What is this event
about ?
Our club of which
the present denomination is : "BELGIAN Military
Vehicle Conservation Group 101sr Airborne 326 ENGINEERS", was created
in 1978. At that time the thing was the meeting of a few adepts of the
Second World War military vehicles.
The restoration and conservation of Second World War Allied military
vehicles, as well as the equipment used by the liberators of our country.
Olive-green is the predominating colour and it is good form wearing the
uniform but for us, just as for the "Marcheurs de l'entre-Sambre
et Meuse", the historical aspect has priority.
It's really amazing how all these engines are still working. They are
lovingly well-kept and they are exactly the same as they were when they
arrived on our continent on 6 June 1944 up to the liberation.
We drive Jeep, Dodge, GMC, Chevrolet, Ford Canada, Morris or Harley-Davidson
but we are far from being militarists. We are collectors and we gather
in concentrations of several tens of vehicles with other Belgian and
foreign clubs. The subject of conversation is : love for ancient military
vehicles.
This unusual gathering also includes other engines, bicycles and motor-bikes.
Somes collectors possess several ancient military vehicles of different nationalities.
When these vehicles go for a trip it's an entertainment but it always keeps the
historical aspect, characteristic of this type of collection. You have certainly
heard about the great historical events such as the anniversary of the Landing
in Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.
The Belgian clubs also organize manifestations in which Dutch, French, German,
Italian, Luxemburg and English clubs take part. They regroup up to 150 vehicles,
sometimes more. Entertainment is the principal object for all the collectors
and the association life of the clubs isn't troubled by the uniform they wear.
This uniform reflects the historical regard of these collectors for the ancient
military vehicles.
These fans aren't afraid of work. The complete restoration of a vehicle sometimes
requires hundreds of hours to take the vehicle to pieces and to reassemble it
again. The owners of these wonders take the vehicle to pieces and after checking,
reparing and repainting it, they reassemble it.
Not only the mechanism is important but they also can discover the history of
the vehicle and of the Unit it belonged to... Moreover there is the second life
they give to vehicles preserving them from rust and destruction. So every collector
saves one part of the collective memory.
The principal Belgian clubs of the Second World War Allied military vehicles
are called after the glorious units that became famous in our country; among
others, : 82nd and 101st Airborne Division, 1st Infantry Division, 2nd , 3nd
US Armored Division.
The Museum of Memory “Battles of the Meuse – May 1940 Haut-le-Wastia”
It includes the discovery of the days of May 1940 in 8 themed rooms, historic
objects, clothing, explanatory panels, 4 dioramas, movies of the era, 8m² models,
sound recordings, empennage of a plane type Morane MS406, the war in the air,
the fighting at Flavion and Denée, the evacuation and the fortress of
Namur.
On 12 May 1940, the village of Haut-le-Wastia and its surroundings were at the
centre of a battle during which French and Belgian soldiers demonstrated exemplary
courage. The village was retaken twice, the last pocket of resistance refusing
to surrender and falling on 14 May to enemy tanks. The museum and the splendid
memorial perpetuate their memory and pay tribute to these men who fought with
all they had for the defense of our territory and liberty.
Location:
ASBL Musée du souvenir, Batailles de la Meuse Mai 1940
Place des Français
B-5537 Haut-le-Wastia.
Belgique
Opening period: May to mid October, Saturday and Sunday from 13.30 to 18.00 PM.
Phone: 082/614632, 082/614141 or 071/776201.
Admission charges: 3 €
The BELGIAN
Military Vehicle Conservation Group 101st Airborne 326 ENGINEERS
This Belgian Group is focused on the restoration of military vehicles.
The 101st Airborne
Division 326th Engineers has an official
website.
The webmaster can be contacted here
Location
Event address:
1, Route de Neufchâteau
5561 CELLES
From E25 and E313
highways from Liège:
follow the directions Namur-Mons
Taxe exit 20 Philippeville-Dinant
Coming by car is
mandatory due to the location of the event.
Key contact person
to get additional information is:
Philippe LOMBA (phone
nr 083/21.48.17)
Other Groups represented during this event
377th
Field Artillery 101st Airborne
Musée du souvenir and
photos available at the Compagnons
du souvenir website
RMAMC (Royal
Mons Auto Moto Club)
EMGMA (""Etat-Major
Général Général Mc Auliffe 101st Airborne" located
in another camp we visited)
501st
PIR (Parachute Infantry Regiment) of 101st AB (Airborne Division)
Personal note
The free Jeep ride
on Friday was an interesting experience.
I met people from the 377th Field Regiment of the 101st Airborne, the
Tank Museum Association, the Royal Mons Auto Club. We were convoyed by
the 377th Rgt and we arrived in a camp where I met people from the 101st
Gen. Mc Auliffe Group.
The next day we were 120 vehicles in a huge convoy (119 precisely, I
know it because I had a talk with the Police which was in charge of convoy
and traffic protection, it designed the ride taking into account the
whishes of the organisation), We started at 10.30 AM and came back at
16.30 PM.
We visited the Museum of Memory
"Battles
of the Meuse May 1940 Haut-le-Wastia" at lunch time.
I had just one regret: the absence of MPs regulating traffic prevented
me from making photos of each participating vehicle but this was quite
logical because due to the nature of the event (huge convoy with the
Belgian police regulating the traffic). However despite this while I
travelled on board of a Jeep from the Royal Mons Auto Club (French friends),
I managed to make photos of many vehicles thx to two big halts
(lunch time and 16.00 PM in the middle of a forest) and my driver who
moved along vehicles. It was a great experience and an opportunity
to meet new people.
