I hauled one of my 75mm Pack Howitzers from the UK to the South of France for the 15th August commemoration of Op Dragoon this year... a couple of pics from the trip below - happy to post more if anyone's interested.
We had the howitzer blank-firing on the Valbourges DZ with the kind permission of the landowner too... there's some film of it on U-tube somewhere.
Cheers
Tim
Operation Dragoon - 70th Anniversary - 75mm Pack How Pics
- Packhow75
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Operation Dragoon - 70th Anniversary - 75mm Pack How Pics
Ford GPW, 10cwt Trailer, 75mm Pack Howitzer, M3A1 White Scout Car, M4A4 Sherman VC - s/n 4873
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Re: Operation Dragoon - 70th Anniversary - 75mm Pack How Pic
Good looking pack. I am surprised that they let you into france with a weapon. Heaven forbid the French would actually touch a weapon. Or even look upon one.
If your gun doesn't leak oil, it's time for a bigger gun.
- Packhow75
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Re: Operation Dragoon - 70th Anniversary - 75mm Pack How Pic
A long process.dwing wrote:Good looking pack. I am surprised that they let you into france with a weapon. Heaven forbid the French would actually touch a weapon. Or even look upon one.
1) Letter from the local Mayor inviting me to attend the commemoration with the Howitzer explaining the relevance of it to the event.
2) Application to French Govt (Defence, Home, Police and Customs)
3) Export Licence from British Govt
4) Import Licence from French Govt
Time... approx 11 months.
Otherwise, probably wouldnt have been able to take it.
Then 1000 miles each way drive (though I recognise for those of you in the USA this isnt far, in UK terms, it's quite a distance).
Well worth the effort though.
A bit daft to do it when you consider we were only 10 miles from the French Artillery museum at Draguinan which have a 75mm Pack Howitzer... but they dont like theirs getting dusty, so rarely let it out of the museum.
Tim
Ford GPW, 10cwt Trailer, 75mm Pack Howitzer, M3A1 White Scout Car, M4A4 Sherman VC - s/n 4873
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