dando1944

They are on another forum as having been taken to a firing range. The pictures posted show them as wrecks now…. real shame.

If you figure out how to get the barrel pulled back out (from the transport position) I would love to know. Mine has been stuck in that position for years. Any ideas ?

Don't shoot the messenger here... But here are a few things I have heard over the years. Firstly… a long time back I was told (18 years ago) that the constitution of the IWM was changed to allow them to sell off any unwanted items… i.e. duplicates and things which did not benefit the collection. That is why (I am led to believe) that when you give them something, you sign a document which says it can "be used in any way the museum sees fit to benefit the place" - or some such wording. Now call me cynical - but at the same time as this happened the directors (I believe) stopped getting bonuses directly based on income through the doors - because the entry fee was dropped at the door. Therefore the directors could still get a bonus by improving the other services, i.e. coffee shop, seminars, souvenirs etc. which would generate new income. They then got their bonus. And rightly so. However, someone I used to know - should we put it that way… told me that in her opinion the "selling of spare items" then went into overdrive. Lots and lots of items which were "no longer needed" were sold off and obviously this increased the income from "other sources" and generated bonuses. So you can see why over a period of time that if that was happening - then the museum might not be developing in quite the way we all would want it to. Another story I heard - a little more directly, was from one of my suppliers whom I called to give some work. He told me he was too busy for a few months… (and I am simply repeating what he said to me) he said that he had been tasked with replacing the original WWI 1908 pattern webbing (and one assumes the leather work also) with reproduction items at the IWM which could be put on display. I have seen and often bought his work and it is brilliant and indistinguishable from the originals… but at the end of the day an original set of 08 webbing probably nowadays costs £1,000 and his copies cost £200+. So the net income generated for "funds" by replacing the originals with copies (if this happened) was £800 per set. If you use the same analogy for Victorian helmets, gallantry medals, planes, etc. etc. then the bonus system is working pretty well - perhaps? What I personally would like to see is a clear and definitive list of all the items the museum holds put online. They obviously have such a list for insurance purposes and it is a publicly owned document one assumes - certainly it should be available under the freedom of information act. If they have nothing to hide and want to be open and seen by all to be above board… then this would be a way of scotching the many rumours going around about where things have gone over the years. They may have nothing at all to hide and be working completely honourably - and I hope they are. But at a time when we should be preserving more and more - it appears that we can see less and less in our public museums… so it does make you wonder where all the IWM stuff has gone over the years. Simply masking the collection with interactivity does not work for me. I completely agree about the "interactive Museums" - it has become an industry in-itself supplying these systems to places and one assumes because a new breed of "conservator" has emerged from college who wants to be hip and modern. Take for example the Caen Memorial museum in Normandy … they charge something like 16 euros to go in and then lecture you on peace…. forgive me if I am wrong, but people go to museums to see original items, things that have a story to tell and unfortunately war is not pretty and should be told - warts and all. I cannot imagine a change of management at Auschwitz and them making it into a "peace museum" just because that is the way things are now going.. or the town of Oradour-sur-Glane making a peace museum. They tell it like it is for a reason. So why is there a national obsession by funding organisations to stop mentioning Nazi's - and stop talking about death and war? That in my opinion is the whole purpose of their existence - to educate people so that they can learn from what happens during war and hopefully not repeat it. If to the humble visitor everything turns out rosey 50 years after a war then what does that teach people? Other than - "it will be alright in the future"…. If anyone can clarify any of the points I have raised above I would love to have heard wrongly… but my opinion is that bean counters and beauracrats are running many museums and getting a huge salary. Lets have more enthusiasts running our museums and they might then put the interests of the museums first. As I say - its just my opinion….

