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My 'Route to Victory' Pictures


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We left for home at about lunchtime on Monday and got back around 8pm having had a great weekend, but being very tired. I've been searching through my 300+ pictures for some to post since I got home, and to start with, here's a few of the HMVF faces that were present, not all, but a good selection.

 

In the first selection there's Jack, Bodge, Me, Degsy and Lynne.

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I'm busy trying to clean the jeep and sort out/pack my camping gear for this weekend at Elvington, but in between all that, here's a few more pictures. Arriving at and leaving Membury Airfield, including my 'arty' convoy through mirror picture!!

 

Steve

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The next few are arriving at Littlecote Manor, the stables and the convoy departing. The two departing pictures are a larger size to help you see the convoy heading off into the distance. There's a video of the departure which is yet to be sorted, but it took a good five minutes of continuous vehicles passing before I tagged on the end.

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Great to see such great pics, and looking forward to more.So busy organising the convoy that i did not have a chance to meet and speak to many people.Another great Event, and we should not take for granted the amount of effort put in to getting reliable (generally) vehicles to the event in such great condition. Well done all. Ed.

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There were several people from the forum I hadn't met properly until RtV, and many other non-forum members whom I spoke to over the weekend. The social aspect of these events is as much fun as the convoys.

 

Here's a few more pics. Saturday's convoy was called the bluebell run, and the first picture in the Savernake Forest shows why. When crossing the A4, it was a busy road and we needed to cross as fast as possible to cause the least hold ups. Our road had quite a hump where it crossed the A4, and I'm sure these Airborne guys were airborne during the crossing!!

 

The last mile or so of the day was down a muddy track, with several small lakes along its length. No problem for the Jimmy drivers, but Lynne was concerned when the mud started pumping up through the drain holes in the Jeep floor!

 

Once back at camp, Lawson was eaten by his truck!

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Sunday saw the convoy slowly make its way across the 'Plain' towards Netheravon Airfield, where the C-47 landed. Unfortunately it didn't make any passes before landing, and the runway was also below the level of most of the field, so the Dak only came into view when taxiing back.

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Great piccys Steve.

 

From my view-point, the only real let-down of the w/e was at Netheravon. I was so dissapointed that the C-47 crew didn't give us a nice top-side pass before lining-up on finals. I think it was to do with the parachutists operating in our general area of the airfield.

 

I reckon the Zulu crossing where the 'Plains Tour' guys were parked would have had a far better view of the C-47 landing (if they were parked there at the time) than we did nestled behind the hangar!

 

They made up for it at Ramsbury on the Monday afternoon however. Even after the event had finished and the C-47 had done its display and jump, on its return back to Oxford from Netheravon, it purposly came back to the show field whilst we were packing-up and did a gentle 360 around the entire village in the late afternoon sunshine. It sounded fantastic and the outline of that legendary silouette against the backdrop of the old airfield high upon the hill was a sight to behold.

 

I did wonder to myself how many 437th Troop Carrier Group veterans were also along for the ride.......................

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After Netheravon, we continued to Everleigh Airfield. Little remains but a few small areas of concrete and a hangar, the type of which I've forgotton, 'though Robin sounds familiar. It has been re-clad in recent years. After a brief history of the airfield, two wreaths were laid against the hangar.

 

Not long before we left, I caught Jack trying to sneak out a sly one in Bodge's direction!!

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I left about mid day on Monday, but did stay long enough to see the tanks arrive in the arena. Apparently, Bodge gave Adrian a good kicking while climbing into the Sherman. He claims he slipped while climbing up to the turret!

 

The guys in the desert gear had come from Malta for the event! Second to last picture is one of several of the motorcyclists escorting the convoy, pointing the way and stopping traffic. Without them, it would be impossible to keep the convoy together and on the right route.

 

Finally, 'Camp Beckett'.

 

Steve

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