Arnhem Sniper!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, just got home from the reunion of the XXI Indep. Para. Coy. I thought that you might like to see this photo of my friend Tony Crane. Tony is the chap who wrote his "kills" on a peice of wallpaper which now is in the Hartenstein A/B Museum.

Cheers, Ade.

[DJT]

Great photo Ade I remember he wrote a few kind words to the Germans on the wallpaper too?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Des, indeed he did but not ones we can put on the forum

Cheers, Ade.

[Si1964]

Ade,

Great photo, how old is Tony, I must admit from the snap he only looks in his 60's!!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Si, funny you say that. When I first met Tony about 6 years ago now, I thought the very same thing too! He was at the reunion with all the other Vets and I thought "he cannot be a Arnhem Vet, as he is too young". I am not sure of his actual age but he has to be at least 79/80.


Cheers, Ade.

[DJT]

Hi Ade,

Any chance he would come to Beltring?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Des, I don't know, but I could ask him. Trouble is he lives in the North and it would be a long journey for him.

I know that my friend Mike Compton will be there for sure. Did you meet him when he came 2 years ago?

Cheers, Ade.

[Chris Boonzaier]

So......... what did he write... and how many kills were there?

[Jean-Loup]

Come on Ade, dont tell us you dont have a pic of that piece of wallpaper somewhere??

[GregK]

Here it is.

Hi all,

Sorry Ade for jumping your thread and all but I just got back from Europe and visited the museum myself. Just happen to have a photo of said wallpaper. We're all big boys here and if it offends some then I'll remove it. Enjoy lads.

Cheers,
Greg

[Willi Z.]

So, did he surrender?

I went to that museum in the late 80s. Very cool!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Greg, thanks for posting the pic. I do have one in my files from my visit last year.


Hi Willi, you will like this story Like most of the XXI, Tony was not taken POW. He made it back across the Rhine. When they got safely over the river they were met by a British soldier who told them to dump all their arms in a pile. Tony said to the soldier that his was a No.4 T sniper rifle and not just a regular Lee-Enfield No.4. No, said the man, throw it into the heap anyway, as they would be issued with new weapons in the future once they were rested. Well Tony did as he was told, but first he removed the scope.



Here is the nice part. Tony still has it

Cheers, Ade.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Hello Ade,

Great stuff I bet you enjoy meeting up with the veterans every year

I didn't know that it was your mate Tony who was responsible for the nice tally

Btw, you don't happen to have a picture of that 'scope do you?

Thanks, from Jack.
PS. Enjoyed your Berlin thread!

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Jack, the reunion is a very special time. A real privillage to attend. Sadly since last year two old soldiers have passed away, Don Day and John Fancy.

Sorry I don't have any photos of the scope but I hope to soon

Glad you enjoyed the Berlin thread.

Cheers, Ade.

[Jean-Loup]

Any logical explanation to why they had to leave their weapons in a pile