Great War truck Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Some of you may be familiar with the place Ditchley Park (which incidentally is just behind my house). It was used as meeting centre between Churchill and other heads of Government during the war. In fact during the Blitz Winston used to stay there for a good nights sleep. There is a famous picture of Winston Churchill poking at a snake in the garden taken there during the war. I just found out today (from an elderly lady who used to date an ambulance driving GI) that there was a large number of US Army ambulances stationed there for a few Months before D Day (which would make sense as there is the remains of a US hospital across the valley). She believes she has a photo of him taken with his ambulance which she is going to look out for me. I presume that if the markings on the front bumper are in the photo i will be able to work out which unit he was part of. Is there any other way of finding out which units were based at this location during the war. Ditchely is still used as a high level meeting place. On several occasions i have come home to find lots of armed Policemen near my house which is always a bit disconcerting ("darn it, the neigbours have reported me to the Police again"). Their website is http://www.ditchley.co.uk/ and shows what the place looks like. I have been inside once and it is a magnificent building. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Here are some pictures of it. Sadly, i have not found any yet with US ambulances in it, Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Gad it would be sweet to have the contract to be a window washer at that home / palace! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Go into the IWM online archives and search there. Type in your Ditchley Park reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Not much help but a reference to it at the archives http://www.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpcgi.exe?AC=GET_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpcgi.exe&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iwmcollections.org.uk%2FqryMain.asp&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO961&SE=1475&RN=0&MR=25&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=MainResults3&EF=&DF=MainDetailed&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=29010&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS= Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 I clicked on that link but it wouldnt let me in. I will try the IWM tomorrow. Strangely, over the course of the evening this photograph ws pushed through my letterbox. It shows Corporal Cletus Campbell of the 435 Med Coll Co who was stationed behind my house. I always knew that there were Yanks stationed nearby during the war, but this guy is within a stones throw. It looks like a 3A on the bumper so i guess that is third armoured. Interesting what turns up. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Ah - 3rd Armoured Division... Going to veer way off-topic here but bear with me. Annual NATO Exercise - think it was 1979 IIRC my old mob were designated as part of the Orange forces. However we were to operating in the South so rather than be based at a BAOR base we were sent to Gelnhausen, just outside Frankfurt-Am-Main. Then home to the US 3rd Armoured Div'n - who coincidentally were tasked as Blue forces. I was part of the advance guard that went out to sig-int set up and running, armoury established, MT established etc ready for the main party. Day before the main body arrived the entire garrison was ordered to gather for a speech by their O/C. After all the usual gung-ho stuff the US is famous for he proceeded to inform the gathered men that they would be playing host to UK forces for the duration of the exercise and it would be good if they showed US hospitality towards the base guests. One guy stuck his hand up and asked what it was all about so the O/C told them it was a TA unit moving in who were tasked to be the Orange Force to their Blue. At this there was much merriment - primarily over the fact it was a TA unit coming. Then another guy sticks his hand up and asks who the poor saps were. O/C checks a bit of paper and tells the assembled throng it was going to be 21 Artists Rifles. Again much laughter ensued and some wag called out what on earth are artists doing in the army. At which point our RSM who'd quietly wandered up behind the gathering with the rest of us in tow told them all in that special "quiet" voice RSM's seem to have that their O/C had missed a bit out - he should have said 21 Artists Rifles SAS ®. All the heads pivotted to see who'd spoken and saw maybe a dozen bod in UK DPM'd all wearing the magic hat.. After this you could have heard a pin drop. Within the next 24 hours 5 crews were up on charges for sabotaging their own vehicles, 2 men were in hospital after attempted suicide (I jest you not!!) and the queue from the sick bay went out the door and around the block...... Our O/C when told by the US base commander what had happened shrugged his shoulders and told him his men had suffered a bad case of infamy. On being quizzed as to what this was the RMO quoted the words of Kenneth Williams - "Infamy, infamy they've all got it in for me" Apologies for wandering away from Ditchley Park but the 3rd Armoured bit triggered some memories!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Are you sure its 3rd armored and not 3rd Army? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Brilliant Neil! :rofl::rofl::rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Are you sure its 3rd armored and not 3rd Army? Who - me?? Definitely sure it was 3rd Armoured - got the sweatshirt somewhere indoors they gave us all as parting gifts!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted June 22, 2008 Author Share Posted June 22, 2008 Are you sure its 3rd armored and not 3rd Army? Ah yes, of course, you are right. It is third army not 3rd Armoured. Thanks. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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