why was the royal naval field gun competition stopped

If you lost, well' Since all his medals were bronze, I pry no further. In 1912 the organisers removed the chasm from the competition in favour of a single ramp which was negotiated on both the outward and homeward legs of the course. In 1907 a competition replaced the parade for the first time, the three depots of Portsmouth, Chatham and Devonport providing the gun teams. The important things is this: the Field Gun is back. Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.6943, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.5911, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.7122, COMMAND100 - Centenary of Inter Command Field Gun, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, 2001 HMS Collingwood - the current record holders with a time of 1 min 18.88 secs. Reserve stocks are held by other former users such as the People's Army of Vietnam. The Transvaal Government responded to this major troop movement with an ultimatum issued on the 9th October, with a time limit of two days, that all British forces were to withdraw from the borders of the Transvaal and all the troops which had landed since the previous June were to be moved from South Africa and those on their way from overseas were not to be landed. In 1900 following the relief of Ladysmith during the South African campaign, Seaman from HMS Powerful brought a 4.7 inch gun into the arena at the Tournament. The guns and limbers were then dismantled and carried to the top of a ramp on the home side of a 28-foot (8.5m) chasm. In a combined display, Seamen from HMS Excellent and HMS Victory took their guns over two walls and two bridges. Time penalties are added to the running time for each contravention of the rules. The average time for the Run Out was 85 seconds. Gunga is an affable chap, but I make a mental note to avoid a handshake. The course was then negotiated in the opposite direction with the winner being the first crew to cross the original start line. Since the last war the original black ebony stand has been replaced by the present brown polished wood base. In support of the British Army, the Royal Navy landed guns from HMS Terrible and Powerful to help in the relief of the siege. After a century this spectacle of toughness, courage, discipline and teamwork is still going strong. On their return home, the sailors from the Naval Brigade paraded their guns through London and appeared at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. 'It was like winning or losing the Cup final,' recalls Grassy. However it is not just this year that records have been set and then broken. Information on the period 1908 to 1922 is scanty,[3] but it seems that apart from the periods of war the Brickwood Trophy was competed for each year. The clock was stopped as the teams crossed back over the start line. This comprised of cutlass drill and gun drill by forty ratings from HMS Excellent. The men not only had to cope with very difficult terrain but they had to construct some sort of way of getting across a bottomless area of land; this is where the present days chasm idea came from. The last night was also a moment Ill never forget. 'You leave rank at the side of the sports field,' says Pompey's Number One, Warrant Officer Glen Young. They owed their salvation, in part, to 280 Royal Navy sailors, even though Ladysmith is 100 miles inland. Aggregate Time and Fastest Time Cups were introduced in 1924. And yet, as far as Woolers was concerned, the men of the Royal Navy Field Gun competition were way out in front when it came to nominating 'the toughest sport in the world'. A film clip of this evolution survives from the period[2] which was filmed by Alfred J West for his popular 'Our Navy' film presentations in the early 1900s. In the old days, officers were excluded because they could not take orders from lower ranks. In 1903, a party from HMS Excellent introduced an obstacle into their display. The need for a long-range weapon is filled by rockets, missiles, and aircraft. The format of the competition and drill, based on the Brickwoods competition, changes slightly due to the fact that the crews run on polished concrete surfaces. The crew set up a wire and traveller so all 18 members of the crew and their equipment could cross the chasm. 'It would make your day if your lot had won,' says Grassy Meadows, who represented Devonport in three Royal Tournaments. Displays of Field Gun drill continued in subsequent years. The remainder of the gun carriages' wheels and limbers are pulled through a hole in the second wall, called the enemy wall. 4 years ago. (The method of abandoning guns during a temporary retirement, leaving them useless to an enemy). Following the Second World War, the first post war Tournament was held in 1947 at Olympia with the addition of a crew representing the Fleet Air Arm. In 2011 HM Naval Base Portsmouth set a new record of 1 min 17.78 seconds. The Royal Marines set a new record in 1924 of 1 minute 24.40 seconds. The Boer Army Artillery was far superior to that of the British, and