We are constantly being asked for answers….. so here they are. We are a new event and not connected with the great Maiden Newton at War as was… we are not involved with Broadmayne but are happy to run alongside with it - Weymouth at War is a larger event taking place all across the town of Weymouth over the Saturday and Sunday 21st / 22nd of June 2014. It is simply going to be a great place to take in the WWII atmosphere and enjoy yourselves with like minded friends. Anyone is welcome to come along and take part… do as much or as little as you like… walk around and absorb the wartime atmosphere, take part in things, talk to the re-enactors and generally get into the wartime spirit. To commemorate the 70th Anniversary of D-day the town of Weymouth is turning back the clock on the weekend of the 21st / 22nd of June 2014. The event is being staged alongside the annual Veterans parade next year and will be taking place right across Weymouth. Called “Weymouth at War” it is being organised to coincide with the veterans parade which annually attracts tens of thousands of visitors to the area. The organisers aim to literally turn Weymouth back into a WWII town for the whole weekend and anyone visiting can take part. You can visit a miliaria fair, dance to 1940′s music and stroll down 1940′s street. Fish and chips on the quayside as you watch the US Army gear up for D-day. The aim is to recreate the harbour much as it would have been in the days running up to D-day. With Spiv’s selling nylons – alongside “Yanks” giving out gum and chocolate…. everywhere you go there will be something happening. On Saturday afternoon there is going to be a Bridge Laying and assault by the Royal Marines and this is going to involve taking over a good portion of the beach area. This is free for all to watch. Our aim is to add more to the annual Veterans Day commemorations and ceremony and what we aim to do in a big way. There are dozens of re-enactment groups already booked in and there was a general consensus that something big should be done on the south coast for the 70th anniversary of D-day. And where better to do this, than the very place the invasion was started. Weymouth is the ideal location given its WWII history and for the Allied re-enactment groups coming, it will be a unique opportunity to place their vehicles and equipment just as they were in the run up to D-day. There will be lots for visitors to see including wartime searchlights, school children dressed as wartime refugees, anti-aircraft guns around the town – not to mention Wardens and wartime policemen checking papers… and even a WWII Air Raid Shelters at the Nothe Fort and even Jive Dancing lessons in a church crypt… Jive Dancing in the streets and much more. Another group is building a wartime street… and another a wartime shop, police station etc. to fit in alongside wartime themed cafe’s. All across the town of Weymouth more things are being added weekly as Allied groups sign up and there will also be activities organised around the 1944 embarkation in Portland including a vehicle convoy. Alongside the Weymouth port there will be vehicles loading and we are hoping to have an original US WWII LCVP Higgins Boat landing craft alongside the harbour. But as always this will depend upon the Port Authorities and compliance with their regulations. We are also delighted to be able to have the Pavilion to host a militaria show on the Saturday daytime – followed by a 1940′s dance in the evening…. If you want a table at the militaria fair please email us. info@weymouthatwar.com There will be thousands of interested people in Weymouth… it will be a great opportunity to sell and buy kit. As more activities are added they will be put onto the official website – so please look at this version as just temporary. Since news of the event appeared in the national press, we have been taken back by the level of interest from all over the country. Which has caused us to speed up everything – the website was due in a week or two !. If you would like to book a provisional booking for a table at the militaria show then please email info@weymouthatwar.com and then there is a space for displays all alongside the harbour. But this is filling up quickly. If you would like to book a ticket for the evening 1940′s dance please go to our Wristband and Dance Tickets page for more details (www.weymouthatwar.com). Wartime dress is optional – but preferred. The whole “Weymouth at War” event revolves around people taking part and we have already some big groups attending. There will be all types of Allied units guarding key installations, but it does not stop there. Are certain times we may move some units out to other locations – creating a constant series of strategic objectives that must be manned at all times…. For example a vital position guarding the harbour is under the Nothe Fort where there is a wartime Pill Box and cafe. This must be guarded at all times, so that there is no interruption to the public’s access to a good brew ! We have have had nothing but support from everyone we speak too and a huge number of the towns shops want to take part. Many will be offering discounts to re-enactors and this is getting bigger every week. News of the event has already crossed the pond and amazingly we are now getting interest from the US newspapers and TV as the D-day anniversary is going to be comprehensively covered from there. They want to see it and we have it – as it was ! We have been speaking to the makers of a well known US chocolate bar for sponsorshipand chewing gum manufacturers love the idea of getting involved in the “Got any Gum Chum” weekend as one of them called it. The US soldiers all gave out gum and chocolate – so we are hoping to be able to supply all the participating vehicles with a quantity for just that purpose. We are looking for Great British brand names to take part … this is your history as well. So many of Britains’ food and home front brands still exist and are thriving. We hope that some of those brands can see the value in reminding the public how they helped us get through the war years. It is all about remembering our heritage. The British and US armies lived, trained and fought alongside each other – and most importantly they lived alongside the great British public in Weymouth as well. Through air raids and rationing the public endured it all waiting for D-day. Once such group of men – the US Army Rangers were stationed in the Dorset area before embarking in Weymouth harbour… their destination – Omaha Beach – Normandy. It was one of the most dangerous missions of the whole war. If they failed to take the beach – then everything else behind them failed. WWII Ranger veteran James Gabaree who left from the quayside (near Weymouth Pavilion) for the D-day assault on Omaha Beach is delighted that this has been announced. “We all loved our time in England in 1944 and were given such a warm welcome by everyone. It makes all the surviving US Rangers proud to think that our time spent in Weymouth has not been forgotten. We wish this event well and hope it is a great success.” Mr Gabaree a member of A Company of the 5th battalion US Army Rangers was one of the first to land on Omaha Beach in Normandy and he was twice wounded during the famous battle for Pointe du Hoc. He thinks it is unlikely that he will be able to attend the event, but he has not ruled it out. “I would love to come over again. I have such fond memories of Britain at that time and I would love to involved if I can – I know some of the other guys are considering coming over.” There will be a display of WWII vehicles along the beachfront in the afternoon of Saturday. This part of the event will be free for all to watch and you can meet the people who drive them. - After the Royal Marines have finished their bridge laying exercise. There is also talk of a flypast of wartime aircraft and the council have informed us that there may well be a Spitfire Flypast. Many of the local shops and businesses are getting into it by offering “Wartime discounts” and you can guarantee that plenty of “wartime spirit” will be coming out of the pubs and cafes. Businesses such as the Crows Nest Cafe in Hope Square will be turning back the clock and embracing the wartime atmosphere. Cafe owner Rosie Farnworth thinks it will be great for the town. “We all know about the soldiers here during the war and its fantastic to think that we can remember them in this way. We are delighted to get involved and support this – it really is good for the whole town.” The veterans weekend and parade is traditionally the second busiest weekend of the year in Weymouth and it is thought that with the influx of extra visitors for Weymouth at War, it could well become the top event of next year. So if you have a WWII vehicle, a display, or perhaps you want to involve your school – or even promote your business by running something in your premises, there is literally no other opportunity on this scale, actually inside an original embarkation wartime town, where it can be done. This is a temporary website just to get some information out. A larger website with a wholelost of local information such as camping, accommodation and a detailed schedule of events will be coming soon. It will be the Allied Weekender of the year and is already set to become an annual event ! If you would like to be kept informed or want some info – please just drop us an email to info@weymouthatwar.com

