M5Clive

Yes Indeed Joris!

The mighty plan is coming together stunningly well! Vehicle entries are swelling exceptionally well and the C-47 Dakota in USAAF Troop Carrier Group markings is booked and the aircrew accommodation is sorted!

Three half tracks are booked in so far, along with a Sherman tank (or possibly two) and all the usual soft-skins. Ed and myself are getting together next week to start the mammoth task of planning the two-day convoy routes, which are going to visit some of the very best rural countryside in the West Berkshire/East Wiltshire region, including Savernake Forest (the wartime home of the largest open-air ammunition dump in Northern Europe), Aldbourne, Ramsbury and Chilton Foliat (wartime home to the entire 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division), RAF Netheravon, the former Ramsbury and Membury Airfield's of the USAAF 9th Troop Carrier Command and elements of the British Army's Salisbury Plain areas, used extensively by the Allied Forces in the build-up to D-Day and beyond.

Both local parish councils at Ramsbury (where our base camp will be) and Aldbourne are both fully on-side and co-operating fully with the organisers and assisting in every possible way, including road closures for the convoys and use of the village community halls for the historic displays.

Sponsorship is also flooding in, with the MVT National Committee granting the event a generous donation towards its associated running costs. Ramsbury Brewery, British Aerospace, Benham Heavy Haulage and TH White Landrovers have also been very generous on the sponsorship front and a National Lottery Grant has also been applied for (from the same formula I used for Operation Bolero) so we are hopeful that this application will also have a successful outcome!

So in essence, the event is progressing very smoothly indeed - Don't miss it - It will be a blockbuster 8-)

Yes indeed, the magazine was After the Battle and it featured maybe 16 or so pages all about the making of the David Putname film.

I don't subscribe to After the Battle myself, despite it being an excellent publication. There is bound to be someone on here who could tell you the magzine number you need to trace and where you can find a copy :-)

Blimey I've never heard such a bunch of old bleeting sheep - And Jack your the flipping worse :box: :box:

The Normandy Landings (Ok the American part) has just received a prime-time TV slot on National television, presented by a very popular TV personality - We should not mock :nono:

If by having Richard Hammond present this programme it encourages just half a dozen additional younger generation viewers to watch and listen about the heroic deeds that took place on that beach on that day in history, instead of watching reality TV like Big Brother, then thats good enough for me :-)

Ok, so their wasn't much new detail to come out - but I enjoyed seeing the uncovered bunker at Grandcamp Maisey and I don't need an excuse to listen to WWII Veterans remenisce about their part in the war.

Thumbs up to the BBC for starting the year with a decent programme. (Certainly beats what they put out over the festive period.)

Now back to the DVD recorder to watch Foyle's War which was on at the same time.

Clive D Stevens - BBC Regional East of England - Advisory Council

Alright then, I maybe am a little biase........................

Oh Blimey

How long have we had that facility on here then :whistle:

Would never have spotted it before if Santa hadn't struggled down the chimney with this 24 inch iMac :computerterror:

You can't miss anything on this brute..............

.............other than the speed the electricity meter fly's around at when you boot-up :-o :-o

OK, I'm back again. Not a bicycle ride around Norfolk this time but an MV convoy around Wiltshire (see pics in another thread when I remember how to put them on HMVF) and by golly, what a thought and comment provoking topic this has turned out to be - I just don't know how I manage to do it :roll:

It seems that the overwhelming consensus of opinion is that my initial suggestion was fundermentally flawned or more to the point not particularly welcome by the forum membership and in a democratic society, the majority vote is naturally always carried.

Has some good come out of the initial request though?? Well, Keep Em Rollin (aka Simon Morris) I think has found the 'happy medium' - and I'm not referring to Jack's orbs of Christmas 2005 when I say that! None the less, there will still be members who are not keen to volunteer their name or location on there (avatar? I think someone called it) and that is their entitlement.

In retrospect and having read all the comments from all who have contributed to this topic, my initial thoughts on the subject were far stronger than they are now. Of the many good points raised, one in particular which went alone the lines of 'Why the hell should anyone on this forum have to change what they do in order to satisfy others who are not even members of HMVF and who only snip/criticise from the side lines?' This did strike a chord in me and I sat and thought about this and concluded that they were in fact quite right. How could I realistically put up a constructive argument otherwise?

