Pete Ashby

Isn't that fitted with a internal diode alternator ?? Pete

I see what you mean Clive, less of the pamphlet and more of the tome I think :-), there are some interesting topics covered. Pete

Welcome to HMVF Chris, I have always used good quality modelers enamel applied with a small piece of fine texture sponge (dish washing sponges are ideal). The key to prevent bleeding under the stencil is first to mix the paint well then pour a small amount onto a flat tin lid or pallet now dab it about with the sponge and let the paint start to tack off a little you do not want a puddle of paint you are aiming for a thin even coating of paint on you pallet (practice on a scrap piece will determine how long you need to leave it) then without loading the sponge too much dab off any surplus on to a board and then using a light action dab over the stencil making sure the stencil is held down firmly and not pressing too hard with the sponge at the edges one or two passes should do the trick let the first coat tack off (use a hair drier) before applying a second coat. Pete

Very true Clive, the two pamphlets look to be in nice condition what is the scope of the first (blue covered one)? Pete

:D:D:D excellent response, did he offer you a price for the farmers wife as well :rotfl: Pete

There is a post script to this story, after nearly two years and thanks to the persistent efforts of Nick Thomas at WW2 Jeeps rebuilt by the British Army (Face Book page), a key card for my GPW has now been found in the Deepcut records. The surprise was that it was a Canadian issue vehicle before being rebuild by the British and issued a rebuild number of M1502269. Another detail worth noting is that the vehicle was struck off charge on the 6th November 1957 and sold on the 13th November 1957 so it appears jeeps didn't hang around very long in those days either. Here's a copy of the key card that holds the details of my jeep (position marked with the yellow dots) Pete

Thanks to Nicks perseverance I now have a key card record for my GPW (see the amendment to my restoration blog) this is a registration that Deepcut were adamant that there was no surviving record for. So if you have a 1949 ERM number for your vehicle let Nick know he's a guy who won't take no for an answer :-) Pete

Good work I'm looking forward to more photos :thumbsup: Pete

Nice work, chasing the tin worm is always a slow process. I'm particularly impressed with how you formed the bulk head rain gutter , Iv'e stored that idea away for a another project...... thanks for posting :goodidea:. Pete

Ah right I see Steve, yes LAD could be a very sticky wicket indeed. It would be worth getting your Father's unit diary's they will give you a day by day account of location and work undertaken and some times considerably more information as well. Pete

That seems to be a very common theme Degsy, my Father's medals came in the post and spent the next 45 years in the unopened box in his shirt draw until I dug them out and mounted them with relevant corp badges and patches. He was happy to talk about his war service but as you have noted it was mostly good times and the vehicles he worked on. Pete

Couldn't agree more some of the best and most memorable times we've had in Normandy have been inland away from the beaches. Arm your self with some good in depth text books on the operation of your choice, do some prior background reading, take them and some of the excellent 'then and now' type publications with you and get off the beaten track with just two or three small to medium trucks so you can cover some ground easily. There is nothing like parking in a small village square for lunch at the local cafe, invariably one of the locals prompted by the site of the trucks comes by with a story to tell. Happy days the sun always seemed to shine (except for the Bayeux parade) Pete

Not butting in at all Degsy I'm very pleased you enjoyed the thread I felt they merited a wider showing and HMVF seemed the most appropriate platform given the direct relevance of the subject matter. The exercise books form one part of a much larger body of work I have been putting together, some as hard copy, some in digital format the final goal is to bring the whole body together in a digital format for my family, then I'll start on Grandfather's WW1 4.5 year service in the Ox & Bucks LI. It has taken me 18 years since my Father's death to get round to doing this and like all research projects it has generated a life of it's own and has taken me down some unexpected avenues and learning experiences. As an aside if anyone is thinking of doing a similar project on a relative I would urge you to start, there really is a wealth of information out there and a lot of it is now accessible through the web with records, photographs and forums that have contributors who are experts in their field of knowledge. A certain degree of lateral thought can be useful when trying to solve questions and looking for the answer in unexpected sources should be the norm, a seemingly unconnected 'one liner' in an obscure reference book or document can be the key you've been looking for. Good Hunting Pete

