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From 1946 the
Volkswagen factory focus was on repairing and reconditioning Volkswagens and became known as 'No 2 REME Auxiliary Workshop'. As the company's prospects improved, the unit became essentially civilian-run but directed by the Army. The REME link ended when, on 6 September 1949, ownership
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but were not interested in it. Then the US Army found it but once again it held no interest. When the UK came across it, Hirst, sensing something was not right, quickly cleared some debris from the generating plant building and discovered it had been put there to disguise the fact that it was still
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In the period after the D-Day landings, he was in charge of a tank repair facility in
Belgium. He arrived in Germany in the summer of 1945, along with his colleague, Colonel Charles Radclyffe, when the British Army took control of the town of Wolfsburg. Russian ground troops had already located a
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332:, was asked to make a two-seater roadster. Its design was not unlike the 'Radclyffe Roadster', with a similar hood and side windows. The rear engine cover, however, was a hand-formed panel, not a converted front bonnet as was the Radclyffe version.
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used to fix the cardboard headlinings in early cars. In later life, he became somewhat more reticent about his involvement, often saying that it was only by chance that he had been involved and that if he had not done it someone else would have.
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The Corps of Royal
Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), to which Hirst belonged, has a relationship with Volkswagen which began in 1945 with a REME detachment using the factory to repair captured enemy vehicles and later to overhaul
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government. Since then VW has recognised the role that Ivan Hirst and the REME played in its rise from the ashes of the Second World War. A close bond exists between
Volkswagen and REME to this day.
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Being a keen amateur photographer, his home was littered with images taken in the early days at
Volkswagen, including one really early picture of a prototype coupe which was very similar to the
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Much of the machinery had survived the bombing, having been stored in various outbuildings. Cars were put together with old stock and whatever could be found, many using parts from the
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Hirst had strong memories of his time at
Wolfsburg which he would share with local Volkswagen enthusiasts. The one strongest memory he would refer to regularly was the smell of the
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and other
British Army vehicle engines. Hirst, the Control Commission for Germany's British Senior Resident Officer, arrived at the Volkswagen factory in August of that year.
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operational. Hirst then found a pre-war prototype
Volkswagen in a remote workshop on the site and realised that the factory could be used for producing
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A road in
Wolfsburg, not far from Volkswagens factory buildings, is named in his honour "Major-Hirst-Straße" (Major-Hirst-Road).
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magazine, which revealed the story of how Major Hirst revived the
Volkswagen car plant. He was also photographed driving a
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Hirst married Marjorie Pilkington on March 28, 1940. They remained married until her death in 1992. They had no children.
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for the British Army. Hence, Hirst and Radclyffe laid the foundations for Volkswagen's successful automotive business.
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Two of the most significant 'special' cars developed by Volkswagen while under the control of the British were the '
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784:. Historical Notes, Volume 4, A series of publications from the Volkswagen AG Corporate History Wolfsburg.
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that was the transport of Colonel Charles Radclyffe over the summer months of 1946. The four-seater
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417:(aged 84). Just one month earlier, he had appeared in an edition of the British
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that Volkswagen had presented to him. The 1:10 scale model, now on display in the
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829:"Ivan Hirst - Englishman who made Volkswagen part of the German economic miracle"
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413:(OECD) in 1961) in Paris until his retirement in 1975. He died on 10 March 2000
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Ivan Hirst – British Officer and Manager of Volkswagen's Postwar Recovery
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Hirst later joined the industry staff of the German section of the
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Karmann was asked to build a four-seater, another coach-builder,
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until 1946, when the factory produced about 1,000 cars a month.
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671:"Ivan Hirst, British Officer Who Revived VW, is Dead at 84"
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Military personnel from the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
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July 1999 BBC World Service interview (after 10 minutes)
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Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
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officer and engineer who was instrumental in reviving
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176:, West Riding of Yorkshire, England and attended
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1239:Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Holdings (50%)
1705:People educated at Oldham Hulme Grammar School
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636:(Supplement). 13 November 1942. p. 4982.
