The last Royal Navy field gun run at Earls Court in 1999 saw the end of an era.

                                                                            Or so some thought……

In 2001 the ‘field gun run’ was resurrected by a crew and staff comprising ex-field gunners and civilians who wanted to prove a civilian field gun crew had the ability to perform competitive field gun runs using the same drill, the same equipment, and over the same course as their Royal Naval former gunners did for a hundred years.

The present field gun crew and staff of Portsmouth action Field Gun 2001 were committed to achieving the aim of competitive field gun runs by 2005, which was achieved at The International Festival of the Sea in Portsmouth in June of 2005.  Six full competitive field gun runs were completed with a fastest time recorded of 3 minutes and 33 seconds.

Last year, 2010 saw the gun crew at Mill Rythe Holiday Centre on Hayling Island, which served the purpose of re-starting the target for 2 running crews by the end of 2011, to coincide with the re-introduction of the British Military Tournament at Earls Court.  The Tournament is again confirmed for December 2011 and Portsmouth Action Field Gun will be ready to assist in any way the show Directors, IMG and the Army Benevolent Fund wish.  Arena riggers, lynch-in and lynch-out duties have been offered as was the case in December 2010, plus the option for a competitive appearance by our Portsmouth ‘A’ crew, now that a contractual agreement for five years has been reached with the Portsmouth College, Tangier Road, Portsmouth – our new home as of January 2011.

 

Field gun is hard work and is also still the toughest team event in the world.  It takes dedication, discipline and commitment to complete a field gun season, but the rewards we can assure you, as far as personal achievement is concerned, are phenomenal.

Once again action field gun is being run in its purest form.  A wonderful spectacle to behold.

For those that remember those immortal words….

BURNING..…..2….…..3………4………..5……...STANDBY!

Comprised mainly of civilians, ex-military personnel, ex-Royal Navy and Command field gunners.

 

The Portsmouth Action Field Gun crews are trained under the watchful supervision of the Royal Navy’s ex-command trainer Peter Scott.

 

Other members of staff include:

                                                       

Track Manager:                           George Carr

 

Ordnance Artificer:                       John Caffrey

 

Buffer:                                           Peter Rowledge                                                                        

Rigger:                                          Roy Dennis

 

‘Doc’:                                            Beverley Mumford

 

Website:                                        Nicolene Dixon

 

Secretary:                                     Dorothy Scott

 

Treasurer:                                     Karen Hoyland