30 NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2007
Is your
team up
to the
What crisis?
Challenge?
ARE you up for the Run the
Gun Challenge?
HMS Collingwood is hosting
the Challenge until June as part
of the Field Gun 100 Centenary
year programme.
It will involve using a half-size
fi eld gun on the Command
Training Group’s “Cliff and
Chasm” route.
Any team from any unit
within the Armed Forces,
Ministry of Defence and civilian
organisations are invited to put
forward a team of between six
and twelve people.
Contenders
It is a physically-demanding
course, and personnel will
Picture: Keith Woodland (MWS)
● HMS Collingwood’s fi eld gun team haul the 12-pdr up a hill at Queen Elizabeth Country Park
receive training in how to prepare for
conduct the Run before they
start their Challenge attempt.
All times achieved will be
placed on the record, and at the
end of the Challenge period the
winners and runners up will be
awarded a prize and trophy.
All entrants will be informed
Field gunners have
Collingwood
showdown
of their teams place within the TEAMS from across the UK
table. and beyond representing diverse
The Run the Gun Challenge branches of the military have been
involves carrying one heavy successful in entering the centenary
Royal Navy Field Gun wheel year RN Field Gun competition at
and equipment over a wall, up a HMS Collingwood.
vertical net, across a chasm, up Alongside the traditional naval
and down several slopes, and
a mountain to climb
establishment crews, this year
running to the fi nish point. will see entries from HMS Ark
Ropes and spars are
uphold the honour of the
British Army – representing the teamwork and a judicious use of
Royal and the Military Corrective
provided, together with a Field
IT SEEMS fitting that in
Training Centre at Colchester,
Gun for use along the shingle the centenary year of the
Royal Navy at the Swartkop
Royal Scots Fusiliers, who escorted pulleys and tackle
neither of which have previously
track.
Royal Navy Field Gun,
Challenge.
the fi eld gunners to Ladysmith in Collingwood’s team has been in
taken part in this spectacular
Any team which feels able
The challenge will bring
the Boer War – the South African training since January, and under
display of strength, stamina and
to take the Challenge should
a team from the Senior
together five teams at Wagon Hill,
Police and two teams from the
the guidance of Lt Cdr Mick
team work.
contact Command Training Service will be returning to one of the vantage points used by
South African Defence Forces.
Malone and Lt Charlie Deal
Gruelling physical training for
Group at HMS Collingwood on
the birthplace of the event.
RN field gunners in their attempts
Teams of 20 will need to shift
have been stepping up their efforts
the competition begins this month
01329 333197 (Mil 93825 3197).
A team of ratings and officers
to lift the siege of Ladysmith
a 1,250kg fi eld gun some 120
before fl ying out to Johannesburg.
when sailors, soldiers and airmen
Rugby players from the during the Battle of Vaalkranz in
metres. The trouble is it is on
Several members are drawn
intending to take part will attend
Harlequins club in London were
from HMS Collingwood
February 1900, one of the actions a boulder-strewn slope of 1:1
from Collingwood’s successful
routine fi tness training sessions.
up for the Challenge – anyone
travelled to South Africa as
in the Boer War. – that’s 45 degrees – requiring
Brickwoods team of last year,
Selectors will use these sessions
else fancy it? Navy News went to press to The other teams are from the not just brute strength, but also
but this is an entirely different
to determine who will be picked to
event – and to get a feel for it
run for their crew and represent
the gunners brought a 12-pdr to
their unit or establishment.
Queen Elizabeth Country Park
Training on the track, with crew
near Petersfi eld in Hampshire,
members getting their hands on
where they ran it up and down
the fi eld gun itself, begins four
some steep hills.
weeks before the main event.
“The Swartkop Challenge is
And that will take place on June
about as accurate as you can get,”
9 – Field Gun 100 Day – at the
said Lt Cdr Malone, himself a
Fareham training establishment,
four-time field gunner with
with the prize being the Brickwoods
Portsmouth Command.
Trophy.
“We have been doing lots of
The full list of entrants as Navy
circuits, weights and so on, but we
News went to press was:
decided to come out here where
HMS Caledonia, Rosythmarina
we can use the steep inclines.
HMS Neptune, Faslanemarina
“Lots of legs, hearts, lungs and
DCAE (formerly RAF) Cosford, marina
teamwork – it is a good bonding
Wolverhampton
exercise.”