1544:(Former Chairman of the Board of Management)
616:(Supplement). 20 February 1942. p. 890.
596:(Supplement). 7 November 1939. p. 7568.
576:(Supplement). 17 October 1939. p. 7023.
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425:new front wheel-drive, front-engined Beetle
279:Hirst was fascinated by the potential of a
256:(REME) on its formation on 1 October 1942.
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827:Clausager, Anders Ditlev (18 March 2000).
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649:"The Englishman who saved Hitler's Beetle"
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536:(Supplement). 29 June 1934. p. 4142.
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498:Learn how and when to remove this message
371:Volkswagen Type 14A (Hebmüller Cabriolet)
254:Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
248:on 1 October 1939. He transferred to the
130:(m. 28 March 1940; died 21 February 1992)
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556:(Supplement). 6 July 1937. p. 4347.
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461:This article includes a list of general
200:. He studied optical engineering at the
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260:factory in the town after crossing the
1700:Alumni of the University of Manchester
1695:British Army personnel of World War II
1690:Duke of Wellington's Regiment officers
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148:(1 March 1916 – 10 March 2000), was a
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325:was Ivan Hirst's personal transport.
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232:) on 27 June 1934, and promoted to
47:, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
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1685:Royal Army Ordnance Corps officers
1267:Hino and Traton Global Procurement
822:http://www.mishalov.com/Hirst.html
467:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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317:. The Radclyffe was a two-seater
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160:, Germany, into a major postwar
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1161:Electronics Research Laboratory
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1077:Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
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669:Patton, Phil (22 March 2000).
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377:Presentation of the model cars
1:
647:Dilley, Ryan (30 July 2003).
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381:Hirst once showed a friend a
226:Duke of Wellington's Regiment
117:post-World War II revival of
1608:Volkswagen Emissions Scandal
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69:St Thomas' Church, Friarmere
7:
1670:British automotive pioneers
1156:Volkswagen Group of America
1151:Škoda Auto Volkswagen India
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1582:Formula Volkswagen Germany
1514:(Former Managing Director)
1496:(Former Managing Director)
1202:Volkswagen of South Africa
1070:Volkswagen Truck & Bus
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196:and optical components in
128:Marjorie Pilkington Hirst
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250:Royal Army Ordnance Corps
156:from a single factory in
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202:University of Manchester
100:University of Manchester
1710:Volkswagen Group people
1675:People from Saddleworth
922:Capital Group Companies
482:more precise citations.
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240:on the outbreak of the
162:automotive manufacturer
138:Fred and Florence Hirst
1186:Volkswagen Group China
775:Richter, Ralf (2003).
745:"A Major Intervention"
294:and other coachworks.
224:in the 7th Battalion,
1613:Volkswagen Currywurst
912:State of Lower Saxony
236:three years later. A
1524:Bernd Pischetsrieder
1261:Sinotruk (Hong Kong)
1196:Volkswagen Group Rus
1191:Volkswagen de México
1173:Volkswagen do Brasil
1168:Volkswagen Argentina
1109:MAN Energy Solutions
1060:International Motors
178:Hulme Grammar School
16:British army officer
1490:(Chairman Emeritus)
1411:Discontinued brands
1135:Italdesign Giugiaro
1055:MAN Truck & Bus
1043:Commercial vehicles
749:www.keymilitary.com
695:"VW Media Services"
349:transferred to the
244:, he was appointed
1530:Hans Dieter Pötsch
675:The New York Times
633:The London Gazette
613:The London Gazette
593:The London Gazette
573:The London Gazette
553:The London Gazette
533:The London Gazette
311:Radclyffe Roadster
172:Hirst was born in
73:Greater Manchester
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1577:Formula Super Vee
1542:Martin Winterkorn
1512:Heinrich Nordhoff
1482:Ferdinand Porsche
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1125:Electrify America
917:Qatar Holding LLC
729:. 18 March 2000.
701:on 6 January 2011
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427:in the magazine.
