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river6

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Posts posted by river6

    new addition

    in MV Chatter

    Posted

    The tree stump actually William of Orange (William I) who was assasinated.

    the tree that grows from the stump represents his son Prince Maurits, who is seen as the ultimate trainer of the army. he was very young when he took over when his father was murdered. He introduced tactics into the army...

     

    Wow Guys,

    That's really terrific and so fast. Great to track this down and I'll display the markings with pride! We'll be at the Toddington GWR event at the end of April. Thanks for all the responses. Bill

    new addition

    in MV Chatter

    Posted

    Hi, We've just acquired a Moto Guzzi from Holland. I think it's ex-military and would like to display it as such. It has a painted Tac sign on the front mudguard - a yellow tree on a blue shield. Does anyone know what outfit used this tac sign please? See attached photos.Dutch Moto Guzzi 2 001.jpg

    Dutch Moto Guzzi 001.jpg

    Normandy - Air Recognition Panels

    in Weapons/Accessories

    Posted

    Hi, Air recognition panels were used on vehicles and to mark forward troop positions. They were either Yellow Orange or Purple and made from a number of materials including rubberized canvas and heavy duty cotton which were issued as panels which could be rolled up when not in use. I have a number of these in the collection and they're approx. 6 feet by 3 Feet when deployed. A number of them could be displayed to form letters e.g 'T' signals. Obviously extemporised panels could be made from any materials available. The use of Yellow Orange and Purple smoke was also common to avoid getting shot-up by 'Friendly Fire'. During the Rhine Crossing British Paras were issued with a scarf of Yellow silk 2 feet square which could also be used as a marker and combined with others to create larger signals.

    Ho Chi Minh Trail Photo Blog

    in MV Chatter

    Posted

    Fantastic stuff from a great adventure. Some really great research on the background to the interdiction missions that made the trail a major attrition zone but at the same time the NVA's prime artery.

    Congrats on a really great piece of work.

    What do you collect?

    in Other Chatter

    Posted

    I have this mask as well, have had it for years. ;)

     

    Me too! I have one of these. I've had it for about 7 years. I think they may have been released from some Govt store in central Europe. They're modelled on the German pre WW2 mask But they aren't German.

    WW1 Trench Duckboards

    in Research Centre

    Posted

    varlet_duckboards.jpg

    DSC00580.JPG

    These are displayed at Varlet Farm. http://www.varletfarm.com/en/index.htm

    They don't look "standardised" to me, more like "Get some wood & make duckboards for these trenches"

    The Sappers would thus get wood of the right size, give or take, saw to fit & nail together. What's your local timbermerchant got? Just eyeballing them, I'd say the struts are 4" square, the slats 1.5" thick 4" wide 18-20" long. 6 foot lengths?

    A00007.jpg

    Couple of lucky souls carrying them.

    This bloke's probably your best source of info.

    http://www.warhistoryonline.com/articles/24hr-trench-mark-barnes-spends-the-day-with-the-author-andy-robertshaw.html

     

    Hi, Thanks for the info. I think you're right - knocked up from what was around. I'll go down to the sawmill at the weekend and see what I can find

    All the best

    Bill

    WW1 Trench Duckboards

    in Research Centre

    Posted

    Help! For a WW1 Trench project. Does anybody have the dimensions for a length of Ducboarding as used in the trenches of WW1, I need to know what was the standard length, width and the size of the timbers also the width, thickness and spacing of the cross timbers. I know some duckboards have been taken out of some excavated trenches near Ypres but don't have any measurements.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Bill

    Who is this Chap

    in Other Chatter

    Posted

    The 'Dragons Teeth' are actually 'Cylinders' They were part of GHQ Line Stop Line Red which came through here linking the Thames via River Ray to Stop Line Green at Great Somerford. Freeth 'saved' the cylinders by moving them to guard the entrance to his yard. Until the carriageway was dualled there was a 6 Pounder gunpit with 360 degree traverse mount at the side of the road where the Esso filling station is now. Unfortunately it was demolished and one more reminder of our WW2 defences disappeared. Ah well that's progress I suppose.

