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info@cobbatoncombat.co.uk phone 01769 540740
last change 14/02/2008
Feb 2008
I seem to have neglected updating this page for some time, I guess too much to do, and too little time.
It is a time of change here, with the Seddon Atkinson and trailer sold. The Crane Fruehauf trailer has gone to Vienna to go behind a Federal tractor unit, and the Seddon is going to a local collector. As yet we are undecided as to what sort of transporter to replace it with. After being towed out of the mud at a few shows, the idea of a 4x4 or 6x4 with a Hiab seems attractive. After the Health & Safety ban on kids climbing on our M4A1 Sherman it has seemed a bit of a waste to let it just stand there, so right or wrong, we have decided to attempt a restoration job on it ! I know it will turn out to be much more of a job than we hope, but with the rising values of Sherman's something must be done with it. We have started buying some of the major components we will need, and possibly when the ground is dry and hard later this year we may try to get it off the play area.
Back in November Tim had a few days with Land Rovers, filming for Dr Who. He also took a selection of our prize stock (or junk ) depending on one's viewpoint to the November Malvern. We also had a stall at Stoneleigh Militaria 2009. I am not sure if it is the potential sales or the social aspect of these events which is most important ? It certainly is nice to meet up with friends old and new.
Those of us who own de-activated guns, again seem in danger of becoming the Government's target in the fight against gun crime. All of us want to see an end to gun crime, but penalising owners of de-activated guns would not seem to be the greatest priority. This government do not seem to recognise the difference between legally de-activated and Home Office certified guns owned by collectors, and live guns, illegally imported into the country, by criminals, for use by criminals.
Thanks to the website and the wonders of our Streamline card terminal, during the winter months we do sell quite a bit, but with the half term school holidays starting we are now seeing a few visitors coming out of hibernation, and very welcome they are too.
We have fixed the date for our VJ Weekend this year, and it will be August 16th and 17th. Again all military vehicles and displays are welcome, and hopefully we will manage to raise some funds for the local Burma Star Veterans.
Hopefully I will manage to get to some shows this year, but what vehicles to take will have to be decided when a few more decisions regarding transport are sorted.
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Our VJ Weekend August 18/19th 2007
Like so many events this year, the rain had a detrimental effect on the weekend. With a poor forecast, which was actually on the optimistic side, quite a few exhibitors did not leave home. After a season of being rained on, who can blame them ! However we still had a decent mix of vehicles and displays, with old faithfulls and a few new faces. Being hardy Dartmoor folk, the Cheesman’s as usual were travelling in their Ford GPW without side screens.
We had two very smart Ferrets, and Dave Smale from Dinscott provided a tracked presence with his immaculate CVRT. It almost seemed a shame to see the mud spraying up over it as he left. Shane Lock and Abbie had their Bedford OY, and the Small family left their Humbers at home and brought their K2 Ambulance. Motorbikes by BSA, Norton and James were present.
The Land Rover family were well represented, and one must assume that Graham Holding, with his new toy, an Officer’s Land Rover Carawagon, sees himself as potential officer material !
Brian and Chris Perry brought along the sweet little pre war 37mm Bofors Anti Tank gun which we had previously de-activated for them. Ralph Daniel’s Kubel was in our workshop, where Tim had been fitting a new exhaust system, so we persuaded Ralph to take it out in the rain, for a spot of posing with the 37mm. It certainly looked a very pretty little combination. Ralph now wants a gun like that !
We had an excellent display of firearms, and a first for us was the Burma based display of “The Forgotten Tommies”, very much in keeping with out VJ theme. Our First War Tommy was heard muttering about getting trench foot, and one stall tent collapsed and died during the stormy night, just another typical 2007 show.
The wartime British spirit showed through however, and visitors in the museum drowned out the roar of the rain on the roof and sang along with Arthur Cook and Leslie in their ENSA persona as “Blitz and Peaces”.
However, the real star of the event was Rob Miller’s 36 feet of tent, giving shelter for the Burma Veterans and some stall holders by day, and keeping the barbecue revellers dry on Saturday night.
