It Wasn't Like That in My Day! Is It Time For The Land Rover to Go?

With attention focussed on the use of Snatch Land Rovers in Afghanistan, and with one eye on Friday’s Veterans’ Day celebrations, our resident vet Chuck Unsworth looks back at the vehicle that was the mainstay of the army during the Cold War.

For many years and in quite a few countries, both during and after my military service, I’ve travelled about in Land Rovers of various configurations.  They’re very unsophisticated, generally reliable and, whilst not soldier-proof, they are hardy beasts of burden.  They have been modified and maltreated in myriad ways.  Some of these modifications were successful, some not so.  I always preferred the long wheelbase – the 110 – to the slightly more agile 90.  These nomenclatures represent the length of the wheelbase in inches, of course, and rightly so, given its British origins.  Doubtless this anomaly is currently being examined by some committee or other in Brussels, determined to ensure ‘harmonisation’ on the way to a European Defence Force.

These days the Land Rover is looking pretty old-fashioned and agricultural when compared to American and Far Eastern equivalents, and in terms of performance it is certainly slipping down the league table.  Nonetheless it’s a decent no-nonsense all-purpose transport, even though it first came to life in 1948.

In the UK and the Far East ours were simply painted a dark green, sometimes called Jungle Green.  Those in the Middle East or the Mediterranean area were usually painted sandy beige.  I’ve also seen them painted in air force blue, navy blue, black, white, khaki, camouflage patterns of various sorts, and the special forces ‘desert pink’ of legend.

Our MT (Motor Transport) workshops engineers and the drivers would spend much time picking out details of their charges in fetching colours - pillar-box red for wheel nuts and differential housings, the occasional detail in yellow or white, even a rare splodge of silver, and so on.  Some trucks became tasteful mobile works of art, almost like gypsy caravans or narrow-boats, but such excess was generally frowned upon.

At the time of the Withdrawal from Aden part of the separation deal was for us to hand over our buildings, trucks, etc to the incoming Government.  So we had at least six different colours of military vehicle lined up on the quayside at Steamer Point ready for their attention.  In the interests of clarity as to ownership, and as a primitive form of ‘customisation’ we had hand-painted a large bright red letter X on each and every panel of the vehicles. These included Land Rovers, Bedford RL three ton trucks, AEC ten-tonners, Standard Vanguard staff cars and so on.  Quite coincidentally this colour scheme would aid us in the process of target identification should hostilities be resumed after the handover, and before we finally disappeared over the horizon.  In the meantime we continued to patrol the dusty streets and hot sandy areas in our conspicuous jungle green – yet another fine example of ‘forward planning’ from Whitehall.

In Singapore and Malaysia I had already witnessed the huge inroads that the Japanese were making into road transport.  The motor cycle market had been conquered.  Now smart Datsuns and Toyotas with lots of toys like air-con, stereo and tinted windows were rapidly replacing the aged black and yellow Austin taxis.  Large Mercedes diesel taxis hummed along the East and West Coast Highways.  Isuzu trucks and buses roared up and down the dust roads of Thailand and Laos.  In Australia the American influence was still manifest, but even there, the Japanese and the Koreans were making their presence felt.  The indigenous populations now had a choice of buying cheaper, better equipped and more reliable, locally built vehicles, or buying the ill-suited and geriatric offerings of British Leyland.  It was no contest.

Even so, in various guises the Land Rover continues to be employed and modified by the Army.  Many are even now being driven around the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan as weapons and communications platforms.  It has its uses.  What it does not do is replace the Armoured Personnel Carrier.  These are sometimes tracked, sometimes wheeled, vehicles designed to take severe punishment from small arms, some heavier calibre weapons, and mines.  APCs can be uncomfortable but at least they provide enhanced protection when moving people about in hostile territories.  Many modern APCs are well designed and very useful bits of kit.

I was astonished to note that the Land Rover, as modified for use during the troubles in Northern Ireland, is apparently widely deployed in Afghanistan.  So, what are the similarities in the two theatres?  I don’t underestimate the difficulties in Northern Ireland, but I do not recall very many instances of patrols coming under fire from Rocket Propelled Grenades, large-calibre machine-guns, Improvised Explosive Devices at the roadside, and so on.  Come to think of it, I’d hazard that the state of road repair in Northern Ireland must generally be better that that in Helmand.  It appears that such attacks are almost routine in Afghanistan.  That’s hardly surprising, given the availability of weaponry of all types.

