July 2013: The lady in the picture is Bronwen Hickmott, Keston's niece

Early in January 2013, Marcel Kurth of the German Region suggested a Memorial Tour and Ceremony, paying homage to the BDC’s founder Keston Pelmore. As Keston’s old 4½ Litre was on display in the BDC Museum at Wroxton, near Banbury it was proposed that, as a token of respect, a wreath which adorned the radiator of that car could be transported by a vintage Bentley to his last resting place in the Military Cemetery at Rheinburg.

On Friday 5 July 2013, Chairman of the Museum Committee Tony Tomlinson and Alan Bodfish, WOBMF Archivist, drove the wreath in a 3/4½ Bentley to a hotel at Kamp-Lintfort where they met the organiser Marcel and several German BDC members. In attendance were Bronwen, Keston’s niece, and her husband Michael Hickmott, in addition to Dr. Michael Pelmore, Keston’s nephew who had travelled all the way from Australia.

The following day on the way to the military cemetery, the group was welcomed at Schloss Dyck, the grounds of which have been developed as a motoring theme park, extremely popular with the German vintage and classic car movement.

After a light lunch at Cafe Linde in Hensberg, the serious business of the day took place. During his research, Marcel had actually located the field where the Vickers Wellington (Z1115SR) came to grief. Here, the party spent some time in quiet contemplation.

Keston's grave - military cemetery, Rheinburg

The final part of the journey was to the grave of Keston Pelmore in the military cemetery at Rheinburg. The cemetery must be one of the most impressive of many; not overly large but totally peaceful with flowers and small shrubs at every headstone. Here the wreath was placed on the radiator of the 3/4½ for a short while, before being laid by Bronwen on the headstone of Keston Pelmore’s resting place, together with a wreath from the German Region.

This was not a sad tour, albeit an emotional one that provoked thoughts of halcyon days past and of the foresight of the founder of the Bentley Drivers Club. Regrettably, he did not survive to see the blossoming of his idea into the splendidly active motor club that the BDC has become – all as a result of those humble little cards that he put behind other owners’ windscreen wipers.