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Have you read something in
Classic Military Vehicle that has
jogged a memory of your ownexperience with a wartime classic?
Do you have an interesting story
that you would like to share abouta vehicle? Or perhaps you’re
working on a restoration project
that would have interest to otherreaders? If so, we’d like to hear
from you: email your letters to
[email protected]The article in the June 2019 issue about the
Tortoise on Kirkcudbright Ranges brought
the memories fl ooding back. I was stationed
at Kirkcudbright in the mid-1960s. One day, a
party of us had to go to an area of the ranges
that we had never visited before. There we
discovered this huge, rusting hulk. None of us
had a clue what it was, but it was big. It had
no gun, or engine and to get inside for a look
round, we climbed in through the hole where
the gun had been. Even at 6ft 3ins tall, it was
quite easy to do. The armour was indeed very
thick. On returning we made enquiries as to
what the beast was, and how long it had been
there. No-one seemed to know, so out came
the reference books, and we deduced that it
was in fact, a Tortoise. Other than that, it was
a mystery. It was on a seldom visited part of
the ranges, (in fact I never got permission to
go there again) and anyone who did know of
its existence knew nothing about its history, or
when, and how, it came to be there. Thank you
for your interesting magazine.
M.J. Hill Luton, Beds.A few years ago, I ventured onto a long stone
beach on the LLeyn Peninsula. I found the
remains of two sister military vehicles –
possibly amphibians. I can fi nd no referenceto this vehicle in anything I have read and
wondered if they would mean anything to
anyone with your magazine. They seemed to
have been sisters – one with eight wheels and
the other with six. Rigidly mounted – three or
four per side. Military type rubber pneumatic
tyres. No swivelling steering facility, but
apparently differential drive steering. Both driven
with separate Ford Flathead V8 engines. The
quality of the rubber of the tyres was still very
good – hard and shiny. I may be wrong at this
point, but I think each engine drove one side
of the vehicle with separate shafts and bevel
boxes to the wheel shafts on each side. There
seemed to be steering of the “skid-steer” pattern,
with no facility for swivel steering. The Ford
engines could indicate either US, UK or German
origins. All the upper works of the bodies were
missing, there being the lower hull only in both
cases. They were half full of large beach stones
and gravel and would possibly be underwater
at very high tides. I am quite aware of Ducks
both large and small, as a kid we holidayed at
Aberdovey, about 1946, and DUKW’s – six wheel
and Jeep type were prominent on land and in
the river, as were some Studebaker Weasels. So,
does anyone know what these Ford engined,
skid steer, vehicles are?
Glyn Lancaster Jones Port Dinorwic(Some time back) my brother-in-
law asked if I would like to go to the Donington
Grand Prix Collection and at the time of our
visit they were closing it down. But to my
surprise they seemed to be fi lling it with
military vehicles from the Kevin Wheatcroft
Collection, I presume. Is this going to be a
permanent museum?
Yours faithfully,
J. Jackson Desborough,NorthamptonshireP. S I have included a photograph of my late
father L. Jackson in front of his Ward La
France in Italy.
Thanks for the picture of your father and, as far
as we’re aware, the museum has closed. – Edapparently differential drive steering. Both driven(Some time back) my brother-in-A veteran of both the Long Range Desert Group
(LRDG) and SAS surprised the audience at a
recent book launch at the Swedish Embassy in
London. The launch event of Long Range Desert
Group: History & Legacy was attended by LRDG
and SAS veteran Jack Mann, who astounded
those in attendance with his remarkable energy
and memory. The book is the result of a research
expedition in Egypt using two 1943 Jeeps. After
taking part in the ‘2,300-mile Sahara epic’,
Swedish military vehicle enthusiast and main
author Karl-Gunnar Norén, decided to write a
book with LRDG history highlights including
several unpublished LRDG photographs, original
LRDG training notes and on his own Jeep
experiences of Egypt. Although Karl-Gunnar
had been to several deserts, not least in Libya,
to see more of the LRDG he needed to fi nd
fellow enthusiasts. This he did by joining the
2012 research expedition with Toby Savage that
consisted of two 1943 Jeeps and LRDG buffs
from the UK and US supported by Egyptian travel
and security professionals. One of the group’s
fi ndings is apparent from the photograph on
the front cover of Long Range Desert Group:
History & Legacy, taken by former Classic Military
Vehicle magazine editor John Carroll. It shows
the remains of a CMP 4×4 Ford from the LRDG
Rhodesian S Patrol left behind in 1941 due to
a broken steering column. To his own desert
experiences, Karl-Gunnar added the story of
LRDG veteran Bill “Swede” Anderson. Relatives
of “Swede” Anderson attended the book launch
at the Swedish Embassy in London on May
24 together with Jack Mann. After just a few
words from him it became clear his willpower
and charm are intact. Long Range Desert Group:
History & Legacy is published by Helion and
Company and is available from Casemate UK:
http://www.casematepublishing.co.uk
Countdown to Tiger Day
Tiger 131 will make the last of its two yearly outings
at The Tank Museum on September 14. The
Bovington museum’s Tiger 131 is the only running
Tiger I in the world and visitors to the museum will
get the chance to see it in action at Tiger Day 12
during a 45 minute display along with the Sherman
tank ‘Fury’. This will also be the last chance for
many visitors to explore ‘The Tiger Collection’, which
will fi nish at the end of October, in preparation for
the new World War Two Hall. In a world fi rst, this
impressive exhibition has brought every member
of the Tiger Tank family together in one display –
including one in augmented reality. During the 45
minute lunchtime display at Tiger Day 12, Tiger 131
will be accompanied by a selection of museumvehicles. The Tank Museum is also giving Tiger fans
the chance to win a ride in its most famous exhibit
in a special charity auction and raffl e. Two lucky
winners will take their seat in the famous tank at
Tiger Day. Museum spokesman David Willey said:
“Tiger 131 is the famous tank in the world and there
are a lot of tank fans who will jump at the chance for
a ride in this World War Two icon.” All profi ts from
the Tiger raffl e and Ebay auction will go towards
supporting the museum’s historic tank collection
and ensuring that Tiger 131 can be kept in running
order for years to come. Tiger Day Raffl e, Premium
and Advance tickets are still available. Tickets must
be purchased in advance – book online at
http://www.tankmuseum.orgLRDG book launched