Evergreen memories

In response to Jackie Baynes’s letter regarding Green Goddesses on February 18, I served in the Royal Artillery in the 1970/80s and we were deployed to the north east in the midst of the national fireman’s strike in 1977.

After one morning’s fire training at Whale Island we were secretly driven by army transport to a TA drill hall in the centre of Wigan.

This was our accommodation for the next two months. There our battery received six of these fantastic old Green Goddesses. We covered the 24/7 shifts and had plenty of call out at all times of day and night.

Outside the hall were proper regular fireman union members with protest banners but they never hindered us or got in our way.

On one occasion when we were

As we zoomed out of our building... the shutter went up and all the kit fell out in front of the laughing fireman JOHN ELVIN

called out we forgot to lock a shutter on the side of the appliance which was full of hoses and kit. As we zoomed out of our building and sped right the shutter went up and all the kit fell out in front of the laughing fireman and passers by.

They helped us safely reload and off we went to the awaiting emergency. It was like a scene from a Carry On film.

On a more serious time we were called out late at night to a fire at the hospital. To our amazement and

appreciation we were joined by striking fireman who were alerted and they thankfully took over in an exemplary manner.

During our deployment in Wigan we were given free entry to cinemas, museum, rides in taxis, etc, and were brought food in cafes and drinks in pubs by the very hospitable residents of Wigan.

Great days and memories of my times up north as a Green Goddess artilleryman.

John Elvin Guildford Close, Southbourne