266 (GVA) O.P. Bty R.A. (V)
1973
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.
Bath Military Tattoo, Monarchy Celebrations, 1000 years
The Bath Military Tattoo, Monarchy Celebrations, 1000 years, from 12 to 16 June, 1973, was staged on the grass field area in front of the Royal Crescent, Bath. The military parade commander/organizer was Major Aubrey Jackman. R.A. (V) of Bath. owner of the Lansdown Hotel.
The 1812 Overture (originally titled: Festival Overture: "1812", op. 49) is an orchestral work by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, commemorating the unsuccessful French invasion into Russia, and the subsequent devastating withdrawal of Napoleon's Grand Armée, an event that marked 1812 as the major turning point of the Napoleonic Wars.
The work is best known for the sequence of cannon and rifle fire, which is sometimes performed, especially at outside festivals, using actual cannons.
The regular Light Infantry, with bandsman and the local T.A. Unit, the 6th (Somerset) Light Infantry (V) played the part of the opposing armies, 3x 25pdr guns from 266th (GVA) O.P. Battery R.A. (V) from Bristol. and 50 young soldiers from Chepstow Army Apprentices Collage, supplied the gun/cannon fire and rifle fire. The guns fired 3oz blank cartridges for the guns with 40 rds per rifleman.
The Tattoo training and performance lasted for 5 days, everyone left the Artillery Ground in the afternoon for training and performance and returned at night, the guns were garaged at 6 L. I. T.A. center.
There were approx 18x gun numbers and two officers from 266 GVA Bty (V), these included Derek Driscoll, P. Corrick, Roy Lockyer, D. Ducamp, and J. Morris.
From the Bath Chronicle of Wednesday, June 13, 1973:
TATTOO FIT FOR A KING
Bath Searchlight Tattoo is vintage entertainment - sparkling, colourful and absorbing. A performance fit for a king.
This sums up the Monarchy 1000 special edition of the tattoo which opened on the Royal Crescent field last night.
The organising producer, Major Aubrey Jackson, R.A., has staged a revival worthy of the great tattoo's of the past.
The programme is slick, pulsating with the beat of glorious music in a variety of styles until the bands, bugles and corps of drums.
But it is not all music. The programme is well balanced and goes with a cheerful swing from start to finish.
All those who take part enter into the spirit of the tattoo and are a credit to the three services. Young sailors present a fascinating display of cutlass drill in the swing style of the old Indian club routine. The R.A.F. police dog demonstration team put on a cracking display, topped by a run through a series of flaming widows, and back again with a retrieved burning Dumb-Bell.
The Air Squadron, 16/15 Queen's Royal Lancers, bring in the first Helicopters- three Sioux in all- for a rescue operation which shows the flexibility of the aircraft.
A more peaceful display is presented by the mounted branch and motor cycle section of the Bristol City Police. the joint musical ride by horses and motor cycles is something new, and is done with precision.
The bangs get bigger and better as the night goes on and the boys let their hair down when a Wessex Mk V twin engined helicopter from No.246 Squadron Fleet Air Arm, and the Royal Marine Commando go into action.
As the giant machine hovers 200 feet above the arena, the Royal Marines flash down ropes to the rescue. More bangs, casualties, and then survivors are plucked to safety. Thrilling stuff.
The flying gymnasts from the R.A.F., those high speed vaulting enthusiasts, soar to even greater heights in this latest demonstration of their skills, with high speed mid-air somersaults and a one-and-a-half twist thrown in for good measure.
To round off a night of splendour, the pipe and drums of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Irish Rangers, play Amazing Grace.
The massed bands then swing in to Trumpets Wild, before going on to Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks - with the fireworks, of course, providing almost the final flourish.
The tattoo is repeated nightly until the end of the week, with a Saturday afternoon matinee.