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| THE REGISTRY OF EX-MILITARY LAND-ROVERS 2004 'R & R' New South Wales Once again it was R & R time. Where to go? What with petrol prices going thru the roof because of the Iraq War etc, the decision was made to tour locally in the Hunter Valley vineyard area - and do a show on Sunday at the Broke Fair & Car Club Day like last year...
Here are the members who entered this year's 'R & R'...
The 2004 'R & R' started for me around the Wednesday before as I had many things to do. Getting Wee-Wullie was high up on the 'to do' list; I woke him from his long sleep (last out for Anzac Day 2004), drove him home and washed him down so nicely... just before a cloudburst. It was a close thing, but I moved him under cover in time and put on the hoops and canvas top.
Friday afternoon after work I worked flat out getting the last finishing details done on Chloe and Dinty. I was ready for a bit of 'R & R'...
Saturday REMLR Convoys:
Saturday morning I was up early to move the wife's car and my Defender 110 out of the driveway, then retrieve Chloe from storage up the street, check her over and her hook up to the N°5 trailer from under the carport.
I loaded up all the required camping items and then at 0810hrs Graeme D. (Judge Dredd) arrived ready for the big weekend at 0810hrs. Weatherwise, it looked like a wonderful day ahead of us. We set off for the F.U.P..
We were met at the F.U.P. by 0915hrs by fellow members, Warwick L. and his wife Carol. Their Ambulance looks in very good order. Incidentally it is not restored -its in 'A1 condition', straight from the Army auctions years back. And its taken them everywhere!
Unfortunately... Anna in her Series 3 Lightweight 88" was having some form of electrical problem. After a phone call she became a late scratching. Another scratching was Ross C., who was on duty all weekend, nearby at Lone Pine lines and the Hunter Valley Gardens. Oh well. Whilst waiting, Graeme took us through the trip on the map and told us what to expect along the route. Then we set off on 'R & R'... |
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  FUP Morpeth 11.9.04 |
 Phoenix Park (Warwick L's Amb) |
 Luskintyre Airfield |
 Luskintyre Airfield workshops |
 Chloe & Warwick L's Ambulance at Pokolbin |
 BBQ lunch provided by Graeme |
 Dinty & Chloe Hunter Valley vineyards |
 Parked at Broke camping ground |
 Campfire |
 Motel Half-ton |
| The 2004 REMLR convoy made its way into Morpeth and across the Hunter River into Phoenix Park, then up through Largs to see the old military encampment that was established there during WWII. Slit trenches can still be made out after all these years.
We drove onward through Maitland Vale (some very picturesque countryside here) and we were dawdling along at a very comfortable speed of 35 MPH. We were travelling along when Warwick called up on the UHF and said "Let's pull over and let this motorbike convoy go past". Well... about 40 vintage motorbikes went toodling past and it turned out they were headed northward - to the same place we were: Luskintyre Airfield (no not Luscombe). We arrived in time to see a couple of Tiger Moth bi-planes come in, refuel and take off again. I had a good look through the airfield workshop and I can relate to some of the work that is going on there; it was very pretty interesting, but way out of my price range... and I don't really like the idea that if it stops you can't pull over and fix it!
It was then a beautiful drive westwards thru gorgeous country and onwards to the BBQ lunch at Pokolbin vineyards, all arranged ahead of our arrival courtesy of a certain Judge Dredd; he paid for the BBQ in it's entirety and all we had to do was eat the bloody stuff -there was enough food for at least 30 people!
After our big BBQ lunch we motored further westward out to the camping ground at Broke which borders the stomping grounds of the Singleton Army Base. As arranged, Dianne arrived and took Graeme and I back to Cessnock HQ so we could raid the backyard for more Landys. Warwick and Carol watched out for Dinty and Chloe while we were gone.
We drove back Broke, sorry... we drove back to Broke with me in Dianne-May, the Ambulance, towing my ½ ton workshop trailer and Graeme was driving Wee-Wullie, the 88" GS. It was a slow drive back over the hills to Broke, and as we had a headwind, and all I could manage was about 38 mph! Maybe the real reason was that, (1) the Ambulance was chock full of memorabilia and display gear, and (2), the workshop trailer was like a bloody parachute on the back of it!
Once back at Broke we set up our campsite. This included a nice surprise; a brand-new 11'x11' tent! Don't ask me where it came from. Sheer magic! We had a top little camp humming in no time. We all had a bit of a feed, chatted a bit and had some warm drinks around the 'R & R' campfire. Mostly the chat was about the big show tommorrow. I hit the sack around 2115 hrs, settling down in the back of the workshop trailer, the "Half-ton Motel". It rained shortly afterwards and the wind blew like a gale for hours. But it wasn't too bad at all; I slept well.
Sunday Show 'n Shine: "...it was good of the Army to put on a display."
Judge Dredd called reveillie at 0700hrs Sunday (see pic) and it was time to get on it - a big day was ahead of us. When the sun finally got up, it turned on another crisp blue-sky day for the 2004 'R & R'. We quickly had some brekky, packed away the tent, and got to work on the display down the road about 200m. Too early perhaps? Nup. If you don't get a display spot early you probably won't get a spot! Broke Car Club Day gets bigger every year.
It was a big day alright. We had lots of people look at the Landy's! One lady even said.. "That it was good of the Army to put on a display." Graeme informed her she was far from the truth and pointed to me and said "They all belong to him."
One lady who I remember as an R/N was very impressed with all the 30 or 40 year old medical gear on show in Dianne-May. There were a lot of comments and people all around us most of the morning. Some people talked to the dressed dummys at the back of the Ambulance out of sheer courtesy. Yep. With the rear doors opened up (see pic), about 8 people approached Lt. Di Hugo (standing guard in Army uniform) and asked if they could look inside the Ambulance! Got 'em! When they realised what they had done, some just smiled or laughed... and some looked bloody embarrassed too! Wish I had it on video. I was too busy I suppose. You'll notice there's not many Sunday pics...
After 1400hrs it was time to start packing up and heading home. Like I said, it was a great day and it seems I'm still packing stuff away into the Q Store - I had everything there that day. I wouldn't like to have to do it all again next weekend. Anyway, maybe we'll see some of you next year at The next 'R & R'. Cheers.
PS: Dennis has pics of Lt. Di Hugo and of his other medic memorabilia on this Landycam page.
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 Reveillie |
 Surprise 11x11 from Q store |
 REMLR Land-Rovers on parade Sunday morning |
 Dummy display : Lt. Di Hugo stands behind Dianne-May |
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