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Gathering of Eagles 1 month on....


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Borrowed this from http://www.gatheringofeagles.co.uk ...

 

 

 

One Month On!

 

Almost a month has now passed since we all ventured down to Wiltshire and set our tents up in the rain!

 

During this time I have been very remiss in writing any thankyou letters to so many people who really do deserve a few lines of appreciation. Thankfully, Neil mentioned so many of these people in his earlier guestbook entries.

 

It may surprise people (it has certainly surprised me) to understand that I have been literally bushwacked over the past month and have logged-on to the web-site just once or twice. When you comittment so much of your time and effort to the success of event that has your name at the top of it, you just don't rest until everything possible is in place. Once the event is over, the body then demands a period of R & R and its at this stage that you just don't bother to fight it anymore!

 

I am naturally dissapointed that the weather on the Sunday was pants. We didn't deserve it did we. On the other hand, it could have been the same on the Saturday as well, so perhaps we should be grateful! Colin Dewey from 'Thunder from Heaven' telephoned me recently and during the chat he told me just how much preparation his group had put-in in the days leading up to the event, building sand tables, getting a complete stick of fully decked-out troopers together and virtually none of this kit even saw the village green on the Sunday. So much effort made by so many people, only for the weather to prevent individuals and groups from getting the recognition they truely deserved.

 

Next Year? Well, as much as everyone wants another GofE the same as last month, on reflection, I don't think the vilage will stand an annual event in the same form as it is presently.

 

However, all is not lost. Neil mumbled in an earlier guestbook entry about a 'Red Ball Express' style convoy/rally that he had been egging me into organising up here in East Anglia. Just to recap for those who don't know, from 1990 - 1995 Dad, Neil, and myself organised five annual highly successful Red-Ball convoys in and around Marlborough, for the Wiltshire Area MVT. These events were fantastic, and I think the first convoy we did had over 30 WWII 6x6 trucks heading up a convoy of nearly 50 vehicles.

 

The idea for 2007 is to base the event in the heart of the beautiful Suffolk countryside right in the centre of 'Eighth Air Force Territory' and take an authentic convoy of WWII US Trucks on a tour of many of the famous American heavy bomber and fighter airfields in the locality. This could be orgaised over a bank holiday to allow participants from further afield to justify the journey to Suffolk.

 

Again, just like Aldbourne and Gathering of Eagles 2006, this would be an event where both Military Vehicle owners and re-enactor participation would be essential to make the event an overall success. There are numerous points of US WWII Interest up here in Suffolk and Norfolk, including countless old airfields, control tower museums, B-17 and B-24 crash sites, then and now photograph opportunities and even a good friend of mine who has his own stable of fully operational warbirds, all flying from an original Eighth Airforce airfield! If you ever wanted to get up close and personel with a P-51, or even pay to fly in the back seat, then this event is for you!!!

 

Ed Abbott who produced the excellent movement orders for GofE and kept us all in check with his Matchless motorcycle is already brimming with enthuasium for the event and has already discussed a proposed route for the convoy! Mark my words, this event will be every bit as well planned and organised as last month and there is still plenty of scope for 101st re-enactors to participate, especially if they don't necessarily want to dress as US airmen.

 

Perhaps Jack could get a poll going to see who would support an event like this next year, and then return back to Aldbourne in 2008.

 

Lets hear your feedback!

 

Clive D Stevens

 

 

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