A convoy of First World War vehicles, which travelled from Bovington Tank Museum to the Great Dorset Steam Fair site at the weekend, is being hailed as a huge success.
Hundreds of visitors lined the streets all along the 20-mile route waving British flags and cheering on the convoy crew, who were dressed in British military uniforms from 100 years ago.
Large crowds gathered in Bovington, Bere Regis, Winterborne Kingston, Thornicombe, Blandford Town Centre, Pimperne, Tarrant Hinton as well as in laybys and hedgerows along the route to catch sight of the 80ft military road run, the likes of which have not been seen since 1919.
Managing Director Martin Oliver said: “On behalf of myself and the Great Dorset Steam Fair I would like to say a huge thank you, not only to everyone responsible for making the road run a huge success but to the hundreds of spectators who turned our to support the effort along the route. It was a moving tribute to the First World War and an iconic day in GDSF history.”
To recreate an original WW1 convoy, the road run included two McLaren locomotives, a Pickfords trailer carrying a 1914 WW1 Holt 75 HP Gun Tractor, a steam lorry, a Daimler lorry, a traction wagon and support vehicles.
These will form part of a WW1 Special Display at this year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair, which runs from 27 until 31 August, in tribute to the centenary anniversary of the start of the First World War.
It is envisaged to be one of the biggest WW1 commemorative displays taking place in the UK this year. For more information visit www.gdsf.co.uk.
