BART VANDERVEEN AWARD 2011

 Nigel Hay (left) is congratulated on his award by Rex Cadman, Show Organiser

"It is always a great pleasure for me to present this award in the name of Bart Vanderveen who is no longer with us. His name is synonymous with military vehicles and most of us were nurtured on his books and writings. Certainly I purchased my first Jeep in the 1970s with the ‘bible’ - his Fighting Vehicles Directory in one hand - and £325 in the other. Those were the days!

This year’s recipient, Nigel Hay, also had a copy of the same book with him during a spell in hospital while living in Belgium in the 1970s. He like me was immediately hooked and got himself a Jeep although his came in bits and pieces. It was only later that he realised he had bought a pup - a post-war M38A1! Nevertheless he got it finished and went on to bigger things with vehicles like a Dodge and GMC.

In 1980 Nigel was a founder member of the embryo Invicta Military Vehicle Preservation Society - the IMPS - who host this show. In the early days, it was held at Tenterden where he was press-ganged into doing the commentary. When it moved to the Hop Farm in 1987, Nigel became the resident commentator and helped evolve the arena display into the spectacle that it is today. Nigel worked with Rex Cadman, the show organiser, to rebrand it as the War & Peace show in 1996 when it was re-launched with major press coverage and a three-hour live broadcast on Channel Four.

Nigel carried on commentating at what is now the largest event of its kind in the world and says how proud he was to have interviewed Bart in the arena before his death in 2001.

And I would also like to mention that in 1995 he put together that wonderful parade of military vehicles on The Mall for the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.

In 1999, Nigel was co-founder of the MILWEB website which has since become a huge driving force in the hobby of collecting and restoring military hardware. Although he tells me that the website now takes up all his time – one of the reasons why he could not be with us on Saturday when we usually present this award – it gives me great pleasure to be able to say ‘Thank you’ to Nigel today for his huge contribution to vehicle preservation over the past 30 years."

WINSTON RAMSEY - 21 July 2011

• ISSUE 1 - Wednesday 20th July 2011
• ISSUE 2 - Thursday 21st July 2011
• ISSUE 3 - Friday 22nd July 2011
• ISSUE 4 - Saturday 23rd July 2011
• ISSUE 5 - Sunday 24th July 2011

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IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE:

Driving vintage Military Vehicles on High Speed Roads.

Following recent tragic events on the M20 near Dover involving a WWII Jeep and a foreign van, I would like to urge all drivers of Military Vehicles participating in the War & Peace Show to consider how they can improve their visibility to following drivers.

This accident is the most recent of a series of similar incidents, and I know that an increasing number of owners have decided to stop driving on motorways with their vehicles. That is an option and their choice.

However, we are entitled to use roads, such as the M20, and many will wish to do so.

But how can we make ourselves less likely to be hit from behind by faster vehicles?

While our vehicles are road legal with their standard lighting; we can take extra steps to make ourselves and our vehicles more visible, both at night and during the day.

Some use orange flashing beacons; some use other flashing lights. I am not making any specific recommendations, but wish to share an option I used on a recent 2000 mile trip across Europe in my Jeep. I simply added a set of modern lights with magnetic bases and a length of reflective tape. The photos (in daylight and with camera flash) clearly show how it improves visibility, and can easily be removed once you arrive at the show:

I was one of the first people at the scene of the recent accident. I truly hope this message might encourage others to improve their visibility, and help reduce the likelihood of a similar tragedy.

John Corden C.M.I.O.S.H.      IMPS and MVT member. 

Reigate. June 2011

UNIQUE EXHIBITION CELEBRATES BATTLE OF BRITAIN HEROES

THOSE iconic Second World War fighter aircraft the Hurricane and the Spitfire have been brought together in a unique exhibition which keeps alive memories of the Battle of Britain.

Called The Battle of Britain Experience, the exhibition celebrates the lives and work of two top flying aces, Bob Stanford-Tuck, who downed 30 enemy aircraft, and Adolph "Sailor" Malan, who was credited with at least 27 kills.

Created by Rex Cadman, organiser of the War and Peace Show, and former travel company executive Mark Hatfield, the mobile exhibition features life size replicas of the aircraft. There is also a display trailer set up to tell the story of the Battle of Britain and the heroic role played by Stanford-Tuck and Malan.

 "We have created this exhibition because we believe it's vital that the men and women who fought the Battle of Britain should never be forgotten," said Rex Cadman. "If they had not risked their lives in those turbulent days of 1940, the War might have had a completely different outcome. And we should never forget that many did not survive."

