Memories Diggin for glory.

[tam]

We (REME) were on an exercise in Germany with an Infantry Regiment.
The guys in the workshop had a pastime of digging very deep holes in the ground and this was to be no exception. After some hours digging, the O.C. told the men to stop digging as it was getting too dangerous and was fearful of a cave in. He said keep the hole open and we will dump all our waste into the hole before filling it in. However by the time the exercise ended the hole was full to the top and no way could we fill it in. The O.C. then instructed our Armourer to burn the waste in the hole first. The Armourer being very bright, thought he would add some petrol to the waste just to aid the burning of it. After he poured 5 gallons of fuel onto the waste he discovered he had no light and went and got some matches.... on striking the match there was an almighty explosion as the vapour lit first. The resulting bang sent all the waste up into the surrounding trees and blew our Armourer approx 30 foot from the hole. It was like Christmas with all the trees in the area decorated with 2 weeks waste. A sight which to this day makes me laugh. By the way the O.C. was not amused.

 

[Zofo]

How long did it take to tidy up or did a handy farmer come along and demand compensation?
Whenever we were out we had the farmers out in droves with their hands out!

 

[tam]

Took about four hours to clear everything up and was the Regiment pissed with us.

 

[tosh66]

How long did it take to tidy up or did a handy farmer come along and demand compensation?
Whenever we were out we had the farmers out in droves with their hands out!

We were used to get round "dry" exercises by the time honoured method of demolishing the odd barn, shed or fence with our armoured vehicles by mistake to earn ourselves a few crates of the local brew! :roll:

 

[Zofo]

As we were basically equipped with long based 1 tonne L/Rs we couldn't do a great deal of damage to barns etc - we never saw the blasted things but we always seemed to POL in a sensitive area. No matter how much spill soil went down and was cammed up with the local crud, the farmer would be leaning on his fence with his mental calculator ticking and a smile as wide as can be!