BIGREDONE

Thanks for the intel Paul :iloveyou:

Chris, You say the fair people will be setting up Saturday. Is there a chance of setting up Sat afternoon and camping there Saturday night ready for the Sunday......Just a idea of at the moment to make my life easier. Paul

Hi, I know it is a way off yet, but do you have any timings for the day ie what time can I get in to start setting up etc and are deacts allowed on site? Paul

Hi, You can count me in and I will try and rustle up what I can. I can most likely do a small US Army field radio office with at least one Jeep. Paul

Perhaps I have not explained my comments correctly or how other may read them, so let me try and clarify a bit better……… As I said I have never been to Tankfest or even wish to go, I was using "Is this a strictly WW1/2 event" as an example and not stating the actual criteria for this show. I don’t know what the show entry criteria was. The impression I got from what I have read is if you are not prepared to wear the appropriate authentic gear or bring an appropriate vehicle you aint coming in. ie the Green Goddess incident. All im trying to say is there is plenty of room at shows for living history MV's (dresser ups) and non living history MV's (non dresser ups with their folding chairs alongside)…..isn’t there? and why should you be excluded if you dont dress up. My suggestion for question and answers that could be asked by the events organizer rather than a blanket “no correct attire/vehicle, no entry” stance so that every MV owner has the opportunity to attend and promote this fun hobby. ie Ok Mr Green Goddess, please come in as you have an interesting MV and we are sure that your vehicle will enhance the show, but please dont not park alongside the Screaming Eagles Battle of the Bulge display, which you would not do anyway, unless you wanted to hose them down of course because they are noisy buggers in the evening after they have a had a few drinks. Paul

Thanks mate this is very interesting, I will stick some pictures up later, I have found out the another one I have belongs to a guy from the C.F.A. Canadian Field Artillery, how the hell the family got that one I dont know? Regards Paul

I have not been to Tankfest before; now don’t bite me head off, but.... Q. Tankfest, is this a strictly WW2/WW1 only event? A. Yes sorry no other time frames accepted at this event. Q. Do you want to display your vehicle mixed in with a living history display? A. Yes please. Ok well if you would like to take part in the living history display we would require you to wear the appropriate kit for period etc if you intend staying with your vehicle, just to make it look authentic so that the MoPs think they are back in that era. A. Ok will do as I have an appropriate uniform or I know where I can loan one. So far seems fair to me…….However they should add; No. I would not like to take part in a living history display but would still like to display my vehicle informally at your event. Ok. That’s not a problem the more the merrier all non living history display vehicles please form a line adjacent to the Living history set pieces. Again for multi period events 50’s - present day, persons that wish to be included or have their own living history display to the right others to the left of the arena. Simples? Fort Nelson: Every Easter WW2 weekend, (emphasis on the WW2) full of lots of nice WW2 living history displays with guys and gals in appropriate vehicles and gear, fantastic, feels like you are back in the 1940’s. However MVT/SOE members are invited to turn up in their all period MV’s but they display in their own area adjacent to the WW2 camp, seems to me that works fine and I have never heard anyone complain and why would non WW2 vehicle want to park up in with WW2 living history display anyway? For my US display (of which there are some pictures on here) I strive to display original kit, but I mix that in with repro ration boxes etc….and yes I have committed the ultimate sin by having an Americanised Hotchkiss, but I do not pretend it is a Willys/Ford and I have left the French data plate on full display….Ok I have done even worse I allow a woman I know come onto my display area and help me out dressed as a US combat soldier. My two cents worth. Paul

I was given some old medals by my family more years ago than I care to remember, I have come across them today and I was wondering if one set is rare as the service number is only four numbers long? Medal reads..... 9298 G.F. THOMAS CAMB . R . Any help and advice would be appriciated Thanks Paul

Some pictures mainly of the MV's that attended and some of the RE vehicles held there to.........

Bloody awful it was full of veterans!! Only joking I’m a veteran myself. I will post some pic's when I get time this week. This is my own opinion of the day and I did not go on any of the historic ships as the lines were to long, I have been on them all before and they are well worth a visit.......however. It was throbbing with people, far too many for my liking. Park and ride was great, when I found it that was. Young couple in front of me waiting to get in were saying they were only going to stay for an hour and a half as they had other things to do....waste of a couple of tickets if you ask me, perhaps a charge would have been better. Ferretfixer, there was loads of room there for you to display a vehicle from what I saw. Like to have seen a few more re-enactment camps (all periods), the ones that were there were V good, but for the occasion not enough in my opinion to tell the story of the services. Loads of modern day Army/Raf vehicles which was good to see but not much RN displays. Cadet forces were great as usual. As the first Armed forces day event I feel it was ok for the general public but as a seasoned military event attendee I thought they could do a lot better in telling the story of our armed forces throughout the years. Perhaps the organizers could encourage more MV owners and re-enactors to attend for the next one wherever it may be. Would I travel from Portsmouth to Chatham again for this show in its current format, sorry but no.

