Time to get the Warrior wrapped up. But before I do, some background as to why I built this particular vehicle and why its so personal.
Of my 22 years in the army, I spent 12 years (April 1995 to May 2007) in an armoured Infantry Battalion based in Bourlon Barracks, Catterick garrison. When I moved there with my Battalion, The Kings Own Royal Border Regiment, myself and most of the Plt I was in in N Ireland were formed into the MILAN Anti Tank Platoon. Though we were equipped with old and almost derelict FV 432’s, some of us were trained to operate Warrior’s, myself as a gunner. This was because on some exercises, such as those in Canada, we were issued Warriors, and had we gone to war, we would also have got them.
In 1999, I moved to Somme (Support) Coy HQ and also did the Warrior Drivers course, and on occasion drove the Company Commanders vehicle. Then in 2001, when my Battalion had completed its 6 years in the Armed Inf role and moved to Cyprus, I stayed in Catterick attached to the incoming Battalion, 1 Kings. It was normal for new Battalions converting into the role to have experience AFV crews to assist with the transition. I was assigned to A Coy HQ as the Coy 2i/c’s (Second in Command) Warrior driver, a job I did for the next 6 years. While at first I spent a lot of time helping to train the new crews, my main day job was as part of a 4 man team which ran the Coy vehicle garage. This involved ordering spares and parts, arrange servicing and repairs, assisting the REME section and looking after the 4 Coy HQ vehicles, 2 FV 432’s and 2 FV 511 Warriors. While the rifle platoons would often come down once or twice a week to work on their vehicles, often with up to 10 people on each vehicle, we were solely responsible for our own wagons as the rest of our crew’s were SNCO’s and Officers. The 4 of us helped each other for bigger jobs such as track changes, engine maint and so on, but most of the time we just worked on our own vehicles. And while there were 12 FV 510’s Warriors in the Coy, there are only 2 FV 511 command vehicles, so it was vital that both vehicles were ready when needed.
For that 6 years, I spent almost every working day in, on or around my Warrior, Call Sign 0C (Zero Charlie). I took her to Iraq twice, Op Telic 2 in the summer of 03 and Telic 9, winter 06/07. We probably spent anotehr year on Salisbury Plain on various exercises. I use the term My warrior because that's what she felt like, she was my pride and joy. After an exercise, I would strip every thing out I could, seat, floor plates and so on, to give her a proper clean. If any part was slightly damaged, or I wasn’t happy with it, I just ordered a new one.
At the end of Telic 9, our entire fleet was left in Iraq and handed over to the incoming battalion. Our 6 year term had come to an end and the battalion was converting into another role. And so ended my 12 years in the Armed Inf role. The last time I saw my Warrior was on the vehicle park at Basra airport, with all the extra armour and ECM kit that was fitted to the vehicles at the time. But that’s not how I remember her. To me she looked best without all the extra bits. On the 1st July 2006, my own Regt, the KORBR, along with the one I was attached to, the Kings and a 3rd, the Queens Lancashire Regt, were merged to form the Duke of Lancaster's Regt., the Kings becoming the 2nd Battalion. At the time we were on pre deployment training on Salisbury plain preparing to deploy to Iraq in Nov. And that's how I have built her, the last time I drove her before she had all the extra armour fitted and was shipped out to the desert.
Before the model, i wanted to post a few other photo's. This first was taken in the Police station in Majar al-Kabir, Iraq, in August 2003 while on Op Telic 2. We had started the deployment in Basra based at an old iron works before moving to Majar al-Kabir Police station, the site of the killing of 6 RMP back in June, about 7 weeks into the tour. The front vehicle, 0B (Zero Bravo) was driven by one of my mates who i worked along side in the vehicle garages. This is the vehicle of the Company Commnder. My vehicle, 0C (Zero Chalie) is in the main vehicle park around to the left on the photo. The vehicle behind, 120, belong to the unit we were replacing. This had been involved in the invasion of Iraq so had been in the region for months and had driven up through the desert. You can see the differance in the condition of the 120 compared to 0B which had mostly been static on our base as we mostly patrolled in landrovers.
And these pictures were taken by my god self 3 and a half years later on Op Telic 9. These were taken from my favorite place to be, my drivers seat, while on a patrol heading into Basra. You can see how differant the warriors look with bar armour and all the extra kit we carried compared to Telic 2. Telic 9 felt like being in a differant country. The first time in Iraq we usually patrolled in Land Rovers, often just 2 at a time. On Telic 9, we would go out with the full Battle Group. 2 Warrior Coy's, a light Coy in armoured Land Rovers and often with a Sq of Challenger 2 tanks and air support of call.
And now, after all that, the model. I finished it off by adding the tracks, i had to add another 3 links to each side, some sand bags made from tissue in front of the head lights, and after a flat coat a good dusting with pigments.
In the KORBR our Company's were named after battle honours. As i mentioned abouve, Support Company that i had been in was named Somme. Our first rifle Coy was Arnhem, and out Regt flash, worn on the right shoulder, was a yellow glider on a green background. This was because one of our antecedent Battalions, 1st Border, had been glider Inf in WW2 landing at Sicily and Arnhem. When the Duke of Lancasters was formed, the tradition of naming Coy’s was carried on, with A Coy 1 Kings becoming Arnhem Coy 2 Lancs. We also carried over the glider flash, this time with a purple border. I have used one of my flashes taken from a jacket and added it to the base.
And one final pic. As i mentioned above, when i was in the Anti Tank Platoon, we were equipped with FV 432's. While i could not drive those at the time, that came in 2001 so i could assist with out Coy HQ vehicles, i did spend a lot of time working on them. last year i built the Takom kit as one of our vehicles. So here, side by side, are the 2 armoured vehicles that i was trained to drive, along with respective weapon systems i once used. The MILAN wire guided anti tank missile, and the warrior turret armed with a 30mm Rarden cannon and Co-Axe 7.62. chain gun. And my respective head dress.
Sorry for the long read, but i am just so pleased to have shared this i wanted to explain my reasons.
I have just made a start on my Civil War bust so loking forward to painting that.