Snapper

NO PICTURES! (ask Catweazle)

Hey Elvis, Welcome to the Friendly Forum. MB

I agree with Degy's sentiments. We hear so much about the men of 1939-45 being the "Greatest Generation" - though this really only applies to the Americans from 1941-1945 in truth. The men of 1914-19 who fought from Flanders to East Africa and from the Falkland Islands to Siberia for their King and Country and came from all across our present day British Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland were giants. They were of their time and have had close on a century of revisionists and opportunists telling us how stupid and naive they were. It's a moot point. God bless Harry Patch. He knew who he was and didn't need telling. MB

NO PICTURES! HAVE YOU SEEN THE BOSCHE? DAS IST F....D! I'VE HAD A FEW DRINKS DAD! but I'm alright really..... HAS ANYONE SEEN MY WALLET/KEYS/SUNGLASSES/BLACKBERRY/SIMON THOMSON'S WRISTBAND/ TENT* *(delete as required - wotchit Vince!) I CAN BE A POLEDANCER! I THOUGHT I'D GOT AWAY WITH IT! MARK - YOUR MUTT IS ON FIRE! FAT PEOPLE ARE HARDER TO KIDNAP! C.E.T's ARE FITTED WITH SANDWICH TOASTERS. WILL SOMEONE SHOOT DOWN THAT EFFING HELICOPTER PLEASE (REPEAT CONTINUOUSLY). The glorious quotes go on and on. But the best quote was CAN WE GO HOME NOW PLEASE? Repeated several times on late Sunday afternoon by he who shall remain aimless. The BBQ was glorious. The photoshoot was great. It was fantastic meeting everyone (even Dave Hines!) and not so fantastic NOT meeting the others. advance warning: we will have a photocall on the sunday of next year's show. It will be in the Americas Field. If Lee and Ian plan to hold a BBQ it will probably be Saturday night in the Americas Field. But they will decide that. See you next year. NO PICTURES!

My MUTT was on the display as a favour. I was in the photographers bunker at the time of the incident. I am assured it was accidental and know this to be the case. MB

Tugger my old mucker.# If they're mine, they're yours. Phil Royal is known as Zoomer on this forum. John Blackman is known as John Blackman on this forum - but I can also intercede. Stuart Gould can also be tracked down like a dog and killed. Or else you can ask him for some snaps. Simon Thomson was only on site on Saturday owing to the photographer's knee curse. I can put you in touch with him. This applies to one and all - MB

I lied, I also lost a flipflop in the Medway doing a photoshoot with the lads of Rolling Thunder. Somewhere there is a snap of me in my underwear hopping around on one leg. Like I always say...You weren't There, Man. The 'Nam experience...oh dear. MB

All I lost at Beltring was my tent. Nothing serious. As for the facilities - I can add nothing new. Tired, happy, sunburned, skint. The four horsemen of Beltring. Welcome to the Friendly Forum. Our leader, Beckett, had his flowing locks cut off by a very nice lady who normally does the hair dressing for a bunch of panzergrenadiers. It was a classic moment. MB

Good to have you with us Craig. Welcome to the Friendly Forum. This is the height of the UK show season, so don't worry if things seem a little quiet. We'll all be back in the clubhouse in time for tea. Cheers! Mark

Sorry mate - NOT me.

Welcome to the Friendly Forum, It's been a bit quiet with Beltring on - so sorry for the late response to your note. Cheers Mark

Yeah, and a repair bill. M

Welcome to the Friendly Forum. MB

You bringing her to W & P, Nick?

Yep, come and see us Don Welcome to the Friendly Forum. MB

Werlcome to the Friendly Forum, Guy. Great to have you wish us. MB

Well done for standing your ground. See you tomorrow afternoon. Bringing James down with me for the afternoon while I do H & S with the redshirts. Can't wait to be down full time. Need to give the MUTT a blatt tonght. Hard to believe the year has gone so fast. M:-D

Welcome to the Friendly Forum. Great to have you with us. MB

Maybe we can just have a few representative vehicles and concentrate on getting all the chaps in, like a platoon photo? This would save a lot of mucking about. I am sure that in the right hands we could identify everyone and then make it a collectable with a logo etc. Just thinking aloud. I am useless at the imaging aspect - but will have the Clutchcruncher with us this year. Just sounds like a daft thing for hanging on the wall. Locations and management of it to be suggested by a.n.other. I am just the ideas man.

Magazine Editor Screen Monkey Bruce Springsteen Knackered Packing 30

Sad to report the death of Ted Kenna the Australian VC holder from WW2. He won his Victoria Cross fighting the Japs in New Guinea. He took out a couple of pillboxes single handed with a Bren gun. God Bless Him.

Yep, great digits! No complaints...good to see something like this. If you get a chance to do some snaps with your digi camera that would be brill. But don't get yourself in bother with the management. Cheers! Mark

Again, more very good points. This sort of stuff gets to the heart of things and makes HMVF what it is. As said, I like variety. John's point about 'fun' is what it should all be about. I have to say John, your point about detachment from WW1 (for want of a finer description) is excellent. You have to want it to reach you I suppose. My family's involvement in it guided me towards a deep and abiding interest, I suppose the word is "love" for it. I have idealogical issues with the Germans thing. They killed my grandfather in simplistic terms and destroyed my family. But the truth is that it takes two to tango. Nothing is simple and wars need sides. I admit to being detached from the Holocaust because although it was singularly the most monstrous crime of the millennia it wasn't part of my family's experience. They fought and died at sea, struggled with disease and lived through the Blitz and the V weapons. I really hope I can get someone to give a free and frank insight into it, because I have to see the majority of groups I've seen are bloody stunning. The quality of detail and presentation/impression is awe inspiring. But I can't say I will ever wholly approve. I am prepared to be persuaded. Meanwhile my love of MVs never diminishes. I just wish I could separate spanners from the other metal pointy things. So onwards with the open mind. MB

Can I put that on a t-shirt? Says it all for me. :-D

Yes matey, you'll have to tell us more now. Have never seen one, let alone considered the chance to have a ride in one. I think that buying one or two would sink the defence budget, but knowing our lot they'd stick a flatbed of chipboard on top and call them aircraft carriers. MB