Armour & Embarkation 21 - 23 June 2024

09/03/2024

We are down here today talking….what?

07/03/2024

Site visit yesterday, we will be parking up here on the afternoon of Saturday the 22nd June. We have a lot of armour and heavies coming this year. We want to keep us all together, and we think if we park everyone correctly we will be fine..............🥰

04/03/2024

A big thank you to all of the guys at Capel Military Show for being a sponsor of A&E 2024. Those of you who have been will know how fantastic this show is. And to those who haven't, then make sure get there this year!

You can find them here https://www.capelmilitaryshow.com/ and you can also follow them Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapelMilitaryShow/

20/02/2024

Then A&E 2012 visited Poundbury.....

- we won't be liberating it in 2024, we have other places that needs our help...

11/02/2024

The first, and meant to be the last A&E. Here we are parked up in Martinstown in 2010 before we headed off to Dorchester to lead the carnival. Great memories. Image Credit: Phil 'The Step Ladder' Royal.

07/02/2024

22nd June 2024 - we will be driving WW2 tanks and tons of armour and tons of soft skins and 300 people down this street....

As Mark says, this we will be the last time we will liberate Dorchester, we have done it four times already, after June, the town will have to stand on it's own two feet as we won't be back.

04/02/2024

D-Day marshalling area camp D13 Martinstown, Dorset. The Armoured Curve. Recreating a wartime style image on the main road through Martinstown is a must. It recalls similar scenes in 1944 when Allied forces left the area for Normandy. We will be there again in June! Image Credit: Mark Barnes

Camp D13, located Martinstown. In the time leading up to D-Day, Marshalling Area ‘D’ primarily hosted U.S. forces, who later embarked from Weymouth.

For weeks, and in some cases months, prior to D-Day, troops were stationed at these camps. By the end of May, these camps were closed off, restricting troop movement in and out. This measure was taken to reduce the likelihood of enemy espionage or the British populace deducing the imminent approach of D-Day.

Starting May 31, following a meticulously planned schedule, troops began their journey to the coastline to board the vessels and landing crafts destined for Normandy. Vehicles were typically loaded ahead of time, while foot soldiers boarded closer to the D-Day launch.

After the initial wave of troops departed for the D-Day landing, subsequent groups destined for later landings occupied the camps, creating a continuous flow of forces heading towards the south coast. This movement persisted for several months. Post-D-Day, some camps found new purposes, such as housing prisoners of war.

29/01/2024

Jim brings his M4 High Speed Tractor and 90mm Anti-Aircraft gun into Dorchester ahead of some of over a dozen half-tracks. We just about squeezed every one in.....just.
Image Credit Mark Barnes

25/01/2024

We are here to discuss the details of our visit on the Saturday 22nd June 😁

20/01/2024

You have to concentrate when you are driving these big lumps, you can't see to much on what's going on behind you and your peripheral vision has to be spot on. You really do need to know your machine, and have a good communicative crew.

17/01/2024

Adrian going up the wrong way up a one way street while liberating Dorchester in 2012 (he was allowed, the road was shut off, I think....).

14/01/2024

We have a ton or two of armour coming this year - it is looking very special :-)

13/01/2024

Even the Brits turned up for A&E 2022 - taken at the training ground at Bovington.

02/01/2024

Five months to go, and never really understood why the M4 HST was pushing the Ward la France 😶

You will now to see and hear about A&E 2024 in your news feeds :-)

Any questions then please ask away!

Image Credit: Nigel Worth.

20/12/2023

A&E 2010 - after we liberated Brewery Square. The 'road' that we were on is now the road with the red arrow.

We will be back in June 2024 and we will revisit our work of 2010 - just to make sure all is in order 😁

14/12/2023

Little Chicken doing Little Chicken stuff.........

04/12/2023

Even when things don't go to plan, they go to plan.......

Ward la France - ‘River Recovery Specialists…’

03/12/2023

At the first A&E in 2010, plans were put in place for former WWII tanker Frank Dennis Gent to get back into a Sherman - the first time since the end of the war. Adrian Barrell was kind enough to drive Frank around in his Sherman. Gorgeous to be able to do that.

26/11/2023

Then the Brits arrived.....

26/11/2023

Then we arrived in Dorchester, we will be parking up here again next June :-)

13/11/2023

Hi guys, those on the mailing list - please check your inbox :-)

Image Credit: Phil Royal

04/11/2023

Sadly the Bailey Bridge didn't arrive in time.....

American and British vehicles crossing Moreton Ford in Dorset, as part of the D Day Armor and Embarkation celebration weekend on 18th June 2022.

03/11/2023

Hi all! Hope everyone is well, and dry......

All going to plan at our end, and we will update you more next week after our Zoom meet. You will start to see and hear more about A&E 2024 on this page now as things are starting to come together :-)

Here is Adrian and his crew, doing their thing on our way to The Tank Museum last year.

Love to all!

11/10/2023

We drove into Dorchester, a lovely town I recommend you visit. Whereas we had run our convoys as part of the town’s carnival on previous occasions, this time it was all about Armour & Embarkation. The people of the town were primed that a huge column of vehicles would be there. Key roads were closed. Everything was ready. Fine, but the impact of cruising into town with thousands of people lining the streets and pavements to see us was eye popping, jaw dropping and all those other descriptions for a bout of shocked bewilderment. Image and words - Mark Barnes

Plans are afoot for A&E 2024 :-)

19/07/2023

Catching up with Wargaming - talking A&E 2024 🙋‍♀️

17/07/2023

Hi chums, things are starting to come together, and keep your eye on this page for updates as we have them. We are just under a year away so more info will happen as we get closer :-) And we will take some time to look at the previous memories of A&E. This shot is from the very first A&E - 2010, taken at what is now Brewery Square in Dorchester :-)

16/07/2023

It's official...
The first A&E 2024 meeting is underway with the heads of the four families....
Watch this space.