Family treated like “celebrities” at Normandy for D Day 80th Anniversary

A Shropshire family with a passion for restoring vintage military vehicles says they have been treated like “celebrities” since arriving in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6.

Ben Kaye, of Mytton, near Shrewsbury, his parents, Tom and Julie, son Will and a group of friends have driven to France to take part in parades and events to commemorate the special anniversary.

Ben, Will and family friend Hayley Davies, from Loppington, travelled in a 1940 Scammell Pioneer R100 heavy artillery tractor. Tom and Julie drove a 1940 AEC Matador medium artillery tractor and Lee Morris, from Whittington, has driven the Kaye family’s Scammel recovery truck.

They made a 10 hour trip to Winchester on Saturday, drove to Southsea next day and made the ferry crossing on Monday.

They have since taken part in a number of events in Normandy from their base outside Bayeux, including a visit yesterday to Hill 112, one of the most strategically important battlegrounds in northern France where 10,000 troops were killed in 10 weeks in 1944.

Ben and his family and friends were not expecting to be allowed on the beach with their vehicles at Aromanches this morning, so they plan to visit tomorrow. Ben and Will were planning to cycle to the beach to pay homage this morning.

“We are being treated like celebrities because there are very few vintage British heavy military vehicles here,” said Ben. “There is literally a handful of big vehicles like ours so we have had loads of photos taken.

“The journey went without a hitch and all three of our vehicles ran absolutely beautifully.”

Others vintage vehicles that have made the trip to Normandy, transported on trailers, are two Jeeps owned by Tom Sanders and John Wesley from Shropshire and a 1942 Daimler Dingo armoured scout car owned by Robin and Helen Frostick from Vennington.

Shrewsbury-based Morris Lubricants donated 200 litres of engine and gear oils to Ben, a loyal customer, to ensure the vintage vehicles run smoothly during the 700-mile round trip route to France and back.

Ben runs a busy Range Rover and Land Rover repair and diagnostics business that relies on Morris Lubricants’ quality products to maintain his high service standards.