Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Humble beginnings...
Interesting offspring.
Unimog. Accept no substitute.
Interesting offspring.
Unimog. Accept no substitute.
Picture of the day
- Thread starter jwhc
- Start date
Donny Fenn1
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- East Kootenays
Cool and sad. I have a few friends and their parents from Rhodesia. Zimbabwe is not mentioned in friendly conversation.
Humble beginnings...
Interesting offspring.
Unimog. Accept no substitute.
I believe that the UNIMOG was conceived as a versatile farm vehicle that could be dragooned into military service. The Norwegians had a similar vehicle and arrangement.
When I spent some time with the Finnish Army I was surprised to see that they were using standard John Deere farm tractors to move troops and supplies thru narrow and swampy bush roads. It seemed to work pretty good for them.
I had two young air cadets I trained years ago that were born in Rhodesia, there dad was a major who died in some skirmish. It was always a interesting time explaining to HQ weenies that yes the birth certificates were real and yes it was a country at one time. Good kids they had a better understanding of things then most Canadian kids.
One of my cousins and her husband were successful farmers in Rhodesia until they were forced to leave with nothing but their suitcases. To bad, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe was once a breadbasket for Africa. Now they can't feed themselves.
One of my cousins and her husband were successful farmers in Rhodesia until they were forced to leave with nothing but their suitcases. To bad, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe was once a breadbasket for Africa. Now they can't feed themselves.
Yeah. Pay back's a #####, ain't it?
Kampfhamster
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Switzerland
They can't be young. Rhodesia is gone since the early 80's.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
Man, he loved that bike:
And that really was an amazingly good movie. Dunno how many times I've watched it. If you ever get the chance to see it on a big screen, it's unlikely you'll forget it.
"...for I am a river to my people!"
Anthony Quinn was so believeable that he was run off set once. They thought he was there to pilfer stuff. Or so the story goes. Here's the original Auda ibu Tayi:
Lawrence on the man himself:
And that really was an amazingly good movie. Dunno how many times I've watched it. If you ever get the chance to see it on a big screen, it's unlikely you'll forget it.
"...for I am a river to my people!"
Anthony Quinn was so believeable that he was run off set once. They thought he was there to pilfer stuff. Or so the story goes. Here's the original Auda ibu Tayi:
Lawrence on the man himself:
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I am still not sure just how "accidental" Lawrence's demise was.
I have read several accounts and they make me think that he was sideswiped by that black car which then raced ahead, turned into the Base..... and then could not be found.
It becomes even more suspicious when you know that Lawrence was supposed to go to London to confer with some folks there. They wanted him to go to Germany. Britain's Number 1 War Hero turning up in Germany certainly would attract attention from the higher-ups in the NSDAP..... and quite likely a dinner invitation from Mr. Hitler. The folks in London wanted an answer to one question: can Hitler be trusted? Lawrence had a peculiar gift with people: he knew instinctively and instantly just how far anyone could be trusted. Motive for murder?
As well, I have personal experience (lots of it) on a motorcycle with handling characteristics similar to that of the Brough SS-100..... just a lot less horsepower. I have even walked away after writing-off a Ford pickup with a wartime Harley. Lawrence was an expert rider; with a motorcycle of that class he would have had only a tiny chance of the thing going out of control. Far more likely is a collision which forced him off the road.
There s a very full exploration of the "accident" in Philip Knightley's book. When the book came out I wrote my ideas to Knightley; he replied that in his opinion, my reconstruction likely is correct.
If it WAS deliberate, only a very small circle would have known about it. The King, himself a sick man, sent his own doctor to attempt to help Lawrence. On the day of the funeral, the King did not attend (Kings cannot mourn commoners) but he sent just about the rest of the Royal Family, then went into his gun room, took out the rifle which Lawrence had give to him -- the rifle Lawrence used through the Desert Campaign -- cleaned it personally, called an equerry and had the rifle taken to the Imperial War Museum where it remains to this day. The King said that Colonel Lawrence's rifle was "too important for any one man to possess; it belongs to the Nation". I strongly doubt these words would have been spoken had the King known of a murder plot against a man whom he regarded as a Friend.
