centurion part 4 foto

[mickyb]

Hi FV, that is perfect....out of stock.... but perfect.

I will wait till they are back in stock, so many thanks for your advice here.

Mike

[fv432]

pleasure mike cant wait to see that cent in the flesh its all i can do

[nickmow]

Got a bit of a soft spot for the centurion. Heres why

Me Dad, around 1958 with the 15/19th Royal Hussars. He was a Fitter Turner with the REME L.A.D. Currently sorting through my parents house and finding a few photos here and there including. Centurions. Conquerer and few others, mostly of him and his mates drinking lots of beer . Not much of a reference photo, I know but I hope it helps.

[fv432]

that is brilliant nick any pics are good

[mickyb]

Hi Nick,

The foto is great as it gives me a bit more info for my build.

The fotos normally seen are a bit staged, but this one is obviously a snapsot of a shiny Cent in a normal situation. I see the spare track segment on the front and the spare wheel behind the turret, plus there is no "basket" behind the turret on this one. So all new info for me.

My Dad was a Staff Sergeant in the R.E.M.E. too. He served during the war mainly in the middle east, India, Burma and Malaya. He told me some horrid stories. One time he told me about having to go out in the dead of night to tow back a couple of damaged tanks. They had to hose them out before any work could be done inside the vehicle.... a piece of shrapnel rattling around inside the tank would just pulverise all the crew.... how horrid for all concerned. Immagine knowing the crew in the tank, then seeing them in this way. It is no wonder that men just went off their head with stress or battle fatigue whatever it was called.

Mike

[nickmow]

Ive got more to come but unfortunatly left them up north at parents house. I think they are from around the same day which, If I remember the story was the visit of HRH Princess Margret the then Colonel In Chief of the regiment. Dad did used to relay how she enjoyed a sherry or two after the parade and had to be "assissted" back to the place she was staying. Of course one would never comment in public about such royal indescressions. He also used to reckon that a tin of powdered mashed potato was the same size as the bore of the gun and with a blank charge could be .....well you can imagine the rest . I will gladly post them once I have them.

[mickyb]

Thanks Nick,

I love the stories. Sadly I lost my Dad 30 years ago and miss him and his stories a great deal. These fotos bring to life some past experiences and they should never be forgotten by us.

Although the war must have been the most awful experience for anyone to endure, I often think of the wonderful places my Dad visited and photographed all because of the war. At the age of 20, my Dad travelled Europe and the middle East at the taxpayers expence he used to say. I think that the light heartedness of the stories he and his brothers used to tell had a lot to do with the fact that all 6 brothers come home without a scratch.

The "band of brothers" Beasley.....
Harry drove a bren gun carrier/ammo vehicle
Ted was a lorry driver
Sid was a driver for E.N.S.A.( and told the best stories such as the drivers competing to nick the most expensive car available so that they got to drive the biggest "star" to forces shows.)
George was a Desert Rat and then went up through Italy
Ernie, My dad, was in REME in Middle East
Regie, Dads twin, spent most of his war in Europe or in trouble with the Red -Caps....always one eh.
Dads Brother in law Reg was a tank driver in Europe.

I have a London Stratford Evening News paper article that states that all of them were in trouble because they all got drunk and nicked a Jeep in France. It was amazing that the whole lot of them were in the same place at the same time , even Dad, who was home on leave but managed to get involved somehow. They all had some part in D day, and I suppose they were naughty and told each other what they were doing, where and when, so they arranged to go awol, meet up and have a ball.

While thay were "having a ball" in Europe, their Mum's house was bombed in Stratford and my Mum's house was bombed in Liverpool the same weekend..... Adolf's payback.

Me.... I was in the Scouts.....

Mike

[nickmow]

Oh mate, Im sure they where a bunch of lads worthy of a pint down the pub. Yep miss my old Dad too, he was an arch modeller of both RC Gliders and scale working steam engines. Would be most usefull to have the old bugger around these days as he could machine up pretty much anything (granted it would take months to get round to it). Im sure he would be fascinated to distraction by your Cent' and I wouldnt be surprised if he would of said, "can we go and see it" LOL. I will be proud to supply all the pics I can for you, be couple of weeks at least before I head back up North to contine the sorting of the house. Thanks for sharing your stories Mike made me proper smile.
Nick

[mickyb]

Hi Nick

many thanks for the reply, Dads are very special aren't they.

I would be very greatful for info, particularly regimental markings. I have quite a few fotos of the tank from some terific blokes on here who have gone out and photographed gate guardians and museum pieces for me, but what I don't have is a tank showing regimental markings etc.
If you have any pictures, particularly those showing markings I would love to see them.

Have a great week,

Mike

[LongGoneJohn]

Cant decide which is more inspiring, the build or the stories. Fantastic build, how or where did you get your scale measurements?