Tank in Park.
basil | 3/5/2006 | 2:28 pm
Look out!!!Recent correspondence in the local newspaper regarding a First World War tank that was placed in the park, prompted Max, to write this letter to the Editor.
Tank in park.
The First World War tank in Gheulevelt Park was placed in a pit, approximately fifteen feet deep. All around the edge was a shallow box hedge, except at the rear where shallow steps led down to the rear tracks. Small boys could clamber up on top and relive the Somme campaign.
Sadly in about 1943 workmen cut up the machine, supposedly to help the war effort. They used oxy acetylene torches to burn off the rivet heads on one of the large plates. This was the first time I had seen such a tool, and as I watched one of them struck the plate with a large sledge hammer.Then came the shock, this really was a tank, full to the top with filthy orange rusty rain water which flooded out all over the men. I felt that justice had been done.
The scrap was taken away to the council tip in Bilford road to join all the low grade park and house railings including those from our house in Ombersley Rd. which were not required by industry and lay there until after the war.
It was most unfortunate Worcester lost its tank as many of these cumbersome vehicles were tested by Heenan and Froude in the yard alongside Sheriff St before being loaded on trains for France.
The council tip was where a Dakota aircraft crash landed in 1942 injuring General Spaatz and severely shaking up Clark Gable the swashbuckling film star. His RAF Police rescuer wrote to me in 1988 and said how different he was then to the flying hero winning the war he had just watched on television.
Max Sinclair
On March 18th 1918 the First World War Tank No 113 Julian was placed outside the Cathedral to raise funds for wounded soldiers. It is possible this vehicle was assembled by Heenan and Froude at Shrub Hill and tested in Sheriff St, and later placed in Gheulevelt Park. It was most unfortunate it was scrapped. Max