Just for the record, I wasn't put-up to this thread or topic by anyone or any organisation. As I said in my opener, and also as Clive Elliott touched on as well, I have had conversations with HMVF viewers but not members who have mentioned that when comments are made on here under screennames, the comments lack credability. That is there opinion, but under certain topics and threads I also follow that train of thought.

The difference being of course that I am an active (occasionally hibernating) member of the HMVF Forum and do not mind put my thoughts/suggestions forward for discussion. If others (members or just viewers) who feel the need to criticise what is discussed on here(for whatever reason) are only prepared to do that away from the Forum, then that is there choice - but they will ultimately be a voice in the wilderness!

To conclude, so many of the pictures, topics, event discussions, historical memorial threads etc etc on HMVF are just brilliant. The recent pictures posted by Joris of the MV Museum in Holland have inspired me to plan a trip in the Spring - Something that would have never happened without my association with HMVF.

The Suffolk Area Military Vehicle Trust's Operation Bolero event in July last year - It was an outstanding event, which as organiser, I can catagorically state would not have been as big, as successful, as may entries and as bleeding enjoyable without the HMV Forum.

Time has moved on. I was at an MV related event last year where a comment was heard that people didn't seem keen any more to submit photographs for publications, yet MV related Internet Forums seemed to be full of them. Well, this is becoming the way of the world and some people no longer want to wait to see pictures of events in print, just like no one wants to wait anymore to get their photographs developed in Boots! Just like the cut and thrust of successful businesses, those that thrive are those that keep their fingers on the pulse, push forward new and innotative ideas and technology's and ride the crest of the wave.

In this context HMVF has been a mini Tsuanmi - Even with the screen names :whistle:

2008 is going to be another year of opportunities for the MV movement and I'm looking

forward to whats going to be new and exciting in it.

Your absolutely right there Mark and this is one of the very issues that get used against us as a forum, and I do find myself having to defend against this in the interest of HMVF.

Off the cuff comments that I make when I chair the monthly Suffolk Area MVT meetings are rarely recorded (unless I choose to document them in the monthly minutes) but as you so rightly say Mark, an off the cuff comment on here, made by an HMVF member who appears nameless by default, can linger for months if not longer.

Regardless of whether comments are political or appears to be criticising other clubs or other individuals (and I have done this myself on HMVF within the past year) or not, I do think it is important that both HMVF members and non-members who view the site can see who is saying what.

A prime example, I have been communicating with a very pleasant guy on HMVF known to me as N.O.S. who I think lives quite local to me, but i'm not sure and is keen to find a good home for his T2 hangar. Now wouldn't it be easier if under his handle N.O.S. there was a full name in small type showing his proper name?

As you say Mark "Genuine concerns and fears need an outlet for discussion." How true this is, and how successful HMVF is at giving us all a platform that enables us to do so. But, we wouldn't write a letter of concern to the MVT Windscreen magazine (a similar platform for such issues) and sign it Anon would we, nor would we be able to get away without giving our membership name and number.

I have to say, I don't see giving out our surnames on here as a major matter of National Security - I think I would be more concerned about the state of our Governments National Security than our names being on HMVF! Ok, so i'm being a bit fliplant about the security issue and yes, if so desired, anyone could tap into information volunteered on here and find out all sorts of things about me, but in all honestly, I think I would be far more concerned about using my debit card to by things with, rather than the fact that someone could find out that Mr. C D Stevens has owned seven GMC's since 1994..............! No doubt the criminal elements on the www. are zeroing in on my potential prized collection of General Motors workshop manuals as you read this!

I think that if people are that fearful of internet security issues, then they would be better-off not using forums like these. Just my opinion, for what its worth.

"But I do wonder where the criticism is coming from because it doesn't take much to work out who's zooming who; and if it is a "management' dig then even moreso." I don't consider this is so much a management dig, but more a criticism of HMVF in general. Negative comments I have heard go along the lines of "HMVF has an element of people on it who are prepared to say all sorts of things without any policing, yet these people are not even prepared to make these comments under there own name!"

Ok, so most of us know that the site is indeed very well policed and a huge amount of work goes on in the background that the average member doesn't even see, but putting generalisations like this to one side, the above comment is a valid point.

I just think that it would be a positive move for our brilliant HMVF Forum and gain us all-together greater credability from our critics - And lets not kid ourselves, we know (for whatever reasons) that we do have them too!

