XXX Corps event: Liberation Task Force | 13-22 September 2014, Holland

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I think many of you have heard of the XXX Corps event being held from 13-22 September 2014 in Holland. See http://www.historicaltours.eu/ for some info.

Which MLU members are going? Please raise your hand if you will be participating by posting a message here. Let us know who & what you will be bringing.

Hope to see you there!

Hanno

[Marc van Aalderen]

We will be there with the Carrier and 6 pr plus the Dingo.

Looking forward to the event very much!

Cheers,

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Marc, great!

I will be there with my Ford F15A, shown here during the Bayeux parade in Normandy:

IMG_8299_resized2.jpg

[tankbarrell]

I'll be there with the Sherman V. There are four Shermans coming from the UK.

I'll remember your box this time Marc......

[Ben]

I'll be there with two MK2 carriers, jeep and Bedford. Several others from here in the same group.

[RichardT10829]

As above..

[Maurice Donckers]

AEC Matador x2 and … not known yet .

[Andy Mitchell]

Hi All,

Will be there with the F30 ( nearly finished it) with 43 Recce.

Andy

[Alex van de Wetering]

I will be there as a spectator one, two, hopefully three days. The vehicles on the square in Valkenswaard is something I love to see!

I'll be there with the Sherman V. There are four Shermans coming from the UK.

Adrian, I am looking forward to seeing your Sherman in real life on Dutch soil. Is it back to British spec and original markings after it's acting in FURY?

Does anyone know if any of the tanks will also be at Tanks in Town one week before Project 70???, september 6th and 7th???

Alex

[tankbarrell]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Adrian, I am looking forward to seeing your Sherman in real life on Dutch soil. Is it back to British spec and original markings after it's acting in FURY?

Oh yes, I have spent many hours, with help from my new crew, refurbishing the Sherman. I took the engine out and cleaned inside and out before a repaint.

Tracks going back on this weekend!

[Tim Bell]

My WSC on the road - off to Holland for the XXX Corps / Market Garden Anniversary... will replace the horrible modern wing mirrors for more appropriate ones when there... and still need to fit the Bridge plate and sort out the hood star and circle... but happy to have got it 98% there... another week and it would have been finished - fortunately we will have time in Holland.

WSC-CG-08Sept14.jpg

Tim

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tim Bell

My WSC on the road - off to Holland for the XXX Corps / Market Garden Anniversary... will replace the horrible modern wing mirrors for more appropriate ones when there... and still need to fit the Bridge plate and sort out the hood star and circle... but happy to have got it 98% there... another week and it would have been finished - fortunately we will have time in Holland.

Tim,

Moved your posting to this thread if you don't mind. Scout Car looks excellent as it is! 98% finished is a heap more than my truck, but the important thing is that they are there

H.

[Alex van de Wetering]

My WSC on the road - off to Holland for the XXX Corps / Market Garden Anniversary... will replace the horrible modern wing mirrors for more appropriate ones when there...

Tim, the "Phantom" Scout car is looking good; I see you also managed to get the aerial mounts done.
I will be bringing the mirror for you. See you there.

Alex

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Tim, the "Phantom" Scout car is looking good; I see you also managed to get the aerial mounts done.
I will be bringing the mirror for you. See you there.

Alex

Looking forward to meeting you there!

Aerial mounts are done - but will need to be modified when we get home as are not quite right... but no time now!

However, once the vehicle is filled with 5 men and equipment these small details will be forgotten until we come home.

Cheers

Tim

[Tim Bell]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Moved your posting to this thread if you don't mind. Scout Car looks excellent as it is! 98% finished is a heap more than my truck, but the important thing is that they are there

Hanno

Thanks - dont mind at all - would have put it here myself if I'd realised the thread was here!

Look forward to meeting loads of forum members on this trip - will be great to put faces to names.

Pic of the radio installation is here:

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=22570

The vehicle is marked up to represent "A" Squadron of Phantom GHQ Liaison Regiment and whilst the census number is correct for the No 12 Patrol vehicle, we will represent the No 5 Patrol vehicle for this event.

The Phantom Patrols at the time of Market-Garden comprised 7 men in 1 x White Scout Car fitted with the WS9, 1 x Jeep fitted with the WS22, with a trailer with two motor cycles for individual patrol work.

We originally wanted to run a complete patrol, but the organisers didnt want to have any more Jeeps, so instead there are 5 of us in the Scout Car... which will be cosy!

Historical note...

Capt Denys Brook-Hart was commander of No 5 Patrol during Market-Garden and tasked with reaching Arnhem by road independently of anything 30 corps were doing - he got the whole patrol to Nijmegen, then left the WSC behind and travelled by Jeep to Driel where they were shelled by the Germans with 88mm's over open sights... when the radio and radio operator both broke, he drove back to Nijmegen to replace them, then returned to Driel to relay messages from the Phantom patrol in Oosterbeek back to HQ... for his part in Market Garden he was awarded the MC... his signaller however only got shell-shock.

I have copies of the Phantom Intelligence logs for the Market Garden operation - if you really want to know who was where and when, forget the history books which give you someone's interpretation of events and read the Phantom material... it is very detailed.

Tim

[RichardT10829]

Counting down to the event now !!! Two days at work then the fun begins ! Spent today sorting my kit out, boots cleaned, beret shaped and shaved...

[Andy Mitchell]

Hi all.

Finally found a new wheel cylinder for the F30 so all should be well, also seem to have acquired a 6 pounder anti-tank gun to pull as well. Ho Hum !

See you all there.

Andy

[carrierbarry]

Did any carriers take part in the 30 Corp drive this year?
Where there any carriers at Arnham ?
Any pictures ?

Barry
MKII

[Ben]

Three Mk2's and a MK1 did the trip. Another MK1 started but only lasted a day due to tech issues.

Very good event and we had a fantastic time. The reaction from the Dutch people was incredible and it was a humbling experience, I'm very glad I was able to take part.

More later..... Lots of pictures to follow.

Ben

[Alex van de Wetering]

Where there any carriers at Arnham ?

no HD unfortunately, but here is a vid of the Race to the Bridge of last Saterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOO6m...iw3TXaRBhMcW9A

Alex

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

no HD unfortunately, but here is a vid of the Race to the Bridge of last Saterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOO6m...iw3TXaRBhMcW9A

Alex

There were 4 carriers in the Race to the Bridge, in this video the 4th

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnK2BOn8pJ4

Hendrik

[RichardT10829]

Was going to say... I was in a carrier for the majority of the event and we went everywhere . By the end of the event, the remaining four carriers made a small carrier section and went everywhere together which was awesome. ! The people clearly had a soft spot for them as the cameras all came out as we passed, flowers and cakes thrown into the vehicle... An awesome experience ! On the race to the bridge we deviated from the column and spent the day at Driell before stopping at our LUP at John Frost bridge.... Which ultimately put us first in the column and first over the bridge.

The plod blocked us in and one Sherman got past, but Marc and I squeezed by and made a run for it. Just as Adrian had a tech issue pulling over (and blocking Shaun's carrier in) I think it was Adrian anyway.... I didn't look back for fear of 28tonne death.