question Who owned this kit?

[robin craig]

Back in the late 1990s and into early 2000s there was a mob who used to turn up at Beltring with big shiny Brit kit, like DROPS and shelters and Land Rovers, they would set up an encampment and sit there for the duration.

 

All the kit was very very clean and also new / unusual / prototype stuff.

 

1 who were they

 

2 do "they" still exist?

 

3 anyone got pics from back then (maybe M109A3 Tony has some?)

 

4 and before you say it, no it was not the fine ladies and gents of the NLBA paty brigade!

 

 

R

[m109a3uk]

May have a couple of pictures somewhere:nut: If I remember right they were the Iveco or steyr version of the drops and all in bronze green with the everything coming on a drops rack or Iso containers even down to kitchens etc.

[Tony B]

Try this link http://www.mmvg.net/

[robin craig]

Tony B,

 

Thanks for the link but none of those vehicles are the ones i'm on about.

 

M109A3uk is spot on in his recollection, yes it was quite the circus when they pulled in. Someone said they were headed up by some well heeled chap who was in real estate / property and imploded after a bad venture.

 

Jog anyone's memory?

 

R

[Richard Farrant]

Tony B,

 

Thanks for the link but none of those vehicles are the ones i'm on about.

 

M109A3uk is spot on in his recollection, yes it was quite the circus when they pulled in. Someone said they were headed up by some well heeled chap who was in real estate / property and imploded after a bad venture.

 

Jog anyone's memory?

 

R

 

As a Beltring veteran, I do remember this group. I had a feeling all the demountables were designed as a field hospital, and that there was at least one Leyland DROPS. I thought this odd at the time, that one in such good condition should have been released, but think it may have been one of the trials vehicles, not a service one.

[robin craig]

Richard,

 

your memory is similar to mine, a mobile hospital does come to mind, do you remember all the people sitting outside on some kind of chequer plate ally floor, they all dressed alike and had a very "aloof" attitude?

 

Yes very shiny pretty kit but not much interaction, questions were snubbed and an air of "get lost" emanated.

 

R

[Richard Farrant]

your memory is similar to mine,

R

 

Robin,

 

I think I may have asked about the DROPS, having been rebuilding in-service ones not long before, I could see a few slight differences. Cannot recollect anything about the crew though. Have been looking through some old W&P programmes, but think the years you reckon it to be, are not here.

[robin craig]

From memory I was over in '97 and 2000 and 2003, but as like others memory gets dim with time. . .

 

R

[ferret1958uk]

I remember that crowd fairly well. They were located in the America's field roughly in the area recently occupied by part of the EMLRA.

 

It was rumoured in my own camp that one person owned it, and I seem to recall he was worth (not the kit) around 20 million. At the time I had the Ferret, and it won the Track Link award for runner up Best British Armour so 18th -22nd July 2001. The next year was the Ferrets at 50 event so I would not have noticed them in 2002.

[ferret1958uk]

I should add they were in the same spot for a few years running.

[Richard Farrant]

At the time I had the Ferret, and it won the Track Link award for runner up Best British Armour so 18th -22nd July 2001.

 

just realised who you are !!! Think I was judging British Armour that year.............a white one was'nt it?

[ferret1958uk]

Yes. 01CA03 - UN Ferret and now owned by Mr Colin Sellers who you also know I gather?

[Richard Farrant]

Yes. 01CA03 - UN Ferret and now owned by Mr Colin Sellers who you also know I gather?

 

Thats right, although I have not seen him for a long time.

[robin craig]

Ziger zager Oi Oi Oi

 

Any more clues on who these people were now you two know who each are?

 

R

[Richard Farrant]

Ziger zager Oi Oi Oi

 

Any more clues on who these people were now you two know who each are?

 

R

 

 

What is the big interest Robin.........or are you just bored?

[ferret1958uk]

They intrigued me when they were there. All of the kit was very new looking, and a friend of mine I just spoke to seemed to think that the 'drops' parts were made specially for that person, and not of a military origin. That was just his personal opinion though, and not founded on anything else.

 

So no, no idea who they were, or why they were. Wasn't you was it?

[o.g-palmer]

I do remember them and found one of them to be a right arrogant tw@, no idea who they were but im now intrigued to find out.:evil: