Bedford Boneshaker

The Bedford RL was based on the Bedford SCL, a civilian 7Ton truck. The military version had all-wheel drive and bigger wheels to increase ground clearance.

3 or 4 tons?

Originally conservatively rated at 3 tons, all RL GS (general service) trucks in British Military service were, at a late stage in their service lives, re-rated at 4 tons; the weight referring to its rated cross-country payload weight.

The last RL rolled off the production line in the early 1970s, a total of 74,000 being produced - the ubiquitous 4 Tonner! The RL was powered by a 4.9 litres petrol engine producing 110 bhp, although some were fitted with diesel engines.

Air defence

During service with the BAOR, the threat from the Warsaw Pact highlighted the vulnerability of soft-skinned, low-mobility, defenceless troop carrying vehicles. An enterprising REME soldier devised really quite a good GPMG weapon mount for the cupola found in the roof of the cab between the driver and front seat passenger. It was known as a ‘SCAT’ mount, standing for ‘Shouldn’t Cost a Tenner’. It worked well and provided some ground and air defence for the vehicle. However, once the experts got their hands on it – a Trials and Development Unit and the Ordnance Board, they made it unaffordable! Typical!

A Goddess

The 3Ton RL chassis was used to build the Green Goddess Fire Engines (!) used by 1 King's Own Border during the Fire Strike in 1977/8.

My Experiences

My first memory of the 3, or was it a 4Tonner in those days, was seeing one used to host a white screen whilst we watched the film ‘Get Carter’. We were on Battle Camp. It was my 21st birthday. I was exhausted. I managed one can of Tennents Lager, and fell into a deep sleep. Oh well! It is actually one of the few vehicles that I have never driven. I recall moving with my Rifle Platoon to Londonderry from Ballykinler by 4Tonner. The windows in the cab were covered in Makrolon, with 3, I think, small holds drilled through the plastic to provide air. My fears were that either I, or the driver, or both of us would fall asleep during the drive.

Of course, there were no communications between vehicles, or with the troops in the back, or with the HQ of the unit Tactical Area of Responsibility that you were transiting as this was long before the introduction of twin-frequency simplex radios like the Pye that provided Province-wide comms. We had to rely on Larkspur radios at platoon-level, the A41 with a working range of 3-5 kms – not much use if you were ambushed crossing the Glenshane Pass in County Londonderry.

The other issue that bothered me was where should I sit in a 4 Tonner: isolated in the cab with the driver but separated from the troops in the back? Or should I travel in the back? I never really resolved that issue, but trying to regain control following an ambush would be easier having travelled in the back.

Fond memories?

I am sure that we all remember the 4Tonner fondly. You usually needed someone’s help to climb aboard – two holes cut into either side of the tail-board and the rope to pull up on. I never liked jumping off the back of the vehicle. You could permanently damage your knees and/or ankles on landing when wearing webbing. If you fell out, there was sufficient height to allow you to get into the ‘free-fall stable position’ before embedding yourself in the concrete/mud/ruts below. Later on, it was felt that sitting with your back to the canvas side-wall was dangerous, and so the seats were installed along the centre-line of the vehicle.

Fond memories indeed.

Picture Aden 1967, © Edward Boyle, former KORBR

David Allardice