The Tank Park!

[Michael Alexander]

Does anyone know when the TAnk Park was established , or what year the company put the tank in the park!

I know that there are still 2 tanks at the Moths and One in the sandunes to the east of town.....

???

[Susan Kintscher (Lineker)]

I think it was in the late 70's. 

Does anyone remember the games evening we had in that park (8th ave).  Now I'm giving my age away!!
We use to play Red Rover, Stingers, etc....  I remember the Summer boys being very naughty???
Susan

[Ebben]

We lived opposite the tank park (E30-9th avanue) and a whole of shenanigans went down in that park.  That is where Billy Linekar used to blow impressive smoke rings from his flaming JPS fag.  I almost died coughing when I tried imitating him.  Fights, broken arms - from falling of swings, clandestine meetings in the tank on how to take over the world by our gang 'the Pink Ladies' - read 'Grease 2'!!!! It was also my refuge when I knew my Mom was going to whip my hide for doing something wrong - which was daily! It was also a shortcut to the bus-stop. I remember my Mom hauling my ass back home in the morning cos I didn't eat my Jungle Oats and having our sadistic domestic chuckle when he saw me wailing back home.  He actually died in a landmine accident in the North.  It was also beautiful in the mornings covered in a blanket of mist and foggy gemsboks grazing - I preferred to think of them as unicorns.  Oh yes, the neighbours - the Weidemann's lived close by as did the Lemon's, the Reids, Uncle Ernie - Mark Bester's Dad (step-dad?). Of course, Julian Louw and Billy Linekar ruled that area - crazy, naughty buggers.  Also tried to convince my twin sister in that park that we were adopted.  She didn't buy it.

[Michael Alexander]

I see towards the late 80's they dug a sandpit out of the grass in the tank park and put up 2 poles for beach volleyball, that was quite popular on sunday afternoon's for about a year or so.....

:-\

[bobbysmith]

is the tank park acroos the road from e23 /9th ave,in 71 i rember a tank being there,it replace the two mini minors that my dads appies had to strip and make child friendly,painted green as i recall,as were loads of other things in the town,some one must of got a job lot of cheep green paint

[Michael Alexander]

Hey Bobby, it is indeed across the road from e23/9th avenue, there's a putt putt course in there also, although it's a bit run down... I heard a local chap got permission to build accommodation and retaurant in the park..... times are a changing....

>:(

[Clint Ebstein]

I lived next to the Tank Park E24-11th and have fond memories of inside the tank, that is all I am saying

[bobbysmith]

ovambo toilets,next to the fence,they tought me how to talk ovambo,warra por,herra bielie ahh,nowatoe,eh,shame they didnt give me spelling lessons,if any one of us kids mentioned TOKKALOSHIE,shit hit the fan,we had to jump away big style,any one rember????

[Michael Alexander]

Hahahaha Bobby, I'm in fits of laughter with your rendition of Owambo spelling....., not that I can spell it any better.... most of the Owambo toilets have been knocked down, in fact while driving around the other day, I only counted 3 ........

there was always one or 2 old tate's sitting outside those toilets jabbering away, they were always game with us kids and always humoured us.....

owarapo, nawa 2, nawa 3 , nawa 4......  :D

[Clive Symes]

Mike, until 2004 I had never seen one of these tanks actually working although I know what they were used for.
In 2004 I was aksed if I wanted to accompany a couple of people from public relations to Pretoria to check out some film that someone had there. Anyway it turned out that this chaps father used to live in Oranjemund in the early days and actually had cine film of one of the shermans being used to install one of the transformers in the power station.
I was able to identify the driver as Peter Bennet, when asked how I could be sure, I produced a photo of my Dad and a number of old-timers, photo was taken 1952-53 when they were all youngsters and Pete Bennet was one of the bunch.
Anyway last I heard the Company was going to have these film copied for the Museum, you can check with Ursula.

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

What am I doing

[Mike Thurtell]

Just saw in the 1973 newsletter on this site the story and pics about the sherman tanks and what they were used for in the 1940's to 50's.

[Michael Alexander]

I count three tanks still in town and according to the offroad club boys, one half buried in the dunes to the east of town...

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Two more Tank Park pics    1980

[Diana Rudd (Boehme)]

Oops