Spooky

[DRC]

My father served in North Africa during WW2, first with the RAF and then attached to the Austrailian 1st. He was present during both seiges of Trobuk and fought all over Africa before fighting up through the toe of Italy. He was decorated twice, wounded in action twice and reported killed in action before finally being located alive in Southampton in 1947 but that's another story. My father died in September 2008, today, January 9th was his birthday.

He talked little about what he did and where he went but over the years I learned some of his war. He often talked about a little captured light Italian tank that they had found in the desert and how his mate and he would drive all over in it at night and bury it before dawn to keep cool and to avoid the attention of allied aircraft. He described how as they were by then with the Austrailians and regarded themselves as Austrailian they painted the tank with kangaroos as no Italian or German would think of doing such a thing! He said that went he left that tiny tank on the queyside to enbark for Sicily he nearly cried as he loved that machine so much.

75 years later. Sumer 2015.

I saw one of those Atlas collection adverts, a 1/72 German Tiger tank for £1.50. I subscibed and then you know what one of those subscriptions are like? Harder to get rid of then a sexual transmitted desease!!!

So last wqeek I wrote a strongly worded letter saying I didn't want any more of the damned things! Imagine my horror when yet another dropped throught my letter box this morning (9th January - my father's birthday).

I opened the package and saw a tiny tank with a white kangaroo painted on the side, a Fiat M13/40. Used and abandoned in the western desert by the Italians and then used by the Austrailians... in short my dad's tank!

Spooky!

[ALPHA]

DARN TOOTIN THAT'S SPOOKY ....Kinda fun as well ....cause if you think about it...someone is looking over you


ALPHA

[tao]

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/i ... M13-40.php

[dgsselkirk]

Thanks for the great story DRC. And yes, that is a wonderful coincidence! Perhaps Dad just wanted you to especially remember this one...

[tao]

Yes that is a cool story!! Thanks for sharing