Book Recommendation

SALADIN RESTORATION FALCON SQUADRON RTR

Trooper Porter

Above: The author at work. R and below: The restored Saladin.

In early November 2020, I received the honourable task of restoring the FV601 Saladin VRN 07 BB 52 Armoured car gate guard. This was presented to A Squadron, 1st Royal Tank Regiment in 2014.

Consistently exposed to the unpredictable elements of the British weather it had become a shell of its former glory. Over a period of nine months and the COVID-19 restrictions, it became an out-of-hours project for me, with the help from a few members of FALCON Squadron (C-CBRN). Through the power of social media, I managed to track down some of the vehicle’s history, primarily that it has seen operational service in Egypt in 1969. We would welcome anyone with information on this particular vehicle and its former crews to get in touch, as we were unable to find this out. This information will really make the project special. The first of my tasks was moving the Saladin out of the elements into a hangar to allow the restoration to proceed in the warm and dry. And with the help of FALCON’s hardworking REME Fitter Section, this was made possible. Armed with nothing more than a jet washer, grit paper and a few mugs of tea, I set to work cleaning and stripping the Saladin ready for painting. Once preparations were made, and the correct paints obtained, the laborious task of painting the vehicle could commence. Once progress was underway, I was introduced to Steve Cleator of ‘Gate Guard Restorations’, a volunteer group who give up their time to help restore the Gate Guard vehicles at various military establishments. Access to their guidance, support and spraying equipment saved a considerable amount of time and has ensured the finished product looks extremely professional. Further thanks must be given to Battle Group Raydon, a military vehicle restoration group who offered support to the project. As a result of the work, our beloved Saladin Gate Guard can sit proudly at Harman Lines for many years to come. Plans are now underway for the restoration project on the Centurion (45 BA 23) of 1st Royal Tank Regiment that currently stands guard at Harman Lines, Warminster, where FALCON Squadron (C-CBRN) are based.