Larry Hayward

What engine size of motor bike is a person limited to, who has only got an ordinary car licence? Does it matter when you passed your test? I seem to remember reading that people who passed many years ago were not limited so much as new drivers. I passed my car test in 1982. And what about the age of the rider / licence holder does that matter?

Prior to WW1 and throughout the inter wars years till about 1939, the British Army used putties that wrapped around the leg to about 6 inches below the knee. Then with the newer style Battledress in use in WW2 the British Army adopted the short web anklets. When Battledress died out in the early 1960s ankets were gradually replace with putties - but this time they only went round and round the ankle and the top of the boot for support and in turn these were considered unnecessary when the Army got new high boots in 1980s. Incidentally Ankets and 37 webbing were still in use by Training Regiments RE until at least 1978 As for Gaiters I never remember the word being using in the British Army - so I always think of the US Army when I hear that word!

Frank, Its interesting what you say about Aluminium and Steel which should not be bolted together - you see thats what my Lightweight Land Rover is made of! So is did they paint all the bits before assembly or is my Lightweight going to burst into flames one day!

No offence mind to any particular bobby member reading this - but the Police & Authorities do make me sick with their attitude that 'no actual offence has been committed' ! What happened to attemped fraud - surely that's still an offence? I wish our Police Force was a bit morelike the FBI - they would have set that low life up for a deal and had the cuffs on him when he came round with his fake bankers draft - but oh no not here we can't do entrapment - it might infringe his Human Rights! And as for cash watch out if you are a buyer as in some parts of the UK innocent cash buyers have arrived to collect the car of their dreams only to be met by a gang with nothing to offer except violence if the poor victim does not had over his hard earned cash!

I suppose the Russians must have had some WW1 armoured cars available when WW2 broke out but I wonder what else they had?

I was interested to read in the November 2006 issue of Classic Military Vehicle magazine, that the Vichy French were still using the FT-17 Tank in 1942 against the US Forces in North Africa, and I wondered if there are any other examples of WW1 vehicles used in WW2?

The heading photo is interesting if it was taken in late 1945 as it appears that the second soldier is armed! No wonder the men in the Armoured car have turned round in amazement! I didn't think the Allies allowed any Germans to be armed so soon after the war - except perhaps the Civil Police Force? But these two don't exactly look like civilians!

I can't imagine that the PRO / National Archives at Kew would have RAF, RN & Army service records as I don't think they are set up to receive loads of letters a year and reply to them. I thought the National Archives was only accessable in person.

I'm sure it's been asked before and will be in the future but where do you have to write to for the personal service records for your relatives or even yourself. Can someone supply the addresses for the recods for the British Army, the RAF and the RN? My Dad was in the RAF and wants to write off for his and I had Uncles in the British Army & RN in WW2 and two Grandfathers in the British Army in WW1. Incidentally, as one of my Grandfathers was in the Coldstream Guards in First World War I was told some years ago that the records for him were held with the Guards Museum and when I did this I was amazed to receive copies of documents written in his own hand writing from 1909. I presume the Guards Museum (whose address I cannot remember) still holds records the other Guards Regiments. Lastly does the record centre depend on rank? Are Officers records kept separately from ORs?

And another in the series of three [attachment deleted by admin]

And another [attachment deleted by admin]

And another. Does anyone know the location of the wading trials - looks like Dorset or Wiltshire? [attachment deleted by admin]

Here are a few more photos of Dodges [attachment deleted by admin]

Oh well perhaps the Tank Museum could get a working M41, if they ask nicely if and when they get replaced

Thanks Steve. So perhaps you can explain how things would be if an MV owner turned up three or four months early for an MOT coz their vehicle had an MOT that expires in August? And by the way no engine number is recorded on my V5 though its clear to see on my Lightweight Land Rover - so should I write to the DVLA now or wait to see if they write to me after the MOT?

Mark, Have you done some of the film work yet?

Hopefully they will get some Aid from the UK or USA and the M41's can be made available to MV owners. Anyone fancy dressing up as ARVN?

