Visit to a German GP

Sir,

The reference to the 1931 German Grand Prix in VEV in the May 1978 issue was of great interest to Me.

At that time I was 15 and living with a family in Bonn for the express purpose of learning German (which I still speak pretty well, with a Rhineland accent!).

The day of the race was spoilt by drenching rain and the coach taking us front Bonn arrived too late for the start.

Carraciola won with a Mercedes, both he and his riding mechanic wearing caps back to front. Chiron was second, I think, in a Bugatti without a leading mechanic, and I well remember Sir Henry Birkin correcting a vicious little-skid as he came over the hump in the long straight in his Maseratti.

To complete my day the coach left early and I had to hitch-hike home, arriving so late that my German “family” had got in touch with the police!

7 years later I met Rupert Riley Who had won the 1,100 c.c. class of that German GP, in a Brooklands Riley, when I went to the racing: department at Coventry to take delivery of this 1,100 cc. car which had been driven by the late Cyril Paul in the TT. The car was fitted with an Imp sports body and had the registration no. KV-9476. I wonder what happened to it after it was stolen in 1938?

 Your stories of the past are fascinating, please keep it up.

Bromsgrove G. TAYLOR