T corbin Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 One of the largest trucks to visit JURSEY .Had to have exemption permit for all journeys& police escort. T CORBIN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Nice one but I'm afraid your record has been usurped in 2005 by the one with his head in the clouds and the Ward le France. Actually thats not true we persuaded him to take the WLF over as there were 3 taken over by Force 135. Richard Le Brocq worked bloody hard in 2005 and put together a fantastic event, despite some local politics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 And yes the 101 is close, tow rope close. :-D Part of the convoy going down Mount Bingham towards St Aubin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 If I remember rightly there is 1 of the force 135 WLFs in the steam museum in Jersey and it used to be in the Jersey motor museum in St Peters Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 If I remember rightly there is 1 of the force 135 WLFs in the steam museum in Jersey and it used to be in the Jersey motor museum in St Peters Nigel That's correct. It was used by the island highways dept. for many years and is sadly in poor condition. However it's stored indoors in the steam museum and the owner says he hopes to restore it one day. While out there I was given some good period photos of the 3 WLFs working on the islands including a series of shots of them towing the huge German artillery pieces up to the cliffs and letting them roll off the edge into the sea. When we were there we took my truck up onto the tops of the same cliffs and looked down to where the barrels are still lying on the rocks below! Most interestingly in most of the period photos the crews are German POWs. If I remember correctly one of the other trucks is still on a farm somewhere on the island. I think the other was returned to the mainland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 thats right. Sam Pallot at the Steam Museum has it now in restoration. It was kept after the Liberation by the States of Jersey and used by public works for many years. This is the beast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Mike , have you still got the copies of the WLFs with the guns? I can't find the things anywhere. Tony PS I've still got a lot of photos and the dvd of the evnt, maybe I should upload :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Mike , have you still got the copies of the WLFs with the guns? I can't find the things anywhere. Tony PS I've still got a lot of photos and the dvd of the evnt, maybe I should upload :-D I've got them in my folder of WLF stuff that lives on the truck - I'll do some photocopies for you. What's the copyright status? - I'm sure folks here would be interested to see 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 I checked when I got them, thats how come I could give you copies. CIOS are quite happy for them to be used in a forum like this but they want crediting that they are CIOS pictures. You're right, you and I have seen them and bought the tee shirts, they are great pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T corbin Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 ALBION . Overall width 8ft 10ins Overall length 26 ft .Wot is WLF ? T CORBIN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 you win :-): width: 8'2" length: 28' 10" In actual fact it wasn't too bad driving a large vehicle around Jersey because oncoming traffic just dived for the kerb the moment they saw me approaching :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Isn't length better than width :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Isn't length better than width :dunno: :naughty: :whistle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Children play nicley or you won't be allowed to clean the toilets. Actually any vehicle over 7 foot 9 inch needs a permit in the island except buses as they couldn't be got narrower than 7 foot 91/4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 That's correct. It was used by the island highways dept. for many years and is sadly in poor condition. However it's stored indoors in the steam museum and the owner says he hopes to restore it one day. While out there I was given some good period photos of the 3 WLFs working on the islands including a series of shots of them towing the huge German artillery pieces up to the cliffs and letting them roll off the edge into the sea. When we were there we took my truck up onto the tops of the same cliffs and looked down to where the barrels are still lying on the rocks below! Most interestingly in most of the period photos the crews are German POWs. If I remember correctly one of the other trucks is still on a farm somewhere on the island. I think the other was returned to the mainland. does this mean les palot owns 2 WLFs or is the one in the museum also the one that was on a farm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 Id like to see those photos. Our trip to the Guernsey Occupation museum recently, there was a couple of artillery barrels sitting outside the museum, they were chucked off the cliffs as well. They had a nice Flak 88 out there as well. I dont suppose anyone can tell me where the Mirus gun battery is? I tried 3 times in vain to try and find it and couldnt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 The Mirus guns were cut up after the war. The steel was so strong, British Oxygen had to come up with a special mix. I understand the emplacements are on private land so your best bet is contact CIOS and ask, by the way a present of carrots will always be welcome, they will know what you mean. Some guns in Jersey were taken on the back of WLF's and dumped over the cliffs, they were later sold for about £2 to a scrap dealer, the rest, well most are still there. CIOS Jersey did bring some up from over Les Landes, using the winch on DODGE 52 :angel: and they are mounted on the Les landes emplacements. If I sound like an anorack, well I come from Jersey and the bunkers were my playground, says it all really. :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 :-) so that makes you a knowledable anorak, then; Tony. :whistle: ;-) Seriously though, interesting to know, for future trip to the island. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 The occupation museum in Guernsey has got the end of the Mirus barrel that was cut off as a souvenir. I vaguely remember being able to go down into the battery when I was a nipper some 20 odd years ago and all the original german signage still being up on the walls. No health and safety, seemed to be in some allotments....those were the days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooTallMike Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 I'll scan the photos when I'm back in a couple of weeks' time and post them up here for all to see. When we went up to the cliffs to look at the old gun barrels on the rocks below we mused about using the truck to pull them back up again so they could be preserved. We thought it's be a kind of MV poetic justice to use a WLF to winch them up since that's what pushed them over all those years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 Mike, the last one took 2 years to get up. Mostly done by hand winches. The idea of a trip over with the toys to do such a job, is tempting though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 2 Years!!! The tide goes out such a long way on the CI's surely a sea/beach recovery would be the best option. Hasnt the CI's got a tidal range of 12 metres? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 At least you have options since they didn't melt the guns down . Would seem that it would be a large undertaking and a fair amount of money needed , yes the use of the same type of vehicle to recover as was used to dispose is a nice touch but wouldn't it be safer and quicker to use a proper crane ? From what I have read in other recovery efforts lately that the locals where these things are being taken from are wanting the objects to stay in place as a tourist attraction fearing that with out them they will be forgotten . Perhaps the island officials could be involved so as to get permits and support for the recovery and say one of the guns donated as a monument atop the cliffs and I guess your thinking the others to go to display else where ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 2 Years!!! The tide goes out such a long way on the CI's surely a sea/beach recovery would be the best option. Hasnt the CI's got a tidal range of 12 metres? Rick, the senario is this. There 200 feet down a sheer cliff If you go down the cliff and turn West, the next landfall is about 3000 miles away on the East coast of America. Tidal races about 8 knots, crumbly cliff. Why do you think the scrap dealear who bought 'em is still crying? :-DGive you some idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted September 29, 2007 Share Posted September 29, 2007 My better half posed the question on why they didnt dismantle all the bunkers etc after liberation. My only answer was that they served as a reminder, and they are made of such huge blocks of reinforced concrete its nigh on impossible, or impractical to delete them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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