Minister Browne has indicated that large numbers of APCs are to be purchased, however he has not indicated exactly when they are to be deployed, nor has he indicated exactly what is to happen in the interim.  But just why are we sending people out into situations of extreme danger in vehicles with a very basic sixty year-old design – albeit modified to withstand a little local civilian rioting?  Surely ‘Defence Procurement’ and the Minister can do infinitely better than this?  How long do they need?

Comments

[William29]

Affection for the old beast, yes there is. But Chuck is right. As an engineer myself I can see the need to get British made equipment, it is however, the economy of scale, we are not going to make hundreds and thousands of vehicles. No British company wants to tender for vehicles that the MoD will alter or modify the spec half way through the prototype build. I do not know if MEXE (experimental establishment) still exists, and yes I know we have been buying vehicles from abroad. Time to evaluate the best vehicles from whatever source. I can remember cringing when lined up alongside the Germans on the ranges, they were firing their 30mm cannon from their APCs, we had a bolt on turret firing the 7.62mm L37. On two occassions one in BAOR and one in BATUS we had breech explosions on that bloody awful L37. The gunner sitting on a suspended seat which ingeniously blocked the crew from the rear of the vehicle getting out of the APC without getting tangled up in the seat. The thing also had a cartridge catcher, which had a design feature that ensured the crew were treated to hot brass bouncing around the compartment. Honest, there are tears rolling down my cheeks and my ribs are aching, did I really command one of those - if I did it must have been for fun. I wonder now if Ivan knew what he was up against !

[G.A.MACKINLAY]

Mr Unsworth obviously served in a different withdrawal from Aden that I and many others saw in 1967. Being someone who came to Aden from "up country" in the June, and up to the November I can say that I never say a olive green military vehicle in either area, and several thousand photos since acquired do not show any. The only vehicles painted with red 'X' were those beyond economic repair, the local forces already had their own vehicles purchased with Colonial Office Funds. I have never ever heard of any problems with the L37, and I think the writer means the L94A1 7.62mm Chain Gun, which from his tale sounds like it. In regard to the Land Rover it is still the best 4x4 utility vehicle around, we bought new Defencers and Discoverys last year replacing 30 year old Series III on the station. My youngest son who completed his fifth opeational tour recently states that his Marines cannot fault the Land Rover both in its WMIK form and as a logistic vehicle, and the only replacement for it is another Land Rover!!!
Yours,
G/.

[Chuck Unsworth]

Mr Mackinlay. You son who 'has Marines' may know which regiments arrived from Singapore for the final weeks of the Aden Withdrawal, where they were based, and what their equipment was.

My memory, which clearly differs from yours, tells me that 42 Commando with its Sapper and Artillery support arrived by sea from Singapore aboard HMS Albion on October 11 1967 for the final days. All were kitted out in jungle green and all of their aircraft and vehicles were dark green. They were lifted from ship to shore by Wessex aircraft - again all painted khaki or jungle green. You may care to look here: http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Aden/rn.htm for further detail. It's not the only reference.

I do concede, however that 45 Commando which had been up country, and who finally pulled out on November 28, just before 42 Commando, wore Khaki Drill and their vehicles were of a similar colour. After landing, 42 Commando did not move up country but secured the area around Steamer Point, overlooking Crater and across the Penine Chain. The SBS sections stationed with me at Hospital Hill did occasionally make forays out into the hinterland, however, the colour of their kit notwithstanding. We were also visited from time to time by 'Them' in their pink vehicles.

Again I'd verify that red Xs were painted on the vehicles, in good order or not. Much material was handed over to the incoming government as part of the settlement. True, some items were not, and I can recall seeing a young soldier sitting on the end of the jetty with a hammer smashing various items - including some excellent G10 watches - and throwing them into the drink, together with smoke grenades after he had pulled the pins. (I had been sent to establish the origin of the smoke, which was drifting inland.) The notion of removing all of the equipment previously imported to South Yemen during a relatively hurried departure is incongruous. Our orders were to destroy or to maintain in good order, and that we certainly did. One of the only vehicles I saw transported back to Singapore from the very large pool available in Aden was a Ford Zephyr staff-car, which was lifted as an underslung load via Wessex to the flight deck of Albion. From there it disappeared on the aircraft lift into the hangar deck. Subsequently it reappeared in Singapore, gleaming and in a slightly different colour. It was used as a private car by a senior Naval Officer who shall be nameless.

