Monuments & Guards

[CINDERS]

Another nice memorial in a wheatbelt town, part II to follow.

In the plaque picture never noticed the battle damage to the gun shield at @ 1 o'clock and the barrel cover can see it at 3 o'clock just in view looks like a rifle rounds & something a bit bigger penetrated the barrel cover.

[Flying10uk]

As I understand it following WW1 a number of towns across the UK were "given a tank" as a memorial to the fallen. I know that at least one town still has their tank, Ashford, but am not sure if any of the others have survived.

Ashford - Tank WW1 | War Imperial War Museums

[browningautorifle]

As I understand it following WW1 a number of towns across the UK were "given a tank"

All we got was usually an MG'08. I was privy to seeing a pair about 30 years back still standing freely unanchored in a small Alberta town. I went back some time later and they had walked off...after 60 years of standing there.

[CINDERS]

Bit more of the wheatbelt town Moora (More - a )


So I did a quick bit of math's on the 1914 - 1918 plaque;

There were from this district 433 enlistments (Remember this is a rural farming community not a city) of these enlistments 62 were KIA representing a 14.31% death rate among the group.

14.31% may not be a large % but to a farming community the impact on the farms was keenly felt as we are talking a generational father to son for the farm not saying city's did not suffer but rural areas felt the costs far more.

I'll never lose sight of this fact having worked on the land as a farmhand dairy and broad acre wheat & sheep for some years after Agricultural College.

If you use the magnify action you get better view of the pictures.
Cheers,
CINDERS

[browningautorifle]

a generational father to son

Leaving no man to take over the farm later...

[42rocker]

Thanks

Later 42rocker

[Sapper740]

All we got was usually an MG'08. I was privy to seeing a pair about 30 years back still standing freely unanchored in a small Alberta town. I went back some time later and they had walked off...after 60 years of standing there.

I had a MG '08 mit schlitten unt ruckstarkverstarker back in the day. It was in good condition so probably not one of the many that were purloined.

[browningautorifle]

It was in good condition

Lots came back as war trophies, there was a complete MG08 named and marked to the 10th Calgary owned by a guy in Wainwright for instance. Nice piece.

[CINDERS]

Camp night at a small place called Watheroo (Wath - er - roo) it was packed as it is wildflower season in our state right now.
So all the sites were full at the pub but no probs we went up one end of the car park and set up there.
Of note in the night pic the tree on the left had a bull ants nest my wife (in pic) was not to worried about them although I don't think she has been bitten by one I have!
Our bullant can deliver a very nasty bite and sting and swarm attack when disturbed, they will chase you and can jump!
(The lump on the back of my hand from ones sting took 3 months to go down.)
We left them alone as one friend suggested because 2 of us were going to give them a dose of diesel but in fairness live and let live none of us were bitten but had a few close squeeks.

The DARCHE camper we have on the back of our 4 x 4, these are the top of the line as the Kings brand can at times have condensation issues.
Ours has the fly but the added feature of folding the cab end fly back and unzipping the top cover for a sky light for the stars, the window hoods are down in the pic as we were packing up got the billy on but. (Held open by 2 flexible rods usually)
The windows also have an internal stormy weather sheet that can be closed on the inside of the bug mesh along with the windows outer cover dogged down.
Entry has a storm cover and storm flap as well the mesh on all openings is of a size that even midges cannot get through it, I have installed 2 x 1m LED light strips in there for night reading.
Takes about 10 minutes to set up and about 15 to pack up with 2 people it is mounted flush with the roof line so as not to get up in the airflow plus keeps the CG low but the ute still rolls a little more than standard.

Anyone in West Au going to Watheroo I highly recommend their food was bloody scrumptious they have powered sites/share ablutions and self contained units as well.

[Simon P]

This is the Large monument opposite our house in Italy, the smaller one is in the neighbouring Village of Atina. The larger one does has some bomb damage and the rear has been machine gunned when the village was occupied by the Germans

The One in Atina is made from a bomb casing & is in memory of the Civilian's killed there.

It wasnt just the monastery that was bombed, all the surrounding villages near Monte Cassino suffered the same fate.