"Short Term Deployment Position, Mount Igman, Bosnia"

by David Rowlands

Image Size: 58 x 38 cm

1995: Three 105mm Light Guns are coming into action on the roadside. Towed by an AFV 432, the far gun has arrived first and is almost ready to fire. The middle gun arrived next, and the nearest gun last. Red pennants mark the position where each gun is to take up its position. Due to the hard road surface, they were simply laid on the ground.

The towing vehicle could be either an AFV 432 or a Steyr (seen with the middle gun). They can be parked near the gun, and the driver could well be in his seat (as shown). Not all the men of the detachment are needed in order to bring the gun into action. The 432’s engine could be running, and smoke is blowing upward from the exhaust pipe. (It takes some time for the engine to switch off, and needs to run down). At the far end of the position is the Command Vehicle (CV), a 432 which arrived at the position first. Arriving last, and coming to park at the far end of the position, is a DROPS vehicle carrying ammunition.

As each gun comes into action the muzzle cover is removed. The two boxes which contain the sight and the gunner’s quadrant are laid on the ground. The prism is also on the ground, yet to be set up. The director party is out of sight in this view. On the gun, the base of the sighting mechanism is visible, but the sight itself is not yet fitted. The buff-coloured pad is the gun-aimer’s forehead protector.

Thick, white arctic socks (with a thin red stripe near the top) were issued, and can be seen on one man. One individual (a Bombardier) always wore his sleeves rolled up.

Into the hollow end of the handspike the rammer has been inserted. (Its conical end can be seen).

In the background can be seen the ski-slope, built for the 1984 Olympic Winter Games.