Knitted tank drafted in to help war commemorations


This knitted tank is on display at a North Wales shopping centre as part of war time commemorations. It was made for a Poppy project from wood and wool with knitters using 2,300 balls of wool.

The military vehicle - completed with model "soldiers " - forms part of several events in Llandudno in the run up to Remembrance Sunday.

On Saturday shoppers were intrigued as the life-sized mannequins, turret, caterpillar tracks and other sections were unloaded from a lorry and carried by volunteers into Victoria Shopping Centre on Mostyn Street for assembly.

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Claire McElroy said her group Friends of Mostyn Street, who have also brought The Longest Yarn tapestry commemorating D-Day to Llandudno, wondered how they could go "the extra mile" to commemorate D-Day and servicemen and women from past conflicts.

She said: "I told my husband about The Longest Yarn, he mentioned that he had seen the knitted tank in Yorkshire. So we contacted them… and here it is!"

The Friends of Mostyn Street have been loaned his knitted tank and soldier figures made by Ripon Community Poppy Project for D-Day commemorations in the Victoria shopping centre and other venues in Llandudno
The Friends of Mostyn Street have been loaned his knitted tank and soldier figures made by Ripon Community Poppy Project for D-Day commemorations in the Victoria shopping centre and other venues in Llandudno -Credit:Claire McElroy, Friends of Mostyn Street

Ripon Community Poppy Project built the tank to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day and 75th anniversary of the Royal Engineers getting the freedom of their city.

The Corps of the Royal Engineers were granted the Freedom of the City of Ripon in 1949. Claro Barracks is currently the home of 21 Engineers, who started in Germany in 1949 and moved to Ripon in 2008.

The tank has:

  • 2,300 balls of wool

  • 1,885 knitted eight-inch squares for the tank

  • Each square took up to three hours to knit

  • Approximately 75,000 man/woman hours on the project

  • Approximately 2.5k worth of timber to build the tank frame

The creation, modelled after a Churchill AVRE tank, measures 24ft (7.3m) in length, 9ft (2.7m) in width and 7ft (2.1m) in height.

Another exhibit will be The Longest Yarn - a huge embroidered display - at Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno between October 2 and October 27. There will be an accompanying panel there featuring the famous Mulberry Harbours built on Conwy Morfa. Please check opening times for the Longest Yarn. Sign up now for the latest news on the North Wales Live Whatsapp community

* Admission to see all exhibits is free-of-charge but organisers at the Friends of Mostyn Street would welcome donations towards local causes and the Poppy Appeal.

However, associated concerts, tea dances and Mulberry Harbour talks are all run in support of local causes. Book a place by visiting https://www.llandudnorespects.com/