Geoff Winnington-Ball

Sounds like an excellent idea, especially for our Yurrupeen friends! I've pinned this topic and will keep monitoring same. Let's see where this goes!

Try the Mount Gay rum... closest thing I can figger to WW2 SRD rum, and actually quite good, especially in tea (read Blackburn for reference)...

I don't have direct access to the war diaries of the Strathconas so can't comment directly, but I also don't believe the Achilles' were ever used in action, and I don't know what happened to them (transferred to the ROKs perhaps?). The M4A3E8 Shermans were drawn from new USMC stocks, repainted as necessary (or desirable) and given 25 Brigade and Strathcona markings. In some cases the US census numbers were painted out, in others they were left on. At the conclusion of the war the tanks were given back to the US, presumably for disposal (again, perhaps to the ROKs?).

I never knew this man but I've known those who have, and he was a fine gentleman. May he Rest In Peace. BTW, for those of you unfamiliar with him, check out Lovat's piper in The Longest Day. He was every bit that man.

Tomas, you need one of these for work... http://www.wimp.com/cannonfiring/

Only brown, on their trousers.

(1) Your inability to remember anything coherently is a sign of creeping old age. Welcome to the club! (2) Aside from tiers of sandbags or lengths of hardwood lumber, no. There are simply too many vulnerable points on a Sherman chassis to really waste the time trying to up-armour them.

BTW, just out of curiosity, what exactly does the F-35 offer that the F-22 didn't? From what little I know, the F-22 was farther along in development, so why cancel that project and throw money into a newer, unproven one?

I know the Danes had them, not sure about the Portuguese although I wouldn't be surprised.

I can't see them EVER getting closer than about 15,000 ft off the hard deck, so no real worries. For the low-level stuff we'll still depend on the Yanks...

We got rather good at that after so many years of defence cuts, so there.

IMPORTANT We are down to a month to go from certain deadlines with regard to the I&I, and not much has happened. We only have 14 rooms reserved and six takers for the SSBN [several more pending]. We fear this will go as most I&I with a final flurry of decisions and arrivals, and so forth. Problem is, there are some lead times imposed on several events that will not flex with last minute arrivals. Our local team has firmed up the schedule for Ft Lewis and McChord visit of 10 September, with all sites having agreed to host us, but some of the hours still to be confirmed. As for now, we will do the following: 10 Sept: 0715 depart hotel 0800 arrive McChord AFB gate 0830-1000 tour aircraft restoration hangar [PBY-5A and C-130E] and outdoor aircraft display. 1015-1130 to Ft Lewis, Stryker Reception Facility 1130-1300 4-6th Air Cavalry Squadron 1300-1430 Washington State ANG training pool facility: view legacy heavy AFVs: tanks, IFVs etc. 1430-end/exhaustion: Museums at Ft Lewis, Camp Murray and McChord AFB. Deadlines are approaching! You need to confirm your hotel reservations, sign up for the 9 September SSBN tour and if a foreign visitor, sign up for base access for the 10 September events. So, if you think there is any chance you might want to show up and take the SSBN tour on 9 September, please give us the data soonest. we are allowed to turn in 35 names NLT 26 August, and whereas we can delete no-shows, it will be impossible to add on new shows after we turn the list in on that day. We would like to have any and all names soonest. In case we have more than 35 names for the tour, we will come back to those who asked for the tour but have not yet made reservations for rooms, and ask for your final decision. But for now, please give us the data so we can get the ball rolling. What is required is last name, first name, title[if desired], citizenship [uS only of course] and last four of the SSN, for you and any person accompanying you on the SSBN. Send to any of our three local arrangers by PM or e-mail, and make sure they confirm! The reason for this is that you will be badged individually before entering the base and boarding the boat. We assume they also do a background check on us, watch lists and all that. They are very strict in this and other matters, let there be no doubt! BTW, the deadline for reserving the group rate and rooms at the I&I HQ hotel is 20 August! To date 15 rooms are taken, including one by King Sargent that we have not had the heart to cancel. We can obtain more, but nothing is guaranteed after 20 August. For the 10 September tours on board the army and air bases, our foreign members need to provide the following data to any of our three local arrangers by 20 August, in order to meet the base requirement of five working days minimum for processing: full name, nationality, birth date and place, passport/ID number. That is all. Please advise your intentions soonest on the I&I thread in the FFZ.

