paul connor

I have a few photos I require for my survey book. Can any one help, I need to find a British or a Canadian WW2 reenact group for some living history photos.. Do you know any groups in the South/south east.. I require ideally a section of troops. Cam nets of the 1940's. All equipped and also the correct Bren Gun tripod that fits the era.. I can't pay, but I can stretch to drinks in the pub/book credits and also use the day for your own needs as well.(promo pics) Its to man a Pillbox to recreate the 1940's Sussex defence. I have a Pillbox on private land so De-act weapons are not an issue. IF any one has a 6 pounder hotchkiss would be a dream come true!!!!! Look forward to your replies. Paul

Hello Everyone. The snow has also reached the Captial of the UK. Buxted (East Sussex) It was refreshing to go for a drive today and not encounter any other vehicles. Nice little trundle through the local lanes fully equipped and ready to lend a hand to other motorists who had become stranded. Towed four cars from silly situations and various hidden features masked by snow. I adore how the Landrover is viewed as a gas guzzling monster and yet when snow appears I'm everyones best friend of all a sudden! http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010959.jpg my wee little garden http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010954.jpg poor hairy sods,do cattle feel the cold? I'm not sure on that one.. I would assume. http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010953.jpg Juan ten doing what he does best.. http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010951.jpg I love Sussex,more so in the Snow. http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010950.jpg perfect driving conditions. http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010949.jpg solitude http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q199/LFK_bucket/02122010948.jpg Nan Tuck's lane,Haunted so they say.

Gitineye: The earth works are a mild terrace yes, it's location is on Bullock Down farm,not far,just behind the Beachy head Countryside centre to the north. Field system on OS maps. It has remains of a small barn and wall sections. To the south of these the terraces are visible. Caused by ploughing, you can see on the ends how the plough would have been lifted and turned,causing this effect. Also 2 circular pits on for the removal of Chalk one for Flint, used in the construction of the walls and other structures in the area. The lower part of the valley is a dried up river bed from pre Ice age. If you follow this valley down to Birling gap you can see on the eroded cliff face the flint layers and the river bed (now underground I expect) which has a very distinct colour change. This can also be seen by Asda in Brighton marina. The differences in soil are due to the river cutting its way down the valley pulling various soils/rocks with it. But leaving the original geology intact. Geology is not my strong point! hope that makes sense! Also worth a note! how did I forget this! A Beaker (2000Bc) settlement on the Birling Gap higher cliffs s/east to the cafe and hotel. This is the largest Beaker settlement in the Uk, but alas is falling off the cliffs at a startling speed each year. Even on a walk over we found flint tools and napping shards. Shame no one wants to fund a dig here! It seems that the reason is the wind and the close proximity to the cliff face. A few small trenches have been cut into the earth work ditches and banks a few years back. It was not so much a defensive position,more status due to the bank being on the outside the ditch on the inner. The trenches were taken I think to show the stratigraphic of the sites bank construction. Post holes were located on the higher showing that it was indeed walled. walking up there its not that visible, the first bank you can see the second is very hard to locate. For Tunnellad *** There was a shaft (now fallen into the sea) from the cliff top to far below sea level, its reasoning could not be worked out. It was just big enough to fit one person down? they are still baffled on that. Ideas thrown out are an elaborate burial chamber.. If it doubt, just say its "ritual" haha Startling that they could dig that distance down in those days with very little in the way of tools.. Ok, must dash, hope that makes sense, not read through it!

Dear HMVF Here is a small update of the various things I have been up to the last few months. As you all know I have been studying at Sussex University trying to change my career path to something I have a passion for, “concrete” as my Lecturer mocks! I'll pick the Pillbox over the Romans any day! I love winding him up. My Archaeology course has provided the channel to join many local groups and partake in ground works. Sussex University Archaeology Society Worthing Archaeology Society Mid-Sussex Archaeology Society as well as Brighton and Hove’s own. It's nice to meet new faces and new friends with similar interests. My first placement was at Parham Place Nr. Storrington. My first chance to dig and get hands on with various finds,be them only 'nails' in my trench. The dig was to locate the lost village of Parham which we now know from various sources did not exist and was mere 'hearsay'. We did locate the parsonage which would have been from the Edwardian Parham house. Long gone but great to get lost in a history of a location. Also a WW2 army base was on the site but we where not allowed to dig or survey there. Shame. Second of my field works was at Beachy Head. Oh! hello to Chris G ! saw him that day in the café at Birling Gap! This was to survey the Medieval farm works and still evident plough marks on the field system, to the untrained eye (me on the day) they look very much like a Iron Age Hill fort ditch system! But seems they were caused by ploughing on slopes creating a ditch system. Few WW2 craters are evident as well in the area,one would expect trying to hit the old Chain low Radar station. Next I was at a Roman Villa in Barcombe Sussex. My task for the day was resistivity survey of the area for a future dig in July 2011. Geophysics does fascinate me and was nice to spend a day gridding the area into 20mx20m sections and completing the survey before the rain came in hard! Still waiting for the results to be Emailed. I shall post the results. I have been also training with level and Total station survey techniques,all very new but fascinating and providing me a new way to perceive a site to which one normally would. Tide Mills in Newhaven has been the latest of my field works. Tide mills was as the title hints a tide mill in the 1700's with a village built by the owner to control and house his staff. This was functioning till the 1900's. Then in early 1930's the village was deemed unfit for habitation. In 1939 the British and Canadians took charge of the site for defence and practice of town combat fighting. There is evidence of 'loop holes' added to existing 18th century walls. Also blast holes added for the realism of the combat village area. A tank road has been added and bridges to the coast was strengthened and extra walkway added to aid troops and tank to deploy to the coast. Evidence of trainings of demolitions are evident with anti-tank cubes having charge holes drilled,one cut in half with a charge. We excavated a ditch exposing corrugated shuttering and concrete plinth, we can only put down to a mortar position due to the location. No advantage or line of sight is possible for anything else. 303 rounds have been found, as well as UX mortar rounds. Most of the team have been excavating a green house with underfloor heating bringing many sherds of pottery from 1800's out. I have been focusing on the WW2 aspect,Nissan huts and ablutions for the barracked troops still mark the ground. This is reinforced with the WW2 aerial reconnaissance photos of the time. Well, that's a few of the things I have been up to, I don't want to ramble on too much. I have been in the field loads with my Pillbox defence survey, now being aided by Sussex Uni students. When I get more to enlighten you all on, I shall post. Hope this of interest.

