John Walker - Misc

Subject: John Walker - Misc 1/4/2016, 22:52

On behalf of John Walker - Len (Ciphers_

Please find here photos my father took . One,Two, three & four are all taken in Ehrwald, Austria.
Photo four is me standing by Sgt's Wilson's house at the end of the village.
I have mentioned him before he was RASC( QM Dept). A good friend to have.
The next one is of Ripon Barracks Bielefeld.1949/50.
The one of him holding the paper was taken by me.The paper was The Reinforcement News of which he was involved with.
Local Army news of the area. The photo of me on a bike was outside of our house in Bielefeld, that is Ripon Barracks in the background.
The light truck had just delivered our weekly rations. My youngest sister Kay and myself on a Motor bike which belonged to the top sports editor of the local Bielefeld paper called The Frei- Press again outside of our house, name of Rudi Moller a really nice man.
I will leave it to you to place wherever on the site.

Subject: Re: John Walker - Misc 2/4/2016, 11:09

Gents.
As always I thank Len for his work here.
We can always rely on The Royal Signals.
Len I wonder how many know that you The Royal Signals are the only one to have a two piece Badge.(another topic maybe )
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Photo 2 & 3 show in the back-ground the mountain The Zugspitze ,2962 mts. Photo 5 = The Sonnenspitze 2,412 mts. Please also notice the huge cow bells.
This because of the mountain mist which comes in very quickly and the cows can then be located.

All this above is happening as I am sorting out all our photos and there are 100's I assure you.No could be over a 1,000 I reckon !
So will keep sending them onto our Len for you to view.
Gentleman I have almost completed my story of the Repatriation Parades Oxfordshire for you all and sorting out the photos for that to.
I think that will start next week and it will have to be in stages as there is sadly much to put over.

In the mean time please stay safe.

Regards to Len and all others looking in.

John.
Oxford.

Subject: Re: John Walker - Misc 11/4/2016, 16:29

Posted on behalf of John Walker. Len (Ciphers)

Photo 2 = is of me in 1947 Bielefeld .This was my father's Austin Tilly. Every week it used to go round the camps picking up forces mail.
That would be if I remember Herford, Paderborn, Osnabruck .Sometimes my father used to go with the diver if there was a special pick up.
On this occasion the driver was not too well so Dad decided to drive himself and came and picked me up. Wow a day out in a Army Vehicle.
This photo was taken on the way back to Ripon Barracks at a farm up on the top wooded area. This is where the driver used to stop put up the bonnet (to look like there was a problem !!)
Then go in and get a load of fresh eggs & veg I think . I kid you not. I think coffee was the exchange or cigarettes !!
Photo 3 = was taken at a friend of mine in the Newbury area who services and renovates military veh's.
I was there as I had at the time a USA jeep and lightweight Land-Rover and was taking the jeep over a few jobs that needed doing and saw this Austin there !!!!
I asked Steve the owner of the company how long the Austin was going to be there and was told at least another week. So remembering my old times in this type of Austin I go home dig out this other photo just to get things right. Bonnet up & my hand on the headlamp.
So when I go over to pick up my jeep a few days later I photo the Austin, well Steve took it for me.

I think it turned out well and I made sure the owner of the Austin got a copy and a DRINK.

Photo here also of my 1943 USA Jeep & 1989 Lightweight Land-Rover taken here at my home in Oxford. Since then I sold them both. But have other things tucked away !!

Regards to all looking in.

John.Oxford.

Subject: Re: John Walker - Misc 11/4/2016, 18:31

Len...........as always many thanks for your help here.

Did you notice the Canadian sign on my Jeep.It was used during the later part of the WW11 by
the Canadian Army.I will dig out it's history.Was sorry to see her go.Was never any trouble at all unlike the L/Rover ! but to be fair nothing serous.
Anyway we all bash on .Another week goes by.

Regards to you Len and your Crew over there in The Mighty Canada and all others looking in.

From John
The City of Dreaming Spires.

Subject: Re: John Walker - Misc 12/4/2016, 17:44

John

Many thanks for the reminder of BAOR transport sixty years ago plus