Atlantikwall - European Road Trip day 9

Just west of Ostend (but not as far west as Westende) is a lovely stretch of Atlantikwall.  

Next door is a German coastal battery dating from the Great War but when we visited it was being renovated.  Which gives me an excuse to go back...

Unlike many such lumps of Atlantikwall, this one is well preserved (one careful owner, never assaulted) and still fitted out with many of the original toys.  Like this rather nice PAK40.  

I'll let the photos do most of the talking.

Read all of this - it's worth it!

A very dangerous thing.  And a big bomb.

There is a good display of beach obstacles.

A Belgian gun - under new management as a 12cm K370(b).  Actually it's a replica but it looks good.

A 105mm U-Boat gun.

Several of the bunkers contain these well-equipped mannequins.  In some museums these can be rather cringe-worthy but here they are very well done.  I think the chap second in from the left looks a lot like Martin R.

This was the Commandant's house - very nice too!

After a couple of hours it was time to fill up with relatively cheap Belgian diesel and head back to Zeebrugge for the ferry.  Three miles short of the terminal the mileage for the trip hit 1,000.

Coming soon - the Command Bus tours the Netherlands...

Valkenburg - European Road Trip days 7 & 8

After the morning at the Bastogne Barracks we drove across into the Netherlands.  This journey included part of the rather character-building Liege ring road - a multi-lane extravaganza of apparently random on and off slip lanes (on both sides!), tunnels and bridges.

Valkenburg styles itself as the 'Dutch Alps' and the town contains an actual hill!  At one end of this elevated land is a castle dating from the 14th Century.  Sadly it is ruined having been destroyed in 1672 by William III as he was worried the French might capture it.

The campsite and motorhome parking is also on the hill.

The Command Bus can just be seen behind the bushes.  It's quite a drop so I reversed onto out pitch very carefully!

Bits of castle wall.  Despite it's poor state it is well worth a look...

...not least because of the views it affords over the surrounding landscape.

Further up the hill is a cafe and tower accessible by...

...a chairlift!

The Command Bus is at the far end.

Bastogne tank shed. European Road Trip day 6, part 2

Last stop at the barracks was the AFV collection.  Most people just wanted to see the WW2 stuff inside but I found time to photograph this ex-Belgian Army Spartan APC.

In the shed there are quite a few vehicles!

I was pleased to see this M-47 Patton - again ex-Belgian Army - still wearing the colours of it's former keepers.

Lloyd Carrier.

Renault UE with some mods added by a subsequent owner.

A super-rare M-22 Locust airborne tank.

Another command bus - it didn't look as comfy as ours though.  This one is on an Opel chassis and has added wooden bodywork.

Matilda Infantry Tank.

A nice Kubel

A trackless but otherwise intact looking Panzer IV.

Our guide for the Barracks visit - a Belgian Army Para-Commando

Stug III.  I wonder if the tarp is there to cover some bodged modelling work?  It's what I'd do...

Another Airfix catalogue flashback moment - the DUKW

A tale of two lorries - US GMC...

...and British Bedford QL

You don't see badges like this on military vehicles these days!

Even their spares box was pretty good

Another Renault UE

ex-Atlantikwall tank turret

The German UE again.

Back outside I spotted this AMX-VCC (or VCI).  Based on the AMX-13 light tank, this was used by (among others) the Belgian Army.

Next door is the Belgian Army AFV repair shop - choc full of historic vehicles being restored.  One of the tour party - and American gentleman - had earlier grumbled to the guide about having been the previous day to Houfallize (I think) to see the preserved Panther there.  He was miffed to find it's plinth empty.  "Ah yes" replied our guide coolly, "it's in our workshop now..."

An example of the workshop's fine work - an M-24 Chaffee.  A Matchbox flashback!

Finally, I noticed this rather tatty T-34.  A candidate for some paintwork soon I hope.