11th Armoured

It almost seems a shame to paint it, but bloody hell that looks good!

Wow! Superb project, looking forward to seeing this one develop, best of luck

The welds were then filed and polished up, holes drilled and bored for the flanges, all mating faces skimmed and the front bonnet hinge mount was machined up and bolted in place.

 

 

 

Well, it's simple when you put it like that...

Seriously, I am in awe of the skills shown just in this one part of your restoration - absolutely outstanding work!

Might be worth posting it up on the British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum - there might well be some ideas on there about its origins.

Kevin

Ashford's a bit of a trek from Lincolnshire, so I've only managed to visit on one occasion, but needless to say, the only reason for going was to see the tank...

I didn't take any particular detail shots unfortunately, though, but what photos I did take are here:

Ashford Tank & other Mark IVs

Kevin

they might have moved it the one i saw was on a mini roundabout with traffic going around it

This is where the tank is according to the map on the linked article:

I've been following your progress on Facebook - it must be really exciting seeing it finally starting to take shape

Kevin

a few years ago i was walking with the wife in marseille she wanted to see the cathedral we came around a corner and sitting on a mini roundabout was a really nice sherman if i remember it was only a 100yds or so from the cathedral which itself had obviously seen some action by the amount of holes in the architecture wonder if the sherman is still there might go have a look

Would this be the one?

Marseille Sherman

Astonishing condition! Amazing what's still out there - no lake in eastern Europe will be safe

Why on earth it was so completely dismantled and the parts then kept together for so long, I have no idea.

Part of a divorce settlement - "no dear, the car went ages ago - check the garage if you don't believe me..."

Seriously though, that looks to be a wonderful project to be involved with!

Stunningly good!

Doug, I see the images in their entirety, both in the original post and in your quote of it.

Same here...

Pleased I could help - the concept of ankle-high 'waders' with vent holes in the side is an interesting one, though...

Sixth photo down - that's an Air Ministry stamp, I believe.

Had a bit of a Google & found these, which appear to be the same:

RAF Groundcrew Brogue Waders

I'm sure I read somewhere that the claim of a 2-man crew actually came about because of an error or mis-translation, but typically I can't find anything now to back that up, so it might well be total bollards on my part!

Nice to see from the video that we can all still sleep soundly in our beds for a little while longer before the hordes descend...

Looking good!

Not dated, sadly, but it is 1960-pattern DPM, which I've been told was only made between 1970 and 1971, so fits in nicely with your list of contract numbers.

No real idea, but given the Dunlop connection, could it be some sort of tyre bead breaker?

Just keep anything precious WELL away from that exposed drive chain... :shocked:

Mad as a box of frogs!

That's excellent news! I was so annoyed that I missed last year's event, so it's nice to have the chance of a second (& third...) bite at the cherry :-)

trevor you got me thinking about concealed vehicles and reminded me of a tank pic I saw somewhere with a 10 ton truck frame and painted canvas on it, actually looked quite good !

That'd be a 'Sunshield' - used in advance of El Alamein

That's the 1903 Pattern 50-round bandolier, Mark II, I believe (although I'd need to see the buckle to be absolutely certain).

Without any stamps, I think it is virtually impossible to determine a date, however - apart from buckle differences between the Mk. I & Mk. II versions (as detailed on the Karkee Web site), the design remained unchanged throughout its production, which continued until the early 1940s in South Africa.

On leather equipment of the period, if there are any markings, they're often quite feint, though, so it might be worth having another look (I use a magnifying glass & a bright light source shone along the surface, rather than directly down on it - that way the tiniest of shadows of any stamping usually become visible). The most likely places are towards the ends of the bandolier - mine is stamped '1915' & 'HGR LD' (which is Hepburn, Gale & Ross Ltd., Grange Mills, Grange Road, Bermondsey, London, SE1), signifying original manufacturer & date, but also bears 'SAP' & '4 28' stamps, likely indicating post-WWI use by the South African Police.

HTH,

Kevin

I can't get to my reference books at the mo' to corroborate, but from photos of members of 2nd Northants Yeomanry & 2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry that I do have to hand, they definitely had RAC titles-Formation sign-AOS strip on their battle dress, & I believe that 3RTR did likewise (with the rhomboid tank on the right arm, as shown).

Kevin

I honestly can't see why that should make things difficult for you. All you need to do now is get a suit of OG 60 pattern, ditto 68 pattern, hoods for both, suit of tropicals, a good dpm field cap, bush hat, puttees, boots DMS, nice MkV helmet with scrim, both patterns of SAS windproof, arctic windproof, foul weather clothing, a decent set of 58 pattern, SAS 58 pattern add-ons, a GS bergen, a para bergen, para helmet, early parka, liners for 68 smock parka and windproofs, early sniper smock, denison smock, dpm para smock, both types of 70s jersey, shirt KF, poncho, face veil, Mks 2 and 3 NBC suits, NBC gloves and boots, S6 respirator, 58 patt sleeping bag, entrenching tool, various berets and a deac SLR. Where's the problem?? :???

I knew I was worrying over nothing!

Incidentally, I believe there are several variations within '58 Pattern depending on which issue we're talking about, so I guess I'd better add them to the list...

Very nice.......only made in DPM 1970-71 when the 1968 Pattern took over.........last green combat clothing made in 1970...........

 

Only James Smith & Co and Cookson & Clegg made the DPM 1960 Pattern smock and trousers under no more than around 6 contracts...........seems that a fair few were made however on account of the number of survivors today..........no hood made for these though as too short-lived.........they continued to be issued throughout the 1970s whilst stocks remained...........here's a Cookson made example, new..........far less common than the Smith versions.........

Excellent stuff - you live & learn, eh?

Not made for them perhaps but the 68 pattern hood fits fine.

I think I read somewhere that the green hood from the 1950 Pattern combat dress would also have been used with the DPM 1960 Pattern smocks pending the arrival of the 1968 Pattern DPM version - is this correct, do you know?

Only trouble with all this of course is that I'm starting to find it all TOO INTERESTING! I started out with a simple interest in 1937 Pattern Web Equipment, but that's already crept back as far as the 1902 Pattern Service Dress & 1903 Pattern Bandolier Equipment, with all points inbetween, & now I seem to be developing an unhealthy fascination with the bl**dy 1970s...!