Can we ask everyone to keep an eye out for the following items stolen
along with others from one of our members lockups, in what had to be a
very organized operation. I would imagine that they are no longer in the
UK but you never know.
The following items were taken:
2 x WILLY'S MB still in original packing cases, All the normal
stencilling on the outside but also they had 'for disposal' stencilled
on the cases in red paint. This part of the theft is especially annoying
and if it wasn't illegal there would be a price on the thief's head!
SMITH GUN & LIMBER: Easily recognisable due to the missing concave wheel
on the gun and the fact that the limber has had a wire mesh cage fitted
to it. Limber is painted a reddish colour, gun is painted a lightish
green colour and serial numbered 342
M3A1 TURRET: Missing half its gun barrel and camouflaged in a sand
coloured paint, faded from the years in the desert before it was
recovered. The barrel is easily identified as it was obviously cut in
half by a hit from an AP round. It also has the strike marks from a
further two rounds on the left side of the turret.
M1 75 MM GUN BARREL: From a Lee/Grant/Sherman and in a long wooden
packing case with some very faded stencilling on the outside. Barrel
number is believed to be 120057 and has a metal plate welded into the
barrel about 4" from the muzzle as well as a hole drilled into it near
the breech end.
BESA AMMUNITION BELTS: about 20 of them in good condition, all of them
have the reddish-brown canvas strip and not the later plain canvas.
CASE OF ENGINE SPARES: . Case is an old army engine crate [still with
internal engine mounts] with 'blacked out' details and suitable for
moving by a forklift. One sling attachment is missing on a side. spares
are for Guy Ant 15cwt, Bedford OX/OY/MW, WOT and Fordson 3t
12pdr COAST DEFENCE GUN MOUNTING: Easily recognisable as its brand new
having just been replicated by the gun group - not even painted just
bare metal and two months work gone for a ball of chalk.......
DUMMY 3.7" GUN BARREL: perfect replica in Aluminium except that it has
no bore just a short drilled muzzle and a long drilled breech end that
accepts a 3.7" drill round.
SHELL CASES: A number of shell cases including 2pdr, 25pdr, 88mm, 3"
American, 3" British.
They seemed to know exactly what they wanted as they left similar stuff
behind. We assume they were operating to a collectors want list. AND if
they are reading this and were just opportunists then the Goliath and
its trailer were worth more than the rest of the stuff you took!
A Very Annoyed
Jim
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http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/simonides
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