woa2

I'm going to Crich on Saturday 9th August. I've never been before. Can anyone give me any tips on the site and how best to enjoy the time? What's the food like, and what bus/tram rides are there? Many thanks.

I have just read an article in today's Daily Mail. According to them, it is going to be terrible weather this month and one of the 5 wettest summers on record (but they didn't say how far the records went back). I think I shall pack Wellingtons and carry Umbrellas in the Rifle clips.

In the old days, they used to hide the minor cracks with Black Shoe polish. This was high-lighted in the film 'The World's fastest Indian' where Burt Munro used this method to hide that he was using old tyres with the tread cut off.

Anyone been to Disneyland Paris and seen the "Reign of Fire" exhibit on the 'Studio Tour'? It's more interesting than the film, and there is a Stalwart there.

That can is on a Champ, so it should be Black & White. Wartime cans can be any colour, but should have a White + or a White line on them to denote Water, the same way that the Germans did.

Got there at 3:30pm and left at 4:30pm. It didn't rain while I was there, but it did on the way home.

The weather will be fine next week - trust me. PS. I went to Beltring today and it's muddy already.......... Pack wellingtons.

Some years ago, I went to a talk given by a pilot of an air-sea rescue Walrus. He did say that they were so stable that the 'auto-pilot' was a piece of string going from the Pilot's seat to the control column.

Well at least I'm certain to get my picture here. Robert Davey

I worked for Vodafone. About 15 years ago the Management were concerned about the affects of EMP during a Nuclear war might affect the Datacentres. My reply was that if a Nuclear war started, making sure datacentres were clean and tidy was not high on my list of priorities!

A 'Worthing Canvas' is canvas made for a Military Vehicle by John & Mary Worthing. They should be at War & Peace with a stall.

13 Never take your Wife with you round the Toot stalls.

A couple of years ago I went to a lecture given by a WW2 cameraman who was in the Far East, and American vehicles, especially Jeeps and Dodges, were common. British vehicles were rare in the films he showed. Also, I have seen Dodges in British services in Italy in photos. There are photos in the IWM archives of brand new Dodges in British service with their contract numbers.

The AA gun looks like a wartime British 3.7" to me. The tank is a T34/85. One question - how do you tell the difference between a Wartime produced T34 and a Post-war made one?

I used to work for a Brewery and was taught how to use an Office desk top to open a bottle of beer.

I have seen these 'Insect Repellant' cans before, all being dated 1945. Wasn't something being got ready for the invasion of Japan, was it?

Not sure about WW1, but in WW2 the Petrol can should be plain, but with 'Petroleum Spirit Highly Inflammable' with WD and a date on the top. No name on the side, and it would be coloured Kharki or OD. Water cans were identical, but the top was plain with no markings. All cans were dated on the bottom. Water cans were either painted White with a Black line and W or Water, or Black with a White line and W or Water (I've seen both in old photos). Brass cap was plain in all cases. Canadian manufactured cans were different, as they had a ridge around the top. In WW1 I believe Shell supplied the Army with thousands (millions?) of cans, and these had Shell stamped on the sides. There is a reference to Shell Road which was made out of flattened Shell cans. I have heard that Water was sometimes carried in old Petrol cans in WW1 as there were complaints from the troops about the taste of their drinking water. If the cans have a price stamped on them, this is the deposit the user paid to get the can. It also makes it Civilian and not Military. £5 each isn't bad - about average price. In WW2, Jerrycans used for water in the British Army had a white cross + painted on them so they wouldn't get confused with Petrol jerrycans. Hope this helps.

I can recommend a man trading as Keyrite in Reading, Berks. I took the glove box lock and the drivers door lock from my WOA2 into him and he made a keys to fit them. Reasonable price, too.

In the film 'A Bridge too far' the dummies used for the Para casualties had the correct style leather soled boots. I had the job of going to collect the boots from a surplus dealer in Leominster for a film props company in London, and I sorted through a large pile of boots selecting 50 pairs with the correct soles to make sure this detail was correct.

I enjoy a good War Film and have got to know some 'behind the scenes' information about some of them. Has anyone else any little known background info from War films? I will start this off with something from 'The Guns of Navarone'. The guns were built with the wheels coming from London Underground trains. I once met Harry Moss, the man who helped supply props for the film company.

Yes, but the one item you can't do without is the one you left at home. Also, if there are 2 of you, it is always the other one's fault it wasn't packed.

Alan Your website address is wrong. It should be http://www.suffolkmvt.co.uk/

My Jack Russell dog 'Monty' is 9 months old and he snores.

I will be getting there on the Sunday sometime, and I will be near the McArthur Gate, staying with some friends. Just look for a WOA2.

Sorry, missed the best one in my view.