THE COVENANTER
supply truck but I got a B plus pass at the involved an alarm clock from which the
end of it and I did learn how to check for face was removed and replaced with a card
worn wheel and propshaft bearing marked with various coloured quadrants and
although he tried to explain how this was
The MT section (all two of us at this time) going to work I just couldn’t get it. When
managed to bring another trophy to the he produced this enormous brass clock with
Depot when Scottish Command decided the strange face he had converted and a bell
to start an annual vehicle rally type that would waken the dead I thought it
competition. It was to be a day long thing was a great joke. It got even funnier when
with teams entered being made up of three he said he thought it would probably be
people;one of whom had to have less than seen as an unfair advantage over the other
two years service. It didn’t look as though competitors and we had to keep it hidden
we could form a team but Capt David Craig therefore we had to have twice as many
was at the depot at the time and he was dead maps as needed sitting on the seat between
keen to get involved so the team entered us to cover it. Trouble was the thing had the
was to be He and I with Gary in the back loudest tick ever and anyone standing by
to make up the one with less than two years the truck would thought we were sitting on
service. The rules of the competition said a time bomb.
that it was to be a test of driving skills and
map reading and there would be a special I dont remember if this thing was only a
“against the time” test to be carried out at Lowland Brigade do but when we got to the
the mid day break location. start point up at the St Margarets Drive area in
We tried to figure out what the special test Glasgow I was surprised at the large number
might be and could only think that it was of teams taking part and we felt rather
probably a fast wheel change. If we had smug when after we got our competitor
guessed right we had an advantage because number and were placed in the start line
that was something we used to do to pass an official came round and checked all our
the time on boring days when there was documents, tools and the odd tyre pressure
nothing else to do,Bill Brown and I could do and condition of wiper blades etc but not so
it in a very quick time but he was gone by clever when before the off we were handed
now and Gary was a bit clumsy and not the a large test paper containing about thirty
sharpest knife in the drawer but he could questions on the Highway Code. I had done
be relied on to get out of the back of the my driver training in Germany and to be
truck with the jack quickly. Capt Craig (or honest my knowledge of the Code was little
WeeDavie as we called him when he was out more than I needed to know so some of the
of earshot) had a few runthroughs and soon more obscure rules like what hours the use
I was confident that it would be one hell of of a horn was not allowed and suchlike were
a team who could better our time. a bit beyond me but Gary and Wee Davie
came up with most of the answers and we
Just to make sure we had an edge I mounted guessed a few more.
the spare wheel on the bonnet where it was
quickest to get at and tightened the holding We were sent off at five minute intervals
bolt just enough to secure the wheel but so with Captain Craig driving and myself
that it could be loosened by hand, the jack doing the navigation bit (Well we all know
was greased,set to the height that would what officers are like with maps) The magic
make it ready to lift as soon as it was placed clock was set up and we headed off in the
under the truck and the wheelbrace stowed general direction of Ayrshire with two
where I could put my hand on it as I got Grid references which had to be passed
out of the truck. Then I made sure all the and a third where our card would be time
documents and tools were correct and did stamped and another set of Grids given for
all the things we thought they might check the next leg. According to your start time
like tyre pressures and so on. Anyone would and average speed given for any part of the
have thought we were going to the Monte route it was required that you should reach
Carlo Rally. the checkpoints at an exact time (although
Then Wee Davie came up with what seemed you were not told what that time was)
like a pretty crackpot idea, he had read an and penalty points were added for each
article in a rally enthusiast magazine about minute early or late. Getting lost or missing
a way to ensure driving at average speed and any of the intermediate checks to make
not losing or gaining time over distance. It up time was not an option as that could
37
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109