    Market Garden incident

    in Research Centre

    Posted

    There were 5 (Five) US Troop carrier Groups operating in that area. All of them flew C47 /C53 Skytrains-Dakotas and had a complement of Glider pilots. They towed Waco CG4A Gliders (Known as HADRIAN by the British) and Airspeed Horsa gliders. The difference being that the CG4A only had a limited payload (12 Troops plus the pilot, or a Jeep or a 37mm or 57mm A/Tk gun). The Horsa was much larger and could carry a platoon of airlanding troops or Jeep and 6 Pdr A/Tk gun combination plus Pilot and co-Pilot. The Us Airfields were Aldermaston - 434th Troop Carrier Group, Greenham Common - 438th TCG, Welford - 435th TCG, Membury - 436th TCG and Ramsbury - 437th TCG. All those groups carried out an intensive training programme during the spring of 1944 including exercises with the US 101st Airborne Division which had its HQ at Greenham Lodge and its units scattered in locations from Reading all along the Kennet Valley. A major exercise and display was put on for Churchill and Eisenhower on 23 March 1944 when Paratroopers and Gliders were dropped close to RAF Welford.

    British airborne units were located north of that area and 38 and 46 Groups Transport command carried out similar exercises in spring 1944. The Transport Groups flew a variety of aircraft including Stirlings adapted for Glider tow, Albemarles and C47 Dakota II and III aircraft. They mainly towed the British Horsa Glider and flew from RAF Harwell, Hampstead Norris, Down Ampney, Blakehill Farm, Fairford, Brize Norton and Broadwell. During these exercises and training flights it was a common occurrence that a glider would suffer a tow rope break or have to cast off from the tug aircraft. similarly during the operational tows of 5/6 June and later on during the lead-up to Market Garden many gliders were cast off and landed before leaving UK airspace.

    The incident described could have been any one or other of these, either British or US and on operations or during training . Because of the nature of the training relatively few of these random landings are formally recorded but would normally show up in the individual squadron Operational Record Books (ORB's).

    Impossible to positively identify the event without a definite date and location. They literally dropped all over the area between Reading and Oxford and Slough to Chippenham !!! Take your pick!!:-D:-D:-D

    Falklands trip: Recommended books please

    in Battlefields, museums, monuments and memorials.

    Posted

    One of the best books I've come across is 'The Falklands War - Then and Now' published by After the Battle magazine. This book is terrific it takes you through the campaign using photographs of the sites as they were in 1982 and as they are now. The whole thing is very well researched. Can't recommend it highly enough!! Don't let the price put you off at £47.95 it's not cheap but is worth every penny for the content and quality of presentation.:):)

    British WW2 10 cwt GS Trailer

    in Trailers, plant and equipment

    Posted

    Hi, I've found some letters and numbers about 2 inches high in white paint across the planking on the underside of the trailer I'm restoring. The numbers/letters read - WSR860396VM directly below those are the sequence B 399. Any ideas what they might mean? They appear to be original and cross two of the planks so are not a later addition. One more little mystery to solve!!:undecided:

    Horsas into plowshares

    in Aviation

    Posted

    The new extension to the Airborne Museum at Hartenstein has most of a glider as part of an interactive 'walk through' display. No idea what if any of it is original, but it looks the part. I like the nose art - wonder if it was copied from an original?

     

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]83520[/ATTACH]

    Yes, The nose art was copied from a Horsa which flew from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. It appears in the original footage of the Tugs and Gliders take offs which was filmed at Fairford on 17 September 1944. This original footage was incorporated when the film 'Theirs is the Glory' was made. This great film is a wonderful tribute to the men who flew to Arnhem and is available on DVD

    Horsas into plowshares

    in Aviation

    Posted

    Don't know about total numbers but here's some locations for you to check out. Mosquito Museum, Museum of Army flying at Middle Wallop have at least 3, Assault Glider Trust at Shawbury, Pegasus Bridge Normandy, Hartenstein Museum Arnhem. The one at Shawbury is a reconstruction using new made and surviving components. I have supplied two main landing wheels and the landing skid housing and a number of other components for this one. Happy hunting.

    Horsas into plowshares

    in Aviation

    Posted

    I went over in 1992 to interview Maud about her Horsa Home at Blewbury south of Didcot. It was still beautifully preserved inside, painted white and with all the frames still in place. I sat with her in the 'sitting room' and had tea as I interviewed her. The cockpit section had been removed and a large window installed in the bulkhead. The Front Door had been installed in place of the port side loading door. It was a Mk1. I couldn't find any evidence of its serial number or identity. Maud had been serving with the Allied Control Commission in Germany and returned to UK in 1947. There was a terrible housing shortage and she bought the Horsa complete for £5. Getting the wings and cockpit removed and the fuselage transported to her plot at Blewbury cost her a further £10. Maud was very proud of her Horsa Home. After she died it was recovered by a group from the Mosquito museum near Hatfield.

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