geoffleese

You'd all be more than welcome at our planned British Living History event in Ver sur Mer. We now have the adjoining field complete with tobruk, so there's plenty of room...........

Hello everyone. We've organised a small (<50 folks) Living History event for a group of 59 Div 197 Bde re-enactors (it being our county division and all) between 1st and 8th June this year. We could do with a few vehicles to add something to the event, as they always do. The main public days will be 2nd, 3rd and possibly 6th June. British vehicles please (or US used by British forces in 1944). Suitable dress for drivers too would be even better - and we're short of a couple of cooks. Can't offer much except a possible discount on the ferry and free camping. If you're over there anyway, why not pay us a visit? Anyone interested please contact me by these means or email info@goldbeach.org.uk Thanks for reading this.

Well, the work is finally finished and the Porpoise is in place. Please visit either of the two "porpoise restoration pages" at the museum website - http://goldbeachmusee.fr/ to see pictures of the final stages. Nothing yet decided about an inauguration ceremony - all the locals seem distracted by other matter at the minute. :-) Will let you all know when a date is decided though.

How interesting that someone should ask! The hull was a Mk1 (sized to fit between tracks of a Valentine) and the covers were from a Mk2(sized to fit between the tracks of a Sherman or Cromwell. The hull had to be virtually re-fabricated, it was in such a bad state. So at my suggestion we re-fabricated it as a Mk2! Sorry for any purists out there - but it was much easier than fabricating Mk1 covers or making those we had fit a Mk1!

Just in case any of you are waiting for an update, there are lots more pictures here. http://goldbeachmusee.org.uk/Porpoise-1.htm The porpoise herself is now away being painted, it's concrete base behind the Sexton and the information panel are now installed and ready. We're aiming for "unveiling" sometime over Easter.

Good to hear Tony. It's been a long year. You got anyone interested in Epron (just N of Caen) June 1-8?

Thanks everyone. The owner and restorer of the vehicle believes that it was damaged during the Normandy campaign and left behind. How it was missed by the scrap-men after the war I have no idea. I've passed on your much appreciated comments.

Morning everyone. Another bone question. A pal of ours in Normandy is restoring an M3 half-track. Under layers of paint he's found a number, 168 331 painted on the rear of the vehicle. Is this an American number and if so, is it traceable to a particular unit? Did I remember that the first three letters are the unit number? Thanks in advance.

Thanks Tony. Apparently the firm that are doing the refinishing (not one I would have chosen!) can't guarantee that rust won't appear on the fasteners - I spoke to the chap myself tonight after questioning his sanity remotely this afternoon. hence the need for stainless fasteners. That's their intention apparently - galvanising primer then paint - just as we did with the QLR! Our engineering suppliers up here tell me that stainless BSF nuts are no longer available. J-P has found an engineering shop near Bayeux that will make him some BSF ones, and source some metric ones. there are lots of pictures here - http://goldbeachmusee.org.uk/FRPorpoise-1.htm or here if you prefer the English version - http://goldbeachmusee.org.uk/Porpoise-1.htm Lovely to hear from you mate.

Hello all you REAL engineers and refinishers. I'm just a dabbler.......... Some of you may have seen the thread about our ongoing restoration of a WWII Porpoise over in Normandy. The metalwork is now pretty much finished and it's time to get someone to refinish and repaint the sledge. All of the fastenings for the covers have been replaced - some being rebuilt using matric threads, others using 3/8 bsf nuts and washers. The company that we've approached about the refinishing say that we must replace all these fasteners with stainless ones. When i asked the chap for clarification we, he could not explain further than "c'est necessaire" (it is necessary). Why would this be needed, as the originals certainly WERE NOT stainless? I believe the plan is some sort of galvanised coated then several coats of paint, as the sledge will be displayed outside when completed. Any ideas? 3/8 BSF nuts in stainless are made from unobtainium, I'm told, and would have to be fabricated.

I remember them well. Every b*gger got issued them, don'tknow anyone who ever wore them - you must be an exception Tony!

Thanks for those, some useful stuff there.

Evening evryone. There's news! Some covers have been found, about a mile away , parts of a shed! mystery is, they've been measured and they're too big. Does this imply there are at least two variants of this thing? Anyone any idea who made them? How and where we might find plans?

Sorry chap. "crossed wires" here. "Katy" is a dodge ambulance, owned by a recently passed lifetime friend of Tony. Simon is our group's MO, who's always wanted an ambulance to "play" with.

Thanks Tony. That is indeed good news. Have you told Simon? A repaint in RAMC colours perhaps? And an HRO set in the back? ( We know that "Y" service did that.......

Strangely enough, the previous "owner" ( well, we left it on his land in June 44) used it as exactly that! When the base rusted out and it wouldn't hold water, he flung it in the hedge and forgot about it. We are still looking for that "barn find" Tiger tank though.............

Damn! You noticed! Lovely to hear from you Tony, haven't seen you for too long. You know you're always welcome here. The museum are paying for the restoration and explanatory panel - bilingual, that's where my work will be - and the town are paying for the concrete plinth to put it on when finished.

And one or two being placed outside the workshop ready for work to begin. Now, about those surviving examples/pictures/memories/plans/service records/manufacturers records? There's a small number stamped into one of the front towing eyes - 720.

One or two during the lift -

Here are a couple before we started lifting, and after we'd cut down the hedge and cleared most of the cr*p from around the sled.

OK. Will see what I can do from here. Now where's that funny looking wire thing...........

We have indeed, and as soon as I'm back in the UK I'll post one or two here. Is that allowed?

Afternoon everyone. We've just spent a very enjoyable morning dragging a PORPOISE out of a Norman hedge, and recovering it to a workshop. Now the restoration starts. When completed it will be placed behind the Sexton in the Espace Robert Kiln on the D514 coast road in Ver sur Mer, opposite the memorials. My job once I'm back in UK is the research. Anyone know of any other surviving examples, in the UK or elsewhere? Pictures? (1944 or later) Records of service? How many were made? Who made them? The sled is missing its covers, so copies will have to be fabricated. Therefore copies of original plans will be most useful. Thanks for any help you can offer, via these means or any other.

Hello everyone. I've just been asked by an old friend down in the South-West if I can help arrange "an army military vehicle" for the event. No details specified. Is there anyone local who can help? Chris says that in return he'll take whoever can help on a pleasure flight in his WW2 light aircraft........ Contact details by PM or these means, if you can help. Thanks for reading this at least.

Sounds ideal mate. email me at info@goldbeach.org.uk and will add you to future comms. BR Geoff