Richard Farrant

Tony, My father was in the Home Guard, he applied for the Defence Medal in the 1980's when there was an initative to get those that were applicable to apply. It came for the Army Medals Office at Droitwich.....second time lucky. The first medal was "lost in post", and it was a struggle to get them to send another. They were issued to those on non-active service in the UK. Check these websites; www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/defencefor/veterans/medals/defencemedal.htm www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/ApplyingForMedals.htm

John, There is a website of photos from the Imperial War Museum library. I have gone through it sometime ago, but do not have the link to hand. Might be worth enquiring of the Tank Museum library, who have a lot of photos.

From recollections the plastic capped inter vehicle sockets came into use well before the Defender was introduced.

Well, it is a REME display, so I am going for underwater welding / cutting or recovery.

I am a member of the Dingo Register. It is run by Danny Bosma from Holland. For his email address, PM me please. regards, Richard

more like Buster Crabb

Vince, It is basically a zinc chromate paste and may be available in marine or yachting suppliers. As I said, the one supplied though the army which we used way back on Fox and CVR(T), was a standard International Marine Paints product.

Chris, you cannot get the staff nowadays...........and standards have slipped. Not like that in the old days

I have fitted the later carbs, in service, with modified throttle bodies. Since then working for myself, I fitted a kit to a carb, hence knowing about the acc pump linkage set up. Gearboxes were known to sieze in the geartrain. Not unusual for Saracen and Ferret also.

Oh... then it would originally have been the JC5A I reckon as that is a zinc chromate paste and fits the description of what we used.

John, Now you can go scouring photos of Weasels in British service, hoping to spot your number.

I have a feeling both Duckhams and Comma are owned by BP.

What is the description for those numbers, Clive?

Sorry for the wait...here goes.. The gearbox problem........from the very start Fox's were returning from exercises with worn bands on 2nd predominatly. This was a common pattern, wear was happening too quick for auto adjuster to keep up. We would reset manually inside on those that were not auto adjusting, but still serviceable. Then a mod instruction came through to change the accelerator pump jets and non return valves to eliminate a flat spot when pulling away. This was why the bands were wearing, as they pulled off, the engine fluffed and drivers were dipping the gear change pedal ( as you would on a clutch ), to get the revs up again, then let the pedal off, consequently the bands were suffering badly. From memory, and a lot of things have happened since, so not crystal clear, the initial jet and valve change made little difference, and I think there may have been similar mods later on..............then after many years and at a point when the Fox was near the end of service, the problem was solved. It was caused by too much fuel on accelaration giving "bore wash". A new and modified throttle body was available, with new linkage for the acc. pumps, once set up to instructions, it reduced the max volume of fuel on accelaration by 30%. One heck of a difference in performance. Thats it !

Hi Vince, It was a thick paste / paint of a yellowish colour and I think, made by International Marine Paints for dissimilar metals, ie steel to alloy, to stop corrosion. If Clive Elliott reads this, he may be able to give you the full description.

Sorry chaps, been waylaid this evening have to wait until tomorrow night now.

For making a woven mat or similar from brushwood, for trenches?

Just off to have my meal, Chris. Will be back later

Actually, easiest thing to do is to get a copy of the B Vehicle Census list, published by Groucho Publishing, it is very useful. There are pages of numbers.

Sighting markers for artillery? was a bit confused, thought this was an old MO been resurrected...No.5 :confused:

Actually Chris, it was the engine that caused the gearbox problems, right from the word go.........and it was not solved until the Fox came to the end of its service. Long story, will relate sometime.

The RL used by the army, at least later ones, had air over hydraulic, so had air system for trailer braking, earlier RL, both Home Office and army had vacuum assisted hydraulic.

Ieuan, Not sure where you got the 90mm from, but a CVR(W) Fox was fitted with a 30mm Rarden, I worked on them during their whole service period and that would have spanned 18+ years. As for being unstable, I think the cases of overturns are grossly exagerated, thinking of those that came in for repair in that period due to that happening, and they were few. Had more engines destroy them themselves though. So they were not "gotten rid of quickly" as you say.

John, They are the numbers allocated for the contract, but quite often the actual numbers delivered may vary, especially if a ship sank onroute from the US. It does sound a large number. I am no expert on this particular vehicle, but if anything else comes to light I will pass it on to you.

No worries :-D :thumbsup: