Founder Eddie Smith started the East Anglian Fighting Vehicle Group when he was demobbed from the Army in 1978.

With a life spent either driving or fixing military vehicles in all their forms, he decided to continue his passion. The aims of the club, based in the north of the county, are primarily the restoration and showing of military vehicles from any era. Eddie’s very first vehicle was a Bedford 1,500 weight truck, which he bought from a camp guard for £750.

Now based in Lawford, Eddie says: “I’ve had quite a few vehicles over the years, but perhaps one of my fondest is the Ford Sussex Barage Balloon Lorry. I discovered it on a farm north of Ipswich and it’s now at the RAF Museum in Hendon.”

After Eddie started the group, the club grew to 20 members quite quickly and now it has 34.

“When I started there weren’t many military vehicles in private hands,” Eddie adds. “We now have more than 150.”

Among Eddie’s collection is a Land Rover Series 1 from 1949, a Triumph TRW motorbike from 1964, of which there are only ten in existence in the country, and last, but by no means least, a third share in a Scimitar tank, which he is currently restoring.

Among the other members of the group is Clive Pemberton, of Great Bentley, who himself has 30 vehicles.