Greece to Normandy Convoy '09

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Lang

Bev and I were there in 1989 also that's why I chose it as a stop - you are right about it being a pretty place. We had a GMC Workshop body. We did a fair bit of travelling in company with Herman Pfauter in his Ward Lafrance wrecker. (Herman is meeting us in Ancona, Italy to tag along to Normandy in his US Navy painted Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton 4X4).

Lang,

Sounds like our paths have crossed longer ago than I realised ! I do know of Herman and he often comes to Beltring with his grey Chev 1 1/2t.

All the best wishes for your journey, not too long to go now, see you at Etreham no doubt.

[Lang]

We have just confirmed our meeting up with the Italian Military Vehicle Club who will join and guide us from Ancona about 250km through the hills to their base at Scarperia just north of Florence.

This will please the Kiwis no end as it will follow the route of the New Zealand Division as they attacked the Gustav Line and took Florence.

Lang

[Lang]

We have 4 days to go before flying to Istanbul to meet the mob (I have not actually met everyone on the expedition yet).

A number of people are doing blogs for everyone to follow, I am sure when reading them you will wonder if we are on the same trip!

As I get the addresses I will put them up here on MLU but in the meantime, Bev and I have rehashed our old web site :

www.next-horizon.org

This will have regular updates and photos. Hopefully the ones next week are not of drama and a saga about us slashing our wrists on the dock in Istanbul trying to deal with Turkish customs.

Lang

[jim sewell]

What is the availability of spare parts either NOS or second hand in Europe , ( Turkey, Greece , Italy and France) for WW 2 vehicles that we will be using on the Gallipoli to Normandy run . Vehicles that are participating are Chevs , Fords, Dodges, Studebaker, Jeeps and a Harley D. Some of the Chevs have 1950's motors fitted ie 235's .
Were any Chev trucks imported into Europe after the war as in the 1950's ?

It would be handy to know of any sources that maybe available in case of emergencies .
Thanks
Regards
Jim S
C15 Wireless Van

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

SO.... the Big Question - who's going along to document this marvelous enterprise? Lang, I do so hope you left some room for our Keefy on this - he's rather good at it, y'know!

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball

SO.... the Big Question - who's going along to document this marvelous enterprise? Lang, I do so hope you left some room for our Keefy on this - he's rather good at it, y'know!

Geoff, both myself and a producer went to great lengths to pitch this to TV networks here last year and they couldn't have been less interested.

It frankly disappoints me how complete crap is funded for television while interesting and significant events such as this are ignored. And it's not as though the organisers and crew are amateurs either.

[Lang]

Jif,

Keith did his best but as he said, hit brick walls.

We have a few HD and SD cameras with us and if we shoot a million hours there might be something mixed with original historic footage that can be done.

Making movies is the last priority so I suppose we will see what we have at the end - at least something to bore the grandkids with.

Lang