Pictures by Kevin Lamberth
Pictures by Will Needham
BP in the early 1990s with the late Gordon Beale clearing the guttering on the MT section sheds
Early 1990s again and Gordon's Bedford Scammell and Peter Clarke's Ford GPW outside the Mansion
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Pictures by Neill Elliott
More pictures by Will Needham
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By John Underwood
I attended the Royal Logistics Corps Museum at Worthy Down on August 11-13, in collaboration with the RLC Horse Drawn Heritage, where a World War 1 War Horse event was held.
This was the second such event, with next year’s dates already planned for August 11-13, 2023.The museum has only been open for two years, having been moved from Deepcut following the closure of the Princess Royal Barracks there, while the Horse Drawn Heritage Society is responsible for the preservation and upkeep of several historic coaches and military wagons and equipment.
I displayed my WW1 Vickers machine gun and my Matchless motorcycle, although not WW1, fitted in very nicely with the museum displays which tell the story of logistics from the Waggon Train through to the present day.
We were blessed with some extraordinary hot weather, which reduced visitor numbers and distressed the four horses that were on display. The Vickers gun along with ammo boxes were displayed on two pack horses while being led by a lead horse. They were displayed several times to the amazement of the visitors, the horses being the obvious stars of the day. A farrier was also on hand displaying the techniques of a WW1 farrier along with a WW1 Soyer stove producing some much-needed bacon and sausage sandwiches.
Although the RLC museum is a long way from us, if you are ever able to visit, it is free entry and displays some excellent military hardware and tells a very interesting story of how the Royal Logistic Corp has evolved over the centuries.
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IT is 80 years since thousands of young Americans arrived in rural Bedfordshire and started flying their Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses over Occupied Europe from Thurleigh. Veterans have been returning ever since to look at their old base and relive old memories.
Sadly, for the 80th anniversary of their arrival, there were no veterans alive and fit for travel but sons, daughters, grandchildren and other relatives did cross the pond to mark the occasion. And members of the MVT’s South East Midlands Area and other local groups were delighted and privileged on August 13-14 to ferry the families to the airfield, a local pub, memorial and church in wartime MVs.
Joining the MVT at the airfield were the Marstock group and Troops, Trucks and Stores, both based in and around Northamptonshire. Fourteen Jeeps joined other MVs to make an impressive line-up outside the 306th Bombardment Group Museum with guest of honour, Mayor of Bedford Dave Hodgson.
In late 1945, when the 306th left the airfield for good after the war had ended, they presented a beautiful solid silver bowl to the people of the area in appreciation of their warm welcome. The bowl has been kept in the Mayor’s Parlour ever since but during the visit Mayor Hodgson presented it to the Thurleigh Museum, although insurance considerations mean that the bowl will be kept elsewhere for the time being.
The group also visited a nearby crash site memorial where a B-17 crashed on take0ff with only one survivor from the 10 crew.
Here's a link to a short video of veterans' families being driven to lunch in an MV convoy.
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SEM was out in force at a bigger and better and hotter third Harborough at War on August 6-7. Where else would you see on the same field three Diamond T trucks, two Chieftain tanks, two Centurion tanks, four-and-a-half Matador trucks and more re-enactors than you could throw a stick at?
The half-size Matador mentioned above was brought along by Dave Crouch along with four full-size examples. It previously earned its keep by towing a land train at IWM Duxford. The Crouch Collection also provided the Diamond Ts.
For many, the star of the show was a M3A1 Stuart tank, formerly part of the Brazilian Army. It was the second time out since restoration at Armourgeddon. Armourgeddon also lined up an M8 armoured car, FV432, Chieftain and a Westland Scout helicopter. Their huge Soviet-era T-55 main battle tank was seen in the arena crushing a line of Little Tikes children's cars!
The Joe Hewes collection continues to grow and he brought along a Centurion AVRE, Centurion BARV, two Chieftains, Tatra half-track, CVR(T) Sampson, Spartan and Scimitar. The “Dancing Tanks” of the Alvis Fighting Vehicle Society did amazing things with their CVR(T)s in the arena.
The South East Midlands Area was well represented with GMC, Jeeps, Ferrets and Land Rovers.
The SEM Rosebowl for Best in Show is usually awarded at Wicksteed at War but with that show sadly cancelled by the site’s owners, it was decided to award it at Harborough. The display which caught the judges’ eyes was the Abteilung 90 group which portrayed vehicles and equipment from post-war West Germany and the later Unified Germany. They included a VW Iltis, Mercedes 508 Ambulance and two VW Type 3 radio vans. The group’s members are from all over England and get together at shows.
Steve Crook, Harborough at War show director was well pleased with the show. He said: “This year we had the big collectors, Crouch, Armourgeddon and Joe Hewes and also the Alvis Fighting Vehicles Society, all together, which made more of a spectacle. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight did us proud with a Lancaster on Saturday and Hurricane of Sunday and the support of the MVT was great.
“There has been a good reaction from the public but constructive criticism is welcome to make next year’s show ever better.” The dates for 2023 are August 6-7.
Pictures by Kevin Lamberth
