Spean Bridge

[porty3]

Has anyone got any info of Spean Bridge. Anyone that has served at Condor and had to go up there to pay respect to the fallen on Rememberance day will know what I mean. I for one have been up there but never fully understood what went on there. any info from you guys.

[Sticky Blue]

I think the siting of Spean Bridge was because of its closeness to Achnacarry, where the origional commando training took place. I have done the remembrance cermony there (as the bugler) and a group from 45 were present. The dits the old boys told about the training there would make your hair curl... live mortar rounds lobbed at them as they crossed a rope bridge 30 feet above one of the Lochs! Owdun may well know some of these guys who trained there... I'm not sure if he did!

[El Prez]

Owdun may not have trained there, but he certainly played snooker there.
Spean Bridge is one of those few memorials, such as Churchill's statue near parliament, that makes me stop and contemplate how great these men were in body and spirit. The other one of course is the Yomper at Eastney, I do feel that should have been placed at CTC, such an inspirational piece of work.

[owdun]

Thanks for the maily,Sticks.I was a bit too young for Achnacarry,Towyn was the place when I joined,but that had closed by the time we had finished at Deal and ITCRM,so Bickleigh it was for us,no live mortar rounds allowed.!!!!!


Aye Owdun.

[Dolly Gray]

I agree El Prezs statement in the placing of the Yomper.

Its nice to think that it is in the publics eye at the entrance to the Museum, but you must look at the numbers who actually see it and to whom it means or would mean something special. I would have thought Guz on the Hoe might have been a better choice.

I often wonder how many bootneck’s knew where the Gratten Memorial was before the Gratten Parades started a few years back, Now there’s a statue that is in the wrong place.

As for the memorial at Spean Bridge I have always seen it as our official statue, irrespective of the fact that it commemorates all the Commando’s, from any cap badges who were at Achnacarry.

It is a special place for all of us and it is an easy place to stand and think, not only of the guys who hacked it during the war but of others who we knew ourselves and who are no longer with us. I was surprised to find out the numbers of guys who choose to have their ashes scattered in the area when their time comes, at least you would be in good company on that patch!

Another plus is that you always meet up with a kindred sprit in the bar of the Spean Bridge Hotel and who seems only to happy to sit up until the wee small hours swapping dits.


D

[ratso]

Sorry El Prez but I think it is great to see the Yomper looking out over the sea where 29,000 guys sailed from

It is great to see a statue at CTC

which now bears some form related to the Corps. Wonder what they did with the two bloody arms the had there before.
I remember when they flew the guy who made the arms from Canada to clean them and he took out some brasso and a tooth brush the RSM went ballistic.......

It's nice to know that we have something to see all around the country to help remind us of such a great Corps and the great people who have made it so.

[Guest]

Hear Hear Ratso, yes those two arms!! where did they go?

[El Prez]

True enough chaps, I'd completely forgotten about the statue at CTC, and the symbology with the Yomper looking across the sound. I'd also completely forgotten those bloody arms, now I'm knackered and will probably have bad dreams again.

[veloman]

"Botharms" now sits(can two arms sit???)inside the main gate at R.M. Poole.
Evidently, the Sculptor,to give him an inflated position in life,was the son of a friend of a friend of a serving R.M.Officer.I was present at the unvailing and it was given no respect at all.Silence can say more than words.However, it still exists and is probably working its way closer to the oggin which will probably be its final resting place.(Have you ever tried getting rid of unwanted Corps property?)

Aye Veloman

[Sea Soldier]

re Veloman's reference to unwanted Corps property ... perhaps a new "Tradition" should be instituted,whereby .. when the outgoing C.O. of RM Poole is pulled/carried around Camp by the Officers & SNCO's (do they still do that ?) ... "Charlie Oscar" should be carrying the "Arms" ... I reckon they'd vanish PDQ !

[Rotary Booty]

I hadn't heard about, or seen, 'the two arms'.

Has anyone got a photo of them so that I can join the 'silent tribute'?

[Mike]

I go along with Rotary, Whats the story coz it aint got to my end of north wales...yet
Somebody please tell.
Aye

[Dolly Gray]

I remember the arms - never struck me as anything but ugly, a couple of chunks of black metal . But the question is where are they now? they are not exactly the sort of thing anyone would want to prof or even admit to proffing, maybe someones got them in their loft

There is a tale however of a cetain SNCO (PW) who knew a very adverturous lady and between them after a long discussion in the mess relating to the shape of the aforesaid sculpture they worked out that with the aid of a chair they could go for gold in the wee small hours after a mess PU. did they! I never found out but he ruined his mess jacket, maybe it was the Brasso.

D

[harry hackedoff]

For those lucky enough not to have seen this “sculpture” it was two arms with fists clenched. Imagine carrying two pint pots. The piece was definately an enigma, and it’s location just outside Puzzle Palace was a bit of a clue. Certainly a puzzle to me.
I liked to imagine what the rest of the statue was doing, rather like the missing arms from the Venus de Milo, but in reverse. Here, we have the arms but no body. Perhaps it was a statue to the unknown dumper, trying to curl one down after nine days on Menu A? Suggestions on a piece of Pussers shiny to the usual address
Aye,

[Mike]

Well put Harry, I now have the whole scene in my minds eye....But pray to what or to whom was it dedicated!...