The Toughest Team Sport in the World
The inside story of the the Royal Navy Field Gun Competition, the toughest sport in the world. The annual Royal Navy Field Gun competition was held for the last time at the Royal Tournament in 1999 and will never be run again by the Royal Navy.
The competition was staged to commemorate a daring navy action in 1899 during the Boer war when field guns were hauled overland in record-breaking time to assist in the relief of Ladysmith.
The statistics are daunting: it took a field gunner a full year to prepare for the run - and that included five months reaching peak physical fitness before training could even begin. each gun barrel weighed four hundred kilos - the same as a family car; each wheel 55 kilos, each carriage two hundred kilos - and these all had to be manoeuvred over a daunting assault course at lightning speed. Easy it wasn't, dangerous it most certainly was...
In the late 1970s, the BBC were given permission by the royal navy to follow the progress of A and B field gun teams from HMS Excellent in Portsmouth. This unique film follows the teams from the initial selection through a truly gruelling fitness programme to training with the guns and finally their performance at the Royal Tournament. It's an extraordinary inside account, capturing all the dedication, pain, sweat, tears and blood demanded of teams put through the ultimate physical challenge for the pride and glory of the service...
Run time 57 minutes approx.
Price - only £14.99 per DVD including worldwide postage and packaging
New for 2008 we have the Classic Pique Polo Shirt with the
'Portsmouth Action Field Gun 2001' embroidered badge.
Colour - Navy Blue
Sizes - Medium to Extra Large
220GSM
50% cotton 50% polyester
Reactive dyed
Knitted Collar, Taped Neck, Hemmed Sleeves and Bottom
3 Button Placket
All shirts are folded around a cardboard backing and presented in a sealed bag.
The picture doesn't do justice to the quality of this polo shirt and
the embroidered badge.
View Badge
Price - only £15.99 per shirt including worldwide postage and packaging
Black
Field Gun Beanie Hat with Portsmouth Field Gun Crew Logo
Price - only £6.99 per hat including worldwide postage and packaging
New for 2008 we have the Classic Pique Polo Shirt with the
'Portsmouth Action Field Gun 2001' embroidered badge.
Colour - White
Sizes - Medium to Extra Large
220GSM
50% cotton 50% polyester
Reactive dyed
Knitted Collar, Taped Neck, Hemmed Sleeves and Bottom
3 Button Placket
All shirts are folded around a cardboard backing and presented in a sealed bag.
The picture doesn't do justice to the quality of this polo shirt and
the embroidered badge.
Price - only £15.99 per shirt including worldwide
postage and packaging
View Badge
Field
Gun Textile Belt with Portsmouth Field Gun logo on clasp
Fits up to 40" waist.
Clasp is pull lock device (not buckle type)
Price - only £9.99 per belt including worldwide postage and packaging
Field
Gun Wall Plaque of Portsmouth Field Gun Crew Logo
Price - only £15.99 per plaque including worldwide postage and packaging
