Op Banner photos - some memories for the old and bold

[Helm]

[NQUOTE="Rodney2q, post: 8947711, member: 22482"]You say that like it's a bad thing....

Not at all, we few, we happy few etc etc.

 

[Bosscat]

All I recall is KEO

And Brandy Sours

 

[Sundog]

Maybe Crusader was the first single FTX, as opposed to a series of exercises?

I remember Crusader (80) being lauded as the largest single FTX mobilisation since WW2. Drove all the way from Tidworth. Such was the build up followed by the close to walking speed of the convoy, I was knackered by the time we got to Bulford....only 000s more miles to go.

 

[javaguzzisti]

I remember Crusader (80) being lauded as the largest single FTX mobilisation since WW2. Drove all the way from Tidworth. Such was the build up followed by the close to walking speed of the convoy, I was knackered by the time we got to Bulford....only 000s more miles to go.

Went from Colchester. It was the only time I went on exercise without a map and route card.
Due to breakdowns we got separated in Germany from the rest of the convoy but found our way to the assembly point by using the broken down Fox armoured cars as routemarkers.
It was the most smambolick ex I ever took part in.

 

[Sundog]

Went from Colchester. It was the only time I went on exercise without a map and route card.
Due to breakdowns we got separated in Germany from the rest of the convoy but found our way to the assembly point by using the broken down Fox armoured cars as routemarkers.
It was the most smambolick ex I ever took part in.

You clearly didn’t do Lionheart then?

 

[javaguzzisti]

You clearly didn’t do Lionheart then?

Which one was Lionheart?

 

[Deleted 59779]

You clearly didn’t do Lionheart then?

My grandfather did.

 

[Sundog]

Which one was Lionheart?

The one a few years after Crusader. ‘84 I think.
Spent the vast majority of my time broken down at the roadside in Hildesheim. Opposite a bar with a very nice line in Bratty. I remember thinking at the time that life’s a bitch, but at that moment and for those few days of 432 fuckedness, life was bliss.

 

[pimpernel]

I remember Crusader (80) being lauded as the largest single FTX mobilisation since WW2. Drove all the way from Tidworth. Such was the build up followed by the close to walking speed of the convoy, I was knackered by the time we got to Bulford....only 000s more miles to go.

Thank heavens we dodged that bullet, we were 'Crusader Evaders'. As a BAOR Mech Bn at the time we were staging on in NI at the time!

 

[pimpernel]

The one a few years after Crusader. ‘84 I think.
Spent the vast majority of my time broken down at the roadside in Hildesheim. Opposite a bar with a very nice line in Bratty. I remember thinking at the time that life’s a bitch, but at that moment and for those few days of 432 fuckedness, life was bliss.

That's a BAOR version of heaven, engine decks up a REME 438 parked up nearby and a bratti bar on tap. Could be hell as in bogged in on Soltau dead of winter and engine decks up!

 

[Rodney2q]

Went from Colchester. It was the only time I went on exercise without a map and route card.
Due to breakdowns we got separated in Germany from the rest of the convoy but found our way to the assembly point by using the broken down Fox armoured cars as routemarkers.
It was the most smambolick ex I ever took part in.

Ah yes...the drive from Collie to Harwich. Ferry rammed with DPM suits, and kit, off the ferry (still dark), form up into packets and set off...

...after 20 miles the packets had congealed into a 20 mile long convoy with tail lights stretching off into the distance as far as you see. Not unlike a 30 mph traffic jam.

It was still dark and the drive was brightened up by watching the vehicles whose drivers had fallen asleep. You could spot them by the way the rear lights wobbled all over the road before diving off to the right as they went down the bank before swerving back up onto the autobahn.

I was driving the Bn CV (with the Adj map reading) and was the lead vehicle in the Bn convoy when we got into Holland. Came to a roundabout...

Adj: "Slow down Lcpl R2Q, not sure which exit we want, ah there it...damn, missed it, go round again..."

I did so and rejoined the convoy back down the line before taking the correct exit. This simple manouevre caused no end of problems as the first few vehicles followed me and the Adj right around the roundabout before breaking back into the convoy and throwing those behind into confusion. Happy days.

 

[AlienFTM]

Much as I enjoy the Spearpoint/Lionheart banter, and be it that it was I who brought the exercises into the thread, can I point out that threads exist, whereas this is about Banner.

https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/crusader-80.151660/
https://www.arrse.co.uk/community/threads/baor-exercise-lionheart-84.259031/

 

[overopensights]

About twenty five of us left Belfast to travel to Sennelager with our Bn (RRW) rugby team to play against a RRF Bn. It was the BAOR or Army Cup, it must have been 1982/3, the RRF Bn were also on Banner or on post Banner block leave. The RRF of course got soundly thrashed! After the match the two teams had some beers and a bit of a sing song in the NAFFI Bar. There were some young RRF wives present. One song was sung to the tune of 'Ring of Fire' The words were 'Get em Down you grotty bastard, get em down you dirty bitch bitch bitch! etc. There was a delightfully attractive RRF wife there about 20 years of age, she was brunette and really lovely; however she got right into that song, I have a fond memory of her standing on a table singing those very words loudest of all! Sorry to deviate chaps I just thought to share that little story with you.

 

[Wasteofrations]

About twenty five of us left Belfast to travel to Sennelager with our Bn (RRW) rugby team to play against a RRF Bn. It was the BAOR or Army Cup, it must have been 1982/3, the RRF Bn were also on Banner or on post Banner block leave. The RRF of course got soundly thrashed! After the match the two teams had some beers and a bit of a sing song in the NAFFI Bar. There were some young RRF wives present. One song was sung to the tune of 'Ring of Fire' The words were 'Get em Down you grotty bastard, get em down you dirty bitch bitch bitch! etc. There was a delightfully attractive RRF wife there about 20 years of age, she was brunette and really lovely; however she got right into that song, I have a fond memory of her standing on a table singing those very words loudest of all! Sorry to deviate chaps I just thought to share that little story with you.

I could apply that description(even the singing) to a number of RRF pad's wives.
Was she wearing Ron Hill's tucked into her socks?

 

[Stonker]

About twenty five of us left Belfast to travel to Sennelager with our Bn (RRW) rugby team to play against a RRF Bn. It was the BAOR or Army Cup, it must have been 1982/3, the RRF Bn were also on Banner or on post Banner block leave. The RRF of course got soundly thrashed! After the match the two teams had some beers and a bit of a sing song in the NAFFI Bar. There were some young RRF wives present. One song was sung to the tune of 'Ring of Fire' The words were 'Get em Down you grotty bastard, get em down you dirty bitch bitch bitch! etc. There was a delightfully attractive RRF wife there about 20 years of age, she was brunette and really lovely; however she got right into that song, I have a fond memory of her standing on a table singing those very words loudest of all! Sorry to deviate chaps I just thought to share that little story with you.

1st or 3rd Bn, I would think, if you're right about Op BANNER status. 2nd were in Berlin from 1981 to '83, having landed there on St George's Day 1981, after a month of post BANNER leave.

If you could understand them when they spoke, either you're a Geordie, or it was 3RRF.