Snapper

I'll try and post some snaps tomorrow.... M

My MUTT passed it's MOT today with flying colours. All this is a tribute to Tootallmike who built her (plus anyone who helped who hasn't been mentioned - presumably Kyle and Vince were involved somewhere along the line???). I've hardly had any time to run her since September since we got on with rebuilding Barnes Towers and so on. Now the summer beckons, I hope to make proper use of her. Next stop the Bunker Bash... Happy days... MB

That really is a very moving set of pics you have there John. We have similar for my uncle Les, but he died during the Great War and I have visited his grave in Belgium. I've just been communicating with a lady in Australia tracing her family tree and by pure chance I found her plea for help on the web. I'd snapped the grave of one of her great uncles in 2003 and had never forgotten his name of the inscription. I'm funny like that. I must remember to send it to her tomorrow. MB

Interesting times. I haven't been to Fromelles and will keep away until the new cemetery is built (I should imagine). I know the Australians are big on getting DNA samples for their fallen. It's interesting to note that a lot of the snaps being put out to the media of relics found - which could not be attributed to British or Australians are usually captioned as Australian - such is the nature of the media. I don't think the Brits were in a hurry to start DNA testing because it opens the biggest can of worms. It obviously coincides with Peter Barton's work there and with the Red Cross in Switzerland. It would be wonderful to see all these men identified - but a full burial is the most important. Lots to learn in the months to come methinks. MB

Great to have you here Andy. Welcome to the Friendly Forum. MB

At least it shows that not only our great British brands can be wiped out. It's just taken the septics twenty years to catch up! It won't be the last, either. Bloody shame whatever we make of modern crud. I see badge engineered Chevrolets (ex Daewoo) every day in sunny Essex. Some people must be spinning in their graves.. MB

Hi Darren, Welcome to the Friendly Forum. You know how to make an entrance! Not many Grant tank owners on the forum. I guess you'd call that a work in progress. Please post up in the introductions and welcome board so everyone can say hello. Cheers MB Mods team

Welcome to the Friendly Forum.......... MB

Welcome to the Friendly Forum. MB

Fantastic models - very interesting. Welcome to the Friendly Forum.

Welcome to the Friendly Forum..... MB

Nice to see it kept in the dry. Someone will have to explain to me how to spot a Swiss one....

Bloody working all day on the 26th (in the office now). New version of job is total pants - but atleast I still have one. Many good old friends gone after 23 years. Hope to take the MUTT for a spin on Tuesday if I can get my other jobs done in time. The Mrs will have a list by then. :-( Anyone going down to Brighton for the HCVS run the following sunday? MB

Cheers Les, By all means send reviews to me by email and I will arrange them going up front. I am swamped with work at the moment, which is why things are a little slow on this...disapponting to me, but can't be helped. MB

Welcome to the friendly forum.... MB

I passed a very happy chappy driving a Lightweight Landy with a Military Police sign on the back on Sunday afternoon going towards London/Maidstone on the M20. I'm sure he was wearing a HMVF polo shirt. He'd been off-roading by the look of things.... Anyone answer to this description? MB

block and tackle in my case.

Hey Benoit, welcome to the Friendly Forum.

Nice to have you here, 602. Welcome to the Friendly Forum.

Welcome to the Friendly Forum.

Welcome to the Friendly Forum. Hope you find what you're looking for here.

We'll have a decent gathering at Beltring, so come and have a cup of tea, or something colder, with us. It's difficult to recommend what to do on the WW1 battlefields aspect because there is so much. But obviously, when you are on the Somme you will find yourself in Villers-Bretonneux, Le Hamel and up to Pozieres. All essential. The Tommy cafe in Pozieres is a bit of a dump, but seems to lure Aussie parties. Better off having a cuppa with Teddy and Phoebe at the Ulster Tower which is mid-way(ish) between Thiepval and Newfoundland mem park on a straight-ish rd from Pozieres. BTW, the 1st Aus Div memorial and Gibralter are at the opposite end of the village to the Windmill, which is opposite the Tank Corps memorial. Blue sky days make the place great. You'll pass Moo Cow farm en route to Thiepval. Very special. I haven't been to Fromelles, which is still big news. If you have time, get on the Vimy Ridge website and arrange a tunnel tour and if in Arras do the same, the Waterloo tunnels cost five.fifty eruo a head. I'm doing them this weekend. As said, there is so much - but you must not miss the Menin Gate. Ypres is a glorious place to stay (Arianne and Novotel are fine). Great atmosphere - good grub/beer and very appreciative people (mainly - some tossers about).

This is all very edumacashional. Really looking forward to seeing this display (with Rock Ape attached). Having the variety is important and Karl's point about accessibility is the key to it all. The "real" army displays are for a purpose other than enthusiasm for the subject. They are window dressing. Not a lot going on. Bringing it to life is altogether different. Good luck to Karl and anyone getting involved. MB

This is all very edumacashional. Really looking forward to seeing this display (with Rock Ape attached). Having the variety is important and Karl's point about accessibility is the key to it all. The "real" army displays are for a purpose other than enthusiasm for the subject. They are window dressing. Not a lot going on. Bringing it to life is altogether different. Good luck to Karl and anyone getting involved. MB

Glad you liked Rye. Great view from the church and it has some excellent plaques inside, one for a naval officer who was killed on a submarine in 1913 and one for the choristers who died in WW1. Deeply moving. The cannons were put there around the time of a more recent royal jubilee (can't remember) and I think they replaced older ones which have been stored. The mounts on either end I think are for old penny telescopes my kids used to like. I think you'll find the RAF sergeant at Winchelsea would have been a recalled reservist and as he is buried in his home village, I would suspect he was not aircrew - maybe a medical or accident case. His CWGC record gives little away. There is an unknown Marine buried next to him.