IMPORTANT We are down to a month to go from certain deadlines with regard to the I&I, and not much has happened. We only have 14 rooms reserved and six takers for the SSBN [several more pending]. We fear this will go as most I&I with a final flurry of decisions and arrivals, and so forth. Problem is, there are some lead times imposed on several events that will not flex with last minute arrivals. Our local team has firmed up the schedule for Ft Lewis and McChord visit of 10 September, with all sites having agreed to host us, but some of the hours still to be confirmed. As for now, we will do the following: 10 Sept: 0715 depart hotel 0800 arrive McChord AFB gate 0830-1000 tour aircraft restoration hangar [PBY-5A and C-130E] and outdoor aircraft display. 1015-1130 to Ft Lewis, Stryker Reception Facility 1130-1300 4-6th Air Cavalry Squadron 1300-1430 Washington State ANG training pool facility: view legacy heavy AFVs: tanks, IFVs etc. 1430-end/exhaustion: Museums at Ft Lewis, Camp Murray and McChord AFB. Deadlines are approaching! You need to confirm your hotel reservations, sign up for the 9 September SSBN tour and if a foreign visitor, sign up for base access for the 10 September events. So, if you think there is any chance you might want to show up and take the SSBN tour on 9 September, please give us the data soonest. we are allowed to turn in 35 names NLT 26 August, and whereas we can delete no-shows, it will be impossible to add on new shows after we turn the list in on that day. We would like to have any and all names soonest. In case we have more than 35 names for the tour, we will come back to those who asked for the tour but have not yet made reservations for rooms, and ask for your final decision. But for now, please give us the data so we can get the ball rolling. What is required is last name, first name, title[if desired], citizenship [uS only of course] and last four of the SSN, for you and any person accompanying you on the SSBN. Send to any of our three local arrangers by PM or e-mail, and make sure they confirm! The reason for this is that you will be badged individually before entering the base and boarding the boat. We assume they also do a background check on us, watch lists and all that. They are very strict in this and other matters, let there be no doubt! BTW, the deadline for reserving the group rate and rooms at the I&I HQ hotel is 20 August! To date 15 rooms are taken, including one by King Sargent that we have not had the heart to cancel. We can obtain more, but nothing is guaranteed after 20 August. For the 10 September tours on board the army and air bases, our foreign members need to provide the following data to any of our three local arrangers by 20 August, in order to meet the base requirement of five working days minimum for processing: full name, nationality, birth date and place, passport/ID number. That is all. Please advise your intentions soonest on the I&I thread in the FFZ.