I shall be coming up from Pompey, hope the weather holds for the flying display. Paul

Hi, We have had some of your naval vessels arrive this week in Portsmouth, please see pictures below. I missed the first three entering but got the last one. Paul

Just like to advertise this show in Portsmouth.... http://www.pompeyparas.org/ Paul

The guys in the second picture down with the red and blue stripe on the front of the side car I saw you the other day on my way to work in the Fareham area, are you local? Paul

Official figure over 6,000 through the doors on the 6th

In our local news tonight Paul D-Day truck in motorway crash Published Date: 09 June 2009 A military vehicle returning from France after the D-Day commemorations in Normandy was involved in a crash on the M27 on the outskirts of Portsmouth. Old-style wartime military trucks were travelling in convoy when they stopped to help a female motorist whose Ford Fiesta had broken down on the hard shoulder. When the convoy got back on the M27, one of the trucks collided with an 18-tonne lorry around 2.15pm yesterday (June 8). Shortly afterwards there was another collision between a Bedford truck and a white Mercedes van in the same area. Traffic was brought to a standstill on the M27 westbound between junctions 12 and 11, with huge tailbacks. Two lanes were closed but it was all clear by 3.30pm. Two men, aged 36 and 64, were taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, with non-life-threatening injuries.

Just out of interest over 4,000 people visited us at the D-Day museum on the day, thats a lot of people Paul

I have been in this hobby for over five years now and you are not alone I get ignored all the time...their loss not mine. I hope is was not me that ignored you, I think we exchanged hello's whilst I was busy setting the display up in front the D-Day museum, if it was apologies. Paul

I think without the "post war" there would not have been alot there, so I guess the organisers were glad to get anything military. If I remember there were 5 Jeeps at the D-Day museum and about 9 vehicles on the Castle field. Paul

Yes German teller mines on poles, would have been submerged when the tide was in along with the Hedgehogs. If you look at pictures of Omaha beach you will see lines of them. Paul

Some pictures from the D-Day museum, a very busy day seeing lines of people waiting to gain entrance to the museum. Vehicle displays were also very busy from early in the morning to around 1800 when we started to pack up. Due to the ammout of visitors I had during the day I had to scale down my display as people were into touching and picking up everything. The next set of pictures are from the British Legion set up on the Castle fields alongside the D-Day musuem Paul

In the last few weeks I..... 1. Met and was spoken to by the Queen and Prince Phil as an uniformed Re enactor at the D-Day museum Southsea. 2. Jeep appeared on the BBC "One show". 3. Jeep appeared with Ross Kemp in "Help for Heroes" cycle ride from Southwick House. 4. Should be on ITV tomorrow "5th June" either main or local news I guess not sure yet. Paul

Just been sent the agenda for the day (see below) and the D-Day museun will be open till 2100 on the day. Look like it might rain according to the forecast, so the weather could be the same as on the original day. To those that are going ill see you there. D-DAY 65 – PARTY IN PORTSMOUTH EVENT SYNOPSIS Timetable of Activities for the Day 11am: D-Day Parade starts at Lumps Fort to the D-Day stone on the seafront, marchers gather at 10.15am 12 noon: Bike Ride commences, main starting point, Skate Park Cyclists entertained on route by the strolling jazz musicians,The Old Thumper Dixie 5 1.30pm – 4.15pm: The Memphis Belles Swing Orchestra accompanied by the Lindy Hopper Dancers, Bandstand. PUBLIC PICNIC 4.30pm – 5.45pm: Ray Gelato and the Giants, Bandstand 5pm: Hercules poppy drop 2pm – 6pm: Military vehicle display and military tented village, Castle Field Billy Danter’s Fun Fair, Castle Field Selection of food outlets, Castle Field Poppy Draw worth £15,000, Castle Field Commemorative merchandise and military memorabilia tents, Castle Field 12 noon – 6pm: Commemorative flag planting – in between the Bandstand and Castle Field behind the D-Day Museum 6pm: The Parachute Regiment Freefall Team – The Red Devils Display 6.30pm: Celebrations end NB: A possible 1 minute silence may follow the Hercules poppy drop – decision to be made on the day