The rifle is still in the IWM, in a glass case, on public view. It is just an old SMLE which was taken at Kut, engraved as an official Turkish war trophy, then more engraving added along with a bunch of gold inlay into the steel. It was a gift from the Sultan to the Emir of Mecca. The Emir gave it to his son, the Sherif..... who gave it to Lawrence....... who gave it to HM King George V.
Just another old Lee-Enfield. Right.
I have read several accounts and they make me think that he was sideswiped by that black car which then raced ahead, turned into the Base..... and then could not be found.
It becomes even more suspicious when you know that Lawrence was supposed to go to London to confer with some folks there. They wanted him to go to Germany. Britain's Number 1 War Hero turning up in Germany certainly would attract attention from the higher-ups in the NSDAP..... and quite likely a dinner invitation from Mr. Hitler. The folks in London wanted an answer to one question: can Hitler be trusted? Lawrence had a peculiar gift with people: he knew instinctively and instantly just how far anyone could be trusted. Motive for murder?
As well, I have personal experience (lots of it) on a motorcycle with handling characteristics similar to that of the Brough SS-100..... just a lot less horsepower. I have even walked away after writing-off a Ford pickup with a wartime Harley. Lawrence was an expert rider; with a motorcycle of that class he would have had only a tiny chance of the thing going out of control. Far more likely is a collision which forced him off the road.
There s a very full exploration of the "accident" in Philip Knightley's book. When the book came out I wrote my ideas to Knightley; he replied that in his opinion, my reconstruction likely is correct.
If it WAS deliberate, only a very small circle would have known about it. The King, himself a sick man, sent his own doctor to attempt to help Lawrence. On the day of the funeral, the King did not attend (Kings cannot mourn commoners) but he sent just about the rest of the Royal Family, then went into his gun room, took out the rifle which Lawrence had give to him -- the rifle Lawrence used through the Desert Campaign -- cleaned it personally, called an equerry and had the rifle taken to the Imperial War Museum where it remains to this day. The King said that Colonel Lawrence's rifle was "too important for any one man to possess; it belongs to the Nation". I strongly doubt these words would have been spoken had the King known of a murder plot against a man whom he regarded as a Friend.
The rifle is still in the IWM, in a glass case, on public view. It is just an old SMLE which was taken at Kut, engraved as an official Turkish war trophy, then more engraving added along with a bunch of gold inlay into the steel. It was a gift from the Sultan to the Emir of Mecca. The Emir gave it to his son, the Sherif..... who gave it to Lawrence....... who gave it to HM King George V.
Just another old Lee-Enfield. Right.
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http://karolb.com/products/leather-ammo-lawrence-of-arabia-lee-enfield-303-bandolier.html I didn't know anyone makes them until I looked for it.
Google "lee enfield ammo leather bandolier" for a lot more hits with pictures but only this one offers repro bandolier afaik.
Somewhat related-what did Anthony Queen do during WW2?I see some films done during it but nothing in official biography.
Dark Alley Dan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Darkest Edmonton
According to Wikipedia, he wasn't a naturalized citizen until 1947, so that might have been an impediment to his serving in the military. Or not. But he did do his part by attempting to repoplulate the United States singlehandedly. Something like 11 kids with four different women, the old dog.
++++++++++++++++++++
What's wrong with this Wellington?
It's not actually a Wellington. It's a Vickers Warwick. Same basic ideas in play, same Barnes Wallis design genius, but in a bigger package. Largest twin-engine design the English operated during WW2. Mostly used as coastal recce and air-sea rescue.
Here carrying an air-droppable lifeboat:
And here with Centaurus engines. Good looking bird.
846 built total in many marks. An unsung airplane that did good work.
++++++++++++++++++++
What's wrong with this Wellington?
It's not actually a Wellington. It's a Vickers Warwick. Same basic ideas in play, same Barnes Wallis design genius, but in a bigger package. Largest twin-engine design the English operated during WW2. Mostly used as coastal recce and air-sea rescue.
Here carrying an air-droppable lifeboat:
And here with Centaurus engines. Good looking bird.
846 built total in many marks. An unsung airplane that did good work.
