Kim and Theo have long celebrated their freedom from the tyranny of WW 2, along with many others in their country. It has been 75 years since they re-gained their freedom, and they do not forget who it was who set them free. For decades the people of the Netherlands and other Western European countries have lovingly tended the gravesites of those who fell in combat so that they could be free...
Kim and Theo have had their WW 2 vehicles out on parade, celebrating events in their country recently. Here is what they had to say, along with some pictures that they had promised me.
"Hi Ray, As promised here are some pictures of recent events. We decided to take the GMC to both Overloon and Tilburg. The GMC however decided otherwise…
When we were about to take off to Overloon, we discovered a leaking fuel line (the flexible hose between chassis lines and fuel pump). So we took the Jeep instead. Tilburg was two weeks later, so we had time to fix the problem and were able to take the GMC there.
Both events were very nice, with lots of people who came to the parades to remember 75 years of freedom.
Overloon is special because of the harsh fighting that was necessary to liberate (and eventually almost completely destroy…) the little town. Both our vehicles are marked 7th AD and that is historically correct for Overloon. The Battle for Overloon (operation Aintree) was initiated by the US 7th Armored Division and concluded by the British (Coldstream Guards and South Lancashire). The sunny pictures are from Overloon.
Tilburg is a special place to us because half of our roots lie in that city. 7th AD is not historically correct for this occasion, as Tilburg was liberated by the Scottish troops and by the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade. That unit was formed by Dutch men who had been able to escape to England and was named by Queen Wilhelmina after her granddaughter that was born just before the war. Of the Tilburg remembrance we only have a few pictures, as the weather was a little more grey and we didn’t have the time to take a lot of pictures. That day was mostly consumed by driving from 7 am until 17 pm In Tilburg we were accompanied by a young man who brought a folding bike and needed transport during the first part of the day, when we went from Tilburg to Goirle, Riel and Gilze-Rijen and then back to Tilburg for the parade through the center of the city. He rode his folding bike during the parade (probably drove the whole parade twice or maybe even three times, as he was circling the slow moving vehicles…) His outfit was entirely correct, as he was dressed as a Scottish soldier.
Now, the weather is becoming more cold and wet so there is more time to spend in the garage. Time to take off the steering wheel to make sure the indicator functions flawlessly in both directions!
All the best, Kim and Theo"
Here are the pix!
Kim and Theo have had their WW 2 vehicles out on parade, celebrating events in their country recently. Here is what they had to say, along with some pictures that they had promised me.
"Hi Ray, As promised here are some pictures of recent events. We decided to take the GMC to both Overloon and Tilburg. The GMC however decided otherwise…
When we were about to take off to Overloon, we discovered a leaking fuel line (the flexible hose between chassis lines and fuel pump). So we took the Jeep instead. Tilburg was two weeks later, so we had time to fix the problem and were able to take the GMC there.
Both events were very nice, with lots of people who came to the parades to remember 75 years of freedom.
Overloon is special because of the harsh fighting that was necessary to liberate (and eventually almost completely destroy…) the little town. Both our vehicles are marked 7th AD and that is historically correct for Overloon. The Battle for Overloon (operation Aintree) was initiated by the US 7th Armored Division and concluded by the British (Coldstream Guards and South Lancashire). The sunny pictures are from Overloon.
Tilburg is a special place to us because half of our roots lie in that city. 7th AD is not historically correct for this occasion, as Tilburg was liberated by the Scottish troops and by the Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade. That unit was formed by Dutch men who had been able to escape to England and was named by Queen Wilhelmina after her granddaughter that was born just before the war. Of the Tilburg remembrance we only have a few pictures, as the weather was a little more grey and we didn’t have the time to take a lot of pictures. That day was mostly consumed by driving from 7 am until 17 pm In Tilburg we were accompanied by a young man who brought a folding bike and needed transport during the first part of the day, when we went from Tilburg to Goirle, Riel and Gilze-Rijen and then back to Tilburg for the parade through the center of the city. He rode his folding bike during the parade (probably drove the whole parade twice or maybe even three times, as he was circling the slow moving vehicles…) His outfit was entirely correct, as he was dressed as a Scottish soldier.
Now, the weather is becoming more cold and wet so there is more time to spend in the garage. Time to take off the steering wheel to make sure the indicator functions flawlessly in both directions!
All the best, Kim and Theo"
Here are the pix!
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