NORMANDY LANDINGS AT COUNTY SHOW

This year is the 70th anniversary of the D Day landings, so the Nottinghamshire County Show are marking this event with special displays, demonstrations and activities commemorating this major feat of arms.

Organisers of the County Show are particularly pleased to have a Sherman Tank on display as these were used by the Sherwood Rangers who landed with these tanks on Gold beach. Commonly known as ‘swimming’ tanks they were launched into the sea many miles from shore, then ‘swam’ to shore whereupon they acted as a normal tank.

Alongside exhibition boards featuring many local stories and a rolling film about the Normandy Landings there will be a super display of military vehicles including a Fordson Fire Engine kindly loaned from RAF Scampton Fire fighting Museum; a Morris Commercial Army Truck travelling from Wisbech and a Jeep with a trailed gun from Peterborough. An Austin K2 Ambulance and a Caterpillar D4 Bulldozer both saw action on the Normandy beaches and will take pride of place within the display. In fact the Ambulance and its owner Chris Carter from Spalding will be returning to France in June as part of the commemoration services taking place there.

To obviate the need to transport petrol across the Channel where it could be exposed to air and submarine attack, a rubber hose codenamed PLUTO (Pipeline Under The Ocean) pumped petrol via two routes along the floor of the English Channel to France – “Bambi” ran from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg and “Dumbo” ran from Dungeness to Boulogne. Each pipe could delivery 56,000 imperial gallons per 24 hours and the high quality oil was supplied from oil fields in Eakring, near

Newark. Staff from the Duke’s Wood Oil Museum will be on hand to tell visitors more about this local, top secret facility right on our doorstep.
Seven Lincolnshire and four Nottinghamshire members of the Normandy Veterans Association will be special guests at the Show. Show Manager Jayne Olney said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to welcome and host these veterans at our Show and share our thoughts with them regarding this important piece of our country’s history.”

But if you want to get involved with some action then the Living History World War11 encampment is just the place. See the Company Headquarters and Quartermaster’s tent housing all the equipment, the field kitchen with its “ground friendly” cooking equipment and talk to the Company Command Post as men go about their daily activities and training on the home front prior to being stationed in Europe. Children can have go at mine detecting and drill whilst other demonstrations will include Land Army milking and WW11 farriers making nails and other farm related items linked to agriculture.

All this and not forgetting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight who will perform flypasts on both days of the show. On Saturday the Dakota will mark the moment at approximately 12.20pm and on Sunday the famous Merlin engine of the Spitfire will be heard as it makes a low level pass just after 2pm

Advance tickets cost £12 each and if you want to buy your tickets in person then go to the Newark Showground; the Newark Advertiser offices; the Newark Information Centre; the Nottinghamshire Tourist Information Centre or Ollerton Tourist Centre.

Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.nottinghamshirecountyshow.com
Or on telephone by contacting the Showground on 01636 705796

Children under the age of 17 years go free, there is free car parking and free grandstand seating. On the gate tickets are priced at £16 each.