Peter4456

The Essex based Who Dares Wears had some very nice Army issue Bedford Cord breaches at Military Odyssey today - the company is on Ebay and I have 01268 779441 / 077948 10148 as contact numbers - I'd be interested to hear how you get on

What a brilliant display that was too! Three really nice vehicles commemorating an almost forgotten campaign but a bit hidden away in Kitchener's Field - you really should have been in the modern 'non digging' Living History bit of the show!

From the Hull Data Plate, it looks like your Ferret has a long (and probably interesting) history: - Rebuild in May 1964 at 23 Base Workshops, REME, based at Wetter, Germany - Further Work in January 1975 at 23 Base Workshops, REME - Base Overhaul in August 1990 at 34 Base Workshops, REME, based at Donnington, Shropshire (probably not long before it was sold!) If you obtain the Vehicle History Card from Bovington, then I'll translate it for you!

I've followed this thread since the beginning and you've done an amazing job, resulting in the very well deserved prize at Beltring on Sea! Very well done indeed!

Well we had a great War & Peace! I love the site and I think over time it will develop into something really special. I think the main problem in the Living History field(s) were the ditches that effectively stopped the idea of a timeline. A few small bridges and perhaps a trail, issued at the start, would make things a lot easier. As soon as I heard the stalls were set out pretty much like Beltring, it all made sense - a great idea! OK, so the water supply to the showers was a bit erratic (apparently caused by someone leaving them running on one occasion!) but I had a hot, clean shower every day. Our shower block was reasonably clean (a bin for used paper towels would have made it cleaner!) but it's disappointing that the filthy animals persist and cause deliberate (criminal) damage to the facilities. The booking in marshalls deserve a medal for remaining polite and cheerful in that dust and heat for ten days and I found other marshalls noticeably more helpful than in the past - Malcolm Dunlop was particularly helpful in dealing with a noise issue. The Jive Aces / Sand Dolls show - WOW! (and it was free too!) The Airport Cafe - good food at reasonable prices with staff who seemed to enjoy witty banter with camo clad wierdos of all nations! A huge thank you to the NLBA who woke Andy Long up fairly early one morning to recover one of our club members whose vehicle had suffered a major breakdown on the M20. Andy didn't know our friend (or us!) but he was on the road within 30 mins and back in time for the NLBA excursion to sunny Broadstairs. The NLBA often get a bad press (and please dont let this start a debate!) but, speak as you find, Andy and his friends went well out of their way to help us - thanks guys. All in all, a great show and I look forward to next year. A few tweaks and this will be amazing so well done and thank you to the whole W&P team.

I must be a right saddo but this is one of my favourite HMVF threads and I look foward to it each year - thanks Lee! Two more sleeps and we'll be down early Sat am, setting up with the East Anglian Fighting Vehicle Group in Haig's Field - having been suitably fed at the Blue & White cafe on the A20 - I won't last until the Airport Cafe!

I had a superb 'Set' breakfast on Sunday with a mug of tea, a slice of lovely fresh buttered bread and extra black pudding for (I think) £5.20 - whatever it cost, it was a VERY good breakfast!

That's what I was thinking, Andy! I'm sure all the info you need is in there. Try Vintage MV Manuals - they're the best for copies of manuals

Mark, I'd be very happy to be proved wrong - there's a photo I'd really like to see - a Chieftain in NI!

The only time tracked armour was operationally deployed in Northern Ireland during 'the Troubles' was on 31st July 1972 during Operation Motorman, the British Army's operation to remove barricades and stop 'no go' areas. It seems that at least two Centurion 165 AVREs were landed in Londonderry using landing craft from HMS Fearless. The turrets were reversed, the guns covered with tarpaulins and 'Royal Engineers' was (badly) handpainted on the side skirts. The photos show two different AVREs, one of which is 32 BA 33, but does anyone know how many were landed?, reg numbers? and if they have survived?

Really interesting stuff - it looks like the WWA L4A3s were something of a bargain then - yours looks really nice Clive!

No problem, but don't forget the Sabre Merlin paperwork either - I'm sure there's a big chunk of the story missing!

I was wondering about L4A3 Brens from WWA - they seemed very cheap for a 'real' British Army 7.62 Bren but I know they've now sold out! The 'Irish' Brens are also interesting - a lighter, shorter, Bren Gun seems to be a good idea - did the British Army ever use them? I'd be very interested to hear what Chris, as our resident Bren Gun Expert, has to say about these weapons!

I was wondering if that was the case but I don't have the CVRT Asset Codes! As you say, the date is right for Clansman being fitted but I suppose it could have also been 'Scorpoled' at that time!

Here's the first draft of my translation for your Vehicle History Card - do you have the Merlin history as that may provide some more information? 03 FD 34 (Sabre) (1).doc

Pat Ware's book on the Ferret shows 95 Ferret Mark 4s built, all converted from Mark 1s and Mark 2/3s. I've no idea how many have survived but there are very rare on the show circuit - in fact, I've never seen one, so I think you've got a rare beast which will generate a lot of interest wherever it goes!

Vehicle History Card translation as promised - some of the details were a bit faint but I've done my best! A lot of time spent in storage (like most Ferrets!) but the Para Sqn, RAC is an interesting unit! 00 EC 57.doc

If you get the Vehicle History Card from Bovington, I'll translate it for you!!

Ferris, Try JD Robertson in Colchester - they can do almost anything engine wise! J D Robertson & Co 26 Magdalen St Colchester CO1 2LD 01206 572368

The MOD used to provide copies of Merlin records for free but now say you have to submit a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request - you're asking for the same thing but in a different way! You can either write to: CIO Access, 1st Floor, Zone N, Main Building, Whitehall, London, SW1 2HB or email: CIO-FOI@mod.uk Hope this helps - I'd be interested to hear how you get on or how long it takes!

It doesn't look like they've changed much! I'll try and photograph some older examples next week.

A quick internet search shows there was a really nice looking Dinky model of a Corporal Missile and Launch Vehicle! The same sort of vehicle appears in a Pathe newsreel clip of the Corporal Missile being demonstrated and it's Army number is 01 BX 76. Another vehicle has the partial number of ?? BX 24. The usually excellent Tankograd series has a special called 'British Nuclear Artillery'. I'm sure Firepower at Wolowich has an Honest John and launcher but I can't remember seeing a Corporal. All in all, a very interesting subject!

Are these the ones that used to be housed in the turret baskets of Chieftains etc? I've got a fairly recent OEP220 drum I could photograph if that's any help or if you can wait until next week, I'm sure I can photograph some older examples!

Welcome aboard Ferris! Plenty of really knowledgeable people on here - if they can't help, you're really in trouble!!

I do know where there's a nice easy project Scimitar for sale................!!!