Hi Gang
Hey Bill (D) - It was 'lil ole me' - not John M - that mentioned the French
inclination to adjust the rules occasionally - they've been doing it ever
since Agincourt where we gave them that famous archery lesson in 1415.
Just as a sideline on Archery, the British 'V' sign ( the rude one) is
derived directly from our Bowmen. It became a habit of enemies of British
archers to chop of the 'string fingers' of any of our bowmen that were
captured, out of pure spite, and then release them. Thus, before any fight
or war, it became the habit of British bowmen in possession of a full set
of fingers to hold up their string fingers in the form of a 'V' above their
heads - as an indication of defiance. Those that had their first two
fingers cut off always returned to battle with a novel way of drawing
their bows. They would either make an attachment they could grip within a
folded thumb supported by the remaining two fingers or utilize a small
stone gripped in a similar manner which they called a 'nock'.
There are also many words derived from our bowmen - not the least being one
used by every FOT member I suspect. The word 'spanner' derives from a
winding devise or tool used to span or draw a cross bow string. The word
'Tally' - as in to 'tally up' or count - also derives from our bowmen. They
were of such skill that they were hired for what would be known today as
mercenary soldiers. Individual bowmen or groups of bowmen under hire, for
this battle or that, would mark all their arrows with very distinct
individual markings called 'Tallys'. After battles, arrows were removed
from the bodies of adversaries, matched for markings and counted. In effect
they were 'tallied up' and suitable payment to the relevant bowmen was
made. - I wonder if this was the origins of what we now call 'piece
work'.!!
The main reason why our bowmen were so good is that in the middle ages it
was a strict law of the realm that the youth of the day received
instruction and practiced bowmanship for a minimum of one day in every
week.
Back to motoring, there is plenty of evidence that the French rallying and
racing authorities have often been accused of moving the goal posts,
especially in classes where French cars usually did well. My father had
experience of this which cost him a class win (French cars had won this
class every time since it's inception).
Colin Chapman had a major row with the FIA after an incident at Le Mans in
1962 or 3, which I witnessed. He'd entered a beautiful little Lotus 23 with
a small engine (either a 1220 or 750cc climax engine, I can't remember
which). He was going for the thermal efficiency and index of performance
award - which he would doubtless have won if his car had been in the race
and finished - The French authorities banned the Lotus from starting on the
grounds that they thought the rear hubs should have six studs instead of
the four Chapman had designed. Chapman went ape s**t and said he would
never enter a works Lotus in Le Mans again - he never did. - The French DB
Panhards etc. always won the thermal efficiency award at |Le Mans.
Chapman's car, I remember, was to be driven by Jim Clark and Trev Taylor.
Paul
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