Nantwich man Gerald Newbrook has won an inaugural award for the replica World War 1 Boy Scout Ambulance that he built, writes Jonathan White.
Gerald, aged 77 and from Blakelow, displayed his vehicle at the annual Smallwood Vintage Rally.
The three-day Smallwood event featured 200 vintage classic and modern cars, 70 motorbikes, 200 lorries, 170 military vehicles and tanks, 50 steam engines and 200 vintage tractors.
This year, a ‘Stanley Thornhill Cup’ was presented for Best in Show in honour of the late Mr Thornhill, David Thornhill’s Dad.
David and Cath Thornhill presented the Cup to Gerald in admiration of his WW1 Boy Scout Ambulance, a regular exhibit at the Rally for many years.
Gerald’s vehicle is named after Princess Elizabeth who was later to become Queen Elizabeth II.
During the Second World War when Princess Elizabeth turned 18 in 1944, she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the women’s branch of the British Army.
The ATS was the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War.
Initially, a voluntary service, the ATS started conscripting unmarried women under the age of 30 to work in agriculture and industry to stop the gap and compensate for the labour shortages across the UK.
Based out of a training camp in Camberley, Surrey, Elizabeth trained as a mechanic and driver for the Second Subaltern Windsor Unit.
Gerald is an original member of the 35th South West Cheshire (Wistaston) Scout Group, a former District Commissioner and is now an Honorary President.
He was the first Scout in the South West Cheshire group in 1958 and is still involved in Scouting.
The Smallwood show also featured trade stands, a craft and model marquee, fairground organs, tractor pulling, children’s fairground, donkey rides, dog displays, vintage camping area, motorcycle stunt show and dancing diggers, and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypasts.
(Top image by Nigel Kirby, other images by Jonathan White)
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