The annual 'Tankfest' took place over the weekend of 26 & 27 June, 2010. I was pleased to be invited to the Sunday event - otherwise my absence for a whole weekend and the cost of the 530 mile round trip would have been hard to justify to wife and daughters.
Let there be no doubt, Bovington has long been the best tank museum in the world - hence its title: 'The Tank Museum'. And however often you visit, there always seems to be something new. It is a delight to see the collection so well preserved. There are limits, of course. Some of the First World War tanks can barely support their own weight, let alone ever again be driven. But much of the collection remains mobile: oiled, fueled, ready to go. I recall an ex-Army friend entering the museum, inhaling deeply, and announcing, 'Ahh... the smell of tank sheds!'
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| The show begins - Bovington Historian David Fletcher adding commentary from the viewing tower. |
Research confirms that most visitors do not know one tank from another. On a wet summer day, do they keep the children amused by seeing tanks or visiting Monkey World just up the road? So it makes excellent sense to preserve the most rare 'runners' for special occasions. Like Tankfest. Then, the discriminating audience is treated to the sight and sound (and smell, and dust!) of all our favourites.
And we all have our favourites. Many gravitate to the famous Tiger I. Personally, I am at least as much impressed by the sight of an immaculate Jagdpanther strutting its stuff. My guest on the day, David Schofield, confessed to a particular interest in the SU100. If pressed, I would say I was most pleased by the sight of the A11, Infantry Tank Mark I, 'Matilda'. Not only in good running order, but surrounded by a group of 1940 reenactment enthusiasts, delighted to have been given a 'real' 1940 tank to enhance their display.
PLEASE NOTE: Among other photos taken that day are a series of 'inside and out' shots, which will appear in the 'puzzles' section of my website.
People have had a lot to say about Paddy, at his funeral on Friday 9 July; also in a long obituary in The Times that same day. My abiding memories of him will be his enormous generosity and his fabulous sense of humour. Also, my first meeting with him. Sitting in the kitchen of this distinguished historian, sketching out my ideas for what was to be my first published book, I found him treating me as an equal. This was of course deeply flattering, but also the best encouragement I could have been given to carry on with the task.
