Events (2011) pt 2

Preston Military Show

Pete Morgan has sent a report on the Preston Military Show. He's starting to get the hang of his computer but I've edited his report to save blushes. "What an amazing day. About 9 Jeeps, 1 Land Rover and a Morris Minor turned up at various times during the day. There were many military displays plus several stalls. Where else can you play in a Challenger tank, an ARV or a 432, and have Bag pipes, Corps of Drums and marching bands. I had some funny sideways looks from the squaddies in my full redcap uniform!!!!! I will send you some photos and a more detailed account when my daughter helps me with this bl**dy new fangled computer!!!!!!" I guess the photos will be lost in the post!" 

A report and photos from Ian McCormack has also been sent. "On Saturday 18 June several members of our group and West Lancs MVT attended the Preston Military Show at Fulwood Barracks.  Highlights included a display by a Hawker Hurricane, a parachute drop by the RAF Falcons and a musical display by massed military bands."

Elvington

A report and photos from Ian McCormack who went to Elvington show, aided by the Yorkshire Area MVT. "A few photos from Yorkshire MVT’s Wheels & Wings, Elvington on 6 – 8 May 2011. There was a sizeable contingent went from South Cumbria & North Lancs and we managed not to get washed away in the thunderstorm on the Saturday night.  It seems that the German re-enactors found that they’d transferred to the Kreigsmarine overnight!"

East Lancs Railway

I did not manage to make it to the ELR event this year, and although I've been sent some photos, I've no real description of what went on. The only news I can add is there seemed to be some problems with the Irwell Vale campsite firstly when the land owner arrived, and secondly with the campers' presence in the village. A normally very friendly welcome seems to have become less than welcoming by some. As a result the organiser will not be arranging camping at Irwell Vale next year, the only military vehicle presence there will be on the station grounds. Germans soldier re-enactors were not allowed on instruction of the council, though a large contingent were apparently seen gathered at a pub nearby. Let's see what next year brings. 

Normandy

A contingent of members from the South Cumbria & North Lancs Area and West Lancs Area went to Normandy early in June to join in the D-Day festivities over the channel. Ian and Esther Wray have provided the following report and photographs.

"It had been decided that the South Cumbria & North Lancs group should hit the Normandy beaches in three waves. We were part of the third wave. We were nearly all duly assembled at our departure point when in comes a frantic telephone call from Paul and Al! Their Jeep was mortally wounded (it turned out to be a broken half shaft) so having requisitioned a large portion of initiative, the trailer was hitched to Al's car and off we set.

We had decided to do the trip to Portsmouth in two days and go later than the other parties. A wise decision as we traveled down in glorious weather. The crossing was uneventful and we soon arrived at the campsite to see a motley crew of tentage (including a pink tepee---don't ask) and the secret of what Kevin had piled high in his Jeep. It was a gas fridge,this is a man who normally only does luxury caravanning and has his beer chilled.

We did all the usual visits including Arromanches Beach to see the remains of the floating harbour; an amazing achievement, and a fantastic film in the Museum. All the museums seem to have been much improved, the enactment of the taking of the Battery at Merville was particularly informative.

The pristine, extremely well kept cemeteries are, as always, very very moving and I for one find myself welling up at the sight of all those graves, the majority not even 25 years old. Will man never learn!!

"Two teas" Paul lived up to his reputation and had two teas on one night (Ed's comment - for any Southerners, tea is what we eat in the evening, dinner is at midday no matter what anyone else tells you).

We did the run home from Portsmouth in one day, a mistake as far as I was concerned as my bum was numb. Would I go again?? Plans are already afoot for 2012."

Dave Salisbury has provided some photos from some of the group's visit to France in June 2011. They arrived in my inbox at the end of 2012 but I've added them to make the set complete.

Scorton

Norman Callaghan has provided some photos from the Scorton Country Fair. Ian Coats provided a brief report on the event as he had organised the pitch with the Show Organisers.

"Scorton was a great success, we had an attendance of 25/32 = 78%, and the Jeeps were 40% of those. The weather was more or less kind and George performed an impromptu ritual on Sunday morning which worked within minutes and the clouds duly dispersed.

This year I was very important and not only had a clipboard and a bright yellow weskit marked STEWARD, but a radio as well! The NATO voice procedure, not used since the 70s, came slowly back to me, it was easy to tell those on the net who had been trained properly! Much of the others' stuff is unprintable.....". Thanks Norman and Ian.