on 25th October 1899 the General Officer Commanding at Ladysmith Sir George White, the British Army Headquarters in Natal, signalled the Admiral Commanding the Cape Squadron in Simonstown to ask for assistance in the form of long range Naval Guns. The second part of the competition (the Run Back) involved the crews taking all their equipment back over the 5-foot (1.5m) enemy wall and then back across the chasm. In the final stage, the "Run Home", men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams "hook up and pull for home". The Naval Brigade consisted of 750 ratings and Royal Marines and fought with distinction in several parts of the country. The crews started at one end of the arena and began by negotiating an obstacle of planks fixed at 18-inches above the ground. As a result, Captain Percy Scott of HMS TERRIBLE was tasked with producing plans for the mounting of two 4.7 guns for use ashore. The Aggregate Time Challenge Cup is awarded to the crew who has the lowest aggregate official time over the 16 competition runs; the record is held by Devonport at 39 minutes 20.34 and the trophy is now held by Devonport. Following initial tests, all the necessary guns and equipment were transported to Durban by HMS Terrible; the carriages were then speedily manufactured in the Durban Railway workshops. The Royal Tournament was last held almost 23 years ago before the tattoo was cancelled, amid reports that the services had become too stretched to spare the 2,500 personnel needed to put the event on for its usual three-week run. \r\rThe field gun run competition first took place at the Royal Tournament of 1907. Both Gun Wheels are shifted. This annual spectacular might have done wonders for morale and recruitment but, with the advent of New Labour and Cool Britannia, ministers disliked what they saw as an outdated relic of imperial grandeur. duration, just to share an atmosphere that can not be found anywhere else in the world. The Royal Navy landed two 4.7inch guns and four 12-pounder field guns. The final curtain fell last night on the Royal Tournament - a showcase of Britain's military power and prowess since 1880. Each crew then fires three rounds to end the "Run Out". but it's up to you to prove yourself and give your all,' she says. Less than 24 hours later at 6 p.m. on the 26th October, the mountings were built and the guns dispatched together with four 12-pounders in HMS POWERFUL to Durban. There were mixed emotions and a tense atmosphere as the crew came into the bar. There have been many changes to the competition. It turns out that a solid, steel handle on the gun mounting has broken. Since about the start of World War II, the term has been applied to long-range artillery pieces that fire at a relatively low angle, as opposed to howitzers which can fire at higher angles. The M107 was used extensively in the Vietnam War and proved effective in artillery duels with the North Vietnamese forces. When the crew from HMS POWERFUL returned to this country they ran a 4.7 gun through the arena at the Agricultural Hall at Islington in the 1900 Royal Military Tournament and were greeted with wild enthusiasm by the public attending. 1905 - the seamen of HMS Victory (R N Barracks) added a further obstacle in the form of a bridge, too narrow for the guns to be hauled over in a normal manner. I have come to the South Coast, with Grassy Meadows as my guide, to watch the preparations. Currently only Wellington College and Portsmouth Action Field Gun Crews run the 'command' style of Field Gun Run. ), (having been presented at the British Trade Fair, Copenhagen the previous year), 1993 - Royal Tournament cut from 3 to 2 weeks, hence. After a century this spectacle of toughness, courage, discipline and teamwork is still going strong. In addition, a Military Festival will be held each year outside London at varying locations at which the public will be able to view large-scale weaponry. The Guns are then taken round the arena at the double and advance in close order, reversing twice whilst in close order, they then wheel into the centre and Salute.. For the sailors who take part in the competition it as near to war as you can get and is the culmination of six months of dedication, fitness, courage, teamwork and. 1906 - on the 17th May, the Royal Naval and Military Tournament moved to and opened at Olympia, and the men from both establishments (Excellent and Victory), in a combined display, took the guns over no less than two walls and two bridges. The display was so popular that it was repeated in 1897 and subsequent years. Field guns also lack a specialized purpose, such as anti-tank or coastal artillery. Why would anyone want to do it? Wooden spars weighing 170lb are erected and wires rigged across the 28 foot chasm. This evening's two-hour training session here in Portsmouth's historic dockyard - the third of the day - is a surprisingly jolly affair. The Royal Navy Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) have taken over as the main event sponsor but the Brickwood's trophy remains. The crews continued to