.Hi I was in a sub 42 18 Québec regiment under Sgt Newman and also Douge Massey as the driver and gun layer.. Spent some time in Devizes.. Germany . Ireland.
Was there on the day when the gun exploded.......... as a sub we used to do the main firing on that day it was decided to let another gun sub carry out the first firing.... Unfortunately the guy using the ram to load the shell was quite new and did not fully engaged the shell causing it to explode....... after a long delay at looking at the reasons why it was decided the crew would not sit on the gun however as I was the gun layer for some reason I had to stay there whilst the Sgt extended the length of the lanyard to fire the gun..... Nervous times
have various photographs that might be of interest

Bryan, welcome aboard mate, no doubt others will welcome you soon. do you visit the 18 Bty face book page. I am on holiday at the moment so I may not get back on site for a week.

I letter received the following info from we’ll just call him (John REME) this is the story.
At the time of the M107 breach explosion, I was in charge of the Gun Shop, REME Wing, RSoA, Larkhill. The Americans were approached about the incident and they admitted they had had 40 similar breach explosions with the M107 but hadn't bothered to inform us Brits. The offered us a modification kit which they claimed gave an increased depth of ram. A Maj Page (Weapons Branch, REME, Woolwich) and I undertook the modification, but he being a 'Belt and Braces' man and always insisted on safety, devised the infamous 'depth of ram gauge' (I'm sure you will all remember it!). After successful trial firings at Larkhill, the modification kit was released and issued to two M107 units in BAOR.


So it wasn’t the fault of anyone of the gun grew.
If I’m not mistaken didn’t we used to call you Wally?

That accident happened 45 years ago on the 14/2/72.

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Hi Bryan, can't remember you during my time as a TSM in 18 Bty (old age?) in Lippstadt. Don't know if you're the Hammond in this photo?

Click image to enlarge:

Yes indeed I do remember the length of Rod with a T-shaped end used to check if the shell had been fully rammed home......... also the many Adaptations by the sergeant firing the gun so that they stood further away and to one side........... also the removal of the gun crew when firing apart from... Me
presumably just in case there was a change of bearing.... I remember it was decided to use the largest charge on the first firing to get over everybody's nerves..... That was fine when they were stood some distance away
being the only one left sat on the gun .... Was slightly more worrying at first....... although I guess this was probably just an individual choice made by our gun sub. And not on order from above

You could well be right about the change over date for 68 Bty Jim, it was a long time ago . Bryan, if it was a personal choice by your gun sub (which I doubt), does it not tell you something