You should have stopped off halfway to Ireland for sport of the shooting variety. We still have the facilities here for all manner of shooting, don't think anyone on the Island has a Vickers but a mate used to use one in the Gallery range at Bisley - you could tell when he was in action!
I remember Blaster Bates recalling tales of heavy ammo loads, also how Knickerbrook got it's name - at least his version of it!
You missed out one more evocative smell Tom, hot mud! When you have laid under as many trials irons as I have, that smell brings back memories.