floor or across your lap

My first trip overseas, we took our rifles in the pressurized passenger cabin with us. A Boeing 707 with 120 men in it...all smoking and roaming around for the 18 odd hour trip. The rifles were literally everywhere, including (gasp) underfoot...

[muffett.2008]

Our day to day rifles were a different kettle of fish. Well used and abused.
The Unit Rifle Team firearms however were kept seperate and look out if one was made available for general use.
Most of us bought our rifles out or procured a newy from Lithgow........used to love the free ammo issue for individual practice, those were the days.

[Peter Laidler]

That red dust that turned to fine cement-like mud was a real killer. Mind you, it wasn't just Malaya that had the stuff, it lived in Northern Oz too!!!!! I often used to wonder to myself why they trialled rifles and SMG's in dust and mud rooms in their false idea of reality. Why didn't they just try them for real in the harsh dust and mud. I used to wonder how we ever got the stuff clean. Just hosed down in the vehicle park with everything else. dried off and then cleaned and oiled properly.

Happy days, sat with legs dangling in those deep monsoon drains at the side of the roads, all of us weapon cleaning, chatting, slagging the NCO's off a bit, eating/drinking......... Seems soooooo long ago now!

[browningautorifle]

Our day to day rifles were a different kettle of fish

Yes, rifle team guns were well treated by comparison. Rifle company rifles were cleaner though, but then they weren't as tight because of it. Mind you, every year the rifle companies would be gone through by the rifle team to glean the best they had for the team. Mine was taken...

Seems soooooo long ago now!

That's a fact.

[Brian Dick]

We've got good old red clay here in SC too. A good rain will turn it from dusty fire brick into muck in an evening. Unbelievable stuff.

[muffett.2008]

Came back off exercise back of Bourke in the eighties, Depot had been taken over for a trade fair.
After a bit of time in the boozer I managed to con my self and a mate into a Spa Bath that was being demonstrated.
Turned the water red with the dust coming out of our skin........and being a bit on the merry side we were very reticent to get out at the operators insistance.
I bet he had difficulty explaining that one away.