1st Hussars and Holy Roller & Perry Kitson

[James P]

And another piece of Canadian wartime history that deserves better treatment then what it is subjected to currently.

https://www.mapleleafup.nl/cmpvehicl..._vi_recce.html

[Perry Kitson]

I have sat back and kept my mouth shut about this project, but it is now at a fork in the road where either the project managers and city can be convinced to do the right thing and restore this historic machine, or condemn it to the fate now chosen for it. I have not been given the opportunity to plead the case for restoration to the city or project managers. If you want to see a better outcome for this tank, please call/email the city of London and the project managers to voice your opinion.
https://www.holyrollermemorial.ca/

[Stewart Loy]

Originally Posted by Perry Kitson

If you want to see a better outcome for this tank, please call/email the city of London and the project managers to voice your opinion. https://www.holyrollermemorial.ca/

Perry,

I went to the website and voiced my support for a better fate for this significant piece of armour.

It deserves better than a new paint job and rusting in place.

Thanks for your efforts.


Stewart

[Ed Storey]

The tank certainly deserves a better place, but the question is, where should it go?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Is there any more information to determine if the money being spent matches the effort being expended? Is it a $250,000 paint job?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I agree that ideally, for long term preservation, it should be brought undercover. However, a tank sitting outside as part of a memorial has a function and a certain attraction. The same sort of debate is ongoing about the Sherman V at Westkapelle.

Talking from experience (though that is dated), a budget of CAD 250k and volunteer labour should enable a full restoration to running order. A cosmetic / static restoration costs far less as worn out bearings, road wheels, springs, tracks can be (re-)used and engine(s) and other interior components can be left out.

[David Dunlop]

Hanno.

You raise an interesting point regarding vehicles as War Memorials. There are two Shermans in Winnipeg I am aware of serving this purpose and one in a small town northwest of Winnipeg. Of the two here in town, one is outside a Federal Government Armoury and the other a Canadian Legion.

The ‘Federal’ one, last I was near it many years ago, had been ‘sanitized’ of any possible exterior parts and fittings that could possibly cause injury to anyone climbing over it. Federal Bean Counters do not like Law Suits. By contrast, the Legion Sherman retains most, if not all of its original fittings.

What would really be interesting, however, would be putting both under video coverage for one full year to see how many people actually interact with both of them. My thought would be very, very few would even acknowledge their existence and even fewer would take the time to actually walk up to it to read any informative plaque, touch it, or take a picture. People simply do not care anymore for these things sitting quietly decaying.

Now take those same vehicles away somewhere indoors and fully restore them to operating condition and on special occasions, fire it up and drive it about so people can actually see what they are capable of in action, what they sound like and how they sound and smell, and you will have people of all ages lined up for hours to learn more about it.

You will get that kind of response from virtually ANY run of the mill Sherman, but if you were dealing with actual wartime survivors like Holy Roller, or Bomb, with the traceable stories of crew members that actually worked, lived, laughed and were scared silly in combat in those two tanks, you have a direct link in time and history that is invaluable beyond measure. Sadly however, the bureaucrats that own these vehicles today are too busy saying, ‘Look what we’ve got!’ They simply do not See what they have on hand.

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Is there any more information to determine if the money being spent matches the effort being expended? Is it a $250,000 paint job?

Compared with the €1,000,000 budget for the restoration of the Tiger tank at Vimoutiers, the Canadian quote sounds like a steal…

“Vimoutiers. Un million d'euros pour restaurer le char Tigre”
https://actu.fr/normandie/vimoutiers..._45432774.html

6FE0BDF2-5BC5-4BEF-AE92-A3AACA7C3778.jpg

[maple_leaf_eh]

Last week I was buying for my neighbourhood 'skeptic tank' meeting of likeminded gents, and look what I found!

[GaryC]

Originally Posted by Perry Kitson

I have sat back and kept my mouth shut about this project, but it is now at a fork in the road where either the project managers and city can be convinced to do the right thing and restore this historic machine, or condemn it to the fate now chosen for it. I have not been given the opportunity to plead the case for restoration to the city or project managers. If you want to see a better outcome for this tank, please call/email the city of London and the project managers to voice your opinion.
https://www.holyrollermemorial.ca/

I'm going to echo what Perry has stated. Action not words.