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Desert Rats Memorial Tank Refurbishment |
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Desert Rats Memorial Tank Refurbishment |
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CONCEPT
After over 25 years on the Plinth the memorial tank. "Little Audrey II" (a Cromwell Mk VI in the markings of 1st Bn The Royal Tank Regiment) was in need of a much needed refurbishment. So after careful consideration and selection of someone to do the work, she was removed on 17th October 2023 and will be returned in the Spring of 2024, in time for a rededication service and a special service to remember the move of the Desert Rats to their embarkation camps, in readiness for the Normandy Landings.
REMOVAL
Here are some photographs and videos of the removal of Little Audrey
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| Preparations for the lift | |
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| Strops attached | The lift |
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| Landing on the transporter | Ready to roll |
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| Off Loading | In the yard |
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| Chatting over the tank | A rather empty plinth |
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Lifting onto transporter |
Being unloaded on her own tracks |
REFURBISHMENT
The plan is to strip off the top coats of paint down to a good undercoat layer, the repair any corrosion and repaint the tank and restore her to how see would have looked in May 1944 when she left High Ash Camp for the Embarkation camp at Orwell Park School, before loading onto the Landing Ship Tank (LST) that would deliver her to Gold Beach, Normandy on 6th June 1944.
Here are some more photos of the refurbishment..
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| Grit Blasting in progress, inside and out. | |
| After the Grit Blasting inside and out | Some minor repairs needed! |
| Inside the workshop | |
Here are some more photos of the tank before it was returned the the plinth
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Views of the tank before her return |
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Front View |
Air Recognition Star |
| Why we did this! | |
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| Before | After |
Here are some more photos of the return to the plinth.
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| Loading onto the transporter | On her way home |
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| Back home | |
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Some photos of the crane lift back onto the plinth |
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| Final positioning | Front view |
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| Back in place | The widow of the founder of Memorial, Mrs Franics Dinning and her daughter Lindsay Guiver with the memorial |
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| Some of those who made this all happen. Thank you one and all. | |
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Walk around before her return |
Being placed back onto the plinth |
Second Eastern Daily Press Article
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank Shaun Hindle MVS and "Tramps in Armour" for all their hard work on the refurbishment of the tank and Crowlnad Cranes for placing her back on top of the plinth so carefully
