Guernsey Press

Rallying call

Published

ON A COLD winter's morning, many people might think that sliding around in an open sided, canvas-topped jeep in muddy fields is not their idea of fun.

But for the Guernsey Military Vehicle Group, there could hardly be a better way to spend a Sunday. More than a dozen jeeps, trucks, weapons carriers and even a motorbike travelled in convoy from Pembroke and through Town before heading out to the wilds of St Andrew's to put their vehicles through their paces along dirt tracks and unploughed fields. Well, at least they weren't ploughed beforehand. This is the club's second winter rally and was inspired by some members taking part in a rally in the Ardennes, Belgium, where dozens of military enthusiasts got together in freezing temperatures to drive their vehicles as they would have been driven in their heyday.

Suzie Fallaize with Flo, a 1944 Dodge Ambulance

'She's a four-wheel drive and would have been used to get the wounded from the front line to the hospitals. She can carry four stretchered patients and there are also fold-down seats along the side so she could carry walking wounded.'

'I wrote to Chrysler with the engine and chassis number and they provided me with the original bill sheet. We know she was ordered by the War Department on 7 February 1944, so we think she was built for D-Day.'

Suzie said that both she and her husband are big military vehicle enthusiasts. 'My husband always wanted a Willys Jeep and as a surprise I bought one for him for his birthday. 'Not being a passenger, I looked around for something for me and when I saw the ambulance I fell in love with it. I really like the challenge of driving it and the fact that there's no doubt she is an ambulance. I absolutely love driving it – it's like an old friend. I always wonder what stories she would be able to tell.'

Paul Gaudion with his 1943 Chevrolet C15 general service truck

'I have had this for about 18 months. It was ex-British Army and was in service until it was first registered as a civilian vehicle in 1947. It has changed hands only twice since then. 'I understand that after it was demobbed it was used as a breakdown truck in the North of England.'

Canadian military trucks were built by Ford and Chevrolet to British Army specifications. Having said that, its set-up is unusual. The accelerator is in the middle, while the brake pedal is on the right-hand side. They were designed to be very compact because they were transported by sea. This C15 is fitted with windscreen glass that tilts forward to reduce the chance of reflections giving away its position to the enemy.

The truck is fitted with a 'winterisation' kit to help with cold starts. Fuel can be pumped directly into the inlet manifold rather than through the carburettor.

John Poat is the Military Vehicle Group's newest member. He was driving Eva, a 1943 Willys Jeep

Jeeps were used as utility vehicles and for ferrying the wounded. Eva has a top speed of 40mph.

'I have had her for around six months and bought her from England.'

When asked how Eva drives, John replied: 'Slowly.'

He said finding the right vehicle took some doing.

'It was difficult to find one in good condition. I scoured the internet and found this one at Armageddon, which supplies vehicles for films.'

Stuart Dyer with his 1943 Dodge 6x6 weapons carrier, which would have been used for carrying troops and would probably have towed a field gun

Stuart's weapons carrier has a 3.8-litre engine, which gives him around 11miles to the gallon. He will be taking it to Normandy in June for the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

Stuart is a commercial mechanic and has been interested in military vehicles since he was a lad.

'I've got two military vehicles, this one and a Dodge command car. I restored both vehicles. I started in 1985 and joined the club when I was 13 years old. I have been in it ever since.'

Stuart bought the weapons carrier in 1999 and spent four years restoring it. The carrier came originally from Jersey.

'It had sat in a field for 10 years and a chap had bought it over there. He had it for quite a while. It was quite bad, it had no brakes. The engine was running but it needed stripping and sand blasting and painting.'

Some of the wood has been replaced and the tyres are not original. It should have bar grip tyres, but these are for the road. I have taken it off-road before.'

Further details can be found at The Guernsey Military Vehicle Group's website:www.gmvg.co.uk

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