A member of "F" troop in the 50s recounts the details of trying to start an army generator on a very cold day.
Under the direction of a junior officer who was described as a "supercilious little sh*t" the generator could not be started.
There were three possible starting methods.
a, Self starter,
b, A starting handle,
c, A special explosive cartridge.
It was ordered that the generator be started before being towed on its gun carriage to where it was needed.
As it could not be started, the junior officer ordered that the gun carriage be towed around he square in the hope that that would start it. A bit like bump starting a car engine I suppose.
The gun carriage wheels though had no mechanical or electrical connection with the generator itself, thus this action was unsuccessful.
An account by John Peel the former D.J. and radio presenter.
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