Engines of victory: book highlights Foden's key role on the WWII home front
It's VE Day on Thursday (May 8th) remembering Victory in Europe Day - celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces.
It marked the official surrender of all German military operation and for one Foden truck fan, it's set to have a special significance.
For Chris Wallwork, who lives in the Staffordshire Moorlands and is a member of the Foden Society, has written a book about the Sandbach truck company, Foden, and its links to WWII.
During the war, civilian production, like other truct manufactuers was halted at the Foden works in Elworth and switched to war efforts.
Foden produced 1,750 vehicles for the War Department, including 6x4 Army lorries and 770 Centaur and Crusader tanks, according to Graces Guide. They also manufactured 7.5 million 20mm shells.
Chris, a train driver by profession and a member of the Foden Society, was helping out on the Foden Society stand at Sandbach Transport Festival last weekend.
The society was set up in 1992 to preserve the life time achievements of Foden so future generations will appreciate British engineering and remember its history of this iconic company.
And Chris, who has spent hours going through historical records, is hoping to raise as much money as possible for the Foden Society with the book.
"I uncovered some interesting facts and I'm hoping to get some photographs from Cheshire Archives to illustrate it. Foden played quite a big part in the war effort."
Chris has his own piece of Foden history - a 1960 Foden Truck - which he exhibited on the second day of Sandbach Transport Festival.
Sandbach Nub News wishes Chris the best of luck with the book and we can't wait to see it published!
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