Thanks to everyone who turned up, we still managed to raise some funds for the Burma veterans.
JULY 2007
The Seddon with our fresh trailer had it's first outing taking the Daimler Armoured Car to the Household Cavalry Parade on Horse Guards Parade on June 12th . This was the first outing for our recently acquired Daimler A/C, and it needed much more work than the new silencer and quick respray we planned. One of the exhaust manifolds was broken, and a carburettor was leaking petrol onto the break. At last two carb overhaul kits were sourced, then just when we were faced with a very difficult welding repair on the broken manifold, I almost literally tripped over one I had forgotten I had ! Tim said the Daimler performed well, and he was”commanded” by Tim Richardson in the turret. Also in the parade was our last Daimler A/C which I had recently sold to Paul Hannon
Suffering from some virus, I had to miss the MVT Kemble Show, so the first show I got to was the MVT Buckfastleigh War on the Line weekend, and that was just the Saturday. Dai Reese and I travelled down in time to start cooking breakfasts at 07.00.
Rob Miller and I attended Beltring with the C9B and Rob's C8 AT. Rain and mud may be good for the atmosphere at Glastonbury, but it does nothing for a military vehicle show. With mud everywhere, and collapsing bridges, we were towed off site by a WW2 Mack Recovery owned by Lucas, one of the Dutch group we were camping with.
A last minute plug for our event this weekend.
Cobbaton Combat Collection
Military Vehicle Trust Devon, VJ Weekend
August 18 /19 2007
Saturday and Sunday, August 18th & 19th
Military vehicles and Living History, plus stalls.
10 am till 5 pm.
JUNE 2007
Well, after almost a year's preparation, the Willys finally went to Norway with Denny Thompson's Tour. It's only problem was a bit of trouble with the dynamo regulator, which was overcome. The biggest humbug was the fact that the week before departure I did my back, so could not get into the thing, let alone drive it, so Tim had to take my place. I understand they had a most interesting trip. I hear talk of another in 2010, so I must try to keep fit for that one !
Cobbaton Combat Collection
Military Vehicle Trust Devon, VJ Weekend
August 18 /19 2007
Saturday and Sunday, August 18th & 19th
Military vehicles and Living History, plus stalls.
10 am till 5 pm.
Cobbaton Combat Collection, in conjunction with the Devon Area of the Military Vehicle Trust, are again organising a gathering of enthusiasts and collectors to commemorate VJ Day, and show gratitude to the “the forgotten army”, the men and women of the Burma Campaign.
A laid back gathering of enthusiasts and collectors, with displays of military vehicles and equipment, re-enactors from various periods WW1 onwards, and militaria stalls. Local Members of the Burma Star Association should be present. All profits to local Burma Star Veterans.
The Collection will be open as usual.
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APRIL 2007
Easter is upon us, with some very pleasant weather. The Willys is still being worked on, fuel problems, exhaust problems, one day I should get to the end of the problems, hopefully in time for Norway !
The 17 Pdr is now looking very good in a new coat of paint, after a going over with the needle gun.
We have bought a fresh tandem axle trailer for the Seddon Atkinson artic. There are a few jobs to do on it, including fitting a winch, but it should look very good, and will certainly give us a lot more carrying ability.
FEB 2007
Half Term holidays are upon us, and a welcome start to the 2007 season. It certainly is nice to have some visitors coming in. We have been busy since the end of the season proper last October, with much time spent working on the Willys MB Jeep we acquired last year. At last I think we have got it ready for the road, with a new steering box, overhauled gearbox and transfer box, new master cylinder, ampmeter, oil pressure gauge, complete exhaust system, a rear prop shaft universal joint, hand brake cable, and innumerable smaller items. At the end of May I am booked to take it on a trip to Norway organised by Denny Thompson, so I hope we have got it right.
The 17 Pdr has also had a lot of attention, and now most seized parts have been freed up. After getting the last few of the larger parts of the trail moving it will just remain to needle gun off the rust, prime and paint. It has been quite a relief to find how complete the gun is, as finding parts for it would be very difficult.
