'Red Ball Express' was the code name for one of the largest logistical operations of World War II. In July this year, a convoy of about 100 lorries retraced the original route in a historical re-enactment.

The original Red Ball Express counted 6,000 lorries from the United States Armed Forces, which carried 412,000 tonnes of ammunition, fuel, and supplies from Normandy to the frontlines between 25 August and 16 November 1944.

A Belgian club of collectors for allied military vehicles from WWII organised this year's edition of the Red Ball Express Convoy. About 100 lorries convened near Saint-Lô in Normandy for the historical re-enactment.

Accompanied by numerous all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles, the lorry convoy used the same roads as the original Express in 1944. The five-stage journey began on 18 July and led to Argentan, Courville-sur-Eure, Saint-Fargeau-Ponthierry, Margival, and finally Saint-Michel near the Belgian border. The convoy completed a total of 650 kilometres.

Five Luxembourgers participated in this year's re-enactment of the historical event. They used two lorries of the type 'GMC' and one of the type 'Diamond'. The team set out on 15 July and arrived in Saint-Lô two days later. On 23 July, they made it back to the Grand Duchy and were happy to announce that their 80-year-old vehicles did not suffer a single breakdown over the 1,500 kilometre journey.

Participants from Luxembourg

Jean-Paul Baatz (Driver of a Diamond T 981)
Christian Wagner (Driver of a GMC 352)
Marc Vezin (Driver of a GMC 353 ST-5)
Esther Wagener
Guy Eisen

RTL