Olive the Austin Seven

Olive is a 1935 British Army Reconnaissance Vehicle from WW2 An interesting historical note is the role these cars played in the development of the jeep.

Olive is a converted 1935 Austin 7 Ruby adapted to resemble one of the vehicles possibly
used by the British military in early 1944. It is believed that several of these little cars were also converted, modified and transported by glider across the English channel by either Halifax, Sterling or Albemarle aircraft from an airfield near the south coast and released over occupied northern France with

possibly soldiers from the Royal Signals or SOE, Winston Churchills 'Special Operations Executive'. Their sole aim to gather last minute but valuable intelligence prior to the Normandy landings in June of that year

We are proud of our achievement boasts Olives owner Kim Leachman from Holdenhurst Village near Bournemouth and together with good friend Stuart Hiscock from Queens Park, the two self-confessed petrol heads and Austin Seven enthusiasts have spent many hours of their spare time on her reconstruction. There is no known photographic or historical evidence to confirm the existence of such vehicles says Kim other than that told to me by my late father and grandfather whom themselves worked for Vickers Aviation and Harland and Wolff respectively during the 40's and 50's. Both companies being heavily involved with the war effort and especially Operation Overlord the codename for the D-Day invasion. Stuarts father was an Aircraft Armament Technician in the Royal Air Force

The seventy nine year old Austin has undergone a total bodywork and mechanical restoration using original and reconditioned parts to the specifications of the drawings, sketches and verbal information given to me many years ago by my father. Both he and my grandfather told me convincingly that the vehicles had been obtained and modified locally at Hurn Aerodrome and Airspeed Limited in Christchurch where the Horsa Gliders were manufactured. Horsa gliders were most famously used for the capture of the Pegasus bridge which spans the river Orne in France during the early hours of D-Day. Hurn, once a main staging area for bombers and fighters during WW2 is now better known as Bournemouth International Airport. Airspeed, adjacent to Christchurch airfield, was replaced in the 70's by an Industrial complex and housing estate, but the road still bears the name of Airspeed Way and other surrounding roads have aircraft names. The two seater 750cc 7hp car features a .303 caliber Bren machine gun mounted on a wooden platform in place of the rear seats. A period radio transmitter, morse code unit and field telephone are stored underneath, alongside Walter the Carrier Pigeon in his basket! The American Bantam Company was formed from the American Austin company, which was set up to produce Austin 7's in the USA under license in the 1930's. Bantam used them to develop military cross country scout cars, which led to the jeep prototypes. The Austin 7 Military Tourer can honestly claim to be the original jeep prototype! It is hoped that by building such a mythical vehicle and photographing and videoing its progress it may assist with any historical research of either the vehicles or their mission with military historians. Three years ago, Kim invited the secretary of the Dorset Austin Seven club, Phil Whitter, who carries the authority of the DVLA to officially inspect, date and authenticate the motor car - he was very impressed with Olive says Kim and soon she will be able to display her very own registration number SEZ 1935. Affectionately named 'Olive' after her shade of olive drab green paint, the 1935 Reconnaissance war machine now features a cartoon of Olive Oyl painted on each side of her bonnet with the slogan 'Olive sez 1935!' A short 'step by step' compilation of video clips of the project is to be made available and sent out to any interested TV stations and film makers to review. We would love to be given the opportunity to build another Olive and share the experience with the public added Stuart.

12/06/2019

Private Partz will drive with Celebrity Nigel Hopcroft, to the C**k & Bottle at Morden, near Wareham, for a Classic Car Show on July 1st at 5.30pm and meet with another Celebrity, Powerboat Racer Michael Mantle, so brmm on down and say hello 👍 and before that, Olive will appear at Victoria School, for a Charity Event with Stuart Hiscock (Sgt.Major C**kup) & famous PlayGirl Front Cover Model Toni Bernard on June 28th😋