Having just returned from a 5 mile mountain bike ride around Norfolk, I'm full of energy and have a suggestion that I consider would be an improvement to HMVF for 2008.

A certain degree of criticism has been voiced in the general direction of HMVF because some of its members are prepared to make statements/comments on this forum but only under the heading of a screen name or handle, and not there own name.

Although I don't have a screen name myself and have always made comments both good and bad under my own name, I know that many members use HMVF only under there own screen names.

My suggestion therefore is not to remove members screen names, but to have members proper names underneath there handles. After all, I have communicated with many members on here without having a clue who they are.

I know that as well as being of benefit to HMVF members ourselves, this would also give our operation a greater degree of credability to others, as people have commented to me that perhaps contentious or hot topics up for discussion on HMVF have been underminded by the fact that those who contribute to the discussion are not prepared to use there own names in these discussions, which I think is a fair and valid point!

I have always used my own name, simply because I am prepared to stand by what I think and say - both good and bad!

Food for thought perhaps - Over to you guys for what you think!

A good run-down of the year indeed!

Enjoyed the pictures very much - And yes we were a long way from home up at Pickering, North Yorks, but it was a fun weekend, especially seeing the A4 Gresley Pacific chuffing up the line - Shame about the gloomy weather though!

Lets hope 2008 is as exciting - Make sure you put Route to Victory in your diary for next year.

That was the first MVT event that I ever went to. Nice picture of Chris Davis on his military motorcycle. Sadly Chris is not enjoying the best of health in recent months, and if he happens to read this, I send him my very best wishes on behalf of the Suffolk Area MVT.

Chris has done a sterling amount of work for the Trust and MV movement in general over the years and was instrumental in the success of the MVT shows on Southsea Common. We drove our GMC 352 from Wiltshire down to this show on the Common and it was the first long-haul event we had ever done. In fact I have a photo of us all peering into the full-up fuel tank on the Jimmy - It was the first time we had ever filled it up and the excitement warrented a picture taken!!

They were great days and great shows indeed, and despite the positive way the MV movement has moved forward since that time, I still miss that show on the Common!

Just to throw my 4 penneth in!

The first GMC we ever owned was a GMC 352, Hard Cab, with winch and set no.7

We bought this truck in 1989 and it was indeed ex-French Army. Although it has recently sold again in the West Country, (saw it advertised in a recent MVT Greensheet) I can clearly remember that the set no.7 secured to the cargo bed approx. 1 foot in, from the front of the cargo body. There was just enough space to store a standard British Army Metal ammunition box along the front of the cargo body, between the securing fixings of the set no.7 and the body's front structure.

One thing to remember - If your thinking of putting a set no.7 into your Jimmy, you better get used to bumping your head on a regular basis :argh:

Bit of an excessive measure just to aid the replacement of the rear-main oil seal on the engine!

I bet that was the Hard Cab Jimmy that Rex Ward bought back in October,

advertised as one careful owner - The US Army :oops2:

When we were at Bolero, Chicargo George (from Chicargo) did an awesome impression of Boss Hogg. Alright, so George's stature was a little on the wafe-like side, compared to Hazzard County's commissionaire, but the immitation of his voice was superb!

It went something along the lines of "I'm gonna give you 50 percent of my 50 percent, which leaves you 25 percent of my 50 percent and when you've spilt your 25 percent with Cletus, you'll have 50 percent of his 25 percent," or something like that!

Suffice to say, in George's American drawl, it was so bloody funny :-D

Incidentally, I will one day get a 69 Dodge Charger, with 01 on the doors. I would have to sell the Stuart if I wanted to get one right now and the way WWII Armour is going at the moment, that wouldn't be a shrewd move! But I will surprise you all one day when I turn up on Salisbury Plain for a road run playing the dixie air-horns, in an orange stock car :roll:

Not heard that one before Jack.

An average 10 man Heavy Bomber crew was made up of 4 officers in the front of the B-17 or B-24 (pilot, co-pilot, bombardier, navigator) and 6 enlisted men (Sgt's) taking on the roles of (Flight Engineeer/Top Turrett Gunner, Radio Operator, Ball Turrett Gunner, Right Waist Gunner, Left Waist Gunner, Tail Gunner) although alterations to this did take place as time frames changed.

Knowing of the planning issues regarding Maurice's residence at Topcroft, I know that as good an idea as that sounds, it is just not viable.

