Ive just got back from a long weekend/DD tour coach trip to Normandy.
We packed in Pegasus Bridge, the Pegasus museum along with the Gondlee/Pegasus cafe, Ranville commonwealth cemetry, Arrowmanches museum, the beach to stare in awe at the huge concrete sections left behind and then finished the day off at Bayeux commonwealth cemetry.
The following day we visited Omaha beach/the American cemetry, Pointe Du Hoc and then St Mere Eglise along with the Airbourne museum.

Two days was nowhere near enough time to actualy take in everything we saw, luckily the tour guide on the coach had booked slots at the various museums so that an English guide was on hand for us when we got there so there was no waiting involved.

At the Pegasus bridge museum we where lucky enough to have the museum currator show us around and he informed us that later in the afternoon they where expecting a family to attend and scatter the ashes of their late grandfather on the bridge that he had helped to liberate all those years ago.

All in all the trip was a very, very moving and humbling experiance, nothing can prepare you for the sight of the American cemetry, no matter how many times you have seen pictures/video, I dare anyone to see it in life and not feel very moved by it.

My wife is now converted, she had no interest in anything military before the trip, but she is now arranging our next trip, probably a WW1 battleground tour.

In her own words ” Why couldnt the schools have ever arranged a trip like this, I never understood any of this before today, but I now understand some of what went on and the actual cost of life involved?”

Its strange, when the Tornado started to equip squadrons I hated it because of the varied amount of different types of aircraft it replaced, Hunters, lightnings, phantoms, buccaneers.
Now it is itself being scrapped, I feel saddened at he loss of it.

Oh and I too voted for the present idiots, TBH there is not much to differ any of the different breeds of idiot as they are all so similar in their liberal, pc views….unfortunately there is no real alternative to the current, smiley face wearing suits.

The guns had long been removed.

All the evidence suggests that the majority or all of the removed material and parts was done by western visitors, notable also because all of which occurred after the aircraft’s discovery. There’s no evidence that this particular wreck was ever tackled by locals to any degree.

Regards,

I spoke shortly yesterday with the old fella that was present when the bodies where discovered. He said that he had tried to remove what sounds like the identification tag from the cockpit at the time, but he didnt have any tools and did not want to damage it, so he left it. Within a short time he was in the area again, this time with some tools and the ID plate had already be scavaged, plus quite a lot of other bits, pieces and parts. And this was way back then!

I have to go into see him, as Ive now re-awoken his interest in this subject ( and hopefuly even more as he was also associated with the LRDG during WW2, a subject which Ive been trying to get him to open up on for years) and he said that he would like his memories of the story written down and submitted to one of the LBG sites.

I have some pictures of the LBG when she was first discovered, taken by one of the old boys that my wife looks after at work, he was in the Army at the time escorting petrol industry bods through the desert.
I will ask for his permission to post them on here, along with the scans of his copy of the Tripoli Trotter’s story regarding the find.

because you no doubt have to also compensate various companies for cancelling the contract early, such as those that were on time and coming to the end of the process, probably also the likes of RR who will now have a bunch of engines, spares holdings for them and no customer!

I see, cheers for clearing that up for me.;)

I always ran ‘ classic ‘ cars, in laymans terms old crap/ cheap Fords/Triumphs, right up until about 4 years ago.
I now have a mint, tax exempt MK1 Escort stashed away in my lock up, fitted with a later 90’s fuel injected sierra engine and gear box. Its reasonably economic to run, but I only have it locked away as the car is so clean, it would be criminal to subject it to everyday use and the hazards of uncaring other road users ( my Impreza gets frequent batterings when its parked in car parks etc etc.)

A classic with a modern engine fitted is just as practical as any modern car, but with the style/kudos of years gone by.

And even the Ford owners clubs are snobby, I remember going to a club meet years ago in my road going, battered MK2 escort rally car, only to get some snobby nosed pillock telling me that my car wasnt as ‘ The designers’ had enviseged it. I then asked him where his car was to which he replied ” Oh I dont drive it as it would get dirty!”
My reply was ” atleast mine gets used mate!”

IMO this SDSR will be seen a defining moment for the UK.

The defining moment when it all finaly hit the fan and then went down the pan.
Welcome to the once Great Britian.

Brittania is finaly up the creek without a paddle, infact shes probably without a vessel as its just been withdrawn from service 10 years ahead of its time to meet funding costs…..:rolleyes: