2010 at the Hammond Barn

[RHClarke]

More of Mike's photos - A HUP in the background...drool! There is a baseball backstop in the background of photo number one. A quick search of the internet revealed that there was an active competition between the Canucks and Yanks stationed in the UK. While the Canadians had some success beating the Americans at their own game, the US prevailed in the ultimate championships. No word about how our southern cousins fared in the hockey championships...

[RHClarke]

Next installment - More HUPs...

[RHClarke]

Many thanks to Mike for providing access to these wonderful shots.

[servicepub (RIP)]

Thanks to Rob and Mike Cassie (owner of the photos posted above by Rob) I offer the following 'then and now' comparison. The manse is located at Peper-Harow, location of an RCOC vehicle dump prior to the invasion.

[Bob Carriere]

Just a few observations.......

..if this is before the Normandy invasion..... it would have taken months to move that many vehicles...even just to park them in such neat rows.....

How come there seems to be no attempts to hide them.... camouflage, etc...?
....nor any attempts to park them further apart to prevent aircraft straffing..

Although stored ouside in the beautiful English Spring weather most of the vehicles do not have the side windows installed.....and many have missing mirrors.

The size of such a dump.... and possibly others existed...... not being noticed by the Germans is unbelievable......


A final Observation..........The mix of vehicles...cab 11/12 and 13..... never realized that so many early models cab 11/12 were used in the invasion.... I always assumed that they had been issued all new equipment which precluded older cab 11/12.

If I ever get my time machine working....guess where I an headed....

Bob

[RHClarke]

Bob Carriere: Just a few observations...if this is before the Normandy invasion... it would have taken months to move that many vehicles...even just to park them in such neat rows...

My theory/response: Yep. It would have taken quiet a few lads to park them. Fortunately, there were elements of three armies in the area (UK, US, CA) all of whom had ready access to manpower.

Bob Carriere: How come there seems to be no attempts to hide them.... camouflage, etc...?nor any attempts to park them further apart to prevent aircraft straffing...

My theory/response: German fighters escorted their bombers on runs up to the English coast and sometimes further. Their limited range prevented them from hunting for targets of opportunity such as vehicle parks - I am sure the pilot was very much more interested in getting back to the airfield for a fast look in the mirror, a quick schnaaps and refueling for the next mission - as opposed to getting fished out of the drink. There were many more larger US vehicle parks in the south of England that were far easier targets than this small one.

Bob Carriere: Although stored ouside in the beautiful English Spring weather most of the vehicles do not have the side windows installed.....and many have missing mirrors.

My theory/response: The windows should have been stored in window bags inside of the trucks. As for the mirrors, some enterprising lad from Argentina stole the mirrors to sell on ebay in the distant future for considerable profit.

Bob Carriere:The size of such a dump.... and possibly others existed...... not being noticed by the Germans is unbelievable....

My theory/response: The issue is priority of targets at the time. The vehicles lined up in the country side were not seen as an immediate threat and could be dealt with when the time came. The priority was to break the will and spirit of the British people by bombing their places of work, worship and their homes. I am sure that the German spy network was well aware of the vehicle parks.

Bob Carriere: A final Observation..........The mix of vehicles...cab 11/12 and 13..... never realized that so many early models cab 11/12 were used in the invasion.... I always assumed that they had been issued all new equipment which precluded older cab 11/12.

My theory/response: The exact time frame of when these photos were taken is not known, but spans pre-Dieppe to pre-D-Day. In any case, I don't think that the cab 11/12 were scrapped on a one for one basis when the cab 13s arrived, but would have been kept as strategic reserve vehicles.

Bob Carriere: If I ever get my time machine working....guess where I an headed....
My theory/response: Screw that. I'd go back to high school and improve my knowledge of female gross anatomy...

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by RHClarke

My theory/response: The exact time frame of when these photos were taken is not known, but spans pre-Dieppe to pre-D-Day. In any case, I don't think that the cab 11/12 were scrapped on a one for one basis when the cab 13s arrived, but would have been kept as strategic reserve vehicles.

..

Looking at the website of the location, which is now a private estate, it looks like the owner died in 1942 and his two sons were killed in Italy in 1943. It says that the Canadians requesitioned the property in the latter part of the war, so it could be post-Dieppe.