Churchill Tank Memorial Convoy With the British To Baron sur Odon

Fancy Dan and Helen Dennis and their friends, Michael, Emile, and Ross Prince all turning up at Etreham today.

Sometimes it's afterwards things seem to fall into place and you realize the significance of the event to some people.

HOOKY'S TRUCK "LOADS-A-GRUNT"

Four of our trucks convoyed with the British MVT to Baron sur Odon, and we broke down outside it's town hall. Dale had said he didn't know what to make of the Dodge wrecker owned by Hooky (Mike John) of the Gloucester MVT club. It was a Korean war truck ambulance which had been converted to a wrecker, but when it was summoned to "retrieve" us from the road, it was a " beauty."

Everyone went to work on it and it turned out to be "frosty" points again.

The convoy was led by a Daimler Dingo (owned by Leslie Thacker of Surrey), which depicts a geboa or desert rat, from the 7th Armoured Division which was the favouorite of Field Marshal Montgomery. The Dingo was one of 80 sold to the Biafran Government in 1960. This one broke down whilst being loaded and was returned to the REME workshops, and was left behind!

It was fantastically organised and co-ordinated, and went the hour long journey without breaking or incident. Three outriders on motorbikes did a splendid job, moving ahead to junctions and holding the traffic back to allow for the convoy to process through. They included father and son team, Edward and Simon Bromley, John, and Susie Johnson.

This is a delightful event which takes place on each 5th D Day anniversary between the British and French twinned cities of Baron sur Odon and Chittlehampton. Winning Hill 112, just outside the village was a major strategic victory for the British and an impressive monument featuring a restored Churchill tank together with a battlefield map stands out as a great reminder.

The placement of the Churchill was the brainchild of MVT member Albert Fig and among others, 2,000 pounds was donated by the MVT to the project which was in readiness for the 60th D Day anniversary.

The MVT solemmnises the event by the laying of wreaths on the tank and respecting a minutes silence.

Members of Chittlehampton and locals greet the convoy, enjoy light refreshments, then pile on board the assembled vehicles to convoy to the monument and back again.

This year Richard Jones (Sargent Major) who was enlisted in the British Army from 1939-1945 was again present to lay the wreath to fallen soldiers, and Peter Burne Vice President of the MVT laid another for fallen citizens.

Having the Dodge there for the first time made the event particularly significant to Dan Major (looking resplendent in his officer's uniform) and his family and friends. They are members of the Solvent chapter of the MVT which is mentioned on the dedication plaque.

When we left the convoy with John Hedges to find fuel, we took Mark Hervey's phone number in case we needed help with the Yankee Joe. We went straight back to Bayeux. We thank the MVT members who were concerned about our late arrival back in camp and were considering trying to find us. We thought we'd left the convoy, but should've reported our intention to stay in Bayeux for the evening.