In 2013 a young Somerset-based military vehicle owner by the name of James Shopland saw the results of all his hard work in creating a new show for when the event was launched on the waiting public. Called the “Dig for Victory Show” (www.digforvictoryshow.com), after the wartime call in Britain for civilians to grow more food, the show was an instant success. Held annually, except for the period during the Covid-19 pandemic, it returned to the North Somerset Showground at Wraxall, near Bristol BS48 1NE last year, where it was met with an appreciative response.
Because of his deep-rooted interest in military history — members of the Shopland family fought at the Battle of Waterloo and served in WWI — James was inspired to create an event which incorporates as many elements as possible to show Britain’s wartime experiences between 1939 and 1945. This includes the Home Front, displays by Allied troops with vehicles from motorcycles to the big Diamond T Wreckers with trailers, and Sherman tanks. Half-tracks and Jeeps take part in mobility displays with re-enactors depicting famous regiments from the Somerset Light Infantry to the 101st Airborne Division. There are gun-firing displays with 17-Pounder anti-tank guns and 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns sited in recreated positions. Among the line-up are items from the Shopland Collection (www.shoplandcollection.com), a fine assembly of vehicles, weapons and other materiel, including searchlights and landing craft.
The Shopland family established a business in Somerset way back in 1750 and today, after 273 years of trading, they supply timber products to the building trade. In fact, that is how the military collection became started. After the war ended, much surplus military material was sold off, including vehicles such as Scammell Pioneers and AEC Matadors, wheeled vehicles designed to handle heavy loads. These were acquired by traveling circuses and removal companies, and the Shoplands also saw the advantages of these to deliver heavy loads of timber. With his interest in military history and growing up surrounded by historic vehicles, James asked his family why they didn’t do something more to preserve them.
This led to the first restoration, a Bedford “RL” truck from which more followed, and today the Shopland Collection has over 30 vehicles of all types in running order, including armoured cars. Since then, more vehicles were acquired, including an Australian-built LP2A Universal or “Bren Gun” Carrier, dating from 1944, which was added to the Shopland Collection in the early 2000s.
James is very much a hands-on person and is personally involved with the maintenance and restoration of the collection as well as running the family business.
The Shopland Collection is known internationally and vehicles are displayed at events or take part in the Dig for Victory Show, where James sometimes takes the opportunity to drive a vehicle. A diverse range of items have been built up, including civilian vehicles, pieces of artillery and other large items. The historic military vehicles form the central core of the collection, which is divided into six categories, each of which contains its own range of associated items.
For example, the “Heavy” section contains vehicles such as the Bedfor OY, Chevrolet Field Artillery Tractor (FAT) and an Austin K5 truck equipped to carry a 6-Pounder anti-tank gun in portee style’. The “Artillery” section includes 25-Pounder Field Guns, 3.7-inch anti-aircraft gun, 40mm calibre Bofors and a 4.5-inch medium gun dating from 1941. The “Armour” section has a T17 E1 Staghound and a Canadian-built GM Fox Armoured Car, dating from 1942, and had been used by the Portuguese Army in Angola during the 1960s.
The “Light” section includes a number of Jeeps, such as a Willys MB painted up as a “Beach Master”, a Fordson WOA2 from 1942 and an Austin 8AP Tourer. The period civilian vehicles feature a 1932 Austin 10 Lichfield and a Dennis Merryweather fire engine of 1939, known to have been used by the Plymouth Fire Brigade during the war. Other examples of fire engines in this section cover the Home Front period to post-war years. Finally, there is the “Miscellaneous” section containing an eclectic mix of items, from a 21-inch torpedo to searchlights and an “Anderson” air-raid shelter dug up from a garden in Portishead in Somerset. This has been mounted on a trailer so that it can be towed to shows to put on Home Front displays.
Some of the vehicles have been used in movies along with other item, such as the landing craft from the miscellaneous section. Although it is a post war example of the Higgins Boat used on D-Day, it is sufficiently authentic to have been used in the film Saving Private Ryan. Since then it has been used in other films, including The Monuments Men, and some documentaries. Other movies in which vehicles from the Shopland Collection have appeared include Monuments Men and the Imitation Game. Then there are frequent invitations to join road runs and convoys as well as shows.
When not on film sets or taking part in shows, the vehicles and other large items, such as the torpedo, are housed in several buildings with workshops. During the winter they are also stored away in readiness the spring events ahead. The workshops contain all the equipment necessary to undertake most of the renovation work, including hoists for lifting engines in and out of vehicles.
Tools of all sorts are on hand, and although at times space might be at a premium, room can always be found to work or another project squeezed in. Spare parts abound in crates and come in a variety of shapes and sizes from old-fashioned Imperial to modern metric measurements. To some people the workshops might appear to be chaos, but to James and others involved in the restoration work it all makes sense. There is never a dull moment and at present they are looking for a WWII sea mine and getting ready for the remaining 2023 diary of events which will keep everyone very busy.