I hope Ken Jackson and the MVT will forgive me for reproducing Ken Jackson's letter in Windscreen for those who have not seen it - but from what he says it does seem that you can't get your vehicle MOT'ed if the system says it does not need one! Some times vehicles will be bought that have MOT's that expire at an inconvenient time - like in the middle of the show season - so what happens if you need to get the MOT done three months early? Has anyone else had problems and has anyone written to the 'DVLA' Spot of MOT Bother I have just put my Champ through the new computerized MOT with some interesting observations and almost coincidently I had an email from Steve who has just done the same with his Jeep. I have to say that his story takes the biscuit so I have included his tail of woe, perhaps it would be useful if more of these escapades could be recorded. This might make you chuckle. The new computerized MOT system is supposed to make things easier! At the end of March, I put the Jeep through its first MOT in my ownership, and it passed ok. This was the first time it was tested on the new computer system. A few weeks ago, I got a letter from the DVLA saying there was a difference between the MOT and logbook records. Could I please fill out the form provided with the correct manufacturer, chassis number etc etc... So I did and sent it. A few days ago I got a phone call asking what the chassis number was and did I really get it off the vehicle. I said I did and confirmed the number. So the new log book arrives, with the Jeep called a Hutchkis (not Hotchkiss) and the chassis numbers were all there, just not in the right order! The original logbook at least had the chassis number correct! Here's where it gets good! I checked the MOT certificate, and find they copied the chassis number down wrong from the old hand written MOT, so I take the Jeep and MOT etc. back to be altered. Because of the new computer system, the records couldn't be altered! So the Jeep would have to go through a new MOT...BUT...The computer wouldn't accept the Jeep as needing an MOT until another two years time, because the MOT certificate and log book said that the Jeep was first registered in the UK, in April 2005 (when I bought it), and so didn't need any MOT! Well obviously it did, or I couldn't get the log book corrected, so they had to put the thing back through a complete MOT before the computer would accept it, because with the new computer system, even the time taken performing the MOT is logged with the DVLA to reduce fraud. Eventually I came out of the garage with the correct paperwork, so now I can get the DVLA to amend the logbook AGAIN, without it throwing a wobbler because it doesn't match! So best of luck to all who enter the dark and mysterious realms of super efficient new DVLA technology ] Ken Jackson Member 12378

Chris, That should help Joris I hope! Strange that Leicester is not in the 'East Midlands' as such. It must be an orphaned area like Middlesex!

Joris, I am an MVT member and although I have no WW2 vehicles and live in London, it may be possible for someone from the East Midlands Area of the MVT to help. The new Area Secretary is Simon King but I do not know his number. He took over from Bob Fleming who may be contacted at Falcon House, Leverton Road, Sturton le Steeple, Retford, DN22 9HE. So drop Bob a line and ask, as I know from experience that the chance to do things can sometimes be gone for ever. Two years ago the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden painted their Bucker Bu 131 bi-plane in the colours & markings of a Luftwaffe trainer stolen by two Frenchmen and flown to Christchurch in 1941. Through a friend in France I knew the pilot of the original plane was still alive so I contacted Old Warden to get the Frenchman to come to the UK as an honoured guest. Sad to say that with a lot of dithering it took about a year to get any interest, by which time the Frenchman had died! Go for it and make that veterans day before it's too late!

Richard, Is that the real Jeremy Clarkson bidding for it on eBay? I wonder if they are planning on using it on Top Gear - perhaps as the slowest vehicle to go round the track! A bit safer than other types they have tried out!

Thanks guys. So how much does it cost? And is it easy to apply - like from an aerosol?

In the MVT's Windscreen magazine for Autumn 2006 I read that someone put Rainex on their MV's windscreen! What is Rainex - what does it do and how much is it?

I agree that BD is itchy but that still doesn't explain why very few owners of 1945-1960 era vehicles wear 1949 pattern BD or even the all gren Combat Uniform that came into use just after it (before Camo Pattern). I can't remember seeing many Champs owners in uniform at Kemble. Many people now over 65 have fond memories of their National Service days, which could be the basis for a living history display, which would not be associated so much with being macho but with doing your bit for King / Queen and Country without complaining!

There is WW2 snobery which many organisers make worse by saying 'pre 1945 MVs only, but on the other hand it is hard for them to include post war vehicles if they wish to promote a WW2 veterans parade, WW2 airfield memorial dedication or a War on the Line or Living History event. However I do feel a little miffed at being excluded and I am sure I am not the only one who drives a 'modern' MV but secretly wishes I had the time & money & storage space for a WW2 Jeep! Sadly some owners feel almost ashamed that their vehicles look ordinary, so feel the need to make their vehicles it to something else. I say resist the temptation and go for originality, which will be appreciated in the future! Imagine they had organised an MV show in 1946, all the veterans & public would have walked by the rows of Jeeps & Jimmys and been really interested in the WW1 vehicles. Its the same with our cars - where did all those ordinary saloon cars go that I remember on the roads in 1980? The EMLRA has said that GS Land Rovers with original seats are rarer now as so many were sold of and used for other purposes As for displaying post war vehicles, some in EMLRA have taken their Land Rovers and displayed them in a Northern Ireland context, complete with bricks & paint splashes. So come on all you post war owners of why can't we set up a National Service Living History Group, or similar for other small wars since 1945. Any BTW why is it that you never see a post war vehicle of the 1945 - 60 era being driven by anyone in post war Battledress?