Today the Diamond T 975A left us for Suffolk, following an exchange deal with a collector there.
JULY 2006.
Below is a Press Release I sent out when our Irish Ford MkVI Armoured Car went back to Ireland. I could have saved my time as not one of the local papers or TV stations did anything with it ! I think most local papers are more interested in making a half page spread about the latest foal / goat kid / baby rabbit / fluffy chicks / baby lamb / etc etc born on some local animal park. And guess what ? They don't know what to call it ! Could readers please write in with suggestions ?
Getting newspaper coverage for something which could remind people of the human cost of the “freedom” we now enjoy is difficult. The big anniversaries of VE Day, VJ Day etc. they all print special souvenir supplements, but to cover what I think is a newsworthy story, but without some gimic or touchy feely angle, nobody wants to know.
That is my Grumpy Old Man bit over !
An ongoing reminder for our VJ event;
Following our successful 2005 August VJ Weekend held in conjunction with the Devon Area of the Military Vehicle Trust it was decided to run it again in 2006, on August 19th and 20th. The local North Devon Branch of the Burma Star Association have decided that due to the advancing age of all their members, they will close down the Branch on August 15th (VJ Day). However, as many as possible will still attend our event, and as last year, entry to the VJ event will be free, but there will be the opportunity to make a donation towards their welfare fund. Sadly, time is running out on these opportunities to thank the last of the “Forgotten Army”. The collection will be open as usual over the weekend.
Second World War Irish Armoured Car goes home.
In the early nineteen seventies, Preston Isaac, an agricultural contractor from Cobbaton, near Barnstaple, added to his growing collection of military vehicles with the purchase of an armoured car of unknown origin.
Research found it to be an Irish Ford Mk VI Armoured Car built in 1941. It was one of 4 remaining from a batch of 28 built in Ireland in 1941, on imported American truck chassis. In 1961, eleven of these vehicles were airlifted to the Congo as the armoured part of the Irish UN contingent. The Armoured Cars had been slightly modified to cope with the change to operating in the tropics, and amazingly considering the age of the vehicles, in 1964 six of them were still running and handed over to the Congolese Army.
Possibly to everyone’s surprise, the Fords had acquitted themselves exceptionally well, due to the bravery and skill of the crews. However, full credit must go to the Army mechanics, whose amazing feats kept these aged vehicles running, and in conditions so different from their homeland.
In 1981 Preston opened the Cobbaton Combat Collection, near Chittlehampton, to put on show to the public the result of his lifetimes hoarding. It has now been open for 25 years and as is the way with compulsive collectors, it is still growing.
The Ford was the subject of a detailed write up in a reference book on Irish Army Vehicles by Karl Martin, but has always been a core “not for sale” part of the collection. When approached recently by the National Museum of Ireland looking to borrow or buy the Ford, the answer was “no“. The Ford was wanted for a new museum complex in Dublin, as a major part of a display to cover the Irish involvement in the Congo operations, and after some thought, it began to look logical for it to go “back home”.
The offer of a 1942 British 17Pdr Anti Tank gun, sold to the Irish Army after the war, as an exchange for the Ford, meant Cobbaton Combat Collection would have a replacement with Irish connections. The 17 Pdr was the ultimate British A/T gun of WW2, but now a very rare piece in private ownership in the UK. This gun will fit in well with the other pieces of WW2 artillery at Cobbaton.
The Morris C9B went to the MVT show at Exbury Gardens, and the National MVT show at Kemble. The White Scout Car is booked to go to the MVT Buckfastleigh weekend July 8th & 9th, and later in July the C9B should be out again for Beltring.
IF YOU DON'T SEE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR...
Phone us on 01769 540740 Fax us on 01769 540141
e-mail us at sales@cobbatoncombat.co.uk
Visit our website at www.cobbatoncombat.co.uk
Or visit the collection and shop at Cobbaton, Chittlehampton,
Umberleigh, North Devon, EX37 9RZ.