One for Gordon.

[sketchley kid]

Gordon, (sorry no email address) but,
Passing out Parade JLR 1962.

[1stTankie]

Hi Brian

Many thanks; I would hope that some of these would have come to serve in
1RTR. I may have met a few in Hohne shortly after this was taken.

Email address follows.

Gordon

[Phil2M]

8th man in, from viewers left, is very short isn't he? Were there no height requirements for recruitment? Or was it just the guards who had them? I am quite ignorant of general army life and regimental requirements etc.

Phil

[sketchley kid]

Sorry Gordon......you've missed the point...re our JLR mail............where are the Arm Badges?

[sketchley kid]

For anyone interested , there is a very good JLR forum on Facebook..'Royal Armoured Corps Intake Photos'.

[Robthereiver]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

8th man in, from viewers left, is very short isn't he? Were there no height requirements for recruitment? Or was it just the guards who had them? I am quite ignorant of general army life and regimental requirements etc.

Phil

Phil

I was once told that the short chap in an AFV crew was often the driver, all alledgedly to do the space limitations of the driving compartment of some AFV's.
So basically a smaller person would be more comfortable and made access & egress easier I assume?

So on that basis this little chap appears to be a prime Driver candidate?

I'd be interested to hear for any lads who served in AFV's who could say if there was any truth in this?

Rob

[sketchley kid]

Rob...email me if you still have my address ....I've had address book wipe out!

[1stTankie]

Originally Posted by Robthereiver

Phil

I was once told that the short chap in an AFV crew was often the driver, all alledgedly to do the space limitations of the driving compartment of some AFV's.
So basically a smaller person would be more comfortable and made access & egress easier I assume?

So on that basis this little chap appears to be a prime Driver candidate?

I'd be interested to hear for any lads who served in AFV's who could say if there was any truth in this?

Rob

Tanks are designed around the height of the average percentile man. When I was serving this was 5ft 10.5ins.
The Russians had a policy of restricting AFV crew members to 5ft 5ins and by so doing managed to produce tanks such as T72 with a comparatively low silhouette. The major disadvantage of such a policy was the ground clearance, the space between the belly of the tank and the ground, was reduced, affecting its tactical manoeuvrability in deep mud or heavy sand, and at the same time raising the height of the gun trunnions. This in turn meant the tank had to position itself higher on a crestline if it wished to bring fire to bear in depression, ie on a target lower than itself, and thus presenting a larger target.
I am sure the smaller potential crewman in Brian's photograph would have made an excellent member of the crew in any of the allotted positions.

Gordon

[grey_green_acorn]

Originally Posted by sketchley kid

Sorry Gordon......you've missed the point...re our JLR mail............where are the Arm Badges?

In 1962 No2 Dress was only just coming into service to replace Battle Dress - particularly for Junior Leaders who had worn Service Dress? I would suspect that as these guys were passing off to join any of the RAC Regiments when they would be re-badged and buttoned - holes in the sleeves of their new No2 Dress Jackets from arm badges might have been a problem?

Tim

[sketchley kid]

Driver!

[sketchley kid]

I understand that in 'Boys Squadron' only the Senior Cpl. of each troop wore the arm badge.
Photo below 1956.