From Battlefield to Parliament Square

Known as 'The Globetrotters', 30 Royal Signals Regiment's operational role was in support of rapid deployment forward action by Marines, Paras or other Army Corps. So it was rigged accordingly for a role at (or beyond) the front line of action. But, reflecting its 'signals role', the base vehicle was taken from this batch FFR with 24V electrics and a wiring loom to support a wealth of comm's equipment. It is presented in regular black on green camouflage, an anti roll bar, twin fuel tanks and the general military paraphernalia reflecting its operational role.

After 5 active years in this role, in 1982 it took a relative 'back seat'. Whilst remaining at Boscombe Down, it was reallocated to duties with the 11 (Royal School of Signals) Regiment where it was used until it finally left national service in 1993 after just short of 21 years unbroken service.

We have a full record of its subsequent ownership. Firstly by a land owner close by the Regiment. It was then traced and acquired by a veteran of the Signals Regiment. During his ownership, in 2019 the vehicle became a 'political activist'. It played a central role in Operation Rolling Thunder. Reacting to a wave of support to a facebook posting, ex-serviceman Gavin Wragg soon found himself the centre of an upswell of descent following news that the Northern Island Prosecution Service planned to prosecute ex-para, 'Soldier F', for his role in the events of Bloody Sunday 47 years before. This would represent Soldier F's fourth trial, notwithstanding on three previous occasions he had been acquitted.

It thus transpired that during September 2019 53 GJ 31 found itself participating in this demonstration, driving in the company of some 7,000 motorcycles ridden by ex-servicemen and their supporters converging on Central London from all around the UK. The meet culminated in a collective drive down Whitehall, past the Cenotaph and into Parliament Square. We have pictures of our vehicle both within that drive and being used as a platform for speakers to the demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament. As a reminder of this momentous day for this vehicle, it still carries a discrete sticker on its near-side antenna mount declaring, "I STAND WITH SOLDIER F".