Photos from Olive the Austin Seven's post

12/06/2019

I had the pleasure of driving distinguished war reporter Martin Bell, to open the Southwick D-Day Revival, at Southwick Village near Farham in Hampshire, in my 1935 Austin Seven, the smallest vehicle in the show, where there were many WW2 vehicles on display and the whole village was open to Wartime rememberance and history. Martin will kindly write a foreward in my new book about Olive, that he thought was an absolutely amazing machine. And it was good to see good friends and Vilagers Russ Field and Sue Crook too xx Stuart Hiscock and Hooligan Julian Hiscock www.army7.co.uk

Austin Seven 7 Military Box Ruby WW2 D Day Army Reconnaissance Car Period Drama Film TV work

03/09/2018

Olive made an appearance at the Austin 750 Club Bash at Beaulieu in July Photographs by Nick Salmon 2018 and there's Heinrich Himmlers SS Helmet hanging on the Bren's Muzzle courtesy of Herr Geoffrey Gardner.
www.army7.co.uk

Austin Seven 7 Military Box Ruby WW2 D Day Army Reconnaissance Car Period Drama Film TV work

01/07/2018

Off to Beaulieu for the largest meeting in the UK of Austin Sevens at the 750cc Club meeting with Olive The Austin Seven. Aboard will be Slim fast team mates Stuart Hiscock Julian Hiscock The Hooligan and Mrs Hooligan Sue Moody There won't be any Chicken/Mushroom Slices as you boys will be drinking gallons of water and taking a strange supplement of keep fit diet gunge as you watch Sue and I eat and enjoy our Foot Longs and other Meaty propper fodder and maybe cake for afters . . . Yummmmm!

24/06/2018

Olive will be at Victoria School in Branksome in support of the Steve Bernard Foundation with Tony Bernard on Friday June 29th and then onto the Austin Seven 750 club meeting on Sunday 1st July at Beaulieu with Yours Truly, plus Stuart Hiscock Hooligan Julian Hiscock and Dutchess Sue Moody.

24/11/2017

I am currently writing a book about Olive and once published I am to donate any royalties any sales may bring, to three charities, that mean a lot to me, namely, The Royal British Legion, Help for Hero's
and the Steve Bernard Foundation, a local Registered Charity, that
helps to provides financial help for Under Priviledged Children. The book, with some illustrations by myself, is about her one off Top Secret
WW2 mission to Northern France, which involved her two man crew, the French Resistance, lead by a
stunning young local woman Madame Monique Denby and a 45 ton German Panzer
Tank, with a vindictive and vengeful crew of four, commanded by German
Waffen-Commander Herr Klaus Dieter Rouch, insistent on hunting Olive down! It
is hoped that from the book, a movie may be undertaken, with a proportion of the
Box Office takings, being awarded to the charities too! The quiet
Dorset village where Olives owner resides and which resembles a small French
hamlet with vintage buildings and old cottages with rolling Farmland and Farm
would be a suitable location and is available for any film production throughout
the year. I await to hear from any wealthy business people, willing to help my cause and to help others too and I Thank You All, Yours, Kim Leachman: 0759 454 7845

Austin Seven 7 Military Box Ruby WW2 D Day Army Reconnaissance Car Period Drama Film TV work

12/11/2017

My eighty year old Austin Seven, who I call Olive and yours truly, both made the final cut, to briefly appear in the new 200 Million Dollar, star studded Movie ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ produced by Sir Kenneth Branagh, who plays Detective Priout, who I have to drive away in the snow, under British Army motorcycle es**rt!

I went along with Jenny Moon and good mate Stuart, who spent many hours, 🙂 helping me rebuild Olive over ten years, one of his brothers, Hooligan Julian Hiscock, who also helped out with Olives paintwork, is looking forward to seeing the film himself on Sunday and I thought it was a brilliant film!

03/11/2016

Olive my '35 Austin Seven, minus Machine Gun (coz the cops get jumpy), returns to Holdenhurst, after a complete brake and steering refit by Glyn Llewellyn and Gary Munn of Munwellyns, Austin Seven Specialist of New Milton - Thanks chaps, propper job! www.army7.co.uk

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http://www.army7.co.uk/

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Bournemouth
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Olive the Austin Seven

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