the end of the arena and fired one round. This is the heaviest lift of all and life gets very difficult if the gear is dropped 2nd Retire, 2nd Action Gun and limber are run towards the start line, separated and stopped. In 1999, the last Royal Tournament staged its last race. The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity Field Gun Competition is held annually at HMS Collingwood where 21 crews from units across the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force . Brickwood maintained a close interest in the competition over the years. and should it fall a great moral victory could be claimed by the marauding Boer forces. In 1905, in the centenary year of the Battle of Trafalgar the event was renamed the Royal Naval & Military Tournament. The nearest sporting comparison is probably rugby. Both at Devonport base, HMS Drake and at Earls Court there was a very subdued atmosphere. 9-pounder and 12-pounder guns were used in the displays. No one is hurt (if they were, they would probably keep quiet). Until his dying day in 2007, he was always looking for new heroes to add to his pantheon of greatness. Once all the crew and equipment were back on the home side of the chasm, the wire and traveller were dismantled and three more rounds were fired in a rear guard action. And how on earth did anyone come up with the idea in the first place? Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. After the war, with a different course and drill, Victoria Barracks achieved 1 minute 27.40 seconds in 1954. The crews started at one end of the arena and began by negotiating an obstacle of planks fixed at 18-inches above the ground. Information on the period 1908 to 1922 is scanty but it seems that apart from the periods of war the Brickwood Trophy was competed for each year. The track is 85 yards (78m) long, which means a total run of 170 yards (160m). 1st Retire, 2nd Wheel The Naval Brigade were soon in action against the Boer artillery; their long range guns were so effective in countering the enemy batteries and holding them at bay that it was not long before Captain Scott was being asked to provide another brigade. In 1969 Sir Rupert Brickwood Bart presented the trophy and tankards and a firkin of Brickwood's beer to the winning team. The Royal Navy Field Gun competition was contested by teams from the Royal Naval commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and the Fleet Air Arm (although teams from Chatham and the Royal Marines have also competed). The limber is run back and hooked to the gun then every member of the crew strains to accelerate the gear over the finish line. The Naval involvement in the Victorian campaigns usually involved the landing of the Blue Jackets of the Naval Brigade with their portable field guns alongside their comrades in the Army. The average time for the Run Home was 21 seconds. "I'm very sad about it, although I have seen it coming ever since the event was shortened from three weeks to two, which was the reason for the drop in our attendance figures," said Col Ferguson. The Naval Brigade transported guns over difficult terrain and brought them into action against the Boers. Next week, the 30,000 visitors to the Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo - including most of the Royal Family and celebrities from Coldplay's Chris Martin to Alan Titchmarsh - will watch two 18-strong teams of the Royal Navy's finest crashing around the main arena and performing a series of Formula One-style pit stops with a Victorian cannon. Since that year it has become customary to say that the Inter-port Field Gun Competition at the Royal Tournament is in commemoration of what Lambtons men of the Powerful achieved in saving the town of Ladysmith. But it is not all glory and record breaking as was proved in 1982. I am also surprised to discover that a third of the team are officers. The Birmingham Tattoo, held yearly in the city of Birmingham, also hosts an inter-service field gun challenge as part of their programme. With the displays of field gun drill now a firm favourite with the audiences at the Tournament, the first competition was staged in May 1907. It was obvious that no one wanted it to end, however, it was too late. The guns went into action on arrival and soon silenced the Boer guns. The competition simulates the drill which would have been undertaken to bring a naval field gun into action during the march to Ladysmith. . However, the very next year, 1984, Chief Petty Officer PTI Keith Mack trained a Portsmouth crew, which put in a blistering run of 2 minutes 40.6, which was the record that had stood for fifteen years. 