Wartime Wheels returned for a second year to Caldicot Castle. Visitors came and joined in the fun of the bank holiday weekend event of wheeled and tracked classic military vehicles: and living history displays in a beautiful setting.
Free entry, sunny weather and some exceptional exhibits brought in tremendous crowds for this year’s show. The castle was packed full of World War Two era machines and from other military eras, equipment and re-enactors. With larger and heavier vehicles displayed in the grounds of the castle. British, American and German World War Two military exhibits including motorcycles, jeeps, trucks and tracked armoured vehicles were on display. With vintage military vehicles and displays from the time of the Vietnam war to the 1980’s.
Photographed (Left to Right): David Cable, John Shears and Bev Thomas.
The Pegasus Airborne Reenactment Association (PARA) from across South Wales arrived for Military Vehicle Trust weekend at Caldicot Castle. This is their second year of participation and the six member team helped to organize the event. Bev from Port Talbot, South Wales said: “I am loving it here. I really like the location and the warm weather is great.”
Photographed: Jeremy Tobin from the Forest of Dean with his 1939 Bedford MW.
Jeremy is a carpenter by trade and he spends his recreational time renovating old wartime vehicles. He has rebuilt a Norton motorcycle, restored a Jeep and also an Austin Champ Jeep. Pictured is his ‘final’ project a Bedford MW, originally built in November 1939. This particular vehicle was used in the 1990s in a zoo in North Wales before eventually being found in a greenhouse, in Leamington Spa, in 2013. Since then Jeremy has been rebuilding the vehicle and it remains his last passion. Jeremy has procured the parts for this vehicle from all over the world. Jeremy said: “After this one I will stop.”
The Bedford MV now has only one careful owner and Jeremy drove it the fifteen miles from Tintern to the event, the first time this vehicle has been used since it’s restoration and Jeremy believes this is the oldest surviving version of this vehicle in the country.
Bedford Vehicles, usually shortened to just Bedford, was a brand of vehicle produced by Vauxhall Motors, which was ultimately owned by General Motors (GM). Established in 1930 and constructing commercial vehicles, Bedford Vehicles was a leading international lorry brand, with substantial export sales of light, medium, and heavy lorries throughout the world. It was GM Europe’s most profitable venture for several years
This was Jeremy’s first time attending the event and he said: “It is a really friendly great weekend, loads of people, lovely location and we even booked the good weather well in advance.”
Photographed (Left to Right): Robert Wilkins, Richard Wilkins and Neil Jones.
The South Wales Screaming Eagles 101st Airborne Division reenactors wished to replicate a photograph of the original 2nd Battalion Medics of the 502nd Para Infantry Regiment from the D-Day landings 6-7th June 1944 in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. In the photograph the original medical team had acquired a Jeep from a crashed glider of the 82nd Airborne and had disguised the markings by using masking tape.
Photographed (Left to Right): Paul Jenkins and Adam representing the 5th Rangers.
Paul Jenkins and his son Adam travelled from Worcester for the Military Vehicle Trust event at Caldicot Castle. Paul said: “This is my first visit and the surroundings are stunning. Paul is sat in his US Willeys Jeep which has been in several stages of repair for fifteen years.
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