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M.Rimmer

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Everything posted by M.Rimmer

  1. Hi, I have just found B.F.P. stenciled on the left vent flap of my 1965 Land Rover FFR,does anyone know what B.F.P. stands for? I thought of British Forces Post Office but there is no "O" on the Landy and besides would BFPO have been using an FFR? Thanks, Matt.
  2. Hi Bodge, Sorry to hear about your loss. Most MID's will be in the London Gazette,if you google Mentioned In Despatches London Gazette there are several pages which may help. I have obtained records from the Gazette in the past and found them to be most helpful. Matt.
  3. Hi Hanno, Great to know a White 704S has survived,and well restored at that!. I did know about the WK-60,in fact the owner now has my Dodge D-15 too. As you say more of these rare trucks probably survive than we think,but it is always good to hear about them Cheers, Matt.
  4. Thanks Lee,I think I'll need it!. I have found out that several Mack EHU's survive in the US,although these obviously are not going to be any of the 70 Britain received. Matt.
  5. Hi Tony, You are correct they will deteriorate,at least to a degree but having said that they will be stable in their environment,moving them to a different climate will without a doubt start a chain reaction of corrosion. The biggest threat comes from people,take as an example several aircraft which crashed during or shortly after WW2 and which had remained relatively intact until someone decided they needed "rescueing" with the end result being distruction,the B-24 Lady Be Good and the B-29 Key Bird are two examples which come to mind. These LRDG trucks are without a doubt of historical importance and it would be tragic if they were lost,but as I said earlier unless a national museum with the funds and conservation knowlidge was involved I feel strongly they are better left in context on the battlefield. Matt.
  6. I am working on putting together a list of WW2 Allied(mainly American) military vehicles of which none are known in preservation with the aim of tracking down any that are preserved and making it easier for anyone who may find remains of one of these vehicles to identify it. I am not intending to include prototypes or oddballs which never saw service,I'm concentrating on those types which were produced in limited numbers and actually made it into service. I'm using Bart Vanderveen's Historic Military Vehicles Directory as reference. Chevrolet MS4403.Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1941-44 Supplied for Lend Lease. Vanderveen page 343. GMC ACK-353. Truck,1 1/2-ton 4+4 cargo. 1940-42. 1500 supplied to Britain(ex French contract). US Army bought 32 trucks with earth augers in 1941 and further deliveries of cargo trucks were made to the USMC.(I know at least two of the USMC cargo trucks have survived,but as far as I am aware none of the 1500 British trucks have). Vanderveen page 346. GMC ACX-504. Truck,2 1/2-ton 4+2 cargo. 1850 supplied to Britain in 1941(ex French contract). Vanderveen page 361. Dodge VH48. Truck,3-ton 4+2 cargo. 1500 supplied to France in 1939-40. Vanderveen page 361. Chevrolet YS4103/Thornton. Truck,3-ton 6+4 cargo. Ex French contract,2338 supplied to Britain in 1941. Vanderveen page 362. White 704S. Truck 3-ton,4+2 cargo. 1500 ordered by French army in 1939,delivered in early 1940. Vanderveen page 362. Mack EHU. Truck,5-ton,4+2 cargo. In 1942 Britain received 70 of these trucks under Lend Lease along with 180 EHUT tractor units. Vanderveen page 367. Biederman F1. Truck,7 1/2-ton,6+6 tractor unit. Less than 1500 produced during WW2. Used for towing USAAF fuel tankers. Vanderveen page 376. Mack EXBX. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Originally ordered by France as fuel tankers,in 1940 diverted to UK and converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382. Mack NR4. Truck,13-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Used by British Army in Middle East. 200 supplied in 1941. Vanderveen page 382. White 920. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. 145 ordered by France in 1939/40 as 4700 gallon fuel tanker,diverted to Britain where most were converted into tank transporters. Vanderveen page 382. White/Ruxtell 922. Truck,18-ton,6+4 Tank Carrier. Ex-French contract diverted to Britain,used as tank transporters and as heavy cargo trucks. Nearly 250 in service in 1941/42. This is by no means a complete list and if anyone can add to it that would be great. If any of these trucks do survive in preservation I don't know of them but that is not to say they are not out there. If any survive in scrap yards etc they are likely to be little more than a chassis and axles so identification would not be easy. It would be nice to think that one of the types I have listed above could be found and preserved or at least saved from a boat trip to China:-(. Matt.
  7. Interesting pictures indeed,and IMO these vehicles should remain exactly where they are unless they are under immediate threat,and should only then by moved if there is a sound long term conservation plan to preserve them exactly as they are now,for instance with a national museum. There are plenty of historically important vehicles within Europe(including the UK) which are at risk and need saving without removing these LRDG trucks from the proper context of their resting place of 65+years. Matt.
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