BS: Cannon racing

Subject: BS: Cannon racing
From: Chip2447
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 03:23 PM

Howdy folks, I'm hoping that someone can help me out here. Years ago I saw on TV, "The Wild world of Sports" maybe? a competion between two teams, each team consisting of seeral lunatics, a wheeled cannon, and a cassion. The object of this race was to get your gun and ammo through/across/over and around an obstacle course and be the first to fire a round at the end of the race. I've seen it 3 or 4 different times and found it an intersting "sport" to watch. What is this actually called, does any one still do this, and is it still broadcast at all? I got the impression then that this was a right side of the pond thing.

Thanx in Advance, Chip

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 03:30 PM

I've seen it done at Military Tattoos where they dismantle a field gun carry the bits over a wall, re-assemble it on the other side and fire it. It's a competition between two teams of artillerymen.
G.

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Micca
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 03:38 PM

It is the Royal Navy shore stations that take part in the "Field gun Run" as it is known and the event commemorates the participation of a Royal Navy Unit in the Boer war
more info here Field Gun Run

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: GUEST,Chip2447
Date: 22 Sep 06 - 09:34 PM

Thanks Micca,
    15 minutes, not too shabby. I couldn't for the life of me remember what it was called, I've tried cannon racing, cannon obstacle course and a host of others. It never occurred to me to use field gun.
    You Mudcatters are an odd lot. Wait, 've been here 7 years, makes me a Catter as well. So, let me rephrase that, Mudcat is a wonderfully diverse place ripe with all sorts of trivial knowledge. HAHAHA.

Thanx again.
Chip

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Sep 06 - 06:50 AM

The Field Gun Run used to be one of the High Spots of The Royal Tournament in Earls Court - Scene of my first ever paid gig FAR too long ago !!

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: The Walrus
Date: 23 Sep 06 - 12:09 PM

It may seem a light hearted race, but by all accounts the Field Gun Run was fiercely competetive and keenly followed by the Navy afloat and ashore.

W

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 23 Sep 06 - 06:36 PM

Chip2447 -

place ripe with all sorts of trivial knowledge(?)

It's not trivial if it's something you want to know. Obscure(?) perhaps?

Isn't one of mudcat's purposes the preservation of things that might be forgotten if people quit talking about (and singing) them?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Chip2447
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 12:45 AM

John, point taken. Obscure rather than trivial.

Missouri Chip2447 (grumbling tongue in cheek about them dayum Jayhawkers.)

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 05:10 AM

G'day John(iK),

Well, it is "trivial" - but not in the simplified sense to which we have degraded the word, which originally belonged to the news and information gleaned at road junctions (frequently the location of markets or inns) - "tri via" - 'three roads'.

What do we need to call the collective resource and wisdom of the Mudcat meeting of many ways? ... 'megavial'?

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Bonecruncher
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 08:22 PM

If you come across a large, fit and strong sailor or ex-sailor with a missing finger you can be fairly sure that he had been part of a Field-Gun team.
Colyn.

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 24 Sep 06 - 10:00 PM

Still done here in Halifax Nova Scotia usually during the Tattoo

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: Bunnahabhain
Date: 25 Sep 06 - 09:08 AM

I'd like to propose a New UK route for the gun race, with a few minor changes.

It would start
Here
, and run down to
here . The length of the run would be increased to about a mile, and the main barriers would be crowds of tourists. The other main change is that the teams would be required to carry live rounds, and the winner is the one who inflicts the most damage on the target. The dilemma becomes how much ammo to carry, as a trade off against speed...

Subject: RE: BS: Cannon racing
From: GUEST,The black belt caterpillar wrestler
Date: 26 Sep 06 - 07:49 AM

Simple!
Take two teams with a 4 wheeled cannon each (as shown in old pirate films). Place the cannon side by side on a 100m athletics track facing away from the finish line and supply the crews with a large amount of gunpowder, shot etc. At the starting pistol, the crews load the cannon and fire it repeatedly until the first cannon wins by being carried over the finishing line by the reaction to firing the cannon balls.