Reunion bid to find the Warrior workers

Workers who a quarter of a century ago handed over the first Warrior armoured car to the British Army have been invited for an anniversary reunion.

The 1,000th Warrior armoured car rolls off the line at GKN’s works in Telford
The 1,000th Warrior armoured car rolls off the line at GKN’s works in Telford

In 1987 the Duke of Edinburgh – who at the time was Colonel in Chief of the Grenadier Guards – visited GKN in Telford to accept Warrior on behalf of the Army. The vehicle was built at factories in Wolverhampton and Telford.

The vehicle – which is still in use in Afghanistan – was designed and prototypes built at the Cable Street factory in Wolverhampton and all the production was carried out at GKN’s Hadley Castle works in Telford.

Now Tony Mathers, who was the project director for Warrior, is trying to reach as many former workers at both the Telford and Wolverhampton sites for a reunion on October 20.

Mr Mathers, who lives in Much Wenlock, said: “I was project director for Warrior in the early 1990s and so fully involved in the programmes to supply the British Army and the Kuwait Land Forces with their vehicles.

“More than 1,000 vehicles were built for the British Army and then for the Kuwait Land Forces, with engines and gearboxes supplied by Rolls Royce/Perkins at Shrewsbury.

“The vehicle has been successfully and operationally deployed in Kuwait, Bosnia and now Afghanistan.

“We collectively have a great deal of pride in fielding a robust and reliable vehicle that the crews love.

“At a ceremony at the Hadley Castle Works on May 20 1987, Prince Philip, in his capacity as Colonel in Chief of the Grenadier Guards, accepted Warrior, the first armoured battalion to receive Warrior for deployment in Germany.

“I am attempting to organise a 25-year celebration and trying to contact ex-members of the company. We are seeking to make contact with ex-members of GKN Defence – both Cable Street and Hadley Castle – to join in this celebration.

“The response from the old team has been very enthusiastic – but I need to reach as many as I can – and hopefully we may have a Warrior vehicle on display.”

Anyone who worked on Warrior who would like to attend the reunion should call (01952) 727104.