I will speak to Richard Taylor at Debach airfield tomorrow night at our monthly Suffolk Area meeting. Now he not only has the space and passion, but he owns the farm/airfield - A rare combination. And his brother in law owns the adjoing farm where the main runway used to run. We can only ask.

Out of interest, where in East Anglia are you based NOS - Is this the location where is would need to be moved from?

PS - I always think of Knettishall as being in Norfolk, but of course it's still just this side of the border! I remember driving my Dad's GMC around and around inside the T2 Hangar there in 1992 just after I first got my licence and listening to the wonderful sound of the Jimmy's exhaust reverberating against the tin sides. I guess GoogleEarth would give us a definitive answer as to how many T2's remain in the region in there original positions.

Great threads - Have very much enjoyed all four and certainly learnt a lot from them.

James Stewart's middle initial was M. (James Maitland Stewart) and indeed, he seved about 6 miles from here at Tibenham, Norfolk and Old Buck - both airfields of which still have flying activities today.

When I was staying in LA in 1998 with a B-17 Pilot from the 91st Bomb Group, who originally flew from Basingbourn, Cambs, with his local knowledge we tracked down Jimmy Stewart's house in Hollywood.

Unfortunately he had died only a few months beforehand, but I still wanted to see where this gentle giant had lived. I had hoped at one point that I was going to meet him because he was instrumental in the publcising and fund-raising for the American Air Museum project at Duxford and was fully backing the enterprise.

Unfortunately, he passed away shortly before the museum was due to be dedicated and knowing of his deteriation in health, passed the mantle to his fellow Hollywood pal and one time member of the USAAF, Charlton Heston.

Therefore on a very wet day in the Autumn of 1997, the Queen and Charlton Heston unveiled the American Air Museum in Britain at Duxford. Somehow, I managed to get myself in on the act and accompanied the Veterans of the 91st Bomb Group at this ceremony.

I met Charlton Heston and shook him by the hand, and when the Veteran I was with said to him "I bet your glad to be back from the Aleutians" Charlton Heston replied "Your Darn Right There!"

The Aleutians Islands, spreading from Alaska to Asia and forming a border with the North Pacific and South Baring Sea, was not the best of postings for an American Serviceman in WWII - The sheer inhostility and cold temperatures made it a bitterly resented posting!

Great memories and a great thread ;-)

Hi Joris

How far is the journey from either 'The Hook of Holland' or 'Zeebrugger' to the museum pictured here?

Having seen your photo's, I am thinking about doing a trip over to the museum in the New Year. Maybe we could meet up at the museum if i can get things organised this end?

What it the approximate milage and journey times once we get off the ferry?

Clive

The problem is, unless your a land owner/farmer, what do you do with a T2 - As much as you want to preserve it?

Of the 18 US occupied airfields in Suffolk during WWII, each airfield built to Class A Standard, would have two T2 Hangars for indoor aircraft maintenance.

A few still remain in their original location today

Raydon Airfield, P-51's - 1 x T2

Rattlesden Airfield, B-17's - 1 x T2

Eye Airfield, B-17 & B-24's - 1 x T2

Parham Airfield, B-17's - 1 x T2

Rougham Airfield, B-17's - Final T2 demolished within the past 10 years.

Those that do remains I believe are used for their storage benefits.

I do know that the remaining T2 at Membury Airfield in Berkshire is also under threat. You can see this hangar as you drive down the M4.

I am struggling to think who would be in a position to accept a T2, all be it in reduced size format up this neck of the woods though................. :embarassed: :embarassed:

Sat-Nav in Suffolk?

The last time someone used a Sat-Nav this far East it ended up taking them onto

the beach at Shingle Street :nono:

We prefer to use the more tried and tested method of 'dead-reckoning' in this sleepy

corner of the country - Left at the Anderson Shelter and first right before the AA Box!

But your right about Jack - He certainly organises a good do..........Look at the number

of people that supported his bash in East Anglia this July!

Christ - I've just noticed that in my absence I've been promoted to a Sgt :schocked:

In which case, forget about the Petrol Coupons Jack - The rise in salary will more than compensate me.

All that leaves me to say in my newly promoted position is..........

"Would you all mind kindly stepping this way please.......three neat, tidy little ranks,

now that would be absolutely lovely!"