1913 - the two ramps returned, with their gap lengthening to 30-feet, with both men and guns being required to cross the chasm by means of sheer-legs and a wire jackstay. At the sounding of the G on the bugle the final phase is to take all their equipment through the narrow gaps in the home wall. Sadly, due to Government cuts this year was the last year of the Royal Tournament as everybody knows it and the final time anyone will ever run the gun. Today's practice is cut mercifully short because of an accident. Three Commands, Devonport, Fleet Air Arm and Portsmouth currently have associations made up of past members of their Command Field Gun Crews, since its demise in 1999 and a heritage centre and museum at Crownhill Fort, Plymouth is maintained and run by Devonport Field Gun Association. Last year, the organisers of the Royal Windsor Horse Show decided to use their spectacular arena beneath Windsor Castle to stage the first Windsor Castle Royal Tattoo. Each crew then fired three rounds to end the "Run Out". In fact, win or lose, they made not a bean. Field guns are incredibly heavy and moving them is dangerous work. The U.S. Army tried the long-range gun again from the early 1960s to the late 1970s with the M107 175 mm gun. In support of the British Army, the Royal Navy landed guns from HMS Terrible and Powerful to help in the relief of the siege. In the company of 18 men with old-fashioned nicknames (Shorty, Nobby) and old-fashioned attitudes ('if you get hurt, you moan about it later'), I am reminded what makes the Forces tick. The guns are raced from the start position down the sides of the arena and manhandled over a five foot wall. Field guns also lack a specialized purpose, such as anti-tank or coastal artillery. Once all the crew and equipment were back on the home side of the chasm, the wire and traveller were dismantled and three more rounds were fired in a rear guard action. The average time for the "Run Back" was 60 seconds. A.B Allen the Flying Angel (no.7) for Portsmouth was the last man being pulled across the chasm on the run back. After the siege of Ladysmith was finally lifted on February 28th 1900 Queen Victoria sent a telegram: "Pray express to the Naval Brigade my deep appreciation of the valuable services they have rendered with their guns ". This competition involving no obstacles and run on a flat track continues to be competed for on an annual basis at HMS Collingwood as part of the HMS Collingwood Open day. The youngest member of the team, Leading Physical Trainer, Matt Short, 27, is also in charge of team fitness. 'My rank doesn't matter here,' says Jules. Production of the M107 continued until 1980 and the gun is still in service with the Israeli military. 'These guys are giving up three-and-a-half hours a day, six days a week for eight weeks and they are utterly dedicated,' he says proudly, adding that the 'guys' also include a woman. The event originates from guns being run cross treacherous terrain during the siege of Ladysmith during the Boer War. Once all the crew and equipment were back on the home side of the chasm, the wire and traveller were dismantled and three more rounds were fired in a rear guard action. Charging flat out with a ton of gun and turning it on a sixpence while simultaneously taking off the wheels is still a feat of titanic choreography. On their return home, the sailors from the Naval Brigade paraded their guns through London and appeared at the Royal Naval and Military Tournament at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. The course was then negotiated in the opposite direction with the winner being the first crew to cross the original start line. When Devonport went into the arena to collect their trophies there was not a dry eye in the arena. Fleet Air Arm won the trophy this year and they hold the record of 2 penalty points. Posted by. Why are sailors running around with guns on wheels like the Royal Artillery? Starting from one end of the arena, the teams first negotiated an obstacle of planks fixed 18-inches from the ground. In 1971 Brickwood's business was acquired by London-based brewers Whitbread & Co Ltd. 'If you won, you got a parade through the streets, a civic reception and all that. Hundreds of spectators came out to watch 24 crews across all services compete. The winning crew was awarded one point; the crew with the most points over the period of the Tournament was awarded a trophy. The average time for the "Run Home" was 21seconds. Two days later on the 11th October 1899 at 5pm war was declared and the Boers invaded. The guns and limbers of a four-gun battery were taken over a four-foot wall in the arena at Islington. Man-packed mortars lack the range or hitting power of gun-artillery. Sadly all things have to come to an end at some time. In the final stage, the "Run Home", men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams "hook up and pull for home". This brings a completely new meaning to the phrase Race Gun. ', charging over the start line to heave 1,800lb of gun and carriage on to its wheels and drag it up and down a road at running speed. From the start line in front of the Royal Box, the crews pulled the guns and limbers to the end of the arena where they turned and carried themselves and the equipment over a 5-foot (1.5m) wall. Only two crews run during each performance. The chasm returned in 1913 and was extended to a distance of 30ft. On 28th August 1907, the Royal Marines light Infantry, from Forton, won the first, Brickwoods Trophy competition, and along with it this magnificent Trophy. Both wheels are shifted. Each crew competes seven times against each of the other crews. 