Ingleton Home Guard

Glorious sunshine greeted visitors on both Saturday and Sunday of the annual Ingleton Home Guard event held in Ingleton. Ian McCormack has provided some photos of the Ingleton Home Guard  40s event in Ingleton, along with some of my own. The Home Guard paraded along the High Street to the Memorial where a short remembrance service was held. A battle was held each day choreographed by Keith Maddocks (Herr Flick), depicting the Allies taking a French village back from the Germans. As usual the organising by John and Elaine Ward was up to par with everything running smoothly, helped by the weather.

In addition Ian Wray provided the following "The Weather Gods finally relented with their persecution of the Ingleton Home Front show and the whole area basked in glorious sunshine throughout the weekend. The result of course was a fabulous turn-out of re-enactors, vehicles and the general public.

This really is a community event with seemingly the whole village contributing by dressing themselves, the shops and the buildings in 1940s style. The dance on the Saturday night was an excellent do with a proper band as well as the ever present DJ (I'm sure a DJ was a dinner jacket back then). John and Elaine Ward were thanked publicly for all their hard work and effort they had put in to the show, followed by a big "HEAR HEAR" from the MVT.

Speaking of which, as mentioned earlier, as fantastic turn-out of vehicles with the usual (and expected) at least 15 Jeeps, Weapons Carriers, Quads, Chevys, a REO and a plethora of motor bikes which included a "Bar None Club" desert racer which had obviously taken a wrong turn at Al-Kabir!!!. It looked and sounded delightful though!!. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Please can we have the same weather next year."

Ponderosa

Ponderosa is Theme Park in North Yorkshire. They hosted a Military weekend with the aid of the Yorkshire Area of the MVT. Dave Salisbury was there with Paul Lomax and took the following pictures and sent this report. "I have sent some pictures of the event that Paul Lomax and myself went to at Heckmondwike, Nr Bradford. We left from Preston at lunch time for a two hour drive with no hiccoughs apart from a wrong turn or two.

Simon and co from the MVT shop were to arrive after we had set are camp up. Note for all the shop runs a Genny. Then Liz was next who met Johnathan, Boyan, Will, Big Al and Nathan with Sue visiting on Sunday.

Very good Battle on the two days with plenty of entertainment throughout the day and at night in the big barn.

We were given lunches on the two days and very good they were. Just an odd shower or two but a smashing show."

Don't believe the dates on the photos, I'm sure the date settings have just not been corrected for a while. Either that, or I've been conned!

Windermere Airshow

Windermere hosted its annual airshow. While we did not attend with the same numbers as last year, a few did turn up and Martin Russell managed to take some pictures of the show. He also gave the following report:

"It was a wonderful weekend from start to finish. The air displays were breathtaking. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was stunning. On the Saturday, they were less the Hurricane, but on the Sunday, all 3 made a majestic slow pass over the lake, followed by individual displays. The Red Arrows gave a 20 minute faultless display, just to show how it should be done, and the rest of the air displays of stunt planes, acrobatic teams, powered gliders and the Breitling Wing walkers, made for a great weekend. The weather was perfect, red hot at times, we had to shelter under the trees at one point. We were situated next to an RAF re-enactors team from the east coast, with a brilliant display with a Taylorcraft Auster Trainer. So a war time feel to our area. Many thanks for those who attended, Phil and Graham with their Jeeps, Roops with his '53 Chevy and Martin with his '65 Mustang."

Croft Nostalgia Weekend

A mixture of old cars, military vehicles and planes were on the agenda for the Croft Nostalgia Weekend organised by the Croft Race Circuit in conjunction with the Durham Tees Valley Area of the MVT. The Saturday was almost a wash out with the amount of rain, and most of the races on the circuit were cancelled, but I'm told the entertainment in the marquee more than made up for it. I went on the Sunday with my father who had been posted to the circuit, then an airfield used by the RCAF, prior to his discharge at the end of the Second World War. We had been invited by Mike Scorer of the MVT with a promise of a tour of the perimeter to look at some of the remains of the airfield structures.

The first job on arrival was a tour of the circuit by the vehicles, first the military, then cars of various types. A wander around the various displays showed us what a large gathering this is. There were all manner of military vehicles, Triumph cars, Aston Martin, Jaguar, MG, on display and many more. A number of aircraft parts were on display including a Rolls-Royce Griffon engine that was fired up from time to time. The circuit still has a short grass landing strip though one of the original hard runways is still in existence but it was used as parking for the various vehicles. A Yugoslav Soko ground attack aircraft took off from the strip in hardly any space at all and then gave a display of slow flying and other maneuvers over the circuit. Several races were held on the circuit which was one of the main reasons for the event. Altogether there was plenty to do and see; I'd recommend it to anyone, even though this was only the second time the MVT had been involved. It can only get better and better. Thanks to Ian McCormack for taking us round the circuit and Mike Scorer for the perimeter tour.