395:Heinrich Nordhoff
387:Volkswagen Beetle
305:Post-war specials
222:second lieutenant
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1234:Volkswagen Anhui
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284:"Commanderwagon"
281:four-wheel drive
262:Mittelland canal
242:Second World War
230:Territorial Army
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56:10 March 2000
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1538:(Former CEO)
1526:(Former CEO)
1508:(Former CEO)
1502:(Former CEO)
1493:
1459:Ehra-Lessien
1346:Technologies
1332:discontinued
1324:
1320:discontinued
1312:
1279:technologies
1277:Products and
933:subsidiaries
838:. Retrieved
834:The Guardian
832:
811:. Retrieved
777:
753:. Retrieved
748:
739:
726:The Guardian
724:
721:"Ivan Hirst"
715:
703:. Retrieved
699:the original
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218:commissioned
215:
212:World War II
208:contingent.
171:
150:British Army
145:
143:
58:(2000-03-10)
41:1 March 1916
18:
1665:2000 deaths
1660:1916 births
1572:Formula Vee
1566:Rally Teams
1086:Motorcycles
969:Lamborghini
840:16 December
813:16 December
628:"No. 35786"
608:"No. 35464"
588:"No. 34729"
568:"No. 34712"
548:"No. 34415"
528:"No. 34065"
480:introducing
391:REME Museum
383:scale model
351:West German
323:convertible
174:Saddleworth
88:Citizenship
80:Nationality
45:Saddleworth
1654:Categories
1558:Motorsport
1494:Ivan Hirst
1418:Auto Union
1378:Pumpe Düse
1353:BlueMotion
1178:AutoLatina
1144:Geographic
1003:Volkswagen
952:Audi Sport
907:Porsche SE
463:references
444:References
401:Later life
274:Kübelwagen
234:lieutenant
216:Hirst was
186:Lancashire
154:Volkswagen
146:Ivan Hirst
119:Volkswagen
106:Occupation
37:1916-03-01
25:Ivan Hirst
1506:Kurt Lotz
1488:Carl Hahn
1484:(founder)
1464:Factories
1454:Autostadt
1290:Platforms
1198:(defunct)
1180:(defunct)
1031:(JV with
900:Ownership
808:1615-1593
786:Wolfsburg
363:fish glue
343:Willys MB
330:Hebmüller
288:Ambi Budd
168:Education
158:Wolfsburg
135:Parent(s)
125:Spouse(s)
75:, England
1636:Category
1570:Series:
1438:Wanderer
1358:Digifant
1295:Vehicles
1118:Services
962:Mulliner
731:Archived
653:BBC News
420:Top Gear
357:Memories
319:roadster
246:adjutant
109:Engineer
1564:Teams:
1550:(owner)
1398:VAG-COM
1383:Quattro
1328:current
1325:Petrol:
1316:current
1313:Diesel:
1305:Engines
1255:Argo AI
1251:(33.3%)
1102:Engines
976:Porsche
957:Bentley
768:Sources
705:6 April
476:improve
434:Honours
292:Karmann
238:captain
190:watches
91:British
83:British
1474:People
1447:Places
1093:Ducati
1065:Scania
1050:Traton
806:
796:
755:1 June
465:, but
198:Oldham
194:clocks
182:Oldham
144:Major
1601:Other
1428:Horch
1269:(51%)
1263:(25%)
1257:(42%)
1245:(50%)
1236:(75%)
1230:(40%)
1224:(50%)
1029:Jetta
1021:with
1015:Sehol
998:Škoda
991:Cupra
981:Scout
782:(PDF)
511:Notes
385:of a
299:major
220:as a
1368:ETKA
1249:Here
1008:VW R
986:SEAT
947:Audi
842:2009
815:2009
804:ISSN
794:ISBN
757:2024
707:2012
336:REME
267:cars
53:Died
31:Born
1433:NSU
1423:DKW
1393:TDI
1388:SDI
1373:FSI
1363:DSG
1243:IAV
1033:FAW
1023:JAC
180:in
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1330:/
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1019:JV
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