1925 - Individual Silver Medals were introduced - initial winners being HMS Excellent. It seems obvious that the Naval contribution to an event organised by the Army would include their famous guns. 1936 - No Competition at the Royal Tournament. Their train was the last to complete the journey to Ladysmith on the 30th October just as the siege and bombardment started. The Interport Field Gun competition was established in 1907 and was a highlight of the Royal Tournament until the Last Run in 1999. The Interport ("Command") Field Gun competition was established in 1907 and was a highlight of the Royal Tournament until the Last Run in 1999. In support of the British Army, the Royal Navy landed guns from HMS Terrible and Powerful to help in the relief of the siege. The gun and wheels are heavy! In the final stage, the Run Home, men, guns and limbers passed back through the hole in the home wall and then the teams hook up and pull for home. This is the whole idea of Field Gun: to try and reconstruct as near to the truth as possible what happened a century ago during the relief of Ladysmith. For the final part of the journey, sailors from the Naval Brigade manhandled the guns over very difficult terrain. The gun is brought to the back of the limber and connected, then both are run forward. The guns were transported inland by rail and then drawn on makeshift carriages by oxen. Night Vision & Thermal Aficionado The Royal Navy's field gun competition is a contest between teams from various Royal Navy commands, It used to be a yearly competition at the Royal Tournament. The Naval Brigades were professional organisations. The Royal Navy landed two 4.7-inch (120mm) guns and four 12-pounder naval guns creating improvised field guns using makeshift gun carriages. So, in this team, you find the 'firing number', Petty Officer Gunga Din, giving orders to the 'extracting number', Jules Stevenson, who just happens to be a Lieutenant Commander. The guns and limbers were then dismantled and carried to the top of a ramp on the "home side" of a 28ft "chasm". As the evolution of artillery continued, almost all guns of any size became capable of being moved at some speed. The guns were reassembled before taking them over a four-foot wall. In British use, a field gun was anything up to around 4.5inches in calibre, larger guns were medium and the largest guns were heavy. In 1947 the course consisted of seven "very stiff obstacles" over a distance of 440 yards each way. These were moved inland first by rail, then by mule and, ultimately, by hand and ingenuity. 1912 - the chasm was replaced by a single ramp, for both the outward and homeward journeys. This is a competition rooted in that most politically incorrect of imperial conflicts, the Boer War. Since about the start of World War II, the term has been applied to long-range artillery pieces that fire at a relatively low angle, as opposed to howitzers which can fire at higher angles. The following is the chronological evolvement of the competition, as we came to know and love it: 1900 - 4.7 Guns were hauled into the arena by four span of Oxen and Sailors, the animals were then out-spanned as though out to graze, the Sailors fired one round, and then manhandled the Guns out of the arena. In 1896 the first "all-naval" display appeared in the programme of the Tournament, which comprised of cutlass drill and field gun drill by forty ratings from HMS Excellent. There are 38 possible contraventions defined that carry a time penalty ranging from 1 to 6 seconds. The Sunday Express Plate, which in the past has been called various other names, is awarded to the crew that incurs the least number of penalty points over the competition. The highlight of the concluding day of the last tournament was the final running of the renowned Royal Navy field gun competition. This proved most popular and the Navys contribution continued as part of the Tournament, which moved to Olympia in 1906. [1] A second team, Eastbourne Youth Field Gun, established 2017 and also a cadet-size formation, is the newest field gun formation in the "Command" format. Every year for two weeks in July during the Royal Tournament at Earls Court, London, the Royal Navys Inter-Port Field Gun Competition takes place. Records for completing the course have continued to be broken. Archived. There is nothing quite like the Royal Navy's Field Gun run, a wince-inducing display of teamwork and severed digits. The siege of Ladysmith lasted for 120 days until February 1900. The limber is lifted, its wheels and drag ropes are shipped and it is run forward. To excel at this sport, you require the explosive speed of a sprinter, the strength of a weightlifter, the precision of a ballerina and the pain threshold of a mother of 12. Do not sell or share my personal information. A four minute run was first recorded in 1948, and three minute run in 1962. It ended in controversy as all three crews wore black armbands during the