Normandy in November 2007. An auction was held to dispose of the renowned collection belonging to the fabled Alain Roudeix. The event drew in every dealer and collector from across Europe and beyond.
For years Roudeix had scoured the Norman countryside near his home amassing an impressive collection of vehicles and parts, left over from the catastrophic rout of the German army at the end of the Normandy campaign. His home town of Vimoutier lay in the so-called ‘corridor of death’, through which the shattered remnants of the German army retreated from the Falaise Pocket.
Roudeix used to entertain with his magnificent– and enormous– collection of scrap, parts, complete objects and vehicles in dire need of care and attention.. In his many old, low corrugated iron buildings one could see his massive haul of parts, wire, armour, wheels and vehicles: a Schwimmwagen propeller rod, an original Sd.Kfz.251 air filter, Schürzen (armoured skirt) sections for StuG IIIs, magnetos for numerous vehicles and countless ‘Tiger’ items. So large was his collection that it spilt out of these sheds.
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