| Section: |
Organisers |
| What is your role and title at War & Peace?: |
I am The War and Peace Show Organiser and my role is to deliver the greatest show on the planet for a 5 day period in July. |
| Are you happy in your role or is there something else you would prefer to do?: |
Most of the time I am extremely happy in my role but there are the odd occasions where I dream of entering the War and Peace Show as an exhibitor parking in a distant field, sitting drinking my beer and saying to the man next to me “we didn’t do it like that when I did it”!! But then I wake up and reality returns. |
| How many years have you been involved in War & Peace and why did you become involved?: |
20 years, in 1987 I visited the show for the first time that it was held at the Whitbread Hop Farm as a member of the public and joined the IMPS club. If my memory serves me correctly, Alice Bullock took my money in 1988, I returned as an exhibitor and won best US vehicle. In 1989 I was invited to join the IMPS committee and became part of the organising team which consisted of myself, Barbara Dixon and Bruce Hoad for the annual club show. At the end of the ’89 show Bruce Hoad retired and year by year I took on more responsibilities and by ‘93/’94 I had taken on the role as organiser although in reality throughout the months leading up to the shows the majority of the work had all been carried out by Barbara and myself back at the Rectory providing the then IMPS committee with constant updatesand as they say the rest is history. |
| What do your friends and family think of your involvement, do they support you and in what way?: |
My children are totally supportive, my youngest daughter Steph runs the merchandising shop and has done since she was 11 years of age, now aged 14. Dom who is 16 works on the refuse lorry, Alex who is 18 works for Nick Cowles on marshalling the dusty road. Royce at 19 helps Rory set up public camping when he appears and our eldest Jane, 23, helps to drink the bars dry of an evening time. As for my wife, Debbie, she constantly worries about the children but concedes that they thoroughly enjoy it and is very supportive of anything I endeavour to do. I do get a lot of flak from my family, particularly my wife, in respect of showers and loos. As for my friends, they think I am mad but all turn out over the period of the show to show their support. This year in particular bought back great memories as many of the officials family and friends ended up on the fun fair as we had done in years gone by. |
| Do you travel far to War & Peace, how do you get there and in what?: |
Fortunately the Hop Farm for me is only 50 miles away. The downside is from leaving home in July to returning home in August there is nearly a months gap, not to mention all the trips I do to the Hop Farm throughout the year. I do believe my car could probably get there by remote now. These days I travel in a Landrover Discovery when it’s not being pinched from the Hop Farm. I leave the movement of our military vehicles to our transport manager who schedules them into the lowloading. I can’t remember the last time I drove a military vehicle on the road although I believe it was my wife’s Jeep. |
| Why do you keep coming back for more?: |
What else would I do in July?! No don't answer that, my wife has a long list of things we could be doing in July instead of spending a month in a field. As for why I come back, War and Peace has become a major part of my life. I have gained many friends and acquaintances over the past 20 years, many of whom I only get to catch up with once a year. For me there is a huge sense of satisfaction in bringing together the worlds largest military vehicle spectacular along with all the living history displays, stallholders, campers, re-enactors and everything else that goes on at the show. Barbara and Andrea who make up the War and Peace office spend 11 and a half months working on this show for a very brief 5 days in July and as I said at the start, what else would I do in July. |
| What do you enjoy most about War & Peace and what could you add to it?: |
The opening day, all that work has at last come to fruition, one hopes the sun is shining. If you have forgotten to do it it's too late. The day starts for me at 7.30 with the breakfast meeting with the officials. For the next 120 hours we are flat out. Monday morning seems a long way away.
What could I add to War and Peace? Two more days and make it a 7 day show, this is something we are constantly being asked to do. Back here in the office, the consensus of opinion is that 5 days is enough. |
| What do you enjoy least about War and Peace and what could you do to improve it?: |
The clearing up of all the rubbish the following week. America's Field is usually the best, the exhibitors out there obviously know what a tiring job it is and tend to leave the field very clean, usually half a days work and that one is sorted. As you can imagine the stallholders field is the worst, many of the stallholders are extremely good in clearing up their area but some seem to take a great pleasure in making as much mess as they can before they leave. One or two that have been so unacceptable they have not been invited back.
We are constantly trying to improve the rubbish clearance with the introduction of the compact lorry throughout the days of the show. Black sacks are issued to exhibitors on arrival to assist in the disposal of their rubbish. I would like to see a greater emphasis on recycling and regularly raise this at meetings in the hope that one day we will find a solution. |
| If there were anything you could change about War & Peace what would it be and how would you assist in making these changes?: |
If I could wave a magic wand with a never ending budget I would have new showers and toilet blocks erected in all the different fields. No matter what I do this will always be the bain of my life. There are practical reasons as to why we cannot achieve this, firstly lack of budget, secondly lack of water. The Hop Farm is on the end of the supply line and if we take any more water, Paddock Wood will suffer. Unfortunately for the Hop Farm, War and Peace is the only event held there that takes up all the fields on offer and the capital investment would not stack up. We therefore do our best with the facilities we have. I use the shower block every morning and never have a problem. There is always someone to chat to in the queue. |
| What is your job in the real world, have you always done this and do you have any military background?: |
I have a multiple of occupations. For me my number one job is running my care homes. I have looked after adults with learning difficulties for 25 years this coming January and have derived an enormous amount of pleasure out of this occupation. In my early 20s I never imagined how life would turn out and as I turn 50 in February I wonder what the next quarter of a century holds. If I am still running War and Peace I doubt I will be able to do the late hours I do now.
