IMPS
WAR AND PEACE GO TO THE LORD MAYOR'S SHOW...
For anyone who knows Rex Cadman well, this story will come as no surprise.
About a month ago I stuck my head round the office door, "we need
something for the low loader", I could see Rex thinking more money.
As I was about to leave, cheque in hand Rex decided to inform me that
we would be taking part in the Lord Mayor's Show Procession in November.
When? I asked, as Rex fumbled on his desk for the letter he had received
from the Sharpshooters Yeomanry Association representative, a man by
the name of Eric Cornish.
'Here
we go,' I thought, 'another weekend about to be lost on behalf of Imps
and War and Peace…' If we are going to do the Lord Mayor's Show,
the truck needs a whole heap of work. Well, I suppose this is the excuse
we needed to get it all done, so with that Rex detailed Steve to strip
back the trailer and repaint it in a new colour scheme, dark blue. Mudge
welded handrails around the neck of the trailer to stop the Veterans
toppling off if I made a sudden movement. I prepared a list of all the
jobs I thought needed to be carried out and with that the team got stuck
in. Old and damaged deck timbers were removed and new wood let in, new
marker lights all round. We took off all the wheels, repainted the rims
and overhauled the brakes. After the first week the trailer was about
ready, then Rex wanted chrome wheel nuts fitted all round to finish
off the job. With this done a quick trip to the Hop Farm one evening
to collect the Sherman Firefly; back up to the tank, drop the ramps,
hook on the winch and start loading. 2 hours later and the tank is half
on half off, and by this time Ashley Elliott, Rex and I are hooking
on another military vehicle to drag the Sherman the rest of the way
up onto the trailer. An hour later and still no joy, so finally we gave
up and the following morning found me back at the Hop Farm at 6.30 a.m.
in the daylight. I found that the winch cable had jammed, after a quick
adjustment I appeared from under the truck to find Brent pacing up and
down looking at his watch. 30 minutes later I was loaded and on my way
out just before the public came in.
Back
at base, it was time for the truck to enter the workshop. Rex had decided
to go for a complete colour change. A new stainless steel bumper. Rod
had bent one of the doors a couple of years ago so it was off with the
doors, pull out the dents and start welding. Mudge set to plating over
the rear chassis and making up new side panels giving the truck a new
aerodynamic look!! Steve started to prepare the cab whilst I got the
grotty job of jacking up the truck and removing all the wheels. Tony
who also works in the workshop then got the job of cleaning these and
preparing them for painting. From start to finish all four of us were
on the truck for 2 weeks.
The
deadline was 1p.m. Friday the 9th of November. Rex was away at the Hop
Farm all day and upon his return at about 6.00 p.m. we were still feverishly
working away on the truck bolting on all those last minute bits.
In
the meantime Rex had organised a sign writer to come down to the workshops
to mark up the Sherman Firefly in the markings of a Firefly from Villers
Bocage as used by the "Sharpshooters".
By
7 p.m. the truck was ready to pull out of the workshop with at least
another week's work to finish it ahead of us, but still looking good.
I connected back onto the trailer and left the yard and headed up to
The Rectory where we were then going to give it one final wash down
and polish prior to heading off at 6 a.m. the next morning.
Armed
with a cup of tea and the help of Trevor I started. For a truck that
was fresh out of the workshop, it was 10.30 p.m. that night by the time
I had finished.
5.50
a.m. on the 10-11-01 Rex and I headed out for London. I had Rex polishing
the inside of the cab as I drove, and at 7.30 a.m., just before the
Blackwall Tunnel, we met Taz to pick up a set of speakers that Terry
Elliott had organised. Through the Tunnel and a quick left and round
the corner to meet Terry… Rex had arranged with Terry to set up
a music system on the deck of the low loader for the benefit of the
Veterans and the crowds. Terry, looking resplendent in his WW11 British
tankers suit, was a fitting addition to the outfit. We arrived at London
Wall to take our place amongst all the other floats and with a little
bit of juggling we settled into our allocated slot No. 63.
