Snapper

After the chat about Stephen Ambrose and Pegasus Bridge there was one post asking if there was a better book. Well, for a different book look no further than Pegasus Diaries by Major John Howard and Penny Howard Bates. Late in his life John Howard got all his papers in order and prepared an account of his wartime military career. He never got it published and allowed Ambrose to use his notes as the basis for his own book and started conducting lecture tours with him. This book is a deeply personal and detailed account of Howard's life during he war and is as much, if not more, about his marriage and family relationships as it is about preparing for D-Day. Accounts of training and exercises are all very interesting as are his opinions of other officers and the class structure he struggled against in the officers mess. He makes no secret of having a chip on his shoulder against the upper middle class county set dominating the Regiment and promotions in general. The Pegasus Bridge aspect is all too brief, but makes good reading. Thereafter the book details the depressing events surrounding the near annihilation of D COY and his eventual return to England followed by the terrible road accident that ruined his military career. So, in the end you will have gained a massive insight into the life of one our country's greats. But you won't necessarily have learned a great deal more about that amazing night in June. This book is a must for D-Day buffs. John Howard was a strongly opinionated and principled man of action and presents himself warts and all to the modern world with the aid of his devoted daughter Penny. Put this book on your Christmas list ASAP.

I think you'll find the Mk III helmet, known as 44 Pattern and Turtle had several different liners down the years. It was actually designed for issue in 1941 but the top brass were concerned it was too similar to various foreign types in use. MkIII helmets can be cheap, but this depends on the age of the liner and strap.

I love my Iltis and PW types, but if the time and money presented itself I would definitely go down the Dodge WC route. They are pretty and they are quintessential.

What worries me is I remember seeing them in pubs with Paul Di Ano up front and before they got the really good guitarist from a band who played regularly at the Brecknock in Camden. Names lost in a aged haze. Diaries in the loft. Sorry.

Joris - I love the Dodge. I bought my 1979 VW Iltis for several reasons. I am no mechanic and wanted something reasonably modern my local garage could help me with. It has four seat belts which my wife insisted on if the kids were going to ride in it. I figured that VW and Audi parts would be easy to find for it (not entirely true!!). I felt it could live outside in my street...and finally, I wanted something a bit different. I am not sure I would buy another and agree dry storage is a must regardless of what you buy. My wife is still baffled why I never took up the prospect of barn space run by Essex MVT. But I was being vain and wanted my vehicle with me all the time without the need of a 45 minute drive to get it. I think I made a mistake. Driving it is great fun and I wouldn't be here without it.

I've just got a book which is Major Howard's war diaries. Start reading tomorrow as soon as the 0700 pulls out of Westcliff. Will report as soon as....

WAVELL - SOLDIER AND STATESMAN by Victoria Schofield is a very readable biography of a great man who was deemed an unlucky general by many, loathed by Churchill for his taciturn approach, but highly rated by the Germans. His downfall came after the success of his army clearing the Italians out of Cyrenica and then in East Africa, but he also had to contend with Free French causing trouble in Vichy Syria, the revolt in Iraq by Raschid Ali and the never ending difficulties of the Jews and Arabs in Palestine. He was actually quoted in 1936 "Left to themselves the Jews will make mincemeat of the Arabs". It was his and various other generals job to try to stop it, but of course the Balfour Declaration had long let the genie out of the bottle. Wavell was lambasted by Churchill for his tactical decisions in Greece, where he was more or less left out to dry by HMG who had insisted he divert scarce forces there in the first place. They shoved him off to India and then had him trying to make the best of the whole of British Asia as the Japs moved in. His task was impossible. So they shunted him back to India and then eventually lumped him with being Viceroy of India which Churchill, the arch imperialist, was desperate to cling on to. He had the job of bringing the Muslim and Hindu nationalists to the table. Poor sod. He was sacked in 1947 by a scheming Clement Attlee and died of cancer in 1950. Wavell won the MC in the Great War where he lost an eye. He was a poet and writer and good friend of Allenby, Lawrence and Liddell-Hart. Not being friends with Churchill was his undoing. A shame. At the other end of the book scale is a lovely slim volume called SPITFIRE PILOT by Flight Lieutenant David Crook DFC. This book is a modern re-issue with additional family photos and a forward by a historian that is very positive. He kept a diary throughout the Battle of Britain while he flew with 609 Squadron and paints a picture of a typically middle class life in an Auxiliary Squadron. All the "chaps" are great pals and mix for drinks and stuff after chasing the Hun. But the times dictate that the Sergeant Pilots are barely mentioned, as are none of the ground crew by name. But this is an observation, not a criticism. David Crook was a thoroughly decent brave young man with a young family. He died while training to be a photo recce pilot in 1944 and has no known grave. God bless him. This book is a stocking filler.