Joint Force Harrier, RAF marina
The 20-strong team is almost
Wittering
equally split between senior
Defence Medical STC, Selly marina
rates, junior rates and offi cers,
Oak
and Lt Cdr Malone praised the
7 AA Bttn REME, RAF marina
egalitarianism on display: “It is
Wattisham
brilliant for the junior rates to be
MOD Abbey Wood, Bristolmarina
operating with offi cers.
MCTC Colchestermarina
“The rank structure doesn’t
HM Naval Base Portsmouthmarina
exist as such; it is a team, and the
HMS Collingwood A, Farehammarina
team captain is the best man for
HMS Collingwood B, Farehammarina
the job, irrespective of rank.”
HMS Sultan A, Gosportmarina
One of the team, WEA Chris
HMS Sultan B, Gosportmarina
Mingo, has competed in the
HMS Heron, Yeoviltonmarina
Brickwoods, but appreciated the BRNC Dartmouth
marina
needs of the Swartkop. HM Naval Base Devonport,
marina
“The Brickwoods is out and Plymouth
● HMS Chatham, here pictured off Sierra Leone by PO(Phot) Flo Foord
back on a track, this is 120 metres HMS Raleigh, Torpoint
marina
up a steep hill,” he said. HMS Seahawk, Helstonmarina
Chatham’s tsunami work
“This gives you a sense of HQ British Forces Gibraltarmarina
achievement, as with every fi eld UK NATO Staff Naplesmarina
gun – this is one of the best team HMS Ark Royalmarina
sports I have ever done.” Tickets for the event are now
The RN gunners will also be available through the Ticketmaster
undertaking work with children’s agency – go to www.ticketmaster.
earns Sword of Peace
charities while in South Africa. co.uk or call 0870 242 4442.
Boers kept at bay
THE HIGHEST military award for peace Twenty miles from Batticaloa the village of greater good at home or abroad.
work has been presented to HMS Chatham for Kallar had been cut off by the wave and its “Hope was restored to these proud but
THE ORIGINS of the Field Gun competition lie in the Boer War,
her efforts to rebuild life in the aftermath of the hospital wrecked. traditionally poor communities and on
specifically at the besieged town of Ladysmith.
2004 Asian tsunami. A party from Chatham cleared, cleaned and our departure there were promising signs
As Boer troops threatened the town and garrison, a distress call
The Type 22 frigate was sent to the east coast sanitised the building, then the ship’s medical of normality returning,” Chatham’s citation
requesting heavy artillery guns was sent to HMS Powerful in Durban,
of Sri Lanka to provide what humanitarian team held a clinic to check on any ailments reads.
more than 100 miles away.
aid she could around the town of Batticaloa, caused in the tsunami’s aftermath. “All members of the ship played their part
Naval 12-pdrs were hastily converted to be used on makeshift
accompanied by the RFA repair vessel Chatham had been in Dubai when an and without exception found the task both
carriages, and the guns transported by rail to the vicinity of
Diligence. earthquake, measuring 9 on the Richter scale, rewarding and humbling.”
Ladysmith.
The two ships found the town and environs rocked the sea bed off the Indonesian coast Recent recipients of the coveted award,
From there, they had to be manhandled by a Naval Brigade of
devastated; at least 2,500 people had been – triggering the tsunami which raced across which is modelled on a 19th-Century sword
more than 250 men on to hilltops, from where they could be used
killed by the giant wave, another 1,000 were the ocean. owned by a Lt Samuel Snook (who helped
against the Boers.
missing and around 60,000 people had been Her efforts that fateful January earned her return Indian refugees to their homeland)
The tars went straight on to the offensive when they arrived at the
made homeless. the Firmin Sword of Peace – previously the include Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond for
end of October 1899, and helped suppress Boer artillery attacks.
The RN/RFA efforts were concentrated on Wilkinson Sword of Peace, but now sponsored relief work in the Caribbean in the wake of
Although a close-run thing, the town held out for 118 days until
restoring vital services – water and electricity by sword manufacturers Firmin & Son. Hurricane Ivan, and Landing Ship Logistic reinforcements arrived.
chiefly – repairing fishing vessels, schools, The Sword is presented annually to the RFA Sir Galahad for delivering aid to Iraq The RN Field Gun competition began formally in 1907, showcasing
churches and hospitals, and providing some ship or unit in the Armed Forces which is just a week after the campaign against Saddam the discipline, strength, courage and skill of the original field
shelter for the homeless. considered to have contributed most to the Hussein began. gunners, qualities still nurtured in today’s Navy.
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