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HMVF the Beginning


Jack

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This site was born out of necessity. I was born and bred in a Hampshire village called Wickham and as with any southern village in Hampshire it is steeped in WW2 history as the village roads, fields and lanes where lined with vehicles, equipment and men waiting to embark for D-Day. Two villages away is Southwick House, the headquarters for the Supreme Allied Commander, General Eisenhower so I was pretty fortunate as a youngster and would imagine all of the vehicles driving around the lanes.

 

I moved to Dorset when I was 18. Dorset was home to the US forces during the build up to D-Day and the county was fast becoming a huge armed camp, as men, vehicles, stores and ammunition moved to their marshalling areas to leave for Normandy from the Weymouth, Portland and Poole. We are still very fortunate to have many relics and traces left over from the war. Dorset is still littered with the archaeology of WW2, we have camps, Nissan huts, radar stations, we have Bovington Camp, home of the tank museum, we have RAF Tarrant Rushton, commanding officer Major John Howard left from here with his men to capture Pegasus Bridge, it also transported a third of the airborne forces for Operation Market Garden.

 

So as you can see, I have been surrounded by WW2 history all my life. I have always wanted to have the privilege and to a certain degree, the responsibility of owning a WW2 vehicle. I wanted a GMC 353.

 

Finally bought one this year. Now where do you go to find information, help, advice and encouragement with regards to your new ‘hobby’. Well of course you join the MVT and your regional group, which I duly did. The welcome was wonderful, I have never felt more at home, thank you guys.

 

It soon became apparent to me that even though we all chat at our regional meetings and catch up with friends and fellow enthusiast during the show season, the movement is slightly fragmented. Being a member of an online forum I have experienced what a powerful tool forums are, I have seen this forum pull people together from all over the world. People exchange thoughts, ideas, tips and anything else that is involved in a hobby. This resource is incredible and the man who founded it should rightly proud of his vision, , it really has change a lot peoples lives.

 

I thought that this is such a wonderful thing that I would like to do the same here but there is nothing so I joined a GMC forum in the US http://www.cckw.org/phpbb2/index.php this site has saved my life so many times. You post a question, it gets answered, ask about what colour to spray your vehicle and then a great debate is ensured! Ask for advice, it is answered.

 

The above site and it’s members have inspired me to do the same for us, it helped me that much and I would like people to have the same help as I did, so many thanks to those guys for that.

 

So, here it is, a site for all of us to talk, share, and debate anything and everything about the other loves in our lives – Historic Military Vehicles.

 

It is my aim to get all of us talking and sharing our thoughts and ideas, what ever it takes to keep our living history, alive. This site is all of ours it will need your input for it to grow and for it to succeed, to reach its goals.

 

It is my way of putting something back, please join me.

 

Best wishes.

 

Jack.

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