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Photos of Wigan
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Wiganers on Holiday

36 Comments

An extremely cold morning in Belgium.
An extremely cold morning in Belgium.
Photo: . Ozymandias .
Views: 2,991
Item #: 29153
Somewhere in the vicinity of railway wood, not too far from Ypres. March 1982. In an ultimately futile attempt to coax ' Adolf's Revenge ' into life, Maurice Hall ( standing ) and Bob Grundy attempt the somewhat unorthodox procedure of lighting a propane camping stove under the sump of the vehicle in order to thin the engine oil out a bit, as the photographer maintains a respectful distance with a bucket of sand at the ready.

Comment by: AP on 4th March 2017 at 12:25

I'm glad you explained that. For a moment, I thought you had captured Bob in prayer to that great god 'Propane'!

Comment by: Julie on 4th March 2017 at 16:34

Hi Ozy, Can I respectfully ask. What did you do , arrive at these places ,
negotiate at vehicle at a village , then head into the sunset , taking and accepting what came your way? I ask this after your previous post , having a woodbine.
Sounds exciting and care free (is that one word?). If this was the case, not
suggesting it was, but bet you have quite a few stories of your adventures.

Comment by: Howard P on 4th March 2017 at 18:11

Never in my life seen that done before, I know I never will. Unconventional and bizarre. I mean, why stop there??

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 4th March 2017 at 18:23

Hi Julie, the vehicles we travelled in usually belonged to Mr. Grundy, but as they were in the main, shall we say, pre-loved, almost to the point of being clapped out, there was rarely a dull moment, as witnessed by the above scene. But yes, we just pointed them and went. And again yes, we did experience a few interesting moments.


Regards. Ozy.

Comment by: Alan on 4th March 2017 at 18:59

A tin of engine start sprayed in the air intake makes more sense surely. The weather don't look too bad? not much frost about.

Comment by: Veronica B on 4th March 2017 at 20:04

I believe Railway Wood marks the site where 12 soldiers -eight Royal Engineers of the 177 Tunnelling Company and 4 Infantry were killed whilst tunnelling under the hill near Hooge during the defense of Ypres. The men were trapped underground and their bodies were never recovered. After the war a memorial was erected on the hill. The area is a Cemetry. Would I be correct Ozy?

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 4th March 2017 at 20:46

I'm no expert on the First World War Veronica, Mr. Grundy's your man for that, I was merely along for the ride, but yes, you are correct and that would have been one of several reasons why we would have been in that particular area. Visiting battle sites in March makes good sense, before everything gets covered in greenery.

Comment by: Julie on 4th March 2017 at 20:58

Thanks Ozy, Mr Grundy sounds a very interesting chap!

Comment by: Stu on 5th March 2017 at 04:20

The car trouble in just a stunt for the camera.

Comment by: irene roberts on 5th March 2017 at 12:01

I know Mr. Grundy well, and he certainly IS an interesting chap, and in the early 1970s my husband Peter joined Ozy's Gang on trips to France. Peter and I went to The Somme with Bob and his wife in 1974 and I remember us driving through sleepy French villages with locals standing by the road, and Bob shouting through the car window, "Can yer hear me, Mother?" a la George Formby to bewildered stares! It was certainly an experience! Whenever we broke down, (no change there, then!), or wanted to camp in a farmer's field for the night, I was called upon with my schoolgirl French, and we got through. Heady days when we were in our twenties!

Comment by: Veronica B on 5th March 2017 at 20:04

Sounds great what you all did Irene. Much better than a set tour around the battlefields which I did ..although I did enjoy it even if stopped in my tracks at the sadness of it all.

Comment by: Phil on 5th March 2017 at 23:21

This car was only 5 years old in 1982, it must have had a hard life!

Comment by: AP on 6th March 2017 at 00:13

Could have been imported, and not new when first UK registered. Even if RH drive, some of the German manufacturers did supply such to UK servicemen in Germany. I had a VW, which had previously been a NATO car, and had a very misleadingly up to date UK reg number.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 6th March 2017 at 09:09

No day too long for these lads, whatever the weather. I like the rusticity of it all ... French fields, farmouses, a wide-ranging compass, thinking on the go ... .

Comment by: Alan on 6th March 2017 at 20:33

Phil if it was serviced by these two or three men, I can understand why it's broke down. I mean a propane camping stove under the sump lol.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 6th March 2017 at 22:10

I'll wager the team got the vaccine through, Alan.

Comment by: Alan on 7th March 2017 at 18:23

Ha ha Phil Gormless.

Comment by: Philip Gormley. on 7th March 2017 at 21:06

My confidence in this trio of skilled hands having reached their destination grows even stronger ... £20 Win Porthos-Athos-Aramis, please.

Comment by: Howard P on 8th March 2017 at 09:18

Skilled hands trying to start the engine with a CAMPING STOVE UNDER THE SUMP!!! the most sensible thing to do is to set fire the complete car or pay for a garage to look at it, incompetent is the word, but 10/10 for trying. Lol.

Comment by: Veronica B on 8th March 2017 at 09:28

You can guarantee Alan pouring scorn on the lads! I don't suppose he was ever young- must have been born an old codger. Nop matter that the photos are treasured memories from long ago when we were all young and a bit daft! Why not send some of your photos Alan?

Comment by: irene roberts on 8th March 2017 at 10:46

Well said, Veronica!

Comment by: Alan on 8th March 2017 at 11:03

These fellows don't look young Veronica, but it all depends how old you are LOL.

Comment by: AP on 8th March 2017 at 11:10

Was he really trying to warm the sump oil, or is it a diesel engine suffering from waxing of the diesel occurring at low temperature?

(A recreation of the Stalingrad syndrome! Well, it is Mr G.)

Comment by: Veronica B on 8th March 2017 at 11:52

I'm younger than you apparently ....and young at heart you old duffer!

Comment by: Alan on 8th March 2017 at 14:24

Cheers Veronica only joking!

Comment by: Veronica B on 8th March 2017 at 17:33

Thats very noble of you Alan.....I'll let you off !

Comment by: Veronica B on 9th March 2017 at 10:06

Alan ...I've still got all my own teeth as well !!!! :0 ))

Comment by: Garry on 9th March 2017 at 15:00

Veronica...I'm as old as my tongue but younger then my teeth.x

Comment by: Veronica B on 9th March 2017 at 15:50

Thats an old saying Garry! :-))

Comment by: Garry on 9th March 2017 at 16:01

That's because I am old..lol.

Comment by: Alan on 9th March 2017 at 22:09

Garry you sound old...he he.

Comment by: Rev David Long on 10th March 2017 at 09:35

Nurse... am I in the right ward?

Comment by: Veronica B on 10th March 2017 at 13:43

Be careful Rev it might be Nurse Ratched .....we'll all be carted off!

Comment by: irene roberts on 10th March 2017 at 19:37

Veronica, I feel I've found a kindred spirit.....you're as daft as me!

Comment by: Veronica B on 10th March 2017 at 22:36

Older and madder Irene!

Comment by: Garry on 11th March 2017 at 15:14

Irene and Veronica make me smile!

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