On a grey June dawn in 1944, the largest invasion force of fighting men and machinery the world had ever seen was unloaded onto the Normandy coastline of France. In the following weeks, thousands of vehicles poured ashore from the ships, carrying the essential supplies and providing the fire-power necessary to support the ground troops. Every conceivable form of transport was utilised from the humble pedal cycle, through the ubiquitous jeep, trucks of all types and sizes for the carriage of goods or men, armoured scout cars and infantry support vehicles, right up to the main battle tanks. Never before had so many vehicles been assembled, or specially devised for one major operation, and during the next eleven months they would convey the allied armies, through mud and ice, across the countries of northern Europe, from the Atlantic to the Baltic. Factories across Britain, Canada and the USA had produced millions of vehicles to the latest specifications especially for the campaign, most of them brand new when they landed in France and were very well built in spite of their short life expectancy. Most of them were only a couple of years old by the end of the war, and of designs that had never been considered at the start of it, such was the speed of technology.

As the peacetime forces naturally reduced in strength, so the military vehicle was also pensioned off. The mechanical heroes were dumped in vast scrap yards all over Europe, to be melted down or re-assembled to service the industries and agriculture being restored in the battered countries, driven by farmers, construction crews, road transport and haulage firms. It was hardly surprising that so many of the vehicles remaining were those abandoned by the American G.I.s, returning home, job done, with no further need for their faithful Fords, Dodges, Chevs, GMCs or Macks. These would soldier-on with various armed forces, even as late as the 1970's.

More than half a century later, the survivors of those veteran military vehicles are still rolling-on in the hands of enthusiasts, and regularly muster for parades throughout this country and abroad. Many of the vehicles attending this event have recently returned from Normandy, where they took part with hundreds of others in the 55th anniversary commemorations of D-Day. This has been a pilgrimage for the clubs for more than twenty years in support of the Normandy Veterans Association, who continue to remember and honour their comrades who didn't make it off the beaches or who fell in the battles on the land beyond.

When the founders of the Invicta Military vehicle Preservation Society (IMPS) created a Kent based group in 1980 for the collectors and enthusiasts of military vehicles, little did they imagine that it would grow to be one of the respected world leaders in the hobby, with members all over Europe, Scandinavia, America, Australia and Japan, bringing together their knowledge and experience in maintaining these interesting vehicles. Many members regularly attend commemorations and anniversaries, supporting charities and fund-raising events, fit in a bit of film or TV work or just relax at a weekend rally. The IMPS also hosts the worlds greatest military vehicle gathering every year, the 'War & Peace Show' at Beltring, in the heart of Kent, next year over the 19th to 23rd July.