A visit to Longleat Lodge No. 1478

This promised to be an adventure: a gang of masons from the Province of Hampshire and Isle of Wight and the Province of Middlesex, heading for Warminster. The brethren from Lyndhurst Lodge No. 8012, Powney Lodge No. 3099 and Lymington Lodge No. 7984 gathered at ARF’s house, where Bro. Ali Longworth took charge of the minibus. For once, getting a group of masons moving required neither a procession nor three separate knocks.

The bus hire had been arranged by W. Bro. Malcolm Collier, the H&IOW Provincial Almoner, who unfortunately could not join us. Our first stop was the British Army Land Warfare Centre at Warminster. Before tackling the serious business of the day, we tucked into some tasty food. An army may march on its stomach; a group of visiting masons prefers to check the catering arrangements first. Suitably fuelled, we regrouped for a tour of the Small Arms School Corps (SASC) Weapons Collection. The military and Freemasonry clearly share a fondness for abbreviations. Between the SASC, the WM and the H&IOW, there were moments when a visiting civilian might reasonably have asked to buy a vowel.

The collection is an extraordinary display that spans roughly 500 years of firearm history, from Napoleonic-era muskets and First World War machine guns to modern rifles, bayonets, anti-armour weapons and mortars. Our guide was knowledgeable, entertaining and apparently in possession of the answer to every question. The visit had been organised by Bro. Phill Little, who really came into his own when we reached the mortar section. Suddenly, this was no longer simply a day out: we had enrolled in the University of RSM Little.

Military Lesson No. 1: pay attention and sit up straight! Knowing Phill, there would probably be a test later. His explanation was detailed and fascinating, involving rather more precision and mathematics than my preferred method of learning: nodding intelligently and hoping nobody asks me to repeat anything.
Military Lesson No. 2 – How it works. The mortar is securely set up on its baseplate at an angle calculated to face the general direction of the target (I probably knew that). The gunner uses the levelling bubbles on the sight to ensure the system is plumb. Target coordinates are relayed by a Mortar Fire Controller (MFC) or calculated using ballistics software and firing tables. The gunner turns the hand cranks on the bipod to set the exact vertical angle (usually between 45 and 85 degrees) and horizontal azimuth required to reach the target zone. The ammunition bearer selects the proper mortar shell (such as high explosive, illumination, or smoke) and adjusts the propellant charges—often removable crescent-shaped "cheese charges" clipped to the fin tail—to match the required range. That’s it – drop in the shell and stand well back – quickly! Useful to know if you buy one on eBay in an attempt to control an unpleasant neighbour several streets away. There was also a “Handling Room” at the end of the tour, where visitors could get hands-on with some of the collection.

Then the second reason for our trip abroad, a visit to Longleat Lodge No.1478 in Warminster. The ceremony began, the WM was replaced and the ritual was duly conducted by the ‘Past Masters’ who carried out an excellent Raising of Bro. Ian Parker. It was good, as you would have expected from a room full of Provincial and Grand Officers. It was also interesting to see the Full Closings in all Degrees, something we do not seem to encounter very often these days. There was certainly no danger of anyone accusing our hosts of cutting corners.

We then retired upstairs to the dining room, where attention shifted from ritual to another subject on which masons hold strong opinions: dinner. The meal receives its own review under “A Square Meal” elsewhere on this website.

Our thanks go to the Province for funding the bus; Bro. Phill Little for organising the visit and providing the bonus lecture; Bro. Ali Longworth for driving; our brethren from Middlesex in supporting us, and Longleat Lodge No. 1478 for such warm hospitality.

A splendid day: history, good company, excellent ceremony and food. We had set out for an adventure and received a thoroughly enjoyable one — with the added benefit that Phill’s test has, so far, failed to materialise.