rustyaustinchamp

Look at the guy standing in the back of the truck. His respirator haversack has a circular object in its right pocket, that will be Anti Gas Ointment No.2. Its a glass jar with a metal lid, we used them early on (later replaced by a tin). Soldiers are wearing the skeleton 37 pattern water bottle carriers rather than the mid war sleeve type and have gas capes rolled. Don't know when all of these were superseded but I think 1940 is a fair bet. Martin

Thanks to all who replied on this and the previous thread. Gerry: as your number is the same, there is probably a list out there of ref numbers identifying all Britool spanners, this is something like '4205 spanner, tappet, adjusting'. (Steve, I was half thinking it might be an MW spanner, its currently getting plenty of use on my Champ, no doubt about that) Thanks again Martin

OK, warming to a theme now, I had a dig through my toolbox today and came up with two more oddities. The top one in the photo says on the side: British Britool Made For Vauxhall Bedford Vehicles. The other side 4109 9/16 AF The bottom one Made in Britool England on one side, the other 50 AF 1/2 4505 56 AF 9/16. The unusual design of them, I wonder if anyone can shed any light on why they are so shaped or what vehicle the first spanner was intended for? Thanks Martin

This is a strange shape (to me) but is a nice spanner to use. It has BRITISH BRITOOL and CHROME ALLOY WAR FINISH. Size 1/2 AF and 9/16 AF. Number 4205. Is there any reason for its shape? Thanks Martin

Hi Simon, Yours sounds a nice example so personally I think its overkill to go this route; the 2 Champs I've done, I stripped old paint, rust and underseal by hand (wire brush on an angle grinder, heat gun and emery cloth). The battery box is a little awkward but remove the body tub and as many components as poss and you'll be fine. For the engine, once its out of the vehicle, a can of Gunk and a pot of ground equipment blue have been all that I needed Regards Martin

I used to know a farmer many years ago who was in the Royal artillery (1943-45). He collected quite a few souvenirs in France and Germany and on the way home they were docking at Southampton. He said at this point he bottled it and dropped his Smeisher (spelling's wrong I know) MP40 over the side. It had been hidden in his kitbag. But he didn't get rid of everything and thinking he'd not be in so much trouble if they 'just' found a Luger in his kitbag, he smuggled that through successfully. He told me this in the late 80s and of how he occasionally used to use the Luger on his farm, shooting at cans and bottles. But 20 years earlier (1960s), his father, a wW1 veteran, didn't like Geoff having an illegal firearm at the farm so when the Police announced an amnesty which was late 60s I think, Geoff handed it in at the local police station. Geoff did however give me a German army cleaning kit for a K98, a Coastal Artillery war badge, an unused Kriegsmarine cloth breast eagle, a Police cloth arm badge, a black wound badge, a Luftwaffe cap eagle and a 1935 Nazi party day badge, all of which he picked up in either France or Germany. He also gave me his WW2 black and red dress side cap from the RA which is in mint condition and a 1945 British army shirt similarly mint because the military gave it to him in 1945 and he never wore it before he came home. He also had a pair of 6x30 German Army binoculars with 'Dienstglas' on them and they were in very nice order when I saw them. He said he would like to keep these for now but he'd leave them to me in his will. He died a few years ago and the family never mentioned it to me so I guess Geoff never got round to updating his will, his widow is still alive but I don't have the heart to mention anything about it. Martin

Hi Steve, Thanks for posting this very interesting thread. What equipment would you need to raise one of those FWD chassis? I mean is there a chance that some of these vehicles could one day make it back to the surface? I've seen vids on youtube of WW2 aircraft recovered this way but never vehicles.