266 (GVA) O.P. Bty R.A. (V)
1972
In 1971, 266 (Gloucestershire Volunteer Artillery) Observation Post Battery was formed as an independent Observation Post unit as a reinforcement unit for the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) supplying observation post teams. The battery had a four gun troop of 25pdr field guns. In time of war the battery would provide 18 Observation Post Parties, later updated to 22 OP parties, to regular army units.
Annual Camp Sennybridge, Brecon, South Wales
Annual Camp Sennybridge personnel, 1972
From Left to Right.
Back Row. u/k. L /Bdr. Alan Holden. u/k. u/k. u/k P. Corrick, Dewland, J Garland, u/k R. Lockyer, u/n.
Third Row. Sgt Fred Hawkins, Sgt Ken Eagle BEM (signaks Sergeant), Sgt B. Durance (P.S.I. ex 5 regt), L/ Bdr Dave Butler. Ivor Haman-Hayburn, L/Bdr D. Driscoll, Dennis Righton, u/k, u/k u/k u/k, Andy Stevens, u/k, Vic Haynes, Brian Catt.
Second Row Mr. Desborough, Sgt G. Dewland, L/Bdr A. Brighton, u/n, u/n, u/n, Frank [Badger] Cole, L/Bdr Tony Hanna, Bdr Fred Flook, Dave Barber, Chris Grimes, Tony? 100regt u/n, Bill Satchel u/k, u/k Sgt Mike Hambly, Sgt Roy Tanner (P.S.I. ex 5 regt), WO11 Bob Bryant MSM, Admin officer.
Front Row. Civilian typist Miss Eileen Dinham. 3x u/n O.T.C. u/k, Capt David Reaburn, Capt. Neil ff Campbell, Capt. Jeffery Smith, Capt. Norman Webber, Major Colin Harvey, Major Keith Dann, Capt Christopher Hill, Capt John Muse, Lt Ivor Johns, Lt. Christopher Bradford, u/n Lt. Mike Seal, 2x u/n, Lt. O.T.C.
Civilian Staff.
Chief Clerk Fred Hawkins (on attachment for camp from B.U.O.T.C.) Fred Hawkins was 266 Bty's civilian Chief clerk.
Bty typist. Miss. Eileen Dinham.
Bty Storeman. Mr. Mike Hambly. also was a TA Sgt.
Limber Gunner. Mr. R. Desborough.
Driver. Not known.
Notice that Black Toweling Cravat's worn by Bty members it was also about this time that the Bty also wore white metal G.V.A. shoulder titles on the the jumper, these were made in Pakistan and we had to buy them, we had to clean them up using a needle file. We wore the metal G.V.A. titles until we were issued jumpers with shoulder epaulets, and slides with the rank chevrons and unit title embroidered on them.
U/k = Unknown.
Total 4 Regular and 56 T.A. Soldiers.
Derek Driscolle wrote:
Trade Training took priority for the first week of camp.
On the warm summer evenings after dinner we would walk by the river that ran along the bottom of the camp looking for trout or sat on the grass watching Capt N. ff Campbell, trying to catch fish with a fly rod and line. he did not appreciate the comment that a Thunderflash in the water would save him a lot of time.
We also had to provide our own Guard.
The middle Saturday of camp was pay day and the night was spent in the Railway Inn, in Sennybridge village, well to cut a long story short, yours truly and Dave Butler got well and truly plastered on vodka, so much so we had to be carried back to camp positively legless. I awoke next morning fully dressed in my civilian cloths and only a short time to get ready for parade, after the parade I was told that the B C, had asked the GPO, who was holding up who in the command post.
Live Firing took place on the Sennybridge ranges in the second week and we were to train with a regular regiment, and on the last day in the afternoon, the Colonel of the regular regiment gave a fire mission to the BC Major Colin Harvey saying he could have three rds fire for effect on the target,[54 rds in total] well what a show, I had not seen what a regimental shoot was like before and I [Driscoll] was the B.C.'s signaler, I must say I was very impressed to see all the rounds falling into the target area. A great cheer went up from the O.P. when the last rounds hit the tank hulk target.
At the end of the camp we had a clear up and some spent 25pdr cartridge cases were missing from the wire cage on the vehicle park/parade ground, all the men were given the chance to put any cartridge cases outside of the Barrack block. I said that there was no cartridges in my barrack block.
How wrong and naive I was, what with three antique dealers in my block and one or two budding collectors of ex-army kit, all the lockers were opened and the stuff that was secreted within the lockers really did surprise me, everything that could be moved from the ranges was hidden in the lockers, spent 7.62 cartridges and links, spent 2inch mortar Illumination etc, etc.
After we placed all this contraband outside the door, the officers came round to check the billets they where as surprised as I was, as to what was left outside of the billet.
I believe that the lost 25pr cartridge case's were found, but where? A clerical error on the part of the Bty's admin perhaps?
Sources and Resources
Derek Driscoll's original pages
Annual Camp Sennybridge, Brecon, South Wales. 1972
Other Resources
Sennybridge Training Area - Wikipedia