Over to you Tables for lunch were all inside the museum and were well utilised by all for long discussions and get-togethers.
By Kevin Toovey
Below, inset & right: This old anti-aircraft searchlight was one of the main attractions for the day or should I say the night. It is an Australian made light, about 80 years old and equivalent to over 800 000 candles. The old V8 generator started fine and was having a warm-up but when it came to arcing the light some adjustment was needed from the people in the know. They were under enormous pressure as there were several hundred people standing in the dark waiting and watching every move that they made. They performed very well as I presume it is not something that they do every day either and there wouldn't be that many people around with the technical know-how for those very untimely and inconvenient problems. The light did come on and everyone was pleased as it is not every day you have the opportunity to see a WWII anti-aircraft searchlight in action. Well done to all involved.
A few of our members brought their trucks up for the weekend. Mel Taylor took his Mack Good Dog for a run with one of Lindsay Hills vehicles on the back. Lindsay brought the other one up on his trailer. Reg and Coral didn’t have a caravan, they have their bed set up on the back of their Dodge truck, that also looks the part.
Fords lined up
NUNGARIN VINTAGE RALLY PLUS WWII SEARCHLIGHT PARTY
T
he Army Vehicle Workshop in Nungarin was built in 1942 as part of Australia’s defence during WWII. It was the largest Army facility for Army Ordnance in Western Australia at that time. Apparently, it is also the biggest timber clad building in the southern hemisphere. After the war, the Nungarin Shire purchased the Army Vehicle Workshop for use as a Shire Depot. It is one of the very few remaining large volume, timber military buildings and it now houses the Nungarin Heritage Machinery and Army Museum. The museum is what the HCVC and several other car and machinery clubs have come to visit.
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WATM • July 2020
The white half-track was significant to the 10th light horse armour division (WA) as they were the only ones to have those vehicles, they had seven.
Also seen was this old Ford with a matching caravan. I think the caravan is homemade it has a bed inside and a small kitchen at the back. So not old, just made to look the part.
