Old Git

The RE Museum has posted the following image on their timeline and it clearly shows a group of British Motorcyclists/DR's on a 1918 Harley, larking around for the Camera. I wasn't aware that the British used these bikes towards the end of the war and just wondered if anyone had any info on their acquisition/usage?

Can anyone provide some dimensions for the radiator opening on the rear plate of the Morris LRC? Just looking for a sanity check, by my reckoning it's square rather than oblong? overall height of the rear plate too, if available?

Brilliant, thanks for that. I think I've seen something similar somewhere but then couldn't find it again, doh!

Thanks for that Ron, every little bit of info is of use. I do find it odd that there was no 3-view drawing for the frame, almost every other WD bike does seem to have a drawing. Fingers crossed, let's hope someone turns one up. Maybe there's one buried deep in the Triumph archives at Warwick Uni

Hi All, as per the subject line can anone provide a good multi-view / 3-view scale drawing for the Frame of the Triumph 3HW, I sure there must be one in the back of a maintenance or workshop manual? Anyone know of one?

RMS, Thanks for those pics they're just what I needed! Wow, talk about basic .... and manually turned, bloody hell. I'm beginning to love this little vehicle more and more!

Thanks RMS, that's very informative. I don't suppose you kept any photos of that turret ring setup, was it a powered ring?

Fantastic shot, never seen that one before and definite proof that the Turret did indeed rotate! I agree with you a fixed turret seems pointless but, as I said earlier, I've never seen a Morris with turret pointing anywhere but forward and it got me wondering if it was just an upward expansion of space for another gunner because the inside was very cramped indeed. Now I know better, thanks for that Kevin, It's really appreciated mate.

Hi Kevin, thanks for the reply. I know both of those photos, but had forgotten about the one with the guy sticking out of the turret. Going my the size of open hatch door on this chaps right side and where his left arm is resting, it doesn't really look as though it's been modded all that much. It's also interesting to note that the back end of the door apepars to be squared off and not rounded as per the MkII. Our chap also appears to be twisting a little which kinda bears out my thoughts on getting though his narrow aperture. On the other pic I'm not so certain the turret is rotated, and it was the fact that I've never seena pic of a Morris with the Turret pointing anywhere but forward that got me wondering if it did rotate. That and the fact that there be a big overhang on the side if the turret rotated to the right.

Just a couple quick questions re the LRC, Am I right in assuming that the 'Turret' was fixed in position, i.e. didn't actually rotate? Also, the roof on the Turret, or more specifically the narrow access/hinged doorway. Looking at this it doesn't look like a man would get much more than his head/shoulders out of it and probably could only stand-up in the opening if he stood sideways, looking over the side of the vehicle. Is that about right? Any evidence of these access/hinged doorways being enlarged, (as a field modification maybe) to better aid hasty exits?

Hi Koenig, I'm sorry I' can't help you with your VAOS questions, like you and Clive, I too have been trying to track down various sections from the VAOS and the post war REVoS, bbut to no avail. It would appear that no-one seen fit to keep copies of all these items. I wanted to ask a question about 'List of equipment and stores subject to War Office control ', I presume it was the copy at the IWM that you accessed? I've been meaning to traipse up there to have a look through this myself and wondered if you took copies of the contents listings of this book and if so, would you be happy to share these? Just trying to avoid a trip if what I need isn't actually listed in the contents? Pete PS Before the rest of you decide to tell me how old this thread is... I have noticed, but it never hurts to just ask!

Hi Clive, I think you've misunderstood me mate. Last time we talked I wanted to know if you had a copy of: VAOS "Section E2 : Bridging Equipment, 1945" which includes "amendment no. 1 dated 1947, no. 2 dated 1949, no. 3 dated 1949 and no. 4 dated 1950" or, a copy of REVoS Group 4, Section 5, Sub-Section 4: Bridging, published sometime around 1955-7 and with a code WO 6386 . The hunt for these goes on but I do know that you do not have them. What I'm actually looking for now is a full list of WO publications for RE specific titles in the Military Engineering, Vol. III series. I do know that very many of these were being re-written by early 1950's to update them with lessons learnt in the war. Indeed "ME, Vol III, Part 1, Bridging" appeared in 1957. I've not seen a full list of all these publications from that period so was wondering if you might have those in your catalogue. If, on the other hand, you're telling me that these don't actually appear in your catalogue then thank you for looking and I shall endeavour to search out a full list when I next get to TNA. Pete

Clive, any chance you can post a list of WO publications for Bridging, around 1955, 1956, 1957?

