ferret Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Hi, I am seething this morning, just found out that the Churchill tank that has stood as a monument at the old tank factory in Sheffield as been stolen! I have done a google search, and there seems to be no mention of it. I have also searched the local paper's web site and nothing there. Does nobody care anymore? What can we do? who do I need to put pressure on? Any ideas much appreciated. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.O.S. Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Can you expand upon the circumstances? Surely nobody cut it up at dead of night? Crane/lowloader job? Did an unscrupulous developer whisk it away? Unbelievable :schocked: :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Pikeys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I beleive it was sold to collector... there is a thread on the WWII forum about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 It's been sold to a collector http://wwiireenacting.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37434&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=33ce4be44ff68b90d34a8a27306ef218 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 an interesting group and thread thanks for posting the link . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 There are certainly easier things to steal.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Atleast it isn't bound for Beijing like so much metal these days. I'm still amazed my Iltis and Renault 5 haven't been nicked from my street. If the Churchill ends up in loving hands, then good. But it is a shame the way monuments are disappearing as people lose interest in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Atleast it isn't bound for Beijing like so much metal these days. I'm still amazed my Iltis and Renault 5 haven't been nicked from my street. The Chinese are only interested in good quality, solid metal..... :whistle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 It doesn't sound like it should have been sold at all. this is an email from a friend of mine Paul Watson who is trying to find out where the tank has gone. Tank disappeared about a fortnight ago – various tales are abroad including that it's former owner took it back because it was getting wrecked. Had Sheffield Archaeology Service look into it and it was sold by Price Waterhouse Coopers to a collector ? Methinks it's heading for a collection in Kent but no one wants to admit it. The sale was dubious as it was still owned by the relatives of Newton Chambers who hadn't given their permission it seems, so watch this space as Andy and I have opened a city wide can of worms. This tank has been a landmark and monument in Sheffield for years, and was placed there to remind us of the city's contribution to the war effort. :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 I read about this on 'tother forum ;-), If it gets the attention it needs, then, good,.......at least it will survive into the future; Last time I saw it,..............it did look pretty worse for wear, and VERY unloved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferret Posted December 12, 2007 Author Share Posted December 12, 2007 I read about this on 'tother forum ;-), If it gets the attention it needs, then, good,.......at least it will survive into the future; Last time I saw it,..............it did look pretty worse for wear, and VERY unloved. I saw it earlier this year and thought it looked pretty good. It wasn't going to disappear anytime soon afterall it is armoured everything inside had already gone anyway so it wasn't going to get anyworse. It has looked the same for years. I don't believe a private individual should get our great city's monument! I do believe it needed to moved to another position! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlangham Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Read about it on the other forum as well. Maybe if a band of volunteers had looked after it while it was at Sheffield it wouldn't have been sold to a collector. At least this way it will be restored back to its original condition and into working order, which surely is a better memorial than sitting there dead and lifeless, and also inaccurate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny666 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 were i live in barnsley well infact down my street is an old tank factory, our road is reinforced to take the weight of them and there is the rail link out the back i remember been told by a elderly person who has lived in our village all her life that she remembers tanks going up the street and on the railway and i got her to describe them to me and it appears they were churchills and cromwells then switched back to making gaskets and seals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 I see nothing wrong with having common war-time vehicles on pliths providing they are in a suitable position and they are looked after. None of these conditions seem to have been matched in this case and idealy the City Council should have taken it on and moved it else where. Possibly even inside the city Musuem if there is one locally. It was sold presumably because it was owned by a private company who saw a way of making money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markheliops Posted December 13, 2007 Share Posted December 13, 2007 It doesn't sound like it should have been sold at all. this is an email from a friend of mine Paul Watson who is trying to find out where the tank has gone. Tank disappeared about a fortnight ago – various tales are abroad including that it's former owner took it back because it was getting wrecked. Had Sheffield Archaeology Service look into it and it was sold by Price Waterhouse Coopers to a collector ? Methinks it's heading for a collection in Kent but no one wants to admit it. The sale was dubious as it was still owned by the relatives of Newton Chambers who hadn't given their permission it seems, so watch this space as Andy and I have opened a city wide can of worms. This tank has been a landmark and monument in Sheffield for years, and was placed there to remind us of the city's contribution to the war effort. :angry: This should be interesting - Can't be many armoured collections in Kent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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