The club was originally formed as the fruits of an afternoon outing by Messrs. Evans, Shaw and Reynolds in their respective vehicles one weekend in February 1959.They enjoyed themselves, and the following week, with the assistance of other car-owners and their hangers-on, a rally was arranged by Ken Shaw and myself under the singularly inappropriate title of “Operation Roadmaster”. 12 cars set out, and to our intense surprise, 12 returned, having apparently had great fun. We thought “Good Lord” and proceeded to add insult to injury by arranging another one – in view of the fact that Johnny Britton won “Roadmaster” we called the next one “Operation Macchiavelli” – and spelt it, too
In “Macchiavelli, we became more ambitious and featured a stop and start on a very steep hill in Boigneville. The now departed back to the USA Brother Burkhardt (USAF) livened this one up by careering backwards with his large Willys Jeep and nearly removed the need for a church symbol from Michelin Map No 6
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Easter Sunday was “Operation Chaos” under the auspices of Ken and myself again and was one of the best rallies we’ve held. 20 starters from the Aircent Cafeteria, fine weather, and a picnic en route. Plenty to keep the crews occupied, including a hill climb and a race up the Tour de Denecourt with oranges balanced on spoons. This was won by Irene who threw modesty to the winds and raced up and down again in record time. There was an Easter Bonnet contest too, and it proved that the Aircent Ladies have wealth of warped and twisted talent in the garnishing of millinery. Ann’s “chapeau” decorated with Dinky and Matchbox cars looked like the Étoile on a Saturday! The hill climb on the road at Barbeau was hair raising – Mr. Hamlett roaring up the hill as we tried vainly to stop a Dauphine which was intent on going down – Genghis hurling his A40 into bends like a BRM, and Mac Hammond climbing up in leaps and bounds with axle tramp on his Morris Minor. Not to mention the gate-crashing Porsche which did the best time of the day (obviously) in the middle of the event and pulled us all down a peg or two. Gordon an Irene emerged the well deserved winners of “Operation Chaos”
Minor Axle Tramp
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“Operation Aphrodite” was run on 26th April and was the first one with a fast leg (42mph) to average, which gave drivers a chance to get the bit between their teeth. Braking tests, reversing tests, and a section of rough stuff weeded out the entry until the Lawrie/Irene team triumphed again. This was the rally where John and Babs started doing their hold hands and gaze into each others eyes act while driving, with drastic results to the Volkswagen John was supposed to be steering. We are glad to report that the wheels have now been put back on the Volks and that the small town of Montereau appears to have been repaired as well. This was also the rally where the Club Photographer Mike “Al” Capon snapped away all day with no film in his camera, but his blood pressure came back after a few weeks rest.
“To err is sub-human to forgive divine” “My Hero!”
Do you remember any of these MPH Club Members?
Past and Present Members
(Transcribed from the MPH Special Christmas Edition Newsletter 1959)
Audrain (RAF): Mr & Mrs Baeke (BelgAF): Britton (RAF): Calvert (RAF): Capon (RAF): Carr (RAF): Chadwick (RAF): Clarke (RAF): Cockroft (RAF): Coombs (RAF): Cooper (RAF): Cox (RAF): Mrs. D’Ancy (UK Civ): Dillon & Mrs Dillon (USAF): Dixon-Symes (RAF): Docherty & Mrs Docherty (RAF): Dowie (RAF): Drewett (RAF): Eastman & Mrs Eastman (RAF): Evans (RAF); Evans (RAF): Fisher (RAF): Fraser A (RAF): Fraser R (RAF): Fryer (RAF): Gallagher & Mrs Gallagher (RAF): Geddes ((RAF): Goldsmith (UK Civ): Goode & Mrs Goode (RN): Gowans (RAF): Hamlett, Mrs and Miss Hamlett (RAF): Hammond (RAF) : Hardie (RAF) Hannard & Mrs Hannard (BelgAF) : Harris & Mrs Harris (USAF): Harris and Mrs Harris (RAF): Harris (Miss) PMRAFNS: Herbert (RAF): Impens & Mrs Impens (BelgAF): Jackson & Mrs Jackson (RAF): Kelly (Miss) (USAF): Kerr (RAF): Lacy & Mrs Lacy (USAF): Lawrie (RAF): Lemon (UKArmy): Lea (RAF): Logan & Mrs Logan (USAF): Loller (USAF): Mares (RAF): Martin (RAF): Maunder (RAF): McCabe (RAF): McIntyre & Mrs McIntyre (UKArmy): Michelle (Miss) (FrCiv): Millard (RAF): Mills (RAF): Millard (RAF): Morgan (RAF): Moore & Mrs Moore (RAF): Munns (RAF): Neuman (Miss) (UK Civ): Nicholas & Mrs Nicholas ((RAF): Parker (RAF): Pauls (USAF): Peace (RAF): Pimm (RAF): Reeves & Mrs Reeves (RAF): Reid (RAF) : Reynolds (RAF): Reynolds (UKArmy): Robert (FrCiv): Sell (WRAF): Shaw (RAF): Shipman & Mrs Shipman ((UKArmy): Smith (RN): Smith & Mrs Smith (RAF): Smith (WRAF): Smith (USAF): Smith (RAF): Southern (RAF): Sowmans (USAF): Spencer & Mrs Spencer (RAF) : Starkey (RAF): Stokes (RAF): Stollery ((RAF): Stutley (RAF): Talmay (WRAF): Taylor (WRAF): Thorpe (RAF): Toms & Mrs Toms (RAF): Villemagne ((Miss)(FrCiv): Wrad (WRAF) Wellings (RAF): Youell (RAF)
Total 125
Vehicles Used :- Austin A30, A35,A40, A55, Austin Healey Sprite, Borgward, BMW, Chevrolet, Citroen DS19, Renault Dauphine, Fiat, Ford Anglia, Prefect, Consul, Taunus, Hillman Minx, Morris Minor, Minor 1000, Oxford, Mercedes, Opel, Peugeot, Plymouth, Standard 10, Vanguard, Squire (?), Triumph Mayflower, Volkswagen, Willys, Wolseley
Motorcycles & Scooters BSA 125, 250, 350, Lambretta, Vespa, Vincent Rapide
Biggest :- Plymouth (18’9”) / Smallest :- Lambretta (60”) / Slowest :- scooters and BSA 125 (50+mph) / Fastest :- Vincent (135+mph) / Commonest :- Hillman Minx / Rarest:- Peugeot / Maddest :- Thorpe/Consul “The Carlsberg Special” / Most Decrepit :- Mayflower / Sportiest :- Sprites / Spooniest :- Volkswagen mit John und Babs!
