Richard Farrant

thanks Graham, Actually going back over it, made things come back to me, that had been forgotten.

Mike, I don't know where that article was published, but it might be a slight mistake. Royal Engineers did actually have some remote control equipment, for bomb disposal work, one I knew of was a Hymac 360 degree excavator. This had a large cable drum on the rear which was connected to a control point. Radio operated equipment used when dealing with bombs could trigger them, hence using wire control. I do recollect something about an E/Beaver being remote controlled.

I think GWT is actually an avid reader of your story, but is keen to hear more, like we all are. I do not know how far you actually did go, so come on, get your diary out and write a bit more :-D

Thanks Rick, I did not know about your story, good job you did go into Darwin, else you would not have had the chance, with circumstances. Good of the army to help as well. Have you found any photos yet?

Adam, Most army vehicles in the 1950's had signwritten number plates. Then during the 80/90's period, the army workshops I was at, made replacement number plates, using the clear acrylic, black backing and white numerals.

Thanks Mark, The videos will have to be transfered to DVD and I have some from other people as well. Might try and pick out the more interesting bits when I have time. As we were travelling mainly on the Stuart Highway, there are roadhouses and service stations at intervals, might be about 200 miles or so in some parts, but you have to prepare for that. The next trip was a different matter!

Thanks Degsy, Once I have put up the last photos, will look for my diary of the next trip, ths one was off road for most of the way, so a lot different.

what was that, a baby donkey? :rofl:

Well this thread seems to have ended up heading for Africa somehow :confused:, so to resume where we left off................ Our last night on the road was at Howard Springs, a last minute change as we should have been at Batchelor, where a good evenings entertainment was to happen.........but it did'nt sadly. We assembled the whole convoy beside the Stuart Highway, after leaving the campsite at Howard Springs. The local police escorted us in one lot, including the Army, to a huge trucking yard on the outskirts of Darwin. Here we met up with the Minister of Veteran Affairs, Con Sciacca and the Lord Mayor of Darwin, messages from towns and cities along our route were passed to the mayor and we then went on a parade through Darwin. I had that empty feeling like that was it, the end, but there was a bit more to come. After finding our campsite and sorting that out, we then took our vehicles to the Sports Stadium, where we all parked up for people to come and view and have a chat. Then as evening came, we moved the vehicles onto the football pitch as a backdrop to a tattoo, with cadets from air, sea and navy taking part, along with a flypast of a military helicopter trailing the National flag. A great atmosphere. The next day was a free one to visit the sights, such as the Air Museum with a wreck of one of the Japanese intruders that attacked Darwin. I also accompanied Dave to Parliament House to visit a MP's office, and I was given a conducted tour of the building. Also visited an artillery museum out on the coast, where a lot of old military vehicle wrecks were to be found, like a row of old carriers. The following day was special, it was Weds 15th August, VP Day ( VJ is not PC anymore! ). We assembled for a police led convoy into Darwin, to stop at the Esplanade for two minutes silence at the Cenotaph. Later, in the afternoon, all the participants had been invited to Government House, by the Governer, for a reception in the grounds. The place had a real Colonial feel to it, we had been told to dress in "Territory Rig", which I guess meant smart, so I wore black trousers, shirt and tie, and it was sweltering, and this was winter! From here we walked to the Cenotaph for a service. After that was over it was down the road to the Hotel Darwin for the official BTTT Dinner. A great evening, with lots of speeches, address swapping, autographs on the menus, etc. When it came to the prize giving, I was presented with the Furthest Travelled Award, the only others from overseas were a Canadian, and a Frenchman, Henri de Wailly. Then myself and Henri were called up again, and we were each presented with a huge Northern Territory flag and a pen, then told to go around everyone there to get them to sign it as a memento. You should see some of the comments on it! The following day was a quick run round to say farewell to people. Someone suggested we all get together in five years time at Alice Springs for a reunion (2000)............that will lead to another adventure, if you want to hear it. I returned home at the end of the week, in time to get my Bedford out and take part in the VJ Parade in my home town on the Sunday. Not many can say they were on a VJ parade in both ends of the world in the same year. Last pictures to follow tomorrow.........

Thats guaranteed to put the MW back on the market :rofl:

Seem to recollect seeing one in service with a one-off hard top cab, think it might have belonged to a Light Aid Detachment REME, might have had a hand powered hyd crane mounted behind the cab :confused:

I cannot blame him there, I worked on them from when they entered service and thought they were bloody awful in all ways, working on, driving, etc. When the first ones went to the surplus sales, people were raving about them and paying big money for them without engines and gearboxes :???. Have you ever had a gearbox off an ambulance version? Well don't volunteer to do one!

I had an Ian Allen spotters book for British Road Services, a lorry spotter :thumbsup:

Two working and two watching......that'll be right :-D

I bet you were a trainspotter when you were a boy...........or was it bus numbers? :rofl:

:shocked: and it says "Low Item Price"

Kiwis....New Zealanders, LRDG............in the western Desert, about 1942 ? and the truck is a Chev 4x2.............should have had a Bedford 4x4 :rofl:

The bucket is the rear

At least if I took my wagon, I would be assured of a bed inside it, and not on the roof or underneath it :-D. Perhaps you are afraid we might get on better with the big boys trucks and leave your little S1 behind :rofl:

Rippo, The book is called "An Account of our Stewardship" by W.J. Seymour and published by Vauxhall after the war. You do see them come up for sale often. The Morris one is also a good read. I would say the MWV is definitely canvas, not tin, looking at the excellent colour photo posted earlier.

Mike, Afraid I cannot answer the Falkands era questions, but have to say some of these cards are difficult to decipher as often details are filled in the wrong box, making them misleading. I saw your comment on roll cages before and have to say that all the E/Beavers that came through the REME Workshops were I was, never had any roll cages fitted. It rather defeats the object of them being airportable. The date it left Fazakerleys was about 1983 and they were in service for some years after until the JCB 410 came into service to replace them. The only in-service ones with a cab were an armoured cab. I think this is something that has had to be fitted to conform with H&S since it was in civvy use........could be wrong, but would have thought if the MoD fitted roll cages, then the lot would have been done.

and they are stocked in Sainsburys with donation from every purchase going to RBL

Mike, The brief run down on movements on this vehicle are; Taken into Central Vehicle Depot Ashchurch issued to 4 Light Regiment Royal Artillery then to 10 Ordnance Support Battalion then in Falklands returned to CVD Ashchurch......probably in bad condition as it then went to Fazakerley Engineering Co. Ltd. in Liverpool ( as an aside Fazakerley were a contractor with facilities of a Base Workshop and they used to rebuild Antars and Stalwarts for the MoD) back to CVD Ashchurch issued to 233 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport ( a TA unit, location unknown ) then disposed of through ADT auctions at Blackbushe

Thanks Ted, for an informative answer. Now the one we were debating in the ship wreck was stowed on the trailer. The one shown being packed by Vauxhalls was split into two crates, first the body platform, with lamp stowed behind the genny. The other crate was the dismantled chassis and wheels. I am not sure if the trailer is an Eagle or Brockhouse, but it is to a Straussler design with torsion bar suspension, like some of the refueller trailers of the period.

Ted, Would this picture be of one of the Chance floodlights? It is a series of photos showing the trailer stripped for packing into crates, by Vauxhall Motors for despatch overseas. A sign in one shot calls it a Neon Beacon.