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Adrian Dwyer

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Posts posted by Adrian Dwyer

    Help with my Helmet

    in Clothing/uniforms

    Posted · Edited by Adrian Dwyer
    additional text

    From: <https://www.warehouse701.co.uk/authentic-wwii-fire-and-warden-tin-hats-or-helmets>

    "...a distinctive white Zuckerman helmet with three black rank bands and bearing the letters 'FG'. These were worn by individuals acting as Fire Guards under the Fire Watchers scheme, to help identify and deal with small fires within the local area. Small teams would search out incendiary bombs, secondary fires and other similar threats following air raids etc. The three black bands denote this belonged to an area Officer or Captain."

     

    Screenshot 2023-10-14 175446.png

    Help with my Helmet

    in Clothing/uniforms

    Posted

    Evening Ted.  I've not seen this combination of marking before either but, given the relatively low value of Zuckerman helmets, I'm not sure anyone would spend the time and effort to fake the tat-bazar example.  (I think most helmet fraudsters are getting handy with Normandy cam on Spanish helmets, etc.)  I have, however, seen some very oddly painted -  but absolutely period - Zuckerman: particularly those associated with commercial concerns.  I look forward to hearing more!

    All the very best.

    A

    Bedford MWR

    in British Vehicles

    Posted

    Morning Simon.  This is yet another great read concerning something about which I thought I had no interest!  Your attention to detail is a pleasure to behold.  Thank you for sharing the journey thus far.

    All the best.

    A

    Truck used to disguise pillbox in UK - can anyone ID the number plate to give idea of location and date ?

    in British Vehicles

    Posted · Edited by Adrian Dwyer
    Attribution

    The excellent Pillbox Study Group <http://www.pillbox-study-group.org.uk/defence-articles/pillbox-camouflage/> show the attached image.  No pumps for E5 or E10?

    Pillbox camouflaged as a petrol station in Felixstowe, 24 August 1940.
    THE BRITISH ARMY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM 1939-45. © IWM (H 3307) IWM Non Commercial Licence

    pillbox garage.jpg

    Truck used to disguise pillbox in UK - can anyone ID the number plate to give idea of location and date ?

    in British Vehicles

    Posted

    Just now, Adrian Dwyer said:

    Morning.  Great images!  I've seen some interesting examples of camouflaged pillboxes (British and German) but never one incorporating half-a-truck. 

    My list (from The Chiltern Preservation Group') shows the registration as  'IW - Derry (Coleraine)'.  Interestingly, Londonderry is specified as 'UI'.  Just to add an extra dimension of intrigue, it also shows 'YZ - Derry (Coleraine)' within the same table.

    In England, the letter 'I' seems not to have been used because of possible confusion with the figure '1'.

     

     

    Middle East pics

    in British Vehicles

    Posted · Edited by Adrian Dwyer
    add question

    What a great selection of images!  Can anyone identify the single motorcycle in the foreground of the image with the light tank and empty cases? Italian?

    RAF Beaverette with strange plough?

    in MV Chatter

    Posted

    Afternoon Larry - I am not certain that the object attached to the Beaverette shows a complete assembly (nor, for that matter, its purpose was definitely UXO-related)!   My theory is that sandbags may have been placed to the front of the taller screen, as shown directly in front of the engine, and then moved manually to surround the UXO pending BD action.  The lower 3-sided 'box' on casters doesn't look sufficiently rigid to hold many sandbags and seems a bit low to deflect fragmentation: so doesn't quite fit the theory.

    However, I remain puzzled by the employment of an 'armoured' vehicle if the role didn't demand protection of its crew.  Maybe the very low ground clearance, and the visible casters (to prevent sagging/grounding) do mean it was used for pushing UXO in a desired direction?  In that regard I note comments concerning the limitations of the minesweeping option - a rope or chain between 2 Beaverettes.  That technique had a good chance of disturbing an SD-2 but not necessarily of 'capturing' it (i.e., some went under or over).  What we need is the diary of an RAF Beaverette driver . . .

    On a practical point, do you think the 3-sided 'plough' assembly is fabricated entirely from metal - and does it have a base? The taller screen element seems much thicker - and is timber? (Possibly to reduce the likelihood of fragments entering the drivers vision slits/further protect the engine?)

    So, in summary, I still don't know but I'm enjoying finding out!

    A

    RAF Beaverette with strange plough?

    in MV Chatter

    Posted

    Re: the 'box' attached to the front of the Beaverette.  One means of dealing with SD-2s adjacent to runways (but also elsewhere) was to build a small enclosure using sandbags.  (This was probably the case in terms of SD-1s, although their impact fuze was less problematic than the fiendish SD-2  time/disturbance types.)  Similarly, dumping sand/earth on a burning 1kg incendiary was a common countermeasure. 

    I wounder if the purpose was to quickly (and with a bit of protection whilst en route) deliver sandbags, etc to scattered UXO posing an imminent threat to aircraft?  Having now read the well-researched book by Michael J.F. Bowyer - 'Air Raid! The enemy air offensive against East Anglia, 1939-45', and noted the extensive use of such weapons against airfields (more extensive than I had realised) - I think this is a plausible hypothesis.

    All the best.

    A

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