IMPORTANT We are down to a month to go from certain deadlines with regard to the I&I, and not much has happened. We only have 14 rooms reserved and six takers for the SSBN [several more pending]. We fear this will go as most I&I with a final flurry of decisions and arrivals, and so forth. Problem is, there are some lead times imposed on several events that will not flex with last minute arrivals. Our local team has firmed up the schedule for Ft Lewis and McChord visit of 10 September, with all sites having agreed to host us, but some of the hours still to be confirmed. As for now, we will do the following: 10 Sept: 0715 depart hotel 0800 arrive McChord AFB gate 0830-1000 tour aircraft restoration hangar [PBY-5A and C-130E] and outdoor aircraft display. 1015-1130 to Ft Lewis, Stryker Reception Facility 1130-1300 4-6th Air Cavalry Squadron 1300-1430 Washington State ANG training pool facility: view legacy heavy AFVs: tanks, IFVs etc. 1430-end/exhaustion: Museums at Ft Lewis, Camp Murray and McChord AFB. Deadlines are approaching! You need to confirm your hotel reservations, sign up for the 9 September SSBN tour and if a foreign visitor, sign up for base access for the 10 September events. So, if you think there is any chance you might want to show up and take the SSBN tour on 9 September, please give us the data soonest. we are allowed to turn in 35 names NLT 26 August, and whereas we can delete no-shows, it will be impossible to add on new shows after we turn the list in on that day. We would like to have any and all names soonest. In case we have more than 35 names for the tour, we will come back to those who asked for the tour but have not yet made reservations for rooms, and ask for your final decision. But for now, please give us the data so we can get the ball rolling. What is required is last name, first name, title[if desired], citizenship [uS only of course] and last four of the SSN, for you and any person accompanying you on the SSBN. Send to any of our three local arrangers by PM or e-mail, and make sure they confirm! The reason for this is that you will be badged individually before entering the base and boarding the boat. We assume they also do a background check on us, watch lists and all that. They are very strict in this and other matters, let there be no doubt! BTW, the deadline for reserving the group rate and rooms at the I&I HQ hotel is 20 August! To date 15 rooms are taken, including one by King Sargent that we have not had the heart to cancel. We can obtain more, but nothing is guaranteed after 20 August. For the 10 September tours on board the army and air bases, our foreign members need to provide the following data to any of our three local arrangers by 20 August, in order to meet the base requirement of five working days minimum for processing: full name, nationality, birth date and place, passport/ID number. That is all. Please advise your intentions soonest on the I&I thread in the FFZ.

IMPORTANT We are down to a month to go from certain deadlines with regard to the I&I, and not much has happened. We only have 14 rooms reserved and six takers for the SSBN [several more pending]. We fear this will go as most I&I with a final flurry of decisions and arrivals, and so forth. Problem is, there are some lead times imposed on several events that will not flex with last minute arrivals. Our local team has firmed up the schedule for Ft Lewis and McChord visit of 10 September, with all sites having agreed to host us, but some of the hours still to be confirmed. As for now, we will do the following: 10 Sept: 0715 depart hotel 0800 arrive McChord AFB gate 0830-1000 tour aircraft restoration hangar [PBY-5A and C-130E] and outdoor aircraft display. 1015-1130 to Ft Lewis, Stryker Reception Facility 1130-1300 4-6th Air Cavalry Squadron 1300-1430 Washington State ANG training pool facility: view legacy heavy AFVs: tanks, IFVs etc. 1430-end/exhaustion: Museums at Ft Lewis, Camp Murray and McChord AFB. Deadlines are approaching! You need to confirm your hotel reservations, sign up for the 9 September SSBN tour and if a foreign visitor, sign up for base access for the 10 September events. So, if you think there is any chance you might want to show up and take the SSBN tour on 9 September, please give us the data soonest. we are allowed to turn in 35 names NLT 26 August, and whereas we can delete no-shows, it will be impossible to add on new shows after we turn the list in on that day. We would like to have any and all names soonest. In case we have more than 35 names for the tour, we will come back to those who asked for the tour but have not yet made reservations for rooms, and ask for your final decision. But for now, please give us the data so we can get the ball rolling. What is required is last name, first name, title[if desired], citizenship [uS only of course] and last four of the SSN, for you and any person accompanying you on the SSBN. Send to any of our three local arrangers by PM or e-mail, and make sure they confirm! The reason for this is that you will be badged individually before entering the base and boarding the boat. We assume they also do a background check on us, watch lists and all that. They are very strict in this and other matters, let there be no doubt! BTW, the deadline for reserving the group rate and rooms at the I&I HQ hotel is 20 August! To date 15 rooms are taken, including one by King Sargent that we have not had the heart to cancel. We can obtain more, but nothing is guaranteed after 20 August. For the 10 September tours on board the army and air bases, our foreign members need to provide the following data to any of our three local arrangers by 20 August, in order to meet the base requirement of five working days minimum for processing: full name, nationality, birth date and place, passport/ID number. That is all. Please advise your intentions soonest on the I&I thread in the FFZ.