Owen got it right with the Churchill Mk 1V as an ARV 11 as we had one in the regiment as it was used to haul the disabled Tanks away under shellfire when the LAD couldn't be bothered - so the tank co -driver had to get out to hook up - not without some very bad language - think they were all recalled for Hobo's "funnies" for Normandy Cheers
Tom, great to have your input to this very speculative thread. Could you estimate when this pic might have been taken? Was the AVRE bound for Italy or Normandy or anywhere else?
I have heaps more of this sort of stuff, is this the place to add a few more that may be if interest, sneaked in one more for your perusal. regards lofty
Lofty, I wasn't quite sure where to put this thread so started it in the 'general' forum. Unless Mods or Admin want to move it I would suggest posting other varied pics here with suitable tags or start other threads for specific series of pictures. Lets see some of the heaps you have. Previous pictures look like WW1 German trench mortars to me but I am no expert.
Mike I have an invoice from 1984 for this series of pictures #14 and it states they are all concerning the loading, journeying, arrival and destruction of Belsen KZ Camp, all one group, well that's what the invoice says. regards lofty
Hmm, might be worth starting a new thread about the series of pics you have Lofty, with any info you have about them. Sounds like a fascinating subject on it's own. I am interested in the Buffalo photos - are they related to the Belsen operations or river crossings?
Just to illustrate quite what a mixed bunch of ephemera I have to go through,last one tonight , the blitz, regards lofty
good day mike l vsm,yesterday07:37pm.re:lofty"s photos-your thoughts please.attached thumbnails.showing aircraft carrier(mini)if it had a no.on its bow you could find the name,i was on two and my brother on one.i would be interested if you have anymore carrier photos,great post regards bernard85
Lofty Very difficult to say where the ARV would be going but it looks brand new so would guess that it is on it's way to Normandy - pity we can't ask the hundreds of Supervisors- wasn't there a war or on or something ...? - didn't take long for a Tank to look battered Cheers
Lofty Having had another look at that Churchill being loaded on shipboard - I would think it is a Mark V11 rather than the Mk 1V I thought originally - we never did see many of those but the track covers tend to give the game away as being a later model as well as the gun barrel looks to be longer such as the 76mm - so more than likely on its way to Hobo's 79th Div- maybe one of those people who collect Tank numbers can Identify it more closely Cheers
Uniforms are Austro-Hungarian. It's a Skoda 305 mm Model 1911 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skoda_305_mm_Model_1911 see also http://www.moesslang.net/ww1_fortification_history.htm
they were dummy gun barrels. Some good pics of a surviving Churchill ARV Mk II here. http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article/churchill-arv-mk-ii/4334/
hello Mike http://www.marinebroadcasters.com/sea%20fort/seafort%20based%20radiostations.htm Photo here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:KnockJohn.jpg http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=german+flak+towers+ww2+north+sea&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=uR7hUbS_LOmy7Aa-z4GoBw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=667#tbm=isch&sa=1&q=german+flak+towers+ww2+at+sea&oq=german+flak+towers+ww2+at+sea&gs_l=img.3...106161.109120.0.109365.15.12.0.0.0.2.159.1404.4j8.12.0...0.0.0..1c.1.17.img.PmOHcCZTYFg&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48705608,d.ZGU&fp=78c8209062b7cd1f&biw=1366&bih=667&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=gXhhCk-deGnWhM%3A%3BbLV2QrmE2kx4PM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%252F3061%252F3058601280_9e54923ae4_b.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftwistedsifter.com%252F2012%252F10%252Fmaunsell-sea-forts-and-towers-wwii%252F%3B1024%3B685
Sorry Tom. Mk VII had round side hatches; this one has square. ARV II it is! And the AA gun on the fort is a 3.7 as we never had a 3,5. Chris
Chris We only saw photo's of the MK V11 - never did see real one Owen Our old one was a gun tank as well as an ARV Cheers
Clive, thanks for those. Were the towers shown with 2 huge cylindrical bases also Maunsell Forts? I thought they were usually the type with tubular legs like the attached.
Yes, from Wiki there were Navy (the original picture) and Army (as my post above) types. 4 Navy and 3 Army types in the Thames Estuary and 3 Army types in the Mersey.
RE: Navy Forts - Just checked in my copy of "Architecture of Aggression" which confirms that Mr Maunsel was in charge of the design of both types of Fort and yes 3.7 AA not 3.5 which was my mental abboration. RE: Churchill ARV Mk 2 - These were qite rare in WW2, only entering service in late 44 or early 45; they were also used in Korea. Noel
Thanks Noel. So it seems likely the photo shows the AVRE being loaded late in the war, possibly late 1944 and probably at a London (or at least Southern or SE England) port. Anyone have any therories on the other pictures? I would like to know if my Walcheren guess might have been right from post #6.