run, even after they were told by the MOD not to, but whatever anybody did it would not change the future. The dangers and the discipline, however, remained exactly the same. Modern gun-artillery such as the L118 105 mm light gun or the M119 105 mm howitzer are used to provide fire support for infantry and armour at ranges where mortars are impractical. Nowadays runs in less than three are fairly commonplace. The two weeks of blood, sweat and tears were starting to take their toll and the crew of 99 just wanted to forget about the future without field gun and try to remember all the good times they had at Devonport, Portsmouth and the Fleet Air Arm. The Royal Navy Field Gun competition was contested by teams from the Royal Naval commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and the Fleet Air Arm (although teams from Chatham and the Royal Marines have also competed). This is called: Out, Back and Home. Crews were not permitted to use any additional equipment to assist in transporting the gun and limber across the chasm. The average time for the "Run Back" was 60seconds. With a 5-foot wall at either end of the arena, the course and conditions remained virtually the same until the end of the competition in 1999. The winning crew was awarded one point; the crew with the most points over the period of the Tournament was awarded a trophy. The Royal Tournament relocated for the final time in 1950 when it moved to the larger venue of Earls Court. The gun wheels are exchanged with the limber wheels. The trophy left Portsmouth Command for the first time in 1978 as a result of HMS Fisgard's win. The team and equipment then passed through a hole in the "enemy wall" at the end of the arena. The collapsing sheer legs killed him. The Royal Tournament relocated for the final time in 1950 when it moved to the larger venue of Earls Court. "I would have hoped that the Ministry of Defence would take it on (financially), but I do understand when the Chief of Defence Staff decides they need an arena where they can display new equipment. The Second World War stopped play for a second time, but the resumption saw two important changes: the venue was Earls Court in1950 and by now the Royal Tournaments Field Gun Competition had been joined by a team from the Fleet Air Arm. In a rearguard action enroute they have to overcome the same obstacles. After all, the Royal Navy is supposed to fight at sea. The names of the winners of the trophy are engraved on small shields up to and including 1961 and plates for winners since 1962. This was duly done and the new brigade acted in support of General Bullers push towards their besieged comrades. Time penalties are added to the running time for each contravention of the rules, which are published each year under the title "Royal Navy Field Gun Instructions (RNFGI)". (The sheer legs weigh 170lbs) Broken bones, pulled muscles and severe cuts were the risks that dedicated gunners accepted and before they signed up they were required to sign a disclaimer stating that they would not sue the Navy for damages. From information I have gathered using my collection of Royal Tournament Programmes, the following years are quite relevant to the History of the Inter-Port Field Gun Competition. In 1971 Brickwood's business was acquired by London-based brewers Whitbread & Co Ltd: Two gun crews of eighteen men from the commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and Chatham took part in the first competition. "We have been on a knife-edge ever since then. To an outsider, this brutal event raises several questions. The legendary story tells of the siege of the British garrison in Ladysmith in 1899. At each performance of the Royal Tournament, two crews competed to transport a 12pounder field gun and limber over a series of obstacles. In September the decision to despatch more than 10,000 troops to South Africa from home and abroad was made in London. Royal Navy Field Gun. Fortunately for the General, Captain P. Scott RN of HMS Terrible was a gunnery expert and he quickly designed a carriage that could hold 6 inch, and 4.7 inch, 12 pounder naval guns for transit and in action. The 2010 competition will be held at HMS Collingwood Open Day on the 5th of June.[1]. The crew set up a wire and traveller so all 18 members of the crew and their equipment could cross the chasm. the ships company for their part in the saving of Ladysmith. The field gun competition was contested by teams from the Royal Naval commands of Portsmouth, Devonport and the Fleet Air Arm (although teams from Chatham and the Royal Marines have also competed). However, instead of checking on the collapsing sheer legs and passing on the outside of them he went through the middle. Nobody knew what to say whether to congratulate them or to give them sympathy. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Leaving Ladysmith on the 7th March 1900 the sailors of Powerful and Terrible were soon back on board. In 1896 the first all-naval display appeared in the programme of the Tournament.
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