Great War truck

Yes it would. However, what with you now having had a first hand account of our storage facilities, you will see the problem. We would either have to dismantle it and store it on its side (like one of the Peerless), or store it on top of another one (like another Peerless), sell something to make room for it (not going to happen), park it in the neigbouring field (which would really upset the owners), or leave it for someone else to do. Hmmm, it is a tough decision. But i think that for now we will leave it for someone else to do. I dont think that it will be scrapped, so it is safe for now. Tim (too)

Very interesting photos. Thanks. Tim (too)

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You really do wonder about some people. A friend of mine (who i have not seen for 20 years) was in charge of the MT repair section at RNAS Yeovilton. One of the girls on the base was having trouble with her car and my friend had it towed in. He quickly diagnosed that she had got oil and water mixed up. She had put oil in the radiator and water in the engine. It takes skill to be that dumb. Tim (too)

No, i cant find a picture of one to show you. I have lots of WW1 German truck photos that i cant identify, so i might have one but i have no idea which one it is. There is supposed to be a book coming out on the subject later this year (in German) which i am looking forwards to seeing. I might even try and learn the langauge - actually i probably have more important things to do. I will get Steve to read it to me. Tim (too)

Not familiar with the name "Presto", well neither was I. But trust me it is a WW1 German truck (or ambulance). Available for the brave for about a grand. http://www.prewarcar.com/show_prewar_car.asp?car_id=25295 If you are thinking about buying this but are undecided, do let me know and i will tell you enough to put you off the whole idea. Tim (too)

I will get one of those. It looks like an armoured Lancia in the bottom left corner of the cover. There are several surviving early RUC vehicles (including Lancia, Crossley and a Peerless restoration job), but it seems that these things are not often displayed as there is a significant risk of them being attacked or torched. At least they are saved for posterity and maybe can be displayed in X years time when things have settled down even more - although saying that, i never thought that I would live to see the day when the fighting came to an end (if it really has). Tim (too)

Did the British and Canadians encounter such a severe bocage problem as encountered by the Yanks? My thought was that the Eastern end of Normandy did not have such bocage and would not have needed the device fitted. I certainly have never seen a picture of a carrier with it on and would agree that their weight would not have been enough to push a hole through it anyway. If you want to do something different with it convert it in to a Wasp or a Conger. Tim (too)

Interesting to see that he says: "This is a genuine WD issue collapsible canvas bucket.The ideal accessory for your Land Rover , FV , AFV , Armoured car or similar.These can be seen in use in period photographs , usually hanging from the tow hitch." My response would be "Where, show me a picture". It appears to be a 1960's British bucket, but I think that there might be a practical issue of hanging it off a motorcycle. I think anything hanging from a motorcycle will make you a little unsteady and if it snags on something it might be very nasty indeed. Best left to go on something else Tim (too)

Strangely enough, while in my local book shop today i came across a book called "The Interpreter" which was written by a French interpreter working for the US military judicial system in Europe. The book appeared to be about how badly the black US soldiers were treated in the Courts, with almost all of the 70 executions they quote being black soldiers (I guess Eddie Slovak being the odd one out). In the case of Kingsclere though they seem to have gotten off quite easily. I do remember in ATB an article about two black soldiers who on landing in Normandy raped and murdered a French woman. They were hung in front of the whole Batallion. What i found interesting was that there were a large number of MP's with MG's surrounding them in case they tried to rescue the prisoners. If that was the worry, you wonder why they brought the whole Batallion up to watch the execution as opposed to the British way of bringing just a few representatives from each Company in the Batallion. As we know, military executions are a controversial subject, so i will just cover this topic with petrol and hand the matches to the next person who wishes to post. Tim (too)

Not sure. The sentence was life, but a lot of these sentences were commuted in the late 1940's. The GI's killed two other black guys and a civilian. You wonder if they had killed two white MP's whether the sentence would have been so lenient (if life with hard labour is lenient?) Tim (too)

Yes it has happened to me and is very disconcerting. Try tyre pressure first. It is the easiest found and easiest resolved. Tim (too)

I used a JCB, only once though. Sawdust is quite good to, but you have to put it on quickly. Tim (too)

Someone posted a new topic on this subject a while back and i cant find it. Basically 10 Black GI's armed themselves and went out to revenge themsleves on some MP's who sent them back to base while they were trying to get to a pub. They shot one MP and accidentally another black soldier and the pub landlady. It was in After the Battle a while back. A neigbour of mine used to live there and gave me a link to a website which tells the whole story. Try http://www.kingsclere.org.uk/murders.html and tell me if it doesnt work. Interesting stuff. Tim (too)

I clicked on the photos and all of a sudden i was taken to a poker website that i could not get out of. I had to reboot my computer. Did this happen to anybody else or do i have a compulsive gambling problem alongside my compulsive military vehicle problem? Tim (too)

I remember seeing lots of these converted into houseboats down in Devon in about 1975 years ago. They all seem to have dissapeared now. I remember seeing one very original looking one being broken up on the shore up the estuary from Dartmouth (i think it was there). Even at the young age of 8 i remember thinking how sad that it was that it could not be saved. Tim

Remember, it is always easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission! Tim (too)

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Yes, those are both very good. Well done everyone. You both get gold stars to stick on the chart. Tony just sent me this picture: http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/DSCN0621.jpg[/img] Nothing to do with us i must say. We wouldnt mix a Schimwagen on the same car as a helicopter. And people think that we do mad things! Nice models though. Tim

No, never on strike. Just the drivers are too busy doing other things. So we are always "train"ing up some more. Catch them while they are young and before their enthusiasm is dampened by other things. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/AtPlay4Sep2004002a.jpg[/img] This one is a Mack (you may recognise the distinctive bonnet as being the same as that of the WW1 Mack AC Bulldog truck) and is a model of one of two used by the US Army Transporation Corps. It is battery powered and reaches some hairy speeds! The kids love it.

The two look very similar. I wonder if the bridge body's were built to a standard design or by the same manufacturer. Also it is interesting to see the gas detection plates. I can only think of one preserved example that had these. Were they mounted on all British soft skinned vehicles during the war, just some or what? And when were they removed? What colour was the gas detection paint? More of my daft questions, but i am sure that someone will know the answer. I enjoy these sorts of photographic challenges as it makes me study the photos in much more detail than i would if i was just reading the book. Tim (too)

Ah yes, i remember that one from the "Ladybird Ballistics series". Didn't really do that well, a bit like my proposed "Shoot with Mother" radio series. However my "Five go mad in the American Expeditionary Force" colouring book series has done really well and i may even sell a copy of it soon. http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/Greatwartruck/Kenwortha.jpg[/img] Tim (too) - who has now totally lost the plot and is entering the HMVF club house of the August Moon

Funny that you should mention that. After much deliberation and planning i had just started a book. It is to be called "Katy and the trucks of the the US Army Motor Transport Corps 1918 to 1922". I am hedging my bets and going for the young female WW1 truck enthusiast. Tim (too)

Oxford! Why was i not told! I could have gone to watch it land! Is it at the Kidlington airfield and does it usually live there? Tim

Have you got the old Wheels and Tracks. From memory Bart did an article about Le Tourneau. Tim

I have got hundreds, but firstly what is the origin behind the Sherman Bulldozer? That is very unusual. I see that he has a group of people looking out and finding things for him across Europe. How does he manage to get people to sell things to him as from my personal experiences, if a French farmer realises that he has something that you might want, that is an excellent reason for not parting with it. Tim (too)