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annual show, at the end of May was again hugely successful and attended
by some 170 vehicles over the weekend. A brilliant weekend was had by
all as we roasted in two of the hottest days so far this year.
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A separate report can be
seen on our Wheels & Wings Website www.wheelsandwings.co.uk/
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immediately afterwards a considerable number of groups went over to
France for the annual D Day anniversary and subsequently met up. These
including Simon Roberts’ party travelling on the Condor Express
fast-cat ferry from Poole to Cherbourg whilst others crossing the
channel included Ivor’s party, John Gray’s family, Ray Dobson and
sons, Tony Pearson and Hugo Hunter.
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Based in Angoville au
Plain, Simon along with others took part in the Liberty March in full
kit getting rather warm in the process. Green lanes took on a whole new
meaning as the groups tackled some with undergrowth as high as the jeep.
Sites visited included Pegasus Bridge, the Hillman Bunker inland from
Sword Beach, Le Grand Bunker Museum in Ouistreham, and Arromanches.
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| John
Gray met up with his French pal Bertron for a half day tour of local
sites. His wife Helen, earlier in the trip, had to read the English
translation of a re dedication of a memorial in Angoville to the
assembled dignitaries and public. Well done Helen. Photographs in France
© Mike Hemingway. |
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Brian reports on another great weekend at Nev's at the end of June. On
top of his usual Saturday evening hospitality, Sunday was a fun day with
our first ever motoring Gymkhana. Simon, thrashing Brian’s jeep, won
but he did have the help of a superb navigator apparently. Note it’s
planned to have another Gymkhana next year.
Simon Roberts, clearly having a busy year, was our man in charge of
vehicles at the Valley Gardens, Harrogate, 40’s do which raised £3,000
for Charity. Armed Forces Day saw some members at the Armouries in Leeds
whilst Melvyn Bean found himself on his own at the Piece Hall, Halifax,
40’s Day despite the organiser being promised of a number of vehicles.
Sadly, the atrocious
weather took its toll on the Yorkshire Wartime Experience that Stuart
Wright and Ken Pugh had put so much into organising. It went ahead
despite the sodden ground and mud. Parts of the arena programme took
place, and the band and singer were enjoyed in the large marquee in the
evenings. Stuart reports that people said they had enjoyed themselves,
and infact the difficult conditions created great camaraderie in helping
each other out of the mud.
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| Phil
in his M4 High Speed Tractor seemed to be having a great time rescuing
stranded folks and made pushing a 6 ton 5.5” gun up a serious slope
look relatively easy. The artillery had a difficult time of it. The
torrential rain on Friday left Simon Daymond’s Militant with 5.5”
behind stuck and abandoned. He was subsequently rescued by the M4 after
unsuccessful attempts by a Stalwart. Mel Bean had brought his newly
restored and gleaming 25 pdr along which I had helped clean. What a
waste of time and effort it turned out to be. Suffering a flat tyre on
the road outside he attempted to bring it into the site, but it sank in
the mud riving the tyre off the part of the rim and tearing it in the
process. |
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Mike
Peacock brought along another tyre and rim the next day and Frank’s
quad pulled it free and up the slope. Despite all this a 25 pdr was
fired in the arena both mornings with the mud on Sunday proving a little
trying. No such problems for Denis’s 2 wheel drive Standard Tilly - it
simply cut through sections of mud about a foot deep. Marvellous.
Steve Carr has done a report
for our website to which we have both added photos.
If you want a copy of
one of my photographs at YWE (© Mike Humphreys) please e mail me at michael.humphreys@btinternet.com
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Mike Humphreys.
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