3 minute read
From the Museum
The Craftsman is very happy to introduce The REME Museum’s new regular segment which kicks off this month with an introduction to the team through their experience on BBC Radio Wiltshire’s “Beat the Boss”. The Museum will be providing monthly articles, pulling out some fascinating stories from the Corps’ history.
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The REME Museum was contacted by BBC Radio Wiltshire to see if we would take part in their weekly lunchtime quiz entitled ‘Beat the Boss’. The idea is that from Monday to Thursday the Boss takes part in a quiz against a different staff member each day. The format that the boss and staff member are asked a question each on three random subjects. I say random, but the third question was always on local Wiltshire knowledge.
Museum personnel taking part would get the chance to promote the Museum as each day the radio host would ask questions about each person’s job and the Museum. However, free publicity comes at a price as the loser has to complete a forfeit. The boss picks the forfeit for the staff if they lose and likewise the staff pick the forfeit for the boss if they win. Challenge accepted, the Museum Director as the ‘Boss’ was to face the Education Officer, the Curator, the Archives Assistant and the Front of House (FOH) Manager.
The quiz was broadcast live daily from 31 May to 3 June. The week did not start well for the Museum Director, getting only one question correct (the team would have ensured he suffered if he’d got it wrong, because a self-confessed rugby fan should be able to answer the question about the date of the first Calcutta match between England and Scotland). End of day one Boss 1 point Staff 2. Day two was again a low scoring event with both the Boss and Staff scoring 1 point each. Day three the same again. So with the last day looming the Staff were in the lead 4 points to 3. On day four the radio host made a point of highlighting that the Boss was consistent if nothing else, scoring only a point a day. However on the last day it was double points for each correct answer, so it was all to play for.
For once the questions went the way of the ‘Boss’. After two questions correct (with the Staff shouting “fix” as question 2 was another sporting question) and with the staff member that day failing to score on the first 2 questions, the Director had amassed 7 points and couldn’t be caught.
Time for the forfeit. The Director decided, seeing he had spent his entire adult life wearing military uniform, the Museum Staff’s forfeit would be wearing uniform from the handling collection. BBC Radio Wiltshire of course wanted photographic evidence of the forfeit being completed.
For the eagled eyed, Claire is wearing RAF Uniform… This is because her husband (Chris) is ex RAF and now works at MOD Lyneham. Also there is one additional staff member in the photograph who was not part of the quiz. The Museum is delighted to welcome Lucy Brown who only joined the Museum the week the photograph was being taken, but was eager to join in. She’s already made a great first impression, and so will now have to wear the uniform again for the Wartime Britain event on Saturday 18 September.