MOST DEFINITELY

The uniforms debate will run and run. I think Ian has got the balance we all seem to be looking for in general terms. Misrepresentation of medals is an insult and should be an offence covered in fraud legislation. Dressing up as a yankee para with a combat infantryman badge from sixty years ago is only hurting the wearer's wallet. I rather get the impression that many re-enactors, including - dare I say it, the Huns, do it out of a fair degree respect. We will not find any of this universally palatable. We were all pretty solid when the POW executions posts were doing the rounds. This is how it should be. At the end of the day the uniforms and the vehicles often combine to make an interesting medley - and sometimes they don't. Drive off/walk away when you don't like it - and tell us all why. But never feel like you shouldn't have a voice....and by the way, getting an MP to put the kit on was priceless - if you've got a snap post it EVERYWHERE...

Does all this sillysoddery mean we'll be getting fluffy ducks at Easter, Jack????

I thought I had migraine.

The right to wear medals and uniforms is a recurring theme on this forum. We know what we either love or loathe and we certainly know what really gets peoples backs up. The "Walts" are an issue with me. They need exposing. But the snap of the Airborne re-enactors does not bother me one iota They look rather good. If one of them was to start wearing anything he seriously isn't entitled to, which is an insult to the real person, then I would take issue. But I do not see the point with being unhappy with combat infantryman badges, berets and so on. But, it's easy for me, because I will never re-enact. I don't wear uniform I am not entitled to. I could dress as a late 1970s British army recruit because I was once 24463988 etc etc. But there the matter ends. The shirts itched and the boots gave me blisters. Diddums. Wearing my family medals is also off the menu, it is something for widows and young grand children on very specific occasions by family consent. But never in mine. The men are dead but they are with us all the time. We keep it that way. And please don't be offended, but I fully appreciate the anti-dressing up arguments, I think bringing up knights and so on does your point a disservice, however well intended. I agree with John about recent conflicts, too. But sexy kit and crazy times will always attract. It's still doing wonders for the SS. So, to sum up: no insulting use of specially earned medals please - and dob in the Walter Mitties. They deserve the heaviest censure of all. The rest are pretty well harmless.

While we are on the subject of medals in another post in this sector; you might be interested in the story of my father in law, Jim. He is eighty-five and served in the Merchant Navy from 1939-46 before eventually leaving Scotland to come down to the Smoke to join the Metropolitan Police in 1947. He went through the whole "Blue Lamp" era. I digress... Anyway, a year ago the MoD or somesuch bunch announced that Merchant Navy veterans could apply for one of the new fangled veterans badges that are doing the rounds. He had to fill out a special form outlining his service and then waited some time before they told him he qualified and just this month he got his badge. It is superb, an MOD emblem for the three services backed by a bright Red Ensign. The point being how the forces were always backed up by the MN. Good eh...well no, actually, because Jim is unimpressed. He only got his badge because out of six years of war he had spent the minimum 18 months required to qualify for it directly in service alongside His Majesty's Armed Forces. Because he had served on a troop ship during the evacuation from Greece in 1941 (his story about the Indian Lewis gunners on the Khadive Ismail trying to shoot down Stukas is a gem) and had also spent time on an ammunition ship sitting off Bombay harbour for several months he got his badge. For the rest of his service, doing the Atlantic convoys and dodging submarines in the Indian ocean and on the perillous bauxite runs from the Caribbean he would have got nothing. So all those blokes who only did that sort of stuff and never came under any form of military control or patronage do not get this badge. My uncle Edward, a GM winner in 1940, would not have qualified. So, who thought that one up and what were the reasons. It is hard, sitting here with snowdrops drifting down across my screen, to think of a charitable reason as we approach the Season of Goodwill to All Men (Who Qualify).

I think there is a world of difference between re-enactors wearing non individual gallantry medals for the strict sense of a portrayal from the scumbags who pretend to have won medals for bravery or service. By the way, you are right about the ATC bloke, he sent fake letters and recommended himself for the MBE. Piece of poo. There was a news item a few years back about a relatively high ranked naval type swanning about in a green beret he hadn't earned. I like to see people wearing their family's medals on the opposite side of their jackets out of respect. But as the only things I've ever earned are a NVQ level 3 in 1999 and the regional finals of the Wavy Line Stores junior artist competition in 1970, I won't be making much of a splah myself. I've still got the Spyrograph they gave me, though!

