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Title: A distinguished former owner Post by: GerardJPC on 16 December, 2020, 05:27:53 AM I knew that my 1979 Beta 1600 Coupe was first owned by a Mr and Mrs Garland, but a bit of research has indicated that Mr Garland was a decorated WW2 soldier, pilot, POW, escaper, and partisan. It appears possible that his first wife had the car from 1979 until she died in 2003 and that Mr Garland kept the car until he died in 2016.
RIP Flight Lieutenant Eric Garland MBE, MC and Bar, 1920-2016 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/100587 https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/eric-garland-xqc6vl62b (https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/%2Fmethode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F6cd94dba-c5c3-11e5-a525-dadbc8daee86.jpg?crop=2175%2C1223%2C22%2C128&resize=1180) (https://thumbsnap.com/sc/d6OOcem0.jpg) Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: bobhenry999 on 18 December, 2020, 03:56:31 PM What a lovely looking Beta Coupe in a great colour combination. I had two series 3 Coupes back in the 1980’s and enjoyed them immensely.
Bob Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: GerardJPC on 19 December, 2020, 03:31:59 PM Details here -
http://www.betaboyz.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4294.0 Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: cyborg7 on 20 December, 2020, 06:30:31 PM It's brilliant to be able to trace a cars history and bring it alive like that. Even more so when it's got a real legacy with such a cool owner. Good to see that Eric & wife chose to drive a Lancia. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: GerardJPC on 21 December, 2020, 05:41:43 AM I assume that Mr Garland may have become fond of things Italian when he was on the run in wartime Italy and fought alongside Italian partisans.
Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: cyborg7 on 21 December, 2020, 10:05:40 PM Great picture of him too. Have you been able to identify the plane from the pic?
Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: GerardJPC on 22 December, 2020, 08:05:21 AM That is a Supermarine Spitfire: the canopy shape shows that. Which variant of Spitfire I cannot tell. F/L Garland flew Photo Reconnaissance missions.
Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: cyborg7 on 22 December, 2020, 08:20:50 PM I've only just read the gazette article in the link. Jesus H Christ - that is a simply amazing war record. He was beyond unstoppable. Now the affinity for the Italian car is clear. I'm very envious as I'd love to have my car have such a wonderful link to history.
Title: Re: A distinguished former owner Post by: GerardJPC on 22 December, 2020, 09:36:11 PM I was delighted when I found out about the previous owner of the Beta. I really want to buy the Bentley that was owned from new by Hartley Shawcross KC, who prosecuted at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial. It's on sale but I cannot afford it!
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