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This Sherman Tank is coming to Ramsbury

THE villages of Ramsbury and Aldbourne will experience a time slip back to the days of World War 2 this weekend.

Both villages hosted Allied and American forces during the Second World War.

Many villagers provided lodgings for the troops and everyone became used to the sight of men in uniforms and military vehicles on their streets.

That period will be reconstructed over the weekend with an event called Route to Victory.

Dozens of military vehicles owned by collectors from all across the country will converge on the two villages.

Organisation of the event has been spearheaded by Keith Brigstock from Pewsey who is a member of the Garrison Living History Group.

He was a Gunner for 20 years and is still employed by the MoD at Larkhill helping run IT systems.

His own group operates three restored wartime searchlights whose role was to pick out enemy aircraft in the night skies for the ground based anti-aircraft guns.

Other wartime reconstruction groups will be arriving with military vehicles including two tanks, armoured cars, trucks and Jeeps.

An artillery re-enactment unit will be taking along huge field guns.

Those taking part with vehicles and equipment will be joining in road runs over the weekend, re-enacting the convoys that were an everyday sight in the area throughout the war years.

On Saturday there will be a 1940's dance at Aldbourne where many American troops were based and this will have a US theme and will include a period fashion show.

The Route to Victory convoys will continue on the Sunday and the bog public day will be on Bank Holiday Monday at Ramsbury between 10am-5pm.

There will be a re-enactment of Operation Market Garden where the allied forces drove the Germans out of Holland..

Ramsbury will become the Dutch town of Eindhoven - the first town freed by the allies - for the day.

A liberation parade will head to Rookery Field where troops were stationed in WW2.

Heavy artillery will be fired during the day and the culmination will include, weather permitting, a fly past by aircraft.

This will include a Spitfire and a parachute drop from a Dakota C47, identical to those used by the US airmen who flew from Ramsbury including the legendary 101st Airborne who were featured in the blockbuster film Band of Brothers.

More details of the events can be found on its own website: www.routetovictory.info

9:39am Saturday 3rd May 2008

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