MILITARY GATE GUARDS

[Gil Boyd]

Just returned from Cyprus and the British Army Garrison at Episkopi, which has an impressive gate guard with lots of history under its belt.
The Saladin was an armoured fighting vehicle which saw some credible service, not only in Cyprus during the EOKA terrorist period, but also Aden and even in the early days of Northern Ireland.
What a lovely machine it was, any other old girls like this kept in good condition around your neck of the woods?

Information

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[Flying10uk]

Here is the Gloucester Meteor that was outside RAF Kemble for many years. Kemble was home to the RAF display team "The Red Arrows" for years and I remember getting free displays while they were practising and the large lay-by opposite the base was a handy "viewing area".

[henry r]

the local reserve unit has this:


not my pic.

there is also this one at the reserve depot the next city down:



last time I looked at it circa late '14 it was in need of a repaint.
again not my pic.

thanks F10 that meteor brought back good memories. in the 80's we used to drive past a Meteor on a stick somewhere in Sydney when we went to visit my grandparents but I can't remember where.

edit: Attachment 83891
No.2 Stores Depot, Regents Park. NSW. removed circa 1988. currently stored fleet air arm museum Nowra.


there used to be a DH Vampire on a stick in Tamworth NSW but that disappeared in 2011. it is being restored at the local training college but there is no word as to where it will end up after that.

most large town's around here have some sort of artillery piece about. off hand I can think of 3 25pdr's, a 40mm bofors and a ww1 field gun of some description.

[mrclark303]

Here is the Gloucester Meteor that was outside RAF Kemble for many years. Kemble was home to the RAF display team "The Red Arrows" for years and I remember getting free displays while they were practising and the large lay-by opposite the base was a handy "viewing area".

I remember it well F10, I only live 5 miles from Kemble. Back in the 1970's and 1980's we used to get Regular Red Arrows practice displays when the Reds were based there.

Also as it was 5MU in the 1970's and early 80's we used to see all sorts of aircraft going in for store, maintenance, painting and scrapping.

Happy days for a young lad interested in aircraft...

[CINDERS]

This pair is in Collie about 100klm's from my place at Bunbury which is only 27 klm's away they have a Leopard.

My nephew was on Cyprus for 2 years with the Australian Federal Police said it was a better gig than the Solomons, but he did do a 12 month stint in New Guinea which he would rather forget.
Some of the stories he has told me about the latter are not to flavoursome one was a constant escapee from their jail cells.
Simple solution the constables shot him through both thighs so he could not walk my nephew instructed the guards to take the prisoner to the hospital as he did not want the chap to bleed out on his shift.
He said to me never go there as life is cheaper than dirt and you end up dead for the pair of socks on your feet he is now an AFP Detective so does not have to do those stints.
Think he was over seas for 5 tours which added up to 5 years they are supposed to be tour expired at 36 months.

[browningautorifle]

Just returned from Cyprus and the British Army Garrison at Episkopi,

I never did make it to Episkopi Gate either, there wasn't enough time off it seemed when I was there. The first time we couldn't go anywhere anyway... What's the main gun on the Saladin, 37mm?

[Peter Laidler]

Wasn't the Saladin gun a short cased low velocity gun? No range a as I recall and very limited ammo types?

Maybe Major Bombdoc can comment on the ammo. I'll ask him.........

[browningautorifle]

There's a plethora of answers published for this one...apparently a 75mm, a 76mm and ...also some talk about a 40mm (2pdr)which would answer Peter's statement about a short low velocity round. This one being in service until it went on the stand would likely be a 76mm I should think. I just can't make the scale of the barrel from the picture.

[Flying10uk]

RAF Kemble's original gate guardian was more interesting.

[Daan Kemp]

South Africa wanted to buy the Saladin but due to sanctions bought the Panhard instead. Got excellent service from that locally built noddy car after all its SA upgrades.