"Yon Mainwaring's taken leave of his senses - This i'll end in disaster, i say, disaster" :captain:

Greetings HMVF'ers!

After an absence of some nine months, I have finally returned to the fold with an all new Internet Provider and computer, so my HMVF input should return to some form of consistancy from now on...................(Everyone groans....!)

Its interesting to note the new changes since I last posted a thread in March - Lots of new members in that time, a new look site and the official renaming of Joris to Joris Bolero - I am flattered indeed! :bow:

Has anybody noticed incidentally if Joris has finally got over the excitement of pushing the P-51 out of the Hardwick hangar back in July 8-) - He turned a very funny colour.......!

When I have told people that I'm not on the internet, people comment 'How do you manage without it?' In all honestly, I haven't really missed it a great deal, but I have missed coming on here from time to time and discussing the issues of hot importance vital to the war effort!

Just one thing more Jack, you mentioned that considering I have been absent for nine months, you were going to look into some form of discount on my annual membership fees.......... :what:

Considering the price of fuel lately............I will happily accept petrol coupons :whistle:

Sorry Jack!

I thought those two people in the picture were a couple of Eastern European immigrant workforce out in the Norfolk fields trying to bag themselves a Christmas Turkey :-D

That's just such a damn shame that Neil chose to use that pic to publicise the convoy, that inadvertantly, totally covered your truck from view with another of the General Motors six cylinder engined variety..........

.................I'd have a word with him if I were you................After all you've done for us :whistle:

:-D :-D :-D

Just a few words of support for the new Kennet Valley Area MVT and their first organised event..................

Have no doubts about this one ladies and gents - This is going to be a biggy :yesmaster:

A severe amount of arm-twisting was exercised in my direction this summer after the success of Operation Bolero - Tour of the Dromes, to do another Gathering of Eagles next year in Wiltshire. Unfortunately, with a major house project (complete roof-off job) scheduled to start in February 2008, there was just no-way I could contemplate undertaking a big event as well..................Enter Keith Brigstock 8-) 8-) 8-)

Keith is first and foremost a living history expert with a sound knowledge of period MV's and works full-time for the British Army. Keith was eager to carry the Gathering of Eagles torch forward next year (2008) but incorporating his own twist and innovative ideas. So with both myself and brother Neil's full blessing, Keith has carried 'Eagles' onto the next dimension with the fantastic 'Route to Victory' event (but still incorporating the Gathering of Eagles theme and flavour.)

Although unable to submerse myself to any great degree in the organisation of the event, Neil is very much on-side, designing adverts, publicity material and the website and both Neil and I are acting as telephone advisories to the overall plan - Not that Keith really needs it, having organised many high profile LHG events himself.

Furthermore Ed Abbott and myself (the team who put the convoy routes together for Bolero) are coming out of East Anglian retirement to organise the two days of convoys and movement orders for Route to Victory - So blame us if you get lost on Salisbury Plain!

The Military Vehicle Trust both Nationally and on a regional level with the newly formed Kennet Valley Area are happy that this event is being organised to coincide with next year's 40th Anniversary of the Military Vehicle Trust's founding.

To those collectors and exhibitors of appropriately aged vehicles, mark this event firmly in your diary chaps as its going to be every bit as good as Operation Bolero was this year - In fact, it could even be better!

NB - The convoy photograph used in the publicity poster above was taken on day-two of Bolero as we approached Maurice Hammond's airstrip at Hardwick - Norfolk, but it would pass for Holland any day - don't you think? That's Phil Benham's GMC up front with Richard Taylor's GMC Bolster truck following. If you look closely towards the rear ranks of the convoy you can just see some cloudy smoke - That was Jack Beckett's five cylindered wonder running on the petrol vapours :whistle:

Only joking old boy - It just wouldn't have been the same without you there :-)

Keep your eyes posted for further updates of Kennet Valley MVT's - Route to Victory 2008

Clive D Stevens

Lets get this right chaps - The Clive Stevens consortium has actually bought it, of which Simon is an Associate Member!!!!

To my knowledge, I'm the only one who has so far stumpted up any large scale cash! - And I bet it never see's Suffolk in a month of Sundays.

All good stuff shared ownership :-D

Its been a few years now since I last saw that film. In the pictures posted it looks a bit like a model, but in the film you can clearly see it is not. I think in one shot it almost looks like the B-17 tailwheel touches the ground :-o :-o