That's very interesting Steve, I assume your Father re-mustered when he joined the A/T regiment. Presumably this was a result of the losses incurred during the summer and autumn campaigns ? and as a result there was a trawl through 2nd and 3rd echelon units. That last 6 months of the war in NW Europe saw some of the most intense fighting of the whole conflict. If you have an interest in finding out more about his units actions I would recommend asking relevant questions on this site http://ww2talk.com/forums/ the guys on there helped me enormously in giving me leads and contacts. Here's to the memory of Cfn Herbert John Gray another 'ordinary man who did his duty' regards Pete

And to finish the man who produced the drawings: 5777663 'Ted' Ashby this photo was taken in December 1940 after he had been in the Royal Norfolks for 7 months. For those interested in uniform detail notice he is still wearing the peaked soft service cap and not the standard issue forage cap. Pete

These are the last set of diagrams, these cover auto electrical subjects : Pete

Interesting thought Tony :-), As I said at the front of this thread I'm putting the whole story together adding detail and setting it in context for my children and their children. For the past year I have been working my way through 900 pages of the unit diary's covering just the REME part of my Father's active service along with recorded memories and some photographs I am now moving the search back to cover his enlistment and the 2 years he spent with the Royal Norfolk's guarding Norfolk airfields, road junctions, railway lines and beaches. I intend to present the completed project digitally for the family as a record of ''An ordinary man who just did his his duty'' , my Fathers words to describe his 6.5 years service. Pete

Not a component drawing this time but a brake efficiency graph that may be of interest Pete

In that case it looks like the vehicles may well have come from Donington Park this was in July 1942 Pete

That's interesting Richard, as there is a single line entry that says 'detachment returned from Leicestershire with new vehicles', I believe that Donnington is in the north of the county. Present day Chilwell is in Nottinghamshire the thought occurs was it always, or was it a victim of county boundary moves in the 1970's? I can feel a Google coming on. Pete

This next set is all about various brake shoe set ups : Pete

Thanks for the reply Degsy the reason for asking is that in the unit diary I'm currently working with there is a passing comment about sending a detachment to collect 'new vehicles from a main RAOC Depot in the Midlands'. The unit at this time was forming up in Rushmore Arena so as it's quite a trek up to the Midlands I assumed it was not a sub depot. Pete

This is one for the Carrier Guys : Pete

All the more so Lauren when you consider that his trade training started on the 15 of January 1942 and he took his trade test on the 25 May 1942 the exercise book runs to 150 pages of drawings and hand written accompanying and explanatory text this is on top of practical and bench work, I think I am correct in saying that a two year peacetime course was condensed to just under 6 months. Staying with the power flow theme here are some more drawings for diesel engines and also a basic petrol carburetor set up : Pete

Pleased you like them Steve I've had the exercise books stored away in my collection for over twenty years and I thought they deserved a wider audience. The drawings were made in his billet in the evenings after lectures from notes and sketches in his rough books which I also have and also some of the crown marked pencils that he used to make them. He always said he knew his life probably depended on making the grade as he would have been RTU if he failed the course having had 3 lucky escapes while with the Norfolk's he didn't think his luck would hold out. He missed the last posting to the BEF by two weeks in May 1940 then shortly after they were issued with full cold weather kit and were being taught to ski on the Parade ground then just as suddenly all kit was withdrawn again.....he never did know why or where they were meant to go. Then in late 1941 he was issued with tropical kit and had a full set of jabs for a draft bound for Singapore but before his draft left the garrison had fallen so you can see the RAOC with a rifle and tool box looked a better bet than just a rifle. What unit was your Dad in ? here's three more to be going on with :