My father was a colonel in the last war and other than claiming it was a 6 year waste of his life never discussed it. I had an uncle who had a high ranking job in the navy which saw me enter a naval training college in the early 70s. I spent a year in the TA in 1975 and there endeth my military career. I, like so many others, bought a Jeep in May 1986 purely for a bit of fun unwittingly starting our War and Peace Collection which will be celebrating 21 years next May. |
| What is your favourite story about your involvement or a friends involvement in War & Peace?: |
Like all things in life there is bound to be more gossip, tittle tattle and scandal than your pages would ever have room for but I will tell you one of my favourite stories. Back in the early 90s Barbara and I had spent the year organising the show. Even then it was a decent size and I had decided to rally a Mack NO2 which had been in our workshops for a number of months being rebuilt. In the early part of the week prior to the show Barbara headed off to the Hop Farm to start getting things laid out. As the Mack was not ready I hung back chasing the guys in the workshop to get it finished, mobile phones were few and far between and communication was limited. Barbara got on with her side of the job and then my side of the job as I paced the workshop floors. As Friday evening approached the truck was driven out of the workshops ready to leave. The show opened to the public at 9am the following morning. As you can imagine I was cutting it fine and without Barbara I would have been sunk. I headed out onto the open road, first the A257 then the A2 then the M2 which is where I stayed for the next 24 hours on the hard shoulder. I can't remember all the things that were wrong with the engine now as it is too long ago. Anyway, we rebuilt it on the side of the road and I drove into the Hop Farm at about 8 o'clock on the Saturday evening. Day 1 was over and only Sunday to go. Tony Lawrence had sorted out the security rota and I spent half the night walking round the field making sure everyone was sleeping soundly. For me it was the shortest War and Peace Show I ever attended but Barbara forgave me. I think it was after that that we bought our first lowloader. |
| How do you see the show developing in the future? Will you still be involved and what can you do to promote the future of War & Peace?: |
War and Peace has moved on from its original foundations as a military vehicle show. It now encompasses a huge section of living history supported by amazing battle re-enactments. The trade stands became an essential part of the show some years ago. All of these elements go to make War and Peace what it is today. For the future we need to build on this. There is a need for War and Peace to become a social part of society, to use the position we have to educate for all those who participate to still have fun whilst being taken seriously. War and Peace holds a special place in the military calendar. This is something that has to be treated with great care and responsibility. As the veterans of wars pass away the responsibility for upholding their memory lays within our hands. The future of War and Peace is to ensure a future so that their memory will go on long beyond ours and with this in mind we are constantly looking at new ways of developing a successful formula that is the War and Peace Show so just keep watching this space. As for my involvement I would like to think that I will be here for some time to come. |
| What military vehicle clubs do you belong to and when did you join?: |
1987 Invicta Military Vehicle Preservation Society
1989 Military Vehicle Trust
1989 Military Vehicle Preservation Association |
| Do you assist in any other military shows and in what role?: |
No, War and Peace keeps me far too busy. I once got involved in a Steam and Country Fair and discovered that I could only really do one show properly so now turn down all other offers although I do help at our local village fete. |
| Would you support a war and peace show club?: |
Yes as long it did not get bogged down with all the internal politics that eventually seem to affect all clubs at some stage or another. |
| Do you own a military vehicle, did you restore this yourself, and are you involved in re-enactment? Have you ever been a trader?: |
My brother and I have owned military vehicles for nearly the past 21 years, we have always collected World War II period vehicles and have a total collection of something in the range of 150 vehicles which we are now starting to downsize. Neither I nor my brother have ever been involved in re-enactment. For 3 years my business partner and friend, Brent Pollard, and I had a stand alongside the trade pitches run under the business name of Second Hand Independent Traders of London/New York/Paris and Paddock Wood. It was a very successful stand and this Guy Fawkes I shall be burning some of the last of the stock. It was just a bit of fun.
