military vehicles in Northern Ireland

[chrisgrove]

Clive

Now you've got me. I have no certain reference about the date of those pics, but I reckon they must have been first half 1977; possibly second half 1976, but not desperately wintry that I remember. All my pics show Mk II Pigs with mirrors mounted halfway down the bonnet. And they were in Andersonstown in West Belfast.

Incidentally, there are various colour discussions here. When I first went to Belfast in Sep 70 to join the resident battalion at Palace Barracks Holywood, we had Mk I pigs which were painted in gloss deep bronze green and matt brown. Unfortunately my pics from this time are in black and white and do not show this well.

Rich

The local population were not too keen on us! However, my only personal experience was being in a Landrover hit by a brick in the Bogside a few years earlier. I can certainly tell you that if you wish to take no notice of sleeping policemen (speed humps), a pig is the thing to do it in. You simply do not notice them.

Chris

[fv1620]

Chris now that brown camo is very interesting. One can see as late as 1972 Pigs at that time being Mk1 still with a European green/black. I had assumed it was just the way the came, I didn't imagine that it was repainted once over there.

But this green/brown has fascinated me. I have just one picture of it & have on video some footage shot from the commanders seat of a Pig on patrol in a housing estate. Both sources looked as if it was freshly painted which seem odd trying to look "rural" in an urban situation.

What has foxed me even more is that at least two of the exRUC Commer water canon were at one stage painted green/brown. I realise in RUC service they were initially light grey then many became green. In later part of service with 17/21st Lancers they were plain green.

So I wonder what was the rationale behind this reddish-brown camo in an urban environment?

[servicepub (RIP)]

I have absolutely no interest in these at all! But what an informative and well illustrated thread. Many thnx.

(the other) Clive

[Nick Bullock]

Hi Clive
Nice work as ever, hope things are good with you?
Have you ever looked into the Dingos that were used in Northern Ireland, I remember being sent some pictures years ago of a number for sale that had previously been RUC vehicles?
I don't recall seeing any operational pictures though.
kind regards
nick

[FV1611A]

Originally Posted by servicepub

I have absolutely no interest in these at all! But what an informative and well illustrated thread. Many thnx.

(the other) Clive

Clive

Having visited the nerve centre at 'Casa Elliott' his study is very well stocked with archives and data, almost too much so. Information is most definately his thing. We mustn't exclude Richard from the 'Font of all Knowledge' group either!

Glad you are enjoying the thread.

Regards

Wayne

[fv1620]

Hello Nick, last time I saw you was when you were trying to get a quiet night's sleep at War & Peace!

I've got a number of in-service pics of RUC Dingos. But I have no pics of RUC Ferrets which I would like to see, although they didn't keep them for long. This clip shows one though in 1966 & Wayne you'll like this there is a RUC Pig, but not mine.

Sorry about the advert at the start. The vehicles are in the first part of this clip.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=71547

[malcolm erik bogaert]

Nick I do recall playing in a redundant Dingo at Kinnergar in 1969..all was going well until some idiot pulled the red switch...vehicle filled up with foam very rapidly so we beat a quick exit...I should like to point out that this same chap opened up a container of the radio active isotopes when we where delivering same under armed guard to Mosgrave Park Wing of RVI in Belfast..so we where all irradiated...wife often tells me I glow in the dark...best regards malcolm in a snowbound north-northumberland

[chrisgrove]

Originally Posted by fv1620

Chris now that brown camo is very interesting. One can see as late as 1972 Pigs at that time being Mk1 still with a European green/black. I had assumed it was just the way the came, I didn't imagine that it was repainted once over there.

But this green/brown has fascinated me. I have just one picture of it & have on video some footage shot from the commanders seat of a Pig on patrol in a housing estate. Both sources looked as if it was freshly painted which seem odd trying to look "rural" in an urban situation.

What has foxed me even more is that at least two of the exRUC Commer water canon were at one stage painted green/brown. I realise in RUC service they were initially light grey then many became green. In later part of service with 17/21st Lancers they were plain green.

So I wonder what was the rationale behind this reddish-brown camo in an urban environment?

Clive

Can't answer that one. As I said, I joined the resident battalion (2 Queens) about 3 months before they came back after a 2 year tour. The Bedfords were that colour too, with apple green (fireproofed) tilts with windows and an elevated (about a foot) centre bar on the tilt frame intended to get molotov cocktail ingredients to run off the sides. Have some pics of them too. Can't remember what colour the Rovers were. The point is that all those vehicles had been there some time, not imported from BAOR, but I have no idea when the brown bits were painted on, Tac signs were interesting too - red squares with 39/9 in white (39 Brigade), plus callsigns all round.

Chris

[fv1620]

Chris would be nice to see some of the Bedford pics if you get a chance.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

" I can certainly tell you that if you wish to take no notice of sleeping policemen (speed humps), a pig is the thing to do it in. You simply do not notice them."

here is a bit of the Pig showing of it's ride capabilities, not to mention some other very interesting vehicles at Chertsey

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=42513

Also some Irish Pig Stoning,

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=73125


Rich.

[malcolm erik bogaert]

Originally Posted by chrisgrove

Clive

Can't answer that one. As I said, I joined the resident battalion (2 Queens) about 3 months before they came back after a 2 year tour. The Bedfords were that colour too, with apple green (fireproofed) tilts with windows and an elevated (about a foot) centre bar on the tilt frame intended to get molotov cocktail ingredients to run off the sides. Have some pics of them too. Can't remember what colour the Rovers were. The point is that all those vehicles had been there some time, not imported from BAOR, but I have no idea when the brown bits were painted on, Tac signs were interesting too - red squares with 39/9 in white (39 Brigade), plus callsigns all round.

Chris

the Queens(diehards) where in residence at palace Barracks when I was at 39Bde & Inf Sqd at Lisburn...I seem to recall they alweays hammered us at the rugby! as the resident signal Sqn our 39 Bde sign was a green square with 39 on it..all our vehicles and those of NI Command HQ where standard landrover bottle green..never seen any brown althought the vehicles of the B Specials where a type of light blue I think...hope this helps...by the way the B Specials where still using the 19 sets and our FOS and techs used to repair same! best regards malcolm

[chrisgrove]

Malcolm

2 Queens, who were indeed at Palace Barracks in 1969, were the Kent battalion, formerly the Queens Own Buffs, the Royal Kent Regiment (3rd, 50th and 97th of foot). The Diehards were the Middlesex Regiment (57th of foot), who, until disbanded, were 4 Queens, While both regiments and battalions celebrated Albuhera Day (the battle where the 57th earned their nickname), 2 Queens would not have been happy to be called the Diehards.

I don't think we ever reckoned ourselves to be experts at rugby; there was no time for that in the few months I was in Holywood. A few years earlier, our 2IC spent 2 years avoiding rugby against the Welch Regiment who shared our time in Hong Kong - very hard on the knees was rugby in HK!

Clive

Pics of Bedfords attached.

Chris

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/RL-NI-01.jpg

[malcolm erik bogaert]

Vhris your right of course I was refering to 1968 just before the troubles kicked off..resident battalion was indeed the middlesex rgt as I once had to take a sus to there guardroom which was quite full of worky tickets...I think the Kings where at that time at Ballykinler! RE's where at the bridging camp at Antrim whilst the lancers where at Omagh..and the reme at Kinnegar...however myy memry might be playing tricks after all those years...cheers malcolm