Tanks at Edwinstowe
Comet tank
This one is at the Bovingdon Tank Museum in Dorset
School holidays in the 1960s
By Peter Bowler
In the summer holidays of 1960 or 61 I'd be 12 or 13 years old three or four of my friends and myself (we all lived in Mansfield at the time) caught a bus outside the art college on West Gate and went to Edwinstowe, seven old pence (7d) for a half fare return ticket.
A few days before we'd been told there was a disused tank and an armoured car of second war vintage at the side of the road at the junction of the road out of Edwinstowe and the A616 Budby Road opposite Assarts Plantation.
It was good fun playing on them in fact we were there most of the day and when we arrived home I looked in I-Spy Military Vehicles, the tank was an American SPM 10, the armoured car wasn't listed but it was the type seen in films of war in the desert, quite a big one.
"...it was totally intact, we lifted the engine cover and it looked as if anyone good with engines could have got it going".
A couple of weeks later we went again and another tank had been left there this was another American one, a Comet but this one looked as if it was driven there it was totally intact, we lifted the engine cover and it looked as if anyone good with engines could have got it going.
If you lowered yourself through the hatch down into the turret there was a handle and if you turned it the turret rotated, the periscopes worked too, there was also a handle to raise and lower the gun. If you climbed out of the hatch the driver would have used to get in and out when the turret was turning it could have hit you if it was in a certain position but I never knew of anyone being hurt playing on any of them.
Did anyone out there play on them? I'd be interested to know. If so, please post your memories via the 'Add a Comment' option below.
Click HERE to see original photos of the Edwinstowe tanks