As
Terry started to set up his music, I had Rex on his knees tyre blacking
all the tyres on the truck. For all those who have ever longed to see
Rex on his knees, it was a true treat!,Terry kept popping his head round
the corner to check Rex was not shirking…
By
10.00 a.m. the Veterans had started to arrive; some of these guys had
seen action in Villers Bocage. We had a book on the subject in the cab,
which brought out the old stories and they loved the Sherman in its
wartime markings.
Back
at the workshop we had made an aluminium step that dropped onto the
outriggers on either side of the trailer and a short three tread set
of steps. With the assistance of a couple of soldiers from today's Yeomanry,
the Veterans were seen safely up onto the neck of the low loader, about
a dozen in all. The parade started off slowly as it always does with
each float slowly jostling into its allotted procession space; we had
to fit in behind six Land Rovers running side by side representing today's
Yeomanry. As befitting all squaddies, this group had come appropriately
armed with super soakers and an endless supply of water. Rex and I had
trouble spotting a dry Policeman throughout the entire five-mile route.
In fairness to most of the coppers, 95% took it in good fun - I am sure
the remaining 5% are booking every military Land Rover in sight.
As
we came past the Mansion House in front of the Lord Mayor and his Dignitaries
to the sounds of Glen Miller wafting from the Sherman the standard bearer
dipped his flag as the Lord Mayor raised his hat to the cheers of the
crowd. A few minutes later we received our first phone call in the truck
to tell us how magnificent it looked. It was the best turn out we had
seen, the weather was first class, my Mum and Dad had come up to see
the Show and as I spotted them in the crowd they got an extra big wave.
Finally we stopped for the lunch break outside Australia House facing
back down towards the law courts. Rex spotted all the horse drawn carriages
parked up so he hotfooted over to take pictures.
Sarah wanted a photo of the Lord Mayor's carriage and as I made my way
down towards where it was parked I found myself being accosted by two
military police people who wanted to know what regiment I was in as
they thought I looked "scruffy". What me, in my best Barmy
Army camo trousers, trainers and truck driver's fluorescent yellow waterproof
jacket. Anyway after a bit of explaining the fashion police decided
I was far too smart to be in the army and let me on my way.
On
returning to the truck I found Terry and Rex tucking into glasses of
bucks fizz (champagne and orange juice) and bags of grub, before I knew
it they had a squirrel's nest of grub bags on the top bunk of the truck,
of which Rex and my Sarah ate most of it. After an hour's lunch break
the procession moved off again. The first thing I had to do was a 90
degree turn and yes, you guessed it, the truck would not fit, the side
of the Sherman wanted to take out the traffic lights, and on the ground
was an army representative whose job it was to see things like this
did not happen. Three shunts latter and we were still not going to fit
finely I made the decision to swing wide and go around the other side
of the island where our army chap said we would not fit. One swing and
we were through. "Funny, that", said the army chap "I
came through the right side this week with a 70' wagon, no problem,"
Rex commented "7 ˝ tonner more like…". For the
next hour we wound our way back to London Wall enjoying the return route
as much as we had the outward route.
At
London Wall it was veterans off, quick thank you and away. Armed police
were everywhere and a security alert was in progress. The whole parade
probably only lasted 3 hours and for this four of us had worked solidly
for 3 weeks. We used gallons of paint, boxes of D.A. pads, gallons of
degreaser. I had taken off 24 wheels, helped clean these and refit them
using 240 nuts. I then fitted 240 chrome nut covers and 6 stainless
steel wheel trims. Mudge built a new stainless steel bumper that takes
two to lift. The list of modifications and alternations is too long
to go through except to say it cost a fortune. In fairness to Rex and
Rod they spent several thousand pounds making sure the I.M.P.S. and
War and Peace was looking the part for a dozen veterans in this years
Lord Mayor's Show and for that alone maybe it is time to start saying
thank you to all the military vehicle collectors who turn out for events
like this at their own expense for the benefit of others.
Paul Shea
Barmy Army
