Snapper

Didn't know about this. As I live in Essex having the chance to get round the museum over a couple of days instead of two is great. The thing that amazes me about Britain is the cost of museums. I am not suggesting that Saumur is comparable to Bovington, I've never been. But they wouldn't charge a tenner to get in. I haven't been to the Tank Museum since 1993. Time to go, maybe.

Greetings.

Just crashed through DUSTY WARRIORS by Richard Holmes - who needs no introduction. This book is loosely tacked on to his recent trilogy of books Tommy, Redcoat and Sahib (I haven't read the latter) and tells the story of the 1st Battalion Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment on Telic 4 in Iraq. I wrote recently about Colby Buzzells excellent Killing Time In Iraq blog book and the less inspiring Squaddie. This book has an edge because of the writer and his unique access (as Colonel of the Bn) to events. There's plenty of action in visceral detail amplifying the incredible amount of combat that never made the news. The events surrounding Johnson Beharry's VC exploits are included, but not oppressively to sell books or fill pages. Everybody gets a look in. I can really recommend this book to continue your journey through the history of British soldiering.

Iam provisional and would like to bring a mate if I can come. Stuff is happening at my end that needs sorting. If you need to firm up definitive numbers then my place has to go to someone else.

deffo. Must be done. Keep me informed

Great to have you on board Tony. I am not responsible for any dancing girls. Blame Jack.

Sir Paul, once you and your mates are ready, can we arrange a photoshoot???? Beltring or anywhere will suit me unless you can think of some old red brick location we could mock up????? (I even know a very nice man who is a member of HMVF with a smoke machine and a very expensive camera of his own). Anyone else wanting to join in say so now please. A seventies British army portrayal would be superb. You can keep the KF shirts, though (a long running theme of mine). Could be good. Could be bloody fantastic.

MB

Blimey!

Stunning. Even the truck is lovely. So many Forts...not fair. Can we get this lot in to Uppotery for the HMVF show, Jack???????

Tony,

You are going to have to tell us more about the rocket launcher. Amazing stuff. I would never have known they were used in this role. All the best for the rebuild!

Mark B

Brilliant. I presume it's an FWD? I no nothing....

The Hop Farm people are keen to have ideas for the 25th anniv show. If you use the forum to assess interest in a Pig meet at the show then I would be more than happy to speak to Rex Cadman and team if you want (I am on it in a snapping capacity) - but you can do it yourself, of course.

I would love to get the chance to snap a good set of Pigs on a sunny day. There is much emphasis on WW2 and 'Nam, but the dear old Pig and maybe the Humber Fv1600 truck as a line up would be grand, in my view. Discuss.

stunning bits of kit. The Sun had a snap showing the Pearson plough and the facines cradle fitted. I'll ask my chum Tony Hoare if he's snapped any during his days out on the Plain.

M

Here's a new string then: Best Flight I've Ever Been On. Well done to Blazerman for kicking it off in style.

For me it was a flight in a DHC Otter floatplane over the Rockies from Vancouver to Widgeon Lake for my daughter's birthday in 2002. There were about ten of us on board. we flew over snow capped peaks and made a stunning landing on a fairly inaccessible lake. The pilot kicked off his shoes and socks and then paddled in the lake tugging the plane into shallower waters for us to do same. The water was freezing and the banks were shards of rock - but who cares. My daughter fell asleep, even with all the engine noise. Best of all, the pilot asked my son to sit up front with him for the journey back. Priceless.

Keep this going chaps....

This all sounds fantastic. I've got a very nice azure blue hard hat but ladders scare the bejesus out of me. So, I may have to decline. However, I do hope those of the gang who attend can give us plenty of feedback and make a decent article out of it.

Thanks in advance to everyone involved.

MB

That would be great. I still have happy memories of the French guys who drove a DeDion Bouton (?) to England, did the run, went off to live it up in Brighton for the afternoon and then immediately drove home again. They lived in the truck and wore horizon blue all the time. Brilliant stuff. My son kept the champagne cork they popped when they parked up. We still have it somewhere amongst all the treasures!

Just booked up to go back to the Somme again in Oct 2007. Getting my team together. We plan to do a lot more walks this time (one of us was crippled on the last trip - not ME for a change). We spent a bit of time cleaning up our finds from the last trip this afternoon. Any suggestions for how to do this properly would be gratefully received.

Thanks for all the truck news. Keep up the essential work. I am not surprised you get pleasure from the restorations. But you can't tell me you don't get a kick from running the treasures. I do like your Bethlehem steel works Autocar. Very pretty.

cheers

M

Last night she told me she would be more interested in experiencing the MV scene if we hadn't had the kids. People can be funny. My Mrs prefers "nice" cars.

I think it's the Albanian who tried to wash my windscreen in Stoke Newington yesterday.

Go for the Skyraider. Then you can play with Rolling Thunder.

You're starting to worry me, Neil. I live in Westcliff, not that far from you and my Mrs spends a lot of time out doing her good works. Is she round your house cooking your tea?

My wife won't have anything to do with MVs if she can help it. She's been to Duxford MV meet a couple of times when I was attempting to be a volunteer there - but she doesn't like the vehicles and cannot understand the people. Even me!!! (sometimes). But she comes on the battlefield trips and likes to visit cemeteries and sites of interest. She is not into museums that much. The kids go anywhere for a laugh. My son James is hooked. Good lad. I have trouble tempering the gun-nut in him. My daughter is a petrol head - but only for cars. She is 11. Give her time....

aesthetically speaking, the UN recommendation suits me. A sure way to get yourself in print.....variety is the spice of life.

It just goes to show what there is around. It amazes me how you keep tabs on all this stuff, Tim...but I am glad that you do (when are we going to see you on the London to Brighton lorry run again?). I am becoming increasingly absorbed with the human aspect of the war but am always interested in seeing the hardware, from tin hats to tanks. Out on the Somme at Trones Wood last week I had some interesting encounters with live Mills Bombs and 18 pounder shells. The "fieldwalkers" were out prodding the farmland in little clusters and I am bewildered by the whole array of what is still out there. I am not a "treasure hunter" myself, just a snapper and a devoted pilgrim; but we brought home some 18 pounder shell cases and what we think was a 75mm case, plus some fuses. My friend John also brought back a big nose cone off a shell - not sure what calibre yet, but he'll find out and he also picked up a shell type we hadn't seen before by Delville Wood cemetery. My son's prize was a British Army pick head. He loves it (we found all our iron harvest up at Auchonvillers on another day). Just to stress - we are extremely carefull and do not play silly sods with UXBs. I am told the last person to be killed by a UXB from WW1 was a gent who picked up a live grenade and put in the glove box of his car. It exploded as he drove home. I am so much happier taking pictures and walking the paths of my heroes.

They obviously know each other!

It's alright for you lot. I am still trying to convince my wife to let me have a SMLE. We spent last week in a house on the Somme which had one on display and I kept staring longingly at it and she continued to misunderstand me....funny woman.

I've seen one in the bargain bin in my local ToolMart, or was it Aldis? £14.99. Great value. I bought twelve. Flogged the lot on EBay for £14.98. Still haven't got a clue what they are though.