Description
Object description
Amateur film shot by Major Ian Fowler records A Battery (The Chestnut Troop) Royal Horse Artillery (the senior Battery in the Royal Regiment of Artillery) on exercises in Cyprus.
Content description
Soldiers on a firing range with rifles; instructor gives one-on-one training. Afterwards, targets are inspected close up. Aerial views of base area in Cyprus (Akrotiri?) and coast. Back on the ground, drill and inspection are shown, followed by further range training; soldiers, wearing soft hats, stand in small concrete "foxholes" and fire their rifles. Other scenes on the ranges are shown.
Content description
"Troodos Leave and Training Centre Reception". Casually dressed servicemen at the training centre with their bags; they chase a live chicken in preparation for an al fresco meal. Sports: tennis, volleyball, soccer. Scene on mountain road up to Troodos, where soldiers inspect the burnt-out remains of a civilian coach hired to transport them.. Close-ups of the interior of the wrecked vehicle (which caught fire for mechanical reasons).
Content description
Views across the tree-lined mountains to the valleys beyond. Speeded-up cab's eye view from moving vehicle on woodland roads. Arms drill at tented camp. Views over the sea; camera pans to reveal armed soldiers guarding a half demolished coastal building, probably during a Fighting In Built-Up Areas (FIBUA) exercise. One soldier uses his field radio, another poses for the camera.
Content description
Sign for the Cheshire Regiment made of stones (image has been flipped). Views of tented camp and (Cheshires?) on inspection drill.
Content description
Off-duty troops enjoy wind surfing on beach; their attempts are not all successful!
Content description
"1ST REGIMENT RHA CREW COMMANDERS COURSE". A small group of Royal Horse Artillery officers in red T-shirts (including a black NCO) undertake rigorous training, lowering themselves on ropes down rocks to a beach below. Back at camp, the group take part in a team exercise, before further physical exercises on a clifftop (stretching rope between trees and making their way across using legs and hands). Off duty at night; the soldiers run around a bonfire on the beach in various states of undress. Daytime: in a large tent, soldiers sit at folding tables and take a written test. At an airfield, three of them prepare for a parachute drop (manifest board notes the date as 23.9.78). The three get into a light aircraft which takes off. Drops are seen; one such drop is then printed in reverse (making the parachutist appear to "take off").
Content description
"SUB-AQUA CLUB". Off duty personnel snorkelling (travelling out to a platform in the bay) and scuba diving. Helicopter shots over southern Cyprus show the coast, beaches and inland area (including small airstrip).
Content description
Beach games: sunbather, swimmers, kayaking contest (results are chalked onto a blackboard an the beach). Some of the swimming/kayaking shots are speeded up/slowed down for effect.
Content description
Soldiers on exercise in scrubby landscape; this is a continuation of the Crew Commanders' Course seen above – the small group of participants are in red T-shirts. Furniture is carried in large tented camp. The group carry out further exercises, setting up radio and taking notes. Sunset over the sea; in the foreground, the soldiers prepare for the night's bivouac.
Content description
Day: a group of soldiers scramble down to the beach, stand on an upturned boat and throw one of their number (in swimming trunks) into the sea. Back at camp, soldiers pack kitbags and radios and line up for kit inspection before setting off on a march along nearby roads. They pass an advertising sign saying "Welcome to the Flamingo Gift Shop". They return to base, two clearly-exhausted men carrying a radio between them. Shooting exercises: soldiers run onto shooting range and lie prone, firing at distant targets. Guns and ammunition bags are checked afterwards.
Content description
Miscellaneous final scenes: soldiers getting into a landing craft, aerial views of ruined buildings and landscape with trees where troops are carrying out various manoeuvres. Man watches sunset.
Physical description
16mm