introduction 8thDesertrat

[8thDesertrat]

Hi Everyone,

 

I come from a little village just 3 miles from Durham city centre up in the Northeast. My main interest is in the 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars. My Grandfather served with the regiment in North Africa from 1941 until 1943, returning to Blighty for the Normandy landings, going ashore in his Cromwell on the 9th June and getting knocked out on the 12th and passing away on the 13th from his wounds.

I have literally just returned from a Leger holiday around the D-Day landing sites and boy was it good!!!!. My older cousin Alan and I also took time out from the trips to follow his squadron's journey through Normandy to finally visit my Grandfather's grave, and his Lt, Talbot-Harvey at Hottot-les-Bagues Cemetery.

As you can imagine I'm tank mad:nut:, don't own one!, but a lotto win could change that:-D I have an interest in all HMV's and for my sins have been tasked with doing the mechanical and body work on my older cousin's circa 1983 110 FFR. We also try to do the rounds on the shows if we can, War and Peace 2012, the DLI 2012 and Elvington 2013 the most recent and we are doing the DLI in Durham again this year.

I look forward to talking with other like minded folk,,,, oh! and if anyone was in or had anyone in the 8th Hussars, A Squadron in particular I would be DELIGHTED :-D:-D:-D:-D to here from you.

 

Regards

 

Derek.

[Wolfy]

Welcome Derek!

[arcot1751]

Welcome to the HMVF Derek :-)

[AlienFTM]

Hello Mucker.

 

I was born in Sunderland and grew up in Whitburn. Over the past ten years or so, I and my wife have looked into our family histories. Two years we took our holiday with my aunt (now sadly deceased) in Grange Villa and soaked up her memories, also booking numerous sessions in the Archive Room of the Records Office at County Hall (01913833253 according to the phone book on my mobile).

 

On one occasion, bored, I left Zero Alpha to her thing and nosed through the Odds and Sods cupboard. I found The War Diary of a Battalion of DLI (forget which, but it iirc started when, in the build-up to D-Day, they coincidentally deployed to Toot Hill on the outskirsts of Southampton, which I pass every day on my way to work at Hursley Park, where, also coincidentally, my uncle deployed with a Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, but that's two different stories). Being myself ex-15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars (The Geordie Hussars), I sat myself down for a long, interesting read.

 

I went a-googling some of your names and first place I found was your thread on another site mentioned above (but I have now closed the window and cannot be bothered to go and look). My attention was drawn to an action at Villers Bocage.

 

While I was perusing the DLI War Diary on microfilm, there was an entry relating to an action at Villers Bocage. Without ever checking the date, I have always assumed it was The Big One, but reading what I have today, I suspect it was an earlier action.

 

It will probably not help you with your search, but it may well make for an interesting morning (or afternoon) in a dark, quiet room browsing history.

 

Hope this helps.

[wally dugan]

HI and welcome have you read IRISH HUSSARS a short history of THE QUEENS IRISH HUSSARS the 8 th get a good mention also good pictures of there cromwells in the early weeks after D DAY i have a ferret that served with the QRIH

in the first GULF WAR

 

REGARDS WALLY

[Locolines]

A big welcome to you

[shane.c]

Welcome to the forum,

[lssah2025]

Welcome aboard!!! One of my favorite are the Desert Rats.. My HSC is marked up from the 44th RTR 4th Armoured Brigade and also 11th Hussars 7th Armoured Division. Several of my fav. pics from Normandy, Holland and Germany.

 

Edited August 7, 2013 by lssah2025

[eddy8men]

welcome to the forum, my grandad was also a desert rat as was I. here's a pic of my Cromwell "shufti cush" named after a mk4 that was knocked out at villers bocage. rick

[8thDesertrat]

welcome to the forum, my grandad was also a desert rat as was I. here's a pic of my Cromwell "shufti cush" named after a mk4 that was knocked out at villers bocage. rick

 

:wow:NICE!!! VERY NICE!!! You Lucky so and so.... I do believe you have just won best in show with her at War and Peace Revival??? Never got this year as we went to Normandy instead. We will be back down there next year though.

I have a real soft spot for the Cromwell. My cousin Alan has a big thing for the Grant, he has models all over his house, though I do also like the Grant, it's the Cromwell and her lines that do it for me....

I find all the British stuff tends to be eclipsed by all the attention for the American armour.. apparently we did play a minor part in the war from what I've read (ha ha).

If your there next year with her I may spend several hours drooling over her,:cool2:,,, if that's okay with you of course.

Regards

Derek

[8thDesertrat]

Welcome aboard!!! One of my favorite are the Desert Rats.. My HSC is marked up from the 44th RTR 4th Armoured Brigade and also 11th Hussars 7th Armoured Division. Several of my fav. pics from Normandy, Holland and Germany.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]80223[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80219[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80220[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80215[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80217[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80218[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80216[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80222[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80231[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80228[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80229[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80226[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80230[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80227[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80224[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80225[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80232[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80233[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80235[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]80234[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks for these pics,, love the HSC was she this clean when you acquired her, or is all the work your own?

If I've done this right I have enclosed a Pic of the Landie.... see my profile album!!!

Edited August 12, 2013 by 8thDesertrat
cos I'm a numpty