Looking at the photo opposite you would think it quite serene & at this point it was. From here I could see the medievil melee below (a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people) pic further down. However I'm not here to recount the tail of 'Bastard executioner' that's a whole other story ! For not long after this photo was taken, moving continuously I actually exited left in the photo. Take a good look because I made it down, all the way right along the sea front to the building at the far end (just in front of me in said photo). Now please bare in mind this is where they used to time the British land speed records, down there on those sandy flats...Long way ! Only my finish line was the public toilets at the far end. Although no records were broken, I got there only to discover you needed 10p to open the door. As the late Royal household said, at this point recollections may differ !!
In actual fact we did more than look down on our sword fighting heroes. We had bins on the guys at the U.N testing site that closes the beach beyond aforementioned conveniences.
A bit like a no mans land we watched one another through glass, well curiosity on both sides but we had the high ground. Trouble was they had the last laugh when they opened up with a 155mm & shot out to sea during a take. I don't remember many howitzers back then in medievil land & no, hard as you might try, it doesn't sound like thunder. Speaking of which it's not always me that exits stage left. I was left watching the range officers swiftly disappearing over the horizon at another site. Location managers are like estate agents, quiet and undisturbed the brochure said..Aah yeh, I'd just picked up a two fisted size boulder & gone to move it, to then ask the now disappeared range officers whether I could put ground anchors in ? Billy no mates at this point decided to put the lump of chordite down (a smokeless explosive made from nitrocellulose, nitroglycerine, and petroleum jelly, used in ammunition). It's not just me, Klunk was on a job shortly before running into me. Now before I go further, Klunk does kinda pre date me (older, more stupid) from days of yore when H.O.Ds' were cavalier, GSD (got sh*t done) ie. back when health & safety was...Well a rolly, drawing on a fag paper & a shrug. See Klunk acts like butter wouldn't melt, but just ask him about the newspaper headline 'Nail bombs pub'...Aha Klunk & his buddies whole other story. I digress, some bright spark had got the plastic explosive through customs by sticking a 3 pin plug on one end of the coil & a multi gang on the other. All good but this was Spain a week later and the beach ended up sounding like Omaha after 'things' got sweaty.
