If you go out in the woods today You're sure of a big surprise. BASTOGNE 2010

[Alex van de Wetering]

Just like the last few years I visited the annual Battle of the Bulge remembrance in Bastogne with my buddy Tim. We usually visit a number of historic locations on our way there, visit some monuments and locations in and around Bastogne and view the parade in the main street. The re-enactment "battles" are not really our thing, but we always have a look to see which vehicles turn up.

Much to our surprise there were some very interesting commonwealth vehicles in Bastogne. The Brussels Army museum is now using the former Army barracks as one of their depots, and apart from their M5A1, M24, M4A1 (76) and Locust, they also had a number of British vehicles in the parade on the main street as well as a few more on display at the barracks.

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

some more...

Very nice Bedford MWR from a Belgian re-enactment group....

Funny body on the 13 cab...

[Alex van de Wetering]

Oh....and I was lucky enough to hear the Multibank roar...and posted my first youtube Movie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpAX_GiN1pA

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

some more...

Hi Alex,
The Cromwell (actually a Charioteer converted back) has only recently moved to Belgium from England, a friend of mine transported it over. Good to see it running on the road. Thanks for the photos.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Alex,
The Cromwell (actually a Charioteer converted back) has only recently moved to Belgium from England, a friend of mine transported it over. Good to see it running on the road. Thanks for the photos

Hi Richard,

Aha, I already wondered where the Cromwell came from. It doesn't happen to be one of the Band of Brothers movie stars?
Indeed, it was good to see it run last sunday, although I have to admit they did have some mechanical problems later on. A Leopard ARV helped it the last mile, so I hope they didn't break anything during the run through Bastogne.

Alex

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Hi Richard,

Aha, I wondered where the Cromwell came from. It doesn't happen to be one of the Band of Brothers movie stars?

Alex,

I have a suspicion it may have been in BoB. It was actually parked outside my workshop a few weeks ago on the transporter, so had a chance to look at it, noting it was an ex-Finland Charioteer from a number plate on the hull.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Alex,

Great to see these pictures, thanks for sharing. This is a great event, I participated a few years ago and still remember the snow blowing horizontally through the Jeep I was driving! The last evening with the "lights & sounds" show is terrific.

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Funny body on the 13 cab...

I spotted this one in Normandy last year as well. It is a makeshift body, but the truck is The Proper CMP . . . (Ford!).

Regards,
Hanno

[tankbarrell]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

This is a great event, I participated a few years ago and still remember the snow blowing horizontally through the Jeep I was driving!

You can drive a Jeep?!! I would have thought you would need to sit in the back or even in the trailer!

(For those who have never met Hanno, he is very tall.......)

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

You can drive a Jeep?!! I would have thought you would need to sit in the back or even in the trailer!

Yes, although it is not easy. 1st gear and reverse is a struggle between the levers and my right leg and the steering wheel. A hard bum after a while. But participating in the Bastogne event was worth the inconvenience.

And where there is a will (and a shoe horn) . . . who knows I might somehow fit in Marc's Dingo

H.

[Alex van de Wetering]

"I spotted this one in Normandy last year as well. It is a makeshift body, but the truck is The Proper CMP . . . (Ford!)"

Aha, you're right....now I remember...it was next to the former Bernieres-sur-Mer trainstation, wasn't it?

You can drive a Jeep?!! I would have thought you would need to sit in the back or even in the trailer!

Good point Adrian.....somehow I have a feeling Hanno drove the jeep attached.......although I don't know if it's a Ford

[M38CDNBill]

The CMP is a Ford and belongs to Maurice Robens. The 6X6 jeep belongs to Rene Cremer and the Bedford MWD 15cwt belongs to Michaël Monin. Three live in Belgium.

[Jim Price]

Alex,
What is this vehicle in the first picture? I'm currently building a full-size copy of a Soviet BA-64 (This is a BA-64 in a museum.) and this one sappears to have some of it's features.

Regards,
Jim

[Alex van de Wetering]

Hi Jim,

The vehicle in the pic is a Humber Light Reconnaissance Car, basically a shell on top of a Humber Box (FWD) chassis.

Alex

[Haridimos]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Just like the last few years I visited the annual Battle of the Bulge remembrance in Bastogne with my buddy Tim...

Hey Alex, you represented the MLU community very well!
I wish I go there one day too!

Originally Posted by Richard Farrant

Hi Alex,
The Cromwell (actually a Charioteer converted back) has only recently moved to Belgium from England, a friend of mine transported it over. Good to see it running on the road.

Richard, it's a great chance to see these rare vehicles running, and Alex was very lucky!
The only surviving example of the type in Greece, is rotting at the (open) Tank Museum. (2nd photo). There was a plan to get that tank back to road, some years ago, but nothing have done and the programme went to the drawer once again..

[Alex van de Wetering]

Kostas,

Very interesting pic! Are those M113 tracks and sprockets? I guess that's pure cosmetic conversion, or was it a working modification?


Alex

[Haridimos]

You are absolutely right Alex! I congratulate you!

The Cromwell/Centaur at our Museum has M113 tracks for an unknown reason to me, baybe because the tank's sprocket wheels could run only the narrow (14 inch) track, and whithout having a good pair of the original in reasonable condition, they put the IFV track in place of the factory ones.

kostas