Are these similar to the Green Denims that were much worn in the 60's/70's, prior to the Lightweights, especially in Norn Iron!

Another couple of still, this time from © IWM A70 119-3 . Can't tell if this shows the bomb Thrower attached alongside the mounting for the 30 cal or as a replacement. Last pics shows a couple of Machete attached to rear bustle bin.

Found a pic of the standard AA mount, sans armament, and trying to compare the two setups...

It does indeed look like the 2" mortar cum smoke discharger which one normally sees fitted inside the turret, especially in Cromwells, Churchills and Firefly's etc. I have a feeling that they may have also fitted something similar to UC's but will need to check. I've zoomed the detail shot below from the film still which shows it a bit better. Would still like to know what the thing that protrudes below is and also have a better understanding of how the gubbins works.It look likes it might be the standard mounting so just off now to see if I can find an online manual for the M5A1 and see if I can't work it out for myself.

Thanks for that Adrian, I guess if it was that shallow then it was probably just a lot easier to remove it and replace with the battery carrier. Might be an idea to find out what the actual dims of the box are. Will ask on the FB group.

Another quick question, or request for opinions. In the drawing shown right above the stowage box between drive and passenger seats appears to have been removed and replaced by the standard battery carrier. Just wondering if anyone knows if they did indeed just remove the stowage box completely or if they only removed the lid and inserted the battery carrier inside. I know the drawing shows it as completely gone but I find myself wondering if this was just to show the setup rather than 100% accurate to how it was done. Surely the existing storage box would have offered a good receptacle for the batteries if they'd simply removed the lid. Just wondering how they kept rain of the battery boxes? I do know the boxes were made of wood but it seems to be that they at least needed a canvas cover or some sort of protection and the pre-existing stowage box would seem to offer that. Perhaps the difference in dims between stowage box and battery carrier did not allow for it? Anyone got any ideas?

Here's another shot of the same setup, taken about the same time, on what I believe is a different Stuart. This photo is a still from a piece of film footage, covering the same events, which can be found on the IWM website ( (© IWM (A70 107-5)). Interesting to see the skirts still on this vehicle

Another question on Stuarts in British service. Attached below is a well known pic of an Irish Guards Stuart south of Caumont during the Normandy campaign (© IWM (B 8275) ). Those of you who know your Stuarts will know that there is a cover on the side of the turret in which a 30. cal was normally mounted, at least in US service. This Stuart, and others shown in the same series of pics, seem to have a smoke discharger fitted in the same place with something else underneath. Does anyone know exactly how this setup worked and does anyone have any clearer pics or drawings of this?

Well done guys, you've passed that crossed-fingers moment when you run it all back-up and..... yes it worked! I know only too well how that goes. Only too Well!

I'm guessing you didn't look at page one of this thread before you posted these, otherwise you'd have seen that these have already been posted. In fact I'd hazard a guess that you got them from this thread originally, as the last image is not part of the Airborne configs, but comes from a wartime pamp on standard WS 19 installs, ..... and you uploaded them in the same order you apparently saved them in. 😉

That would make sense Richard, I thought it must be some sort of jib because I thought I could see an A Frame type deal behind it...zooming it on IWM gives a different perspective.

Anyone know the proper nomenclature fot the wee Jib/Crane, on the right, holding the old Engine in this IWM photo? Any info on it at all, manuals, drawings etc. REME fitters prepare to install a new engine into a Sherman tank at 8th Armoured Brigade workshops, 9 August 1944. © IWM (B 8892)