Van packed into shipping container

Today Jim, his mate Bob and staff at Goldstar Transport packed "George" into the container ready for its trip across the seas to Vancouver Canada.  Shipping wheels were needed as the van was too high to fit into the container.  Fortunately there was a forklift at the transport depot and the driver was more than happy to help out and lift the van while the wheels were fitted.  Jim did his usual trick of exiting the van by climbing out through the front window - it was a bit of a tight squeeze but it all worked out OK.  The ship leaves Fremantle Western Australia on 26 May and arrives in Vancouver Canada on 26 June.  All going to plan it will have arrived and gone through Customs clearance etc before we get there in mid July. We have been fortunate that a member of the Western Command Military Vehicle Historical Society in Vancouver has offered to receive our vehicle for us and the vehicle will be delivered to his property which is about 50kms out of town.  Once we arrive in Vancouver we will finalise the vehicle insurance and then collect the van.   Only 7 weeks until we fly out and the time is now racing by.

Our travelling friends

Since the last post our friend Mervyn had a heart attack and underwent open heart surgery so the Piggotts will no longer be going on this trek with us. They are very disappointed but have more important issues to deal with at the moment. Merv is progressing well and hopes to be allowed home this week.

Normandy 2009 blog

For those who may be interested we also updated a blog of our trip to Normandy in 2009. You can click on this link to read about our journey http://sewellnormandy.blogspot.com/. "George" was shipped to Istanbul in Turkey where we met up with the other members of our convoy (Australians and New Zealanders). We then drove to Gallipoli, Greece, Crete, Italy, Switzerland, France and shipped home from Belgium.

The purpose of the trip was to arrive at Normandy in time for the 65th anniversary of D Day. We visited many museums, war graves, war sites and drove on roads through the battlefields.

The scenery was beautiful and the people we came into contact with in the various countries we visited were so friendly and welcoming.

It was a memorable trip in more ways than one. It was a challenge to both the vehicle, navigator and driver but one which we thoroughly enjoyed.

C15 restoration - Part 2

If you click on the following address it will give you a slideshow of Part 2 of the restoration of the C15




http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll292/jsewell_album/Part%202%20of%20C15%20restoration/?action=view&current=156bad69.pbw

C15 "George" restoration - Part 1

For those that may be interested this is a slideshow of the restoration of the wireless van in preparation for the Normandy 2009 trip.


Part 1 of C15 Restoration

If you click on the following address it will give you a slideshow of part of the restoration of the C15


http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll292/jsewell_album/?action=view&current=c6c0fe8e.pbw

AC'12 Final Route Map

Blitz wireless van AKA "George"