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Military museum and tourist attraction, this North Devon collection covers mostly World War Two and the years 1939 - 1945, but with exhibits from the Boer War, up to the First Gulf War. Ranging from military surplus tanks, guns, helmets, artillery, grenades, and bombs, to Home Front ration books, gas masks, ARP and Home Guard uniforms, and blackout lamps. In 1981 Preston Isaac's runaway hobby was opened to the public, and just keeps growing. |
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Most of the vehicles and military equipment are packed in two hangar like Romney buildings. Vehicles are restored, often from derelict condition, not to look pristine, but, as a tribute to their original crews, like vehicles just back from the front line, with muddy tyres and tracks, and festooned with the kit which would have been carried by the soldiers who drove them to war over fifty years ago
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The old stone barn is now being converted into a home for Tim, which will mean he will be living on site. Because of this, in 2004 the Home Front exhibits were moved out from the old barn into a new purpose built building. These displays cover Civil Defence and ARP, National Fire Service and Auxiliary Fire Service, Women's Land Army, Home Guard, WVS, Red Cross and St John. This is the world of evacuees, searchlights, Mickey Mouse gas masks, Anderson and Morrison air
raid shelters.
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" The displays are cluttered by anyone's standards, this is partly due to a simple lack of space, but also the desire to recreate the feeling of vehicles which are men's homes, as well as a fighting vehicle. For many men, all they had was in or on their vehicle. We keep having shunting sessions to fit in another vehicle, and sometimes still manage to surprise ourselves by squeezing in “just one more”. The 1360 square yards of the two main buildings are packed with some 45 vehicles and artillery pieces, with displays in between. We have about 20 different military radios, from 19 Sets to the great Canadian 52 Set on display, but profess no technical knowledge" Over 200 deactivated small arms are on show, from the old faithful Lee Enfield No1 Mk3* of WW1, and the Stens and Brens of WW2, to a quite rare Vickers K, and more unusual, a .50" Vickers, and a 15mm Besa."
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Chittlehampton
Umberleigh
N Devon
EX37 9RZ
Phone 01769 540740
FAX 01769 540141
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