Taking up John Pearson's theme and not wishing to open any old fronts I suspect this topic is in some ways linked to the hot subject of WW2 and PW. As said I have been to only one Essex MVT meeting. Everyone was cordial and some people smiled - (but we are British after all ...) I made a point of sitting amid a group of older gents in deep discussion about jeep parts and I engaged a total stranger in conversation about our vehicles. He is very active with a RA 25 pdr troop and I have seen his chaps in action - a top quality mob. I talked a bit about my tatty VW Iltis and there was not a lot he could say. It would be easy to take the wrong impression that he was being stand offish because of my MV :- not the case at all. He was being polite, as English as I would expect of someone who had just met me (reserved in other words) and although our machines are green we are outwardly from different ends of the spectrum. But the mutual understanding was there. That's what matters. I didn't expect to be involved in a group hug from these people. Nor did I expect, or want, to make any kind of speech. We Brits don't do that stuff. The Branch secretary/chairman was friendly as whenever I've met him and what more should I expect? If it ain't broke, don't fix it

When the victorious Task Force returned home, I am sure that when the amazing logistical and maritime achievement was detailed the then Defence Secretary John Knott said "Yes, and we must make sure it never happens again"...and he didn't mean being sammied by banana republics. He and his mates set about scything through our armed forces. There is an old myth only Labour do it. No doubt next year they'll wheel out the political incompetents and arrogant peers who benefited most from the war to tell their stories again and again. We can count them all out and count them back in again. Yippee. Hopefully there will be some room for the people who won them their prizes, living and dead to be remembered. Well done to everyone who posts a Falklands story on here. Oh, and by the way.....THANKS.

I would hope that nobody would be churlish enough to criticise the people who organise clubs, groups and events. I salute them. I am not apathetic, it's just that I am apolitical by nature and do not like committees and stuff. I am not an anarchist and do not suggest a third, fourth or fifth way like a Labour politician might. The movement needs the very sort of dedicated person I am not. I don't apologise. I'll pay my way and I'll always help if I can; but the top table is not my thing. I have only been to one Essex Area MVT meeting in three years. I have yet to renew my MVT membership. I've said before I am a big fan of Windscreen, the commitment it takes to produce it is immense, but - to be honest, I don't see what else membership actually brings me. This is NOT NOT NOT a criticism of the organisation; far from it - where would we be without it?. I just prefer a more carefree approach. I would appreciate some sound advice on this from longer serving MV scene people and Young Turks alike. I think this topic started by Clive is potentially another good debate subject for us to see what people really expect from MV ownership and not another debate about preferred vehicle periods and types (which was superb).

Always be careful with copyright. Things are getting tougher all the time as revenues are brought sharply in to focus, by museums, national and commercial archives. They all want their money and there are no excuses. Steve is right not to reproduce anything on this site he does not own; because you would be surprised how many people ARE looking. I am!

one of these days I will sit down and suss out how to attach pix to this interwebthingy and add some of my own.

This definitely CMP and I go with Ford on the basis of Vanderveen. Hopefully there is someone who can be definitive.

What interests me is the difference in official attitudes to holders or descendents selling them. I believe American law forbids the sale of equivalent medals, while here you can get anything if you have a deep enough wallet. I've often wondered if I would want to own another persons medals I have no connection to. I doubt it, but then I don't like wearing uniform I'm not entitled to anyway - (the scout shirt from 1972 doesn't fit anymore). I have my grandfather's (WW1 and WW2 - KIA 16.02.1941), great uncle's (KIA 23.08.1915) and father's war medals (WW2); but my family does not have the George Medal my uncle Edward won in 1940 - the first ever awarded to a Merchant Navy man. He was married to a French woman and died in his cabin when he was Master of a ship in 1957. He had a heart attack. This was in Montivideo or Buenos Aires. I would love to know where the medal ended up. It could be anywhere in the world. It is a crying shame holders have to sell medals to make ends meet.

Bomber Boys is by Kevin Wilson and covers the events of 1943 as Bomber Command built up it's strength and got very serious. The book is subtitled The Ruhr, The Dambusters and Berlin. They are all included in depth. The Dambusters bit is wellwritten and brief enough because we all "know" the story - there was a lot of info from the German civilian perspective which I personally had not seen before. The vast amount of this book is the day to day grind of life in Bomber Command attacking German, French and Italian targets and suffering all kinds of hell for it. The basis of it all is personal accounts from the living, recently living and diaries of the dead. It is a fantastic book. Wilson is apparently doing the same for 1944 which, if it is anything like this, will be a gem.

own up.....

he he he

The dream of such a bridge has never gone away. Wait and see how the house building explosion develops in the Thames Gateway. Even if they say yes to a bridge tomorrow, buy the time we've had three public enquiries, four changes of government, Southend have won the Premier League and Wagon Wheels have reverted to their original size, the thing won't get built til 2030. By which time I'll be visiting Beltring in a cryogenic picnic box and the statue of Rex Cadman on the roundabout will be a long loved feature. Meantime fork out the dosh at Dartford. They never "see" accidents there either. So watch it when Hungarian couriers reverse into you!