Who didnt have a or have a VW in Croydon?? The company owes its post-war existence largely to one man, British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst, REME. In April 1945, KdF-Stadt, and its heavily bombed factory were captured by the Americans, and subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell. The factories were placed under the control of Oldham-born Hirst. At first, the plan was to use it for military vehicle maintenance, and possibly dismantled and shipped to Britain. Since it had been used for military production, and had been in Hirsts words a political animal rather than a commercial enterprise—technically making it liable for destruction under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement—the equipment was in time . The Plant & Beetle was offered to every large British Vehicle manufacturer who turned it down flat, & laughed at the car saying it wont sell. Perhaps they should have learnt from BSA where the BAntam based on the DKW saved the firm from Bankruptcy for many years. Major Hirst is treated with respect in Germany, Brian puffs his cheast out!!
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 12:01:39 +0000
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