Back in 1988 my brother and I first got involved in vehicle restoration under the name of Tired Iron Truck Services, specialising in supplying GMCs and Dodges to collectors. These days we spend our time restoring our own vehicles. The next one due out of the workshops is our Sherman Firefly. |
| Do you have photographs of your vehicle(s)?: |
Yes, I will add them to my gallery |
| Do you have photographs of your re-enactments?: |
No |
| What is the attraction for you about the whole military scene?: |
For me it is the social side. I spend all year working on War and Peace and throughout the year I socialise with all kinds of people from all walks of life. For me the vehicles are a side line. It is not unusual for me to return home to find my wife feeding 20 re-enactors around our kitchen table who are just passing through on their way to the ferry in Ramsgate. In our house this is perceived as normal as is having a line of tanks in our garden. |
| When and where did you first become involved in the military hobby?: |
We bought our first vehicle, a Jeep, in May ’86 and a second vehicle a GMC CCKW 353 6x6 cargo carrier in December ’86. Whilst these were parked on the drive of my home in June ’87 two passing military vehicle enthusiasts Peter Birch and Mark Rimmer took the time to stop off and introduce themselves and over a beer told us about the IMPS show that was due to take place in July of that year and suggested we should come along and have a look. Having spent the day at the Hop Farm we joined the club and I took some photographs of Dick Windrows Diamond T 968A which we bought the following year thereby starting our collection. |
| If you had a never ending budget which would be the 5 vehicles you would buy?: |
Caterpillar D8 Armoured Bulldozer
Sherman Flail
Duplex Drive Sherman
World War I Mark V Male
Rolls Royce Armoured Car |
| Which is your favourite bar at War & Peace and why? And where do you most like to eat?: |
My favourite bar has to be Ginger Gammons as when it is rocking and rolling it has a great atmosphere. I often find that most of the people I know are in there. Regrettably it is also the bar where the odd problems start and it is where I need to be.
As for food, my favourite place is the officials marquee at 7.30 in the morning when I tuck into one of Ken’s full English breakfasts. When on site you can’t beat the coffee at the Bi-Veg Stand down by the arena. |
| Other than War & Peace what is your idea of a perfect weekend?: |
Waking up on Saturday morning with the knowledge that I have nothing to do until Monday morning and therefore have the freedom to spend that weekend anyway I choose with family, friends and other hobbies. The list is endless of what I could be doing. I love good food, good wines and more importantly great company. We have a lot of dinner parties at home which explains why I can’t diet. Over the years it is a known fact at War and Peace that I love cheeses and wines and many exhibitors come bearing gifts. There has even been a competition to find a cheese I won’t eat. Although this has not been achieved there are some I wouldn’t rush to eat again.
Sometimes when I am feeling totally lazy the kids and I will crash out in the lounge and watch films all day long. If we can drag the wife away from her hobbies she will join us.
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Rex Cadman
 "The Darling Buds of May Truck as used in the TV series by David Jason as Pop Larkin and Pam Ferris as Ma Larkin!!")
 "The Darling Buds of May Truck as used in the TV series by David Jason as Pop Larkin and Pam Ferris as Ma Larkin!!")
 "Raiders of the Lost Ark Truck. Built by Charlie Mann for the film starring Harrison Ford. Purchased at the Sotheby's auction in the early 90's for the War and Peace Collection and then sold to Disney World California.")
 "Raiders of the Lost Ark Truck. Originally built by Charlie Mann on a GMC chassis for the film starring Harrison Ford. Purchased from the Sotheby's auction of the early 90's and subsequently sold to Disney World, California.")
 "Private Schultz Truck Starring Michael Elphick. Originally built by Charlie Mann on a GMC chassis for the TV series. Later used in Stalag Luft starring Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Finally sold at auction by Sotheby's in the early 90's.")
 "M26 Pacific Towing 8 inch Howitzer by St James' Palace following the VE VJ Parade 1995 after second restoration. Driven by Rod Cadman.")
 "The Darling Buds of May Truck. Used in the filming of the TV series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta Jones. Originally prepared by R and R Services having started life as a Chevrolet Radio Truck")
 "The Darling Buds of May Truck. Used in the filming of the TV series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta Jones. Originally prepared by R and R Services having started life as a Chevrolet Radio Truck")
 "Diamond T 968A Cargo on Arromanches Beach 1989, originally purchased March 1988 from Dick Windrow. Originally imported from Norway by R and R Services.")
 "Diamond T 969 Open Cab Wrecker purchased from Pounds of Portsmouth mid 1988. Restored by Tired Iron Truck Services 1989.")
 "GMC CCKW 353 LWB Uncle Sam purchased from R and R Services December 1986 for £1500. Restored by Peter Skelton and Peter Birch 1988. Won Best US Vehicle Beltring 1988. Finally sold to an American Museum.")
 "M1 Ward La France Wrecker. Originally swapped from Chris Golding by Nigel Hay for a SWB GMC. Rebuilt by Tired Iron Truck Services for Nigel Hay who then sold it to the Wheatcroft Collection, finally purchased by the War and Peace Collection 1999.")
 "M26 Pacific at Beltring 1990 crushing cars in the arena. Originally purchased in unrestored condition in Northern France. First rallied as found in 1988 restored in time for Bethune 1988.")
 "Chevrolet 1.5 tonne 5th Wheel 4x4
Purchased 1989 from Patricks American Cars, Brussels. Restored early 90s, now complete with trailer.")
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 "one sixteenth scale Diamond T and Rogers Trailer built by K Palmar for the War and Peace Collection")
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