HI - you could be right. I am not really up to speed on the differences of these yet. But I am working on it.

HI There is a QBL shown on there as well today. But thats nearer 10k. So they are both in the that price bracket. i guess then its a case of seeing which one I feel fits best as a set. My preference is for the CMP because I have a number of period photos of them both together on the south coast near D-day. If I get one then they will always match in period and usage. I spotted the covers on another forum a few weeks back. I might have a look at one when I have everything restored properly. There is not much point right now where they are. I have to get them indoors to do the work. I am on the south coast.

Thats in nice condition. Mine are not that good yet, but I am hoping to have a go at them this this winter. I have a lot of work to do to get them back to that sort of condition. Ideally I want to really clean them up and that way they are protected for a long time into the future. At the moment they are outside and are inevitably suffering from the elements, but I did grease and oil them all over last winter. Did you strip yours down or just over paint it ? I am guessing that stripping them down is a pretty difficult thing to do because of all the parts. I was thinking of just cleaning up the rusty bits and overpainting the whole thing as a short term solution.? Also looking at yours - I do not think my wheels are original on them both. I have the towing trolly with both and on one they look like modern truck wheels painted white (but they could be originals just painted with white gloss - I need check them as I just put them out of site a while back) - so they might have to go. I also have the extending legs and the star shaped pins etc. The rest is all original as far as I know but the wheels - I am guessing hard to find. Then I need the truck you have in the background of yours to pull them. And thats whats really getting me thinking. My current dilema is whether to go for a GMC which appears a lot more affordable and practical - or to go for one of the other specialist Fords which seem more expensive. I also have some other stuff which might be cool to tow with the GMC. But they are German - which creates an even bigger dilema as German trucks appear impossible to find and a lot more expensive. G

Hi I have two. One is marked on the side plate as being made in 1943 by the RoF and it has the Royal Crest / Artillery cypher on the top of the barrel. Its in good shape with its seats, sights, front panels and breech cover.The other one is slightly worse in terms of condition but still very good. It is Canadian made in 1944 if I remember correctly off the top of my head. Gary

Hi Thanks for that. I have seen some of these for sale in Europe. In particular Holland for the 5,000 - 6,000 euro mark. But I had assumed that this would have towed a US gun and not a British one ? I dont know how much they are available for in England. They appear cheaper than the Ford CMP I have seen - so perhaps this is the answer if they were widely used for this purpose. The Ford CMP which appears completely restored is just under 9k - but the problem is - I dont know if that is a good or bad price ? Thanks Gary

Hi Obviously I am new to the forum, but I have been reading it for some time. I have a strong interest in military related stuff and am involved in it professionally. I own quite a few field guns - both German and British, but I am fascinated by the vehicles that tow them and my plan is to try and put the two together where possible. I have been watching this forum with great interest. In particular I am considering buying something to tow one of my bofors guns - but it will have to be wartime and preferably useable (but not a deal breaker if it can be restored)... but I am not sure if the many different completed trucks I see are appropriate etc. For example I have seen one of these for sale... but I dont know if its ok, too expensive - or right for the bofors I have... Ford CMP Bofors LAA Gun Tractor I know these towed Bofors during WWII... but should I be looking for something else - or is this THE one I need.? So... initially I need a bit of advice and then hopefully I can make up my mind from there and possibly venture into restoration. Many thanks in advance and this is a great site. Cheers Gary