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Showing results for tags 'thoughts from my Dad'.
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Hello all! I have just come back from visiting my pop and he told me a funny tale. Now, it may be that you had to be there to find it funny, so apologies if it is not. But first, some background. My Grandfather (my Mum's dad) served in the first world war on HMS Dreadnought and in the submarine E-23 (as he got more pay in subs), and I was able to get a kit (or three) of HMS Dreadnought. Every time I go over to see Mum and Dad, I am always rabbiting on about building the ship in tribute for Granddad. A little while ago, I wondered if my pop wondered why I did not build anything he was in/on. Now, he was in the RAF, but was not an aircraft jockey or anything, but he did drive a number of vehicles, as I did recall him mentioning way back in the past. Could I remember what he drove? No. Anyway, today I asked, and I found out. Bedford QL's, Fordsons, landrovers, etc. Now to his tale. We were talking about the Bedford QL, and he mentioned about some bigwig who wanted to drive one of these things somewhere or other, then complained when he got there the gearbox crunched a lot. 'Did you double de-clutch?' my dad asked. 'I know how to drive these things, get me another I can drive back' (censored to conform to non-swearing rules) he was told. So pop got another, and crunch crunch went the gears as know-all drove off. Next thing dad said, was that when they were out in Egypt, they used to drive the QL with their feet poking out of the windows (front), as they could be hinged open, and as the truck could be driven without the clutch being used (when you knew the revs required to change gear clutchlessly) and it also had a hand throttle too, it was quite possible to do so. I still cannot get the image out of my head of a truck being driven with the drivers feet hanging out the windows! I now want to get a kit of a QL and do that scene - but is there one out there? Sorry if I have rambled a bit, all the best, Ray
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