For Rex Cadman the War is Over – But the Show will Go On
By Jim Hollands
There was hardly a dry eye in the house when Rex Cadman bade farewell to his beloved War & Peace at Folkestone Racecourse on the final day of this year’s event.
After 37 years of continuous improvement and increasing popularity, the event, which started as a Military Vehicle enthusiasts day out at Tenterden Railway has evolved, mainly due to the leadership, dedication, organisation and enthusiasm of Rex, into one of the greatest theme events on the Globe.
Rex Cadman has built up a team of people whose enthusiasm matches that of his own. Many of these amazing people talk of Rex Cadman’s loyalty to all those that support the show, his encouragement to those with even a small contribution to make, has resulted in a band of supporters who would follow him to the Sahara Desert, let alone Folkestone Racecourse, to take part.
The friendship that has been built up over the years between regular visitors from all over Europe and beyond has done more towards ‘Peace in Our Time’ than any politician that I know of. Rex can be mighty proud of that.
Rex Cadman’s retirement came as a complete shock to War & Peace regulars but they were overjoyed when they found out that a new man, John Allison, would be taking over the show and is hoping to continue it on to even greater popularity.
As he took his final farewell at the V Marquee, where musicians and singers had performed to a mass audience on the last day of this year’s show.
Gurkha soldiers arrive for a very special presentation.
War & Peace has this year featured a gate collection in aid of the Nepalese Earthquake victims. Gurkha soldiers made the collection and are going home on leave to help with the clear up operation.
A Gurkha kukri Knife and Scarf for Rex and a scarf for Georgina were presented and received with great emotion on all sides. Rex and Georgina were visibly moved and so were so many others in that special moment.
War & Peace has just finished at the Old Folkestone Racecourse and I am happy to report that this amazing event will be back next year. Rex Cadman had announced his retirement after running the event for 27 years, and because of his charismatic leadership, which had seen the event improve year by year to become “The Greatest Gathering of Military Vehicles on the Planet” it was feared this would be the last show. Those fears were quashed by an announcement from Rex himself.
“After 27 years at the helm of what is the World’s largest military vehicle show, this will be my last ever War & Peace. Having organised it for all these years with my friend and co-organiser, Barbara Shea, we have decided that it’s time for us to retire.
We are very pleased to announce that since informing the military vehicle world of our imminent retirement, a new owner for War & Peace has been found and the show will go on.”
The new owner is John Allison, a Military Vehicle enthusiast who already runs the very successful British Shooting show and heads up the FRL Media Group. He has attended War & Peace on a regular basis.
John is Looking forward to working with Rex, Barbara and the old War & Peace team over the coming months as he and his team start to take over the running of the event. They look forward to seeing everyone at War & Peace 2016.
Keep up to date with War & Peace on their website :- www.thewarandpeacerevival.co.uk and on social media.
“Hythe & Romney Life”, “Rye’s Own” and “Hastings Town” magazines will review the 2015 War & Peace in the September Issues and there will be many other reports and stories about War & Peace throughout the year as usual.
Our own website ryesown.co.uk is packed with war and peace time nostalgia that has been included in “Rye’s Own” since it was first published in 1965.
Rye’s Own Bulletin 26 July 2015
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