 "We intend to offer the exhibition for display at agricultural shows, air shows, military events and exhibitions throughout the South East," said Mark Hatfield, who lives near Paddock Wood. "Of course it has particular relevance for Kent because so much of the Battle of Britain was fought over this county. It will also be available for schools to really bring home the lessons of the Second World War."

The fibreglass aircraft replicas have been built specially for the Battle of Britain Experience.

The Hurricane is to be painted in the colours of Bob Stanford-Tuck, who began his combat career flying Spitfires. He first saw enemy action over Dunkirk in May 1940 when he shot down three enemy planes.

In August that year he bailed out over Tunbridge Wells after his aircraft was damaged in an exchange of fire with dive bombers. A week later his engine was damaged after he attacked a Dornier off the Kent coast, but he managed to glide back to safety.

Stanford-Tuck was later sent to command a Hurricane squadron and was at first put off by the aircraft which he described as a "sturdy carthorse".

After his first combat mission, however, he reversed this view. "It had not a vice in its whole make up," he said.

After being shot down over France Stanford-Tuck spent three years as a Prisoner of War, but escaped on New Year's Day 1945. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Order, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two bars.

The Spitfire pilot celebrated is Adolph "Sailor" Malan, a South African who commanded No. 74 Squadron at Biggin Hill. By revising the attack formations of his squadron he turned it into one of the most successful of the War. Malan was personally credited with 27 kills, seven shared and 16 aircraft damaged.

He remained active right through the War and on D-Day led a Free French fighter wing over the beaches of Normandy. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Bar and the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar.

After the War, Malan became involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa.

The Battle of Britain Experience will be on display at The War and Peace Show at The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, from 20 to 24 July.

The First Official War & Peace Annual

The first Official War & Peace Annual will go on sale on 17 June through WH Smith stores, at the Show and directly from Warners Group Publications.

Fully supported by the Show's organiser, the Annual will look back at the highlights of the last five years of the event, with special features and interviews with a variety of exhibitors, collectors and re-enactors. This will be complemented by general features on militaria, military history and related topics, to comprise a comprehensive and interesting accompaniment to the spectacle that is The War & Peace Show. Only £5.95 plus P&P.

Reserve your copy now - call 01778 392476 or 01778 392489.

HGV MOT Exemptions – Proposed withdrawal of some categories

Some members may be aware of the Consultation Document that has been raised by the Department for Transport (DfT) with regard to proposals to reduce the number of categories of HGV that are exempt from MOT testing.  In summary the position is this:

1.  If you own a post-1960 HGV (all pre-1960 HGVs are exempt, and it is not proposed to withdraw this), then it must go through an HGV test, unless it falls into one of the test exempt categories.  This list of exemptions is being reviewed, and the DfT is proposing to withdraw some of those exemption categories.

2.  The DfT has issued a consultation document, which can be accessed atthe website:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/mottestingexemptions/consultation.pdf

This shows the full list of current exemptions, and those planned to be withdrawn.  There are few exempt categories that would apply to Military Vehicles.  If, however, you believe you own an exempt vehicle, then it is recommended you check the website to confirm the current and proposed position.  If you consider your vehicle is exempt, and that the category under which it is covered is being considered for withdrawal, then you can put a submission to the DfT stating why you believe it should remain exempt, via the website (or by letter).

3.  The Invicta Military Preservation Society (IMPS) and the Military Vehicle Trust (MVT) are already working with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC) to put submissions to the DfT, on behalf of MV owners, which  particularly address:

- concerns of HGV owners, who may now have to have their vehicle tested, about access to testing stations, potentially prohibitive cost of tests, etc.

- ensuring that HGV testing of historic vehicles takes account of their design and construction at the time they were built (similar to the ordinary MoT test), so that there are not requirements to have HGVs 'upgraded' to include modern criteria, and that HGV MoT testers are properly aware of the nature of historic vehicles and apply a standard set of rules across all testing stations, but always recognising the importance of road safety.

- mitigating as much as possible the administrative impact of HGV testing for historic vehicles, such as access to testing stations; making inspectors available to inspect vehicles on site, where access to testing stations is impractical; keeping costs down, etc, but again recognising the importance of road safety.

- promoting to the DfT the responsibility of MV owners of exempt vehicles to ensure that their vehicles are safe and roadworthy, and do not use the exemption to put unsafe vehicles onto the public highway. 

As responsible historic vehicle clubs IMPS and MVT support efforts to improve road safety.  Our role is to try to promote a balance in legislation that properly reflects both road safety and the technical aspects of historic vehicles, as well as ensuring that, where possible, the membership is aware of their legal obligations.