大象传媒

As an eleven year old living in Pulrose, Douglas, Isle of man during the war. I can remember OCTU 166 (Officer Cadet Trainer Unit) using the sand pit and golf course rough ground in Pulrose for field training. Using blank ammunition for training they would loose some unfired rounds. We used to collect these unfired rounds and used a nail to prize open the crimped end of the cartridges. This resulted in the removal of the explosive contents of the cartridge. We used to make a trail of the content, set fire to one end, and watch the fizz as the content burned.

We also used to collect the unignited parachute flares (complete with parachute) which were washed up on numerous beaches in teh Keristal and Port Soderick area. The flares were used to illuminate the target area used for nighttime bombing exercises in Port Soderick Bay by the Fleet Air Arm, Barracudda type aircraft from Ronalsway. We dismantled the flares in the same way as with the cartridges and again set fire to the contents.

At the landward end of Victoria Pier there was a sea water storage tank for fire fighting. This tank was used by the OCTU for training fully clothed and kitted (pack and rifle) Officer Cadets for swimming in full kit. This was training for amphibious landings.

The Octu also used Bren Gun Carriers (small tracked vehicles) and they trained in them in the Old Corporation sandpit at Pulrose.

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