Farley Mowat's Stug

[45jim]

That Stug was at Harvey Barracks in "Martin Park" up until about 1988-89. Supposedly the tank was the "property" of the CFB Borden collection and was just on loan to us. It was called back, I don't remember the exact date but I did cut the hatch open and release the brakes for the hauler. The front two torsion bars were broken but it was mostly complete inside and the engine and transmission were all in place and still hooked up. The air cleaner was still on the carb and the linkage worked and the transmission moved through the gears. We were restoring Sherman's, Ferrets and a Centurion at the time and I couldn't convince the powers that be that we could restore it too. So, off it went to Borden.

I heard that it was later traded for a US half track to a collector in the US (can't remember his name but not Littlefield) and now that half track is in the Borden collection. He later sold it to some German dress-up guys who started the restoration. They contacted me looking for info on the tank and did send me some photos, I will have to look if I still have them.

It must have went to the UK after they stopped playing with it.

[Perry Kitson]

I recall seeing a photo of Bill Gregg in the commandres hatch of a Stug, sitting nose down(broken torsion bars), in his yard as it was being loaded onto a float. Could be the same machine. However, I think this was well before '88-89. If Stew could chime in, I'm sure he could shed some light on the subject.

[rob love]

One stug story I got was that it was part of the deal when Bill gave the collection to Shilo. I'm not certain though that it was the same Stug that was in Calgary. Stew told me it showed up back in Rockwood, the promptly left for the US soon afterward. I think the recipients name was Roepke or something to that effect?

But I heard another story that one of the German pieces left here as a result of a trade for repairs on the Grizzly. No idea if it was the Stug or not. I think Mr Roepker's name was mentioned in that story too. (Apologies to Mr Roepke if I have misspelled his name.)

I recall talking to the curator of Borden back around 1985/86 re the halftrack with (was it quad or a pair?) 50s on the back. I can be certain of that date because I only made it to Borden every 5 years during trades training. I can't remember what he said they traded for it, but It may have been a Stuart. Again, too many years passed.

Another story that was related was that one of the German armoured pieces was sold to help pay for restoration on other Gregg vehicles. They generally spent about $10K on each one that they did.

Then another story yet was that one piece was sold in order to pay for the expansion of the golf course here in Shilo.

Another story is that the Bundeswer took a German piece of armour back with them, possibly in exchange for the more modern 1960s yagpanzer that remains here.

Enough stories yet? We must have had a field full of the stuff to satisfy all those tales.

Mike Calnan was around Shilo back then...he may be able to shed a little light.

[James P]

If Perry Kehr in the US is following this sad story maybe he can cast some light re. this StuG (now in the UK). I have spoken with Perry in the past and he is a interesting fellow with a ton of info and knowledge, he even visited Mowat in his research. So all that said the timeline and various paths this StuG traveled is well explained in the MVPA Supply Line for Feb/Mar 2015. The "Mowat" StuG is in exceptional hands now and has been given the very best of restoration work and attention to detail it deserved after decades of abuse and finally being essentially discarded by Canada.

[rob love]

Well that should put a lot of the stories to rest. I need to find that edition.

[James P]

Originally Posted by rob love

Well that should put a lot of the stories to rest. I need to find that edition.

Yes and no, the history is well tracked from Holland to landing in Canada, then it seems there is a big black hole the Stug fell into while in the "care and custody" of the CF and various CF "museums" till it surfaces again in the US and passed about to various owners and eventually to the UK and given the respect and attention this piece of history deserved. The question is what authority, in Canada, back in the day, essentially gave away the Mowat Stug.

https://www.scribd.com/doc/241818390...-survivor-tank

[Ed Storey]

There were at least two in Canada, this one was taken off the Meaford ranges in the 1970s and saved by the CWM. They did a nice job of doing a cosmetic restoration and integrating it into their Italian Campaign display when the new museum opened in 2005. It seems Canada kept the wreck and gave away the runner.

Destroyed Stug III w.jpg