Hi all. I shall start a small update for you in a while tonight. I have been layed up with a busted foot,just had my nose in books and trying to stay on top of things. My pillbox book has taken a turn really, I was intending to survey Sussex Defences as a whole, this is a huge task, So I have taken to working on the Buxted/Uckfield/Crowborough areas for a full WW2 defences survey and log. Not being able to get on the ground at the minute due to my foot has hindered its progress but maps and much has been written on the subject. As soon as I have snippets available HMVF will be my first port of call. well, Now I shall do as I should! and write a small update of the areas I have been excavating and surveying for you all to have a read through. Paul

Hello everyone, sorry it has been a while. I have been very busy with University. I have many updates to post though i'm not sure if all suitable as most are not Military linked. Roman Villa and baths. Roman farm house. Medieval farm system. WW1 Seaplane base. Sussex GHQ stop line survey. A of the few places I have been envolved with excavation and geophysics resistivity. I will be on site with the WW1 dig again next week,so I can update and load a few pictures of finds and progress. I have not forgotten you HMVF

Cheers mate! cleared up now. Nice:)

Forward facing one would assume. Is there an EMER or Regulation for the sizing of the Chevron, colour or indeed the angle to which they bend.. I like to be precise

Ok, trying to work out what Chevrons are for what era? Golf war one is "^" so I gather. Now its ">" is that right? some people seem to tell me the ">" if nearside and offside its "<" Also, does anyone have a few pictures of them on a Landrover.. Many thanks in Advance Paul

Dave King has one in Sussex. Still in the yard

If anyone wants a solid Winterised 109 on a 1981 plate, Good unabused and needing care, no Mot or Tax. my friend has one on his drive, serious offers.. Not moved in a few years, I know he would benifit from the cash.. let me know, ill get some pics if anyone interested. Good chassis from memory, needs a paint and a good tidy, 2.25 petrol, needs attention getting it running smooth, condenser I would say, poss set of leads.. its the 24v model

Last time I saw it (year ago) It was in good running order with very good overal condition, it would have been outside since then, so not sure now.. but would assume still good

Dave King in Sussex has one, justr sitting there, I could put you in touch if your serious about buying one?

Dave, could you send me some pics Via Email for me, Would like to See how the ol'girl looks now, ill see what pig pics i can find

I'm not sure what days I shall be at the WP show as yet, but I would gladly give you some SFG's for close locations and show a few interesting larger structures quite close to the ground. Send me a PM Paul

As well as a previous engagement, now I'm waiting on a Axle rear pinion Oil seal, so I can't make either! As my next day off to fit the part ( when it arrives) is Sunday.. Well, have a good day and look forward to your pictures and write up. Paul

Christ! thats not good? who by? what happened?

Ahh ok, that explains your truck then, But alas a Humber pig does not fall into that area

Its not the vehicle exemption, its the licence I refer to from DVLA webiste: B : Motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3,500 kg, no more than eight passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg. from DVLA website,its the licence, I know my friends could not drive my Pig due to the weight and their licence being issued after 1997. The weight being the issue. It was always questioned by Footman James when Ages were mentioned on insurance policy

Croc: yes it can, on the older pre 1997 licence, the new car licence cat B has a 3.5 tonne limit. If you pass after 1997 you need a cat C. luckly I passed the month before it changed so i gained a cat C1 enabling me to drive up to 7.5tonnes, as the older licences have..

And the relevence to Air Raid sirens was?

Thats what I was thinking, maybe if i can find somewhere to get them, any ideas?

I have just seen what you mean, the only down side I can see is that it enables your plates to be stolen really, I was hoping someone would make a product that mounts to the plates on the vehicle but provides a channel around the sides and bottom meaning you could slide the show plates in front and they would sit tight in a channel, if they dont make it could be an idea to think about how to fabricate some, as it would mean you could slip the Mil reg over your Civvi one,yet keeping your original plates secure to the vehicle.. Velcro is an idea, but I greenlane a fair bit as well as using the 110 quite hard so I would be worried they would fall off, as I would have to have both sets on velcro. Also as they are £40 a set its a risk I would rather not take.. So lets get to the drawing board with my idea i think:)

Ok, We all have Civvi ones, as well as the show Military ones, are there any products available that would enable you to slide your second set over the others? so perhaps a channel you slide your show plates into that fix over your civvi ones? I cant seem to find anything but would be a great idea and save messing around Paul

Suprised you all went down the cliff to that entrance:)