Introducing the Wessex historic MVs
This year marks the 21st anniversary of Wessex HMV’s one-day historic military vehicle show that was established at Haselbury Mill, a hospitality venue.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of a one-day historic military vehicle show that was established at Haselbury Mill, a hospitality venue, located at Haselbury Plucknett, near the town of Crewkerne, surrounded by Somerset countryside in the southwest of England. The man behind the idea of creating the event was Roy Gallina, a military vehicle owner who is still very active on the circuit of military shows. At the time Gallina was a member of one of the largest organizations in the country for military vehicle owners, but for various reason he became disenchanted with the group and decided to make a change.
Fifteen years after establishing the event at Haselbury Mill, Gallina and a group of other like-minded military vehicle owners set about creating their own, independent group. The result was the founding of Wessex Historic Military Vehicles, WHMV, in 2018. The new group decided to keep managing the one-day show and the owners of Haselbury Mill were more than happy to continue to play host to the popular event. It must have been around this time that I found out about the event, which also includes a small number of trade stands for collectors. I have since become a regular visitor. The only time it was not held was during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis for obvious reasons we can all remember only too well.
The Wyvern badge of the WHMV.
Despite that setback, the WHMV has survived and its free-to-enter Haselbury Mill Show is also back to pre-COVID strength. Even though it is a low-key event, it has secured a reputation that manages to attract collectors and enthusiasts from a wide area who come to see the vehicles and browse the trade stands.
Earlier in the year I contacted Gallina, who is the group co-ordinater, and we arranged to meet at the show so that the WHMV could be introduced to their fellow enthusiasts in America. The show itself is very compact and once participating vehicles are on site they remain parked throughout the day. Collectors turn up to put on static displays of their items, and several traders also show up with quality items. It is all a relaxed and very friendly affair where members can meet and catch up on news.
I found Gallina standing by his Ford Jeep and we settled down to talk about how the WHMV came into being. He began by explaining that his decision to form a separate group was to create “a gathering of friends” was supported by a number of like-minded folks he had known for a long time. On the group’s website (www.wessex-historic-military-vehicles.com) the introduction states that they are: “not a club as such, but a bunch of friends that enjoy restoring and displaying historic military vehicles”, something which is described as “keeping old warhorses on the road.” Based in Somerset, the WHMV has around 200 members.
Group meetings are not held at set times during the year and when they are they are always informal affairs and always at Haselbury Mill. The members take their interest very seriously and their combined experience and knowledge covers most types of vehicles, from motorcycles to heavyweight stuff and even rare and unusual types such as the Leyland Hippo Mk II, of which only 1,000 were ever produced. Apart from the group’s own event, members also support other shows, such as the WARAG event held at Westonzoyland in Somerset, where this year Peter Bould took part in the mobility display by driving his Bedford MW in a lineup which included a Commer truck and Daimler armored car.
Some members of the WHMV take their vehicles abroad to meetings in France and Belgium, such as husband and wife, Alec and Michele Small, who took their 1944 Austin K2Y ambulance to France as part of the 80th anniversary gatherings to commemorate D-Day. They have owned it for some 34 years, during which time they have driven it thousands of miles, using it to transport all their necessaries needed for these trips. Michele also drives it and she explained how it also “starred” in the 2017 movie “Dunkirk”.
The lineup at this year’s Haselbury event included a very smart Dodge 2.5-ton 4x4 truck and Scammell Pioneer, along with Jeeps, motorcycles and more modern Land Rovers. Peter and Sue Bould had several vehicles, including a Bedford MW truck, Willys Jeep, Flying Flea motorcycle and a 1948 “Corgi” scooter developed from the wartime Welbike. Previous vehicles displayed have included a Clark Tructractor bomb truck, Green Goddess fire tender and wartime fire tender.
Gallina says between 40 and 50 vehicles usually turn up at the gathering. Although I did not make an actual count, looking around at the parked vehicles I would agree with that estimate.
For a small show, it certainly has surprises in store for the visitors, such as the Foden recovery vehicle 6x6 in REME markings which turned up this year. Even Gallina does not know for sure what will appear until the actual day of the show. Collectors are invited to put displays of items which are always of interest to visitors. Traders dealing in militaria offer an interesting range of collectibles and attract attention from visitors and enthusiasts alike. I usually find something to add to my collection of photographs and medals.
Small, local events like this are very important to the militaria and MV hobbies because of their ability to attract first-time visitors. Also, for new, first-time owners of vehicles they are an opportunity to meet experienced enthusiasts and maybe even join the WHMV or other hobby groups.
Since meeting Gallina and some members of the WHMV at their event I have met several others at different shows, where they were attending to give their support. In each case they were charming and spoke enthusiastically about their charges. The fact the WHMV is celebrating its 21st anniversary says the members are doing things right.