Farley Mowat's Stug

[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

[David Herbert]

It might be argued that the wreck above is a more interesting exhibit to the general public than an intact runner if the runner is just going to be a static exhibit.

David

[James P]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

It might be argued that the wreck above is a more interesting exhibit to the general public than an intact runner if the runner is just going to be a static exhibit.

David

Wrong ! Both of the StuGs (the range wreak/diorama at the CWM and the one now in the UK) should have remained in Canada AND as running (or made running) vehicles and not either blasted and shot up or "sold" off in some slippery, self serving deal that is now lost to time.

https://www.wealdfoundation.org/Insi...ley-Mowat-StuG

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by 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.

Another picture of this StuG. IIRC, it was Don Dingwall who restored this wreck to a very interesting exhibit.

0D169702-E269-4BE7-B511-404215E0D56A.jpeg

[George Bradford]

Hi All;

Just to acknowledge the Pz.IV/70(V) that used to sit in front of the old Canadian War Museum way back in 1988. It is likely the one that appeared in the Lefthand photo at Shilo, near the beginning of this thread.