|
27th February 2004.
Valentines Day -In July?
|
The War
and Peace Show, held at the Hop Farm Country Park, Paddock Wood, Kent
from 21st - 25th July, has built a reputation as the largest military
vehicle show in the world and prides itself on displaying some of the
rarest running vehicles around.
One such
vehicle, which will be displayed this year for the first time to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings is the only
running DD Valentine in the world.
|
 |
John Pearson of Essington Staffs, has spent the past 20 years restoring the Valentine Mk IX DD to its former glory.
The 'DD
Valentine' was an amphibious vehicle designed specifically for the
planned D-Day landings in 1944. DD tanks were designed to preserve the
element of surprise during an amphibious assault by hiding the bulk of
the tank below the water until it reached shore. The vehicles were
fitted with large canvas skirts around the upper portion of the vehicle
and appeared to the enemy as nothing more menacing than a rubber boat!
The vehicle is so
named for two reasons. The design for the 'Valentine' was submitted for
approval to the War office on 14th February 1938, hence its code name.
The 'DD' stands for 'Duplex Drive' because the tank can drive itself
with tracks on land and a propeller in the water.
The ability to
catch the enemy off guard was appealing to the army and trials were
undertaken to rehearse for D-Day at Poole in Dorset and Findhorn in
Moray (both areas of water thought to resemble Normandy yet guarded
from bad weather conditions).
On 4th April 1944
the 4/7 Royal Dragoon Guards launched from their landing craft off
Studland Bay, Dorset for a live firing rehearsal. The weather was
inclement at launch and deteriorated later, resulting in the loss of
six tanks and six lives. Lessons learnt from the rehearsal meant that
the DD tanks used on D Day in Normandy were launched much closer to the
shore. By then the Valentines had been replaced with the DD Sherman.
John Pearson
first became interested in renovating the DD Valentine tank in 1968 and
patiently waited for it to come on the market. His patience was
rewarded in July 1984 when he successfully bid for the shell of a
vehicle - difficult to recognise due to its lack of parts and being
covered in debris.
After finding
some of the original parts to the vehicle in the storage yard, John set
about collecting technical specifications for the remaining parts he
needed to fabricate. He also joined a group of Bovington tank museum
friends doing Range Recovery. Through the recovery expeditions he found
many more pieces to add to the restoration.
The process was a
long and arduous affair but most certainly a labour of love. John
Pearson plans to take his fully restored DD Valentine on its first
outing on 3rd and 4th April, to Studland Bay to commemorate the lives
lost in training. The vehicle will then be placed on exhibition at the
tank museum alongside their Sherman DD for comparisons for the first
time in over 50 years.
The DD Valentine
will then visit its first shows - and where better than the worlds
largest military vehicle show - the War and Peace Show. Held between
21st - 25th July at the Hop Farm Country Park, Beltring, Kent, further
information on the show can be found at www.thewarandpeaceshow.com or
on the Hop Farm event line 01622 872068.
Hollie Eastwood
Public Relations Manager
The Hop Farm Country Park
01622 870809
Note to editors;
The Hop Farm Country Park, Beltring near Paddock Wood, Kent is situated
on the A228 Paddock Wood Road, 10 minutes from M20 J4, and 30 minutes
from M25 J5.
|
