What do you give a 96-year-old man who spent years fighting in Africa in the Second World War and whose tank came under fire multiple times during that period? A GODDAMN TANK WHEELCHAIR, BRO.
The veteran’s name is Eddie Shaw and the diesel wheelchair more-or-less out of necessity. Shaw’s son Peter, who’s a semi-retired heating and plumbing engineer, built the all-terrain vehicle after it became increasingly difficult to push his father’s wheelchair around of bumpy ground.
The engine-powered tank is made from an old motorized vehicle and has a van seat and caterpillar tracks.
Peter said:
“My father lost his wife two years ago so we decided the best place for him to live would be close to us in Ellesmere.
I like to go and take him on a day trip once a week the house has a folding wheelchair which they would give me and off we would go.
I soon found out that wheelchairs are hard to push on sand and uneven ground so thought of an idea to overcome that.
I had seen motorised wheelbarrows before and got the idea to adapt one for dad.”
Peter claims that community businesses and friends have helped donate most of the parts.
“People have been so kind, it has been a real community effort.”
[h/t Mirror]