The Canadian Military Heritage Museum of Brant hosted its fourth annual Combat and Classics Car Show on Monday, May 19, 2025.
Local and out-of-town visitors alike came out to tour the museum and to admire and discuss the different makes and models on display for Victoria Day.
“We’ve had a wonderful turnout today,” said Bob Ion, Chair of the Canadian Military Heritage Museum. “We’ve got people who’ve come out from all over Ontario to bring their classic cars and their vintage military vehicles, and we’re actually just about to give out our Director’s Choice awards; there’s a plaque for one military vehicle and another for a classic car.”
During the event, guests exchanged stories about the various paint jobs, upholstery work, engines, wheels and the clever details that made each of their vehicles unique. From a 1951 MG TD Midget to a 1973 AMC Gremlin, a 1951 Dodge Kingsway and much more, there were plenty of cars for enthusiasts to check out.
Paris residents Norman and Jean Mulloy, who brought along their 1934 DeSoto Airflow, were the winners of this year’s Director’s Choice Classic Car Award.
“This was the first aerodynamically designed vehicle,” shared Norman. “They had discovered that square designed cars like the Model A, were more aerodynamic going backwards than going forwards. Walter Chrysler hired the Wright Brothers to build a miniature wind tunnel to help with testing, and the result of that in the end, was the DeSoto Airflow and its older sister the Chrysler Airflow. When these cars first came out in 1934, it was $995 and they had close to 45 brand new features that the public had never seen before.”
As far as the military side of the car show, members of the Ontario Military Vehicles Association brought around a dozen or so vehicles to the event.
“These are guys that collect, maintain and preserve these military vehicles, which are such an important part of our military heritage,” said Ion.
David Downing and his father, Don, traveled from Innerkip with a 1954 Dodge M37 ¾ ton truck, a 1953 Ford M38A1 ¼ ton truck and a 1959 Daimler Ferret Mark 2 scout car.
It was the Downing’s Ferret, which is even licensed for the road, that ultimately took home the Director’s Choice Military Vehicle Award.
“This vehicle was actually used by the British army. It’s a Mark 2 and it’s got the turret on top. Canadians used the Mark 1 which is like this one, but without the turret so it was open at the top,” said David. “They used these for peacekeeping, mostly in places like Cyprus and such and they were used right into the 1980s, then as they got antiquated, they got sold off.”
David said that as a member of the Ontario Military Vehicles Association, he often takes his vehicles to different military based events and advocates for veterans.
For those who are interested in learning about Brantford-Brant’s military history, the Military Heritage Museum of Brant is located at 347 Greenwich St. in Brantford, and it’s open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.
“We preserve and educate people about the military heritage of Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations,” said Ion. “We honour the men who went to fight overseas, as well as the men and women who worked on the home front while the guys were all away; the women weren’t allowed to fight back then, so they stayed back at home making parts for weapons. Everything you see here has been donated by veterans and families, and it’s our place to tell the stories of the artifacts that we house.”
Ion said that he and the other volunteers who run the museum have been having a great year so far.
“Since March, the response from the community, the schools, and the people who have come from out of town to visit, has just been fantastic,” he said. “You know, our volunteers have completely made this building what it is today; it just wouldn’t be possible without them, and I think it shows. We’re really looking forward to another great year here.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
