HeathJr

I may have a couple of pieces people are after. While sitting in the Normandy '44 bar tent at Beltring this year (we had bought a drink or two), a friend was sorting out some British kit he had been given by a mutual friend. Out comes some PLCE kit and I believe they are a trials yoke and water bottle pouch. Both are dated 1985 and appear to be different from the standard issue PLCE. Could be wrong...

Had a feeling they were, it was a fantastic battle. I was the assistant on one of the mortar teams, even though it was firing blank shot gun cartridges it was enormously loud.

Were the photos from the Vietnam battle from the Saturday or the Sunday?

Found these on Torrens Street EC1 earlier today, just round the corner of Angle tube. Wasn't expecting to see bits of HMMWV on a central London side street while the Abbot was (is) advertising tanks-a-lot. The HMMWV front and rear sections aren't in fantastic shape. I guess they are something to do with the scrap merchants at the end of the road.

Just opposite was this:

Have I stumbled onto something I shouldn't have?

Here is a pic my pair of US June '67 dated 3rd pattern Jungle Boots for comparison. Made by Bata with the vibram sole incorporating the spike protective plate.

Hope it helps.

The three pocket 30rnd thompson mag pouches will work.

Well it's definitely not greek as they only had one clasp at the neck not two. It could possibly be a war time issue 1940 pattern blouse. Not entirely sure about the spot though.

It's an EE-8-B Miltary Field Telephone (the wiring and schematic diagrams are a bit of a give away :coffee:) used by the US Army Signal Corps from WW2 up until the Vietnam War.

http://www.olive-drab.com/od_electronics_ee8.php

Many years ago there was a replica of the front end of an LCA at the D-Day Museum in Southsea, which I believe still has it's LCVP. They were also far more numerous than the Higgin's Boat (LCVP) during Overlord, due to the majority of the LCVP's being used in the Pacific. RM and RN crewed LCA's landed the US Rangers at Point du Hoc and at Dog Green on Omaha beach.

Here's a pic of one

http://www.strijdbewijs.nl/landing/lca1.jpg

I believe the regimental tac sign is of The Queens Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards), 2nd Armoured Brigade.

On Friday I saw on the A3: what appeared to be a sand painted wheeled armoured vehicle on a flat bed that was covered with a tarp going north through Hindhead, two 432's in a lay-by near the Queen Elizabeth Country Park, a Bedford TK going northbound and three Wolf's.

Any idea what the mysterious mv was?

Cheers guys, the patch does glow but only the yellow thread... After checking some of my originals they glow too, the white thread backing and white embroidery.

Anyway if the 1st Airborne Army patch is a repro I'm not all that bothered it's an addition to my (small) collection and as I said in my earlier post it only cost me £3.99.

Bodge - When you say it glows do you mean under UV and what parts?

Jack - Sorry I won't be making the Victory Show as I can't get there but if you have his details I can email the pics to him.

What I have found out is that the British versions differ slightly from each other and there aren't many of either originals or repros. However even if it is a repro I'm not particularly worried as it only cost me £3.99. The reason I'm asking is that from the same shop a couple of months ago I picked up a very rare US 2nd Cavalry Div SSI green back for £5 when it's worth £40.

Yesterday I picked up a 1st Allied Airborne Army patch from a local surplus shop and I'm wondering if it's an original or a repro. Doing some research I've found out that its a British made version but is different from the others I've found online. So does anyone know if I have picked up an original or a repro?

Cheers Guys,

Chris

I don't doubt that at all, it's just the gear the guy's are wearing is all wrong. All the leathernecks are wearing army M56 web sets and M69 flak jackets, where as they should be wearing their M44/61 web system and the M55 flak jacket. The M41 Walker Bulldog as far as I'm aware wasn't used by the corps and the Sikorsky Choctaws were repainted Westland Wessex'.

Oh well you can't have everything I suppose if your trying to pass Beckton Gasworks as downtown Hue.

If you go to http://www.gustavhasford.com/ there is all sorts of stuff about the Gustav Hasford, the film and the text of Short Timers.

But isn't Full Metal Jacket horrendously inaccurate and a work of fiction?

Helicopters are far more vulnerable, relatively un-armoured, expensive, require a long and complex logistical chain and require experienced pilots and ground crew.

They could be Vickers K's or Brens with the drum AA mags. Any 20mm mounted on a jeep seems a bit OTT even for Monty.

Could be wrong.

Hi,

I'm Chris, 21, from deepest darkest Chessington but currently studying BSc Sound, Light and Live Event Technology at the University of Derby. My interest in military vehicles stems from growing up with a Hotchkiss (hotchpotch) M201 Jeep which my dad owned until May of last year. Along with the jeep, dad used to be on the militaria and surplus circuit mainly in the south east and I would go along. This ment we regulary went to Tilbury, Chatam, W&P, and many of the militaria and vehicle shows around Surrey.

Anywho that was then, this is now. Having grown up with an MV has given me the bug. It may be a few years but like dad I want to be the proud owner of my own green machine. The hope is to eventually enter the dangerous land of the tread head and own an M113. When that will be is anyones guess, propably after I've paid off my student loan...