Much of the Hospital, living quarters, and other buildings such as the school had been vandalised by departing troops. Some members of 42 Commando and their support arms were not best pleased to have to wield brooms and dustpans tidying up the mess prior to their departure. I and my people left on the 29th in a combination of Wessexes and Landing Craft.

My comments about Land Rovers acknowledged their usefulness in some areas - such as open country. But no one in their right minds would suggest that lightly protected Snatch Landrovers or WMIK are suitable for patrolling urban areas where there is a high probability of attack, particularly from close quarter IEDs, RPGs and heavy machine-guns. I put it to you that many areas of Afghanistan and Iraq are exactly that.

Your son is to be congratulated. I wish him and his collagues God Speed and Home Safe.

[Rod]

I don't for a minute think that NI offered the same 'intensity' as Afghanistan or Iraq but to say: "I don’t underestimate the difficulties in Northern Ireland, but I do not recall very many instances of patrols coming under fire from Rocket Propelled Grenades, large-calibre machine-guns, Improvised Explosive Devices at the roadside, and so on." is incredible. I'm sorry - your comment is simply crass - the RPG, multi-weapon shoot and culvert bomb were PIRA's stock in trade for 30 years and you, as an ex soldier, should know that. Personally I've come under fire from all three in West Belfast! In 1973 PIRA killed more soldiers in one year than we have lost in Afghanistan since 2001 - go figure as our US allies would say. Given the choice, the stats would say its better fighting Terry than Paddy. For now at least.

I take nothing away from our guys and girls in Afghanistan and Iraq (I've been there myself) but please, don't make comments at the expense of those who fought less publicised 'wars' that can be easily misconstrued by those who are less knowledgeable.

[Chuck Unsworth]

@ Rod

Your point is well made. And it is certainly true that such weapons were used from time to time. However, I think I might suggest that they were not deployed and discharged each and every time a patrol was mounted over the course of those thirty years - you may be able to correct my memory.

I'm not in the business of comparative reproductive organ measurement, but I think you might agree that those in sandy places seem(ed) to encounter such dangers virtually daily. But my real concern was - and remains - that even now, some years after the NI 'troubles', the Snatch is deployed routinely in circumstances where the majority of the populace is likely to be armed with some alarming and highly effective weaponry. With profound respect to you and your illustrious colleagues, I'd venture that - in that respect at least - NI was not quite the same, even at the height of the 'disturbances'. Perhaps one ought to look a casualty rates as a measure, rather than casualty totals.

Maybe we could agree though that the experiences and courage of people such as your good self certainly ought to have been translated into more effective (in all senses) transport and equipment. After all, MoD has had long enough to 'learn the lessons', since those times has it not?

As to 'knowledgeable' - ah well, which of us is all-seeing?

[ted Clark]

as an ex rct troop commander who got my knees brown in aden in the mid sixties, i recall leading convoys up the dhala "road" to habilayn and dhala. the threat from mines and being bounced was fairly real but even then our vehicles were sub standard, we did have some mine plated 3 ton bedfords known as bathtubs but the land rovers just had sandbags on the floor of the vehicle, you could of course sit on your tin hat to protect the next generation, but as your seat also doubled as a petrol tank you would be pretty much barbecued anyway if hit by an rpg, we brits sadly have always been a shoestring army. not for nothing are we known as "the borrowers" by many european and us forces.

[Chuck Unsworth]

@ Ted Clark

So, you'd possibly remember The Pig? My introduction to the realities of the relative cyclic rates of the GPMG and the LMG (Bren) involved 'Getting The Pig Out' to resupply the OPs after they'd had a few minutes of excitement with their GPMGs in Crater.

As I recall ours was the early armoured Humber 4WD vehicle - subsequent versions being used extensively in Northern Ireland.

On balance LMGs would probably have been as effective, the poor benighted driver of The Pig would not have had to negotiate the tight back streets and alleys, and we all might have got rather more sleep.

[ted Clark]

i can only hazily remember the pig, wether it was 60 sqn or 90 sqn who had it i dont recall, i do remember a story concerning its use after the riots. alledgedly it was sent to Besses cold stores where the bodies of a number of arab casulties were stored as the official morgue was full. the driver slapped his paperwork down on the counter and asked for three iced gollies! that was in the days when pc meant police constable