A. T. 'Goldie' Gardner

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Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Thomas 'Goldie' Gardner OBE MC was a English racing car driver who was awarded the BRDC Gold Star three times. In 1939 he was the first to exceed 200 mph in a light car.

In 1924 he purchased a Gordon England special Austin Seven and despite his disability began racing on the British circuits. 1930 saw him team up with MG Cars and he raced various of these marks with considerable success. He suffered a crash during the 1932 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Ards in Northern Ireland that further worsened the disability to his already damaged leg. By 1934 he was fit enough to continue track racing and in the 500 mile race at Brooklands with co-driver Dr.J.D.Benjafield he achieved third place as well as winning the 1,100cc class.

Subject ID: 69031

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Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Thomas 'Goldie' Gardner OBE MC was a English racing car driver who was awarded the BRDC Gold Star three times. In 1939 he was the first to exceed 200 mph in a light car.

In 1924 he purchased a Gordon England special Austin Seven and despite his disability began racing on the British circuits. 1930 saw him team up with MG Cars and he raced various of these marks with considerable success. He suffered a crash during the 1932 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Ards in Northern Ireland that further worsened the disability to his already damaged leg. By 1934 he was fit enough to continue track racing and in the 500 mile race at Brooklands with co-driver Dr.J.D.Benjafield he achieved third place as well as winning the 1,100cc class.

He served honorably in WW I, rising from a 2LT to a MAJ before being medically discharged due to injuries from when his plane was shot down.

After accompanying Sir Malcolm Campbell’s expedition to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1935 to witness the World Land speed record attempt, he returned to England and concentrated on speed racing records. On 31 May 1939 just before the outbreak of World War II driving his special engineered MG, in Dessau, Germany, on the Dessauer Rennstrecke, now Bundesautobahn 9, Goldie Gardner took the 750cc up to 1,100 CC class records over 2 kilometres, 1 mile, and 5 kilometres distances, at average speeds of 203.5 M. P. H., 203.3 M. P. H., and 197.5 M. P. H. respectively. After an overnight engine rebore, on 2 June 1939 at the same venue he gained the 1,100 CC to 1,500 CC class records over the same distances at average speeds of 204.3 M. P. H., 203.9 M. P. H., and 200.6 M. P. H..

During World War II 1939-1945 Gardner offered his service and was accepted as a second lieutenant in Mechanical Transport Training. He rapidly regained his old rank as major and eventually in 1942 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

In the peacetime years between 1936 and 1950, he set over 100 international and local speed records throughout England, Europe, and the USA.

In September 1948 immediately before the announcement of Jaguar's new engine since named XK he broke the flying mile, kilometre and five-kilometre Class E records on the new motor road near Ostend. At the time it was considered remarkable that his engine was unsupercharged. The same engine was used, an experimental Jaguar 2-litre 4-cylinder modified to suit the class requirements. The new records were: mile 173.678 M. P. H., kilometre 177.112 M. P. H., and five kilometres 170.523 M. P. H..

Subject ID: 69031

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Subject ID: 69031