armourer, author and film star??

[browningautorifle]

a nice lunch with them

A catered buffet I should think...like the officer's mess...

[mrclark303]

I see Andy Robertshaw was in there to, I photographed a shoot with Andy at Bisley a couple of years ago, featuring the LERA collection.
Job done, it was enjoy shooting everything from a P53 through to the modern stuff, great fun.

Does the Vickers still get regularly exercised Peter?

[25-5]

It was really interesting to see Mr. Laidler. Very professional, as I expected. However, I had pictured him with darker hair.

[Peter Laidler]

The Vickers plus much else such as the Thompson you saw used to get used a few times a year but I don't think that there';s anyone left that was ever trained on this stuff or what they call 'current and competent' in the modern parlance. It's all to do with certifying the kit 'fit to fire'. And that really is all down to Armourers skills and engineering knowledge - and having the balls to sign it off........! But nothing ever failed I hasten to add. I do have much darker hair of course (thread 13) but I use a reverse osmosis type 'just for men' stuff to put the grey into it to give me a more mature sort of dignified look and keep the younger blokes on their toes. Thanks all for the kind comments

[browningautorifle]

I use a reverse osmosis type 'just for men' stuff to put the grey into it

Sure, me too...

It's all to do with certifying the kit 'fit to fire'.

We have the same issue, needing an armorer that has enough knowledge to sign off. Then of course having a Snr NCO that has enough knowledge to sell the weapons system to higher as serviceable and fit to fire. I had a Cpl that would examine and prove safe but his supervisor didn't have the parts...

[Bruce_in_Oz]

BAR:

" but his supervisor didn't have the parts... "

As they say in the BBC classics; "I'm sorry, I'll read that again!"

Top docco, though. One of my ancestors had the dubious pleasure of "visiting" Pozieres a bit later. He lived to bring home a few souvenirs and trench art, including a little cast, soft-metal "Pozieres" brooch. Never actually got much detail, as he died when I was too young to have got the whole story, if indeed he ever told ANYONE what went on.

The other end of the Somme saga is the fiasco at Fromelles.

[browningautorifle]

" but his supervisor didn't have the parts... "

Afraid because of lack of knowledge and experience, and without the fortitude to gather either...his supervisor feared for his very career. It was nice to be able to get some of the things out to shoot that has remained silent for many years. I took a chance myself and fired a DP Inglis Browning .303 that could have come from a commonwealth aircraft somewhere. My responsibility and if caught, I'd have hung...was it ever neat. Those that have fired them or heard them understand...

[CINDERS]

Brigadier Harold Edward “Pompey” Elliott

Elliott was of the opinion that the attack at Fromelles was doomed to fail. He felt that the artillery was inexperienced, that the space to be travelled across no man’s land was too wide, and that the German army’s elevated and well-defended area known as the Sugar Loaf gave the enemy a strong advantage. He argued unsuccessfully to cancel the attack, but at 6pm on 19 July 1916 his brigade launched its attack with the other units of the 5th Division.
One-third of Australian casualties at Fromelles came from Elliott’s brigade. Elliott met his men as they came out of the line, offering words of comfort to the wounded. Back at headquarters, Elliott reportedly “went straight back inside, put his head in his hands, and sobbed his heart out”.

Statistics of the 24 hour period ~ Over 5,500 Australians became casualties. Almost 2,000 of them were killed in action or died of wounds and some 400 were captured. This is believed to be the greatest loss by a single division in 24 hours during the entire First World War. Some consider Fromelles the most tragic event in Australia’s history.

Bruce Pozieres was another ill conceived battle with Haig's head in the clouds I have packed my book away on it (needed shelf space) but I fear it was about the only time our troops pretty much pushed back and refused to go in they did not retreat but just did not go forward as it was from memory another slaughter house. Its been about 12 years since I read the book but it is a good one think Charlton wrote it.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Order of Service from the 2010 Fromelles interment ceremony.

Here: [IMG]"C:\Users\Bruce\Documents\IMG_20170503_0001.jpg"[/IMG]

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Attachment should be there..........