1st Hussars and Holy Roller & Perry Kitson

[Ed Storey]

Originally Posted by maple_leaf_eh

Let's rejoice in the small victories with Holy Roller. A) She is back on display, B) people know her name and recall the tagline part of her story, C) public institutions like Fanshawe College threw their weight behind the project, and D) Holy Roller has had some of the TLC she's been missing over the years. Sure, everyone would have done it differently but complaining here didn't seem to change much after the project was underway.

Terry, frankly I am not sure there is anything to rejoice about. Good money, 8000 hours and original parts were needlessly wasted on a four-year project only to return the vehicle back outside were it will once again be ravaged by the elements and as we have just seen, also vandalized. I suspect the average person in London has no idea what Holy Roller is, unless of course they know something about the current vandalism charges. It is great that Fanshawe College threw their weight behind the project; but judging from the minimal amount of internet content, no-one seemed interested to document their work. From what I have read, there appeared to be more interest in some coins found in the hull then in the tank itself.

I agree that complaining on this forum did not change anything although I suspect that the posted comments are known within the project team.

Too bad really, as four years ago the team started with the clean slate and could have achieved something more then just returning the tank back to the park. Sadly, no-one could see past the same ol' play-book of sticking military vehicles in a park.

[Ed Storey]

That was Legion Magazine's title not mine in their July/August Artifacts story about Holy Roller. Apparently I am one of the people who just does not understand how spending $227,928, providing 8000 hours of work and completely replacing the original wartime running gear and tracks for a new set and then plunking the tank back out in a park to continue to be ravaged by the weather is somehow a cost effective and pratical way to encourage rememberance. It was news to me that the original wartime track was turned into 60 iron models, I wonder who they went to?

Too bad the gatekeepers of this artifact were too wrapped up in their own hubris to see beyond the trees in the park to envision the value of placing this historic vehicle on some form of permanent indoor display. Mind you, what can you expect from people who think that preservation is replacing the original tracks and running gear and then turning them into models.

The Little Tank That Could.jpg

[tankbarrell]

As well as stripping out much of the original interior and throwing it all in a skip.

[tankbarrell]

8000 hours. I restored my Sherman from a range wreck to fully restored, including rebuilding the engine in a little over half that.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by tankbarrell

8000 hours. I restored my Sherman from a range wreck to fully restored, including rebuilding the engine in a little over half that.

Compare the result of 8,000 hours of work spent on CT152655 (left) and a little over half that on Adrian's T-146309 (right, and follow this link):

6B271B65-1097-4C19-8C8B-A9DE631127D6.jpeg gunners_position.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

See these interior scans of Holy Roller:

http://fanshawetv.ca/holy-roller

[Ed Storey]

More like what is left of the interior after 'restoration and preservation'. Heartwrenching to see the butchery that was done in the name of preserving history.

[Bob Carriere]

Did you ever take a peek inside the Churchill bridging tank at the CDN war museum????

It has been gutted......totally....... engine, ramp firing mechanism, seats, fire fighting extinguisher system, bins, engine bulk head, external fording air and exhaust extensions, etc......... and "they" claim that was the condition it was in when they got it.... no parts saved in the warehouse..... you would think the complete power pack of the flat 12 cyl. Bedford engine could have been saved and displayed on a stand!!!!..BS

I have pictures of all the inside when it was found in Kemptville....... along with a twin brother....... and I was there when it was moved to the Annex on Sussex and dumped in the late Friday afternoon traffic on Sussex Street.

I did save one of the track links that was laying around ......also there were the heavy 3 inch armoured cables used to fire the rockets and extra girders to hold the front ramps partly erect.....and boxes of heavy bolts. The second Churchill tank was cut up for scrap the following Spring along with the whole scrap yard.........but that was the yard owner's prerogative.

Sweet memories ......... Early Winter 72/73

[Perry Kitson]

I have been around this project for a number of years, and after reading through the posts, I feel more correct information needs to be put forward.

Estimates were submitted to the Regiment for preservation ($60K to $70K), this included crane, trucking, sandblasting, painting, wheel and track replacement as well as properly removing the interior to be stored for possible use for a future restoration of the tank.
The estimate for restoration to running (not including rebuilding the fighting compartment) was $120K to $130K. This would obviously include rebuilding the entire drive train as well as radiators and electrical system.

The project was quickly taken over by individuals who did not want to see this machine restored to running. Interviews were done throwing out ridiculous sums of money said to be needed for the project. All BS.

Fanshawe College, Militex, General Dynamics, Facca Fasteners, Fastenal, Roestenberg Welding, Xtreme Metal Worx, and Industrial Tire, Rho Can Machine, here in London, in the end supplied all paint, sandblasting, fasteners, steel, some fabricating/machining, perishable tooling, gases, welding consumables and abrasives, work space and some transportation.