Fred Draper: From the Front Lines to Founding A H Spares
For us at A H Spares, VE Day isn’t just history—it’s personal. Our founder, Fred Draper, served in some of the most demanding theatres of WWII. His service took him across Egypt, Libya, Palestine, India, and finally into Burma as a Chindit—an elite force that operated deep behind Japanese lines in harsh jungle conditions.
Fred's experiences have recently been documented in a new book, A Private War, capturing the resilience, grit, and quiet determination of a soldier who later became a cornerstone of the British classic car community.
After the war, Fred channelled that same determination into civilian life. He became Parts Manager at the Donald Healey Motor Company, where he spent 18 years supporting and supplying parts for the legendary Austin Healey cars. In 1970, Fred took voluntary redundancy and purchased the remaining stock of Austin Healey 100/6 and 3000 parts. From that, he established his own company—A H Spares. What started as a small venture quickly grew into a trusted name in the classic car world, built on Fred’s passion, technical know-how, and wartime resilience.