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My Father's National Service Photos 1950-2


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Just two more before I turn in tonight, both obviously taken on the camp above Hamburg after his last exercise, the first is inscribed on the reverse: "On my last exercise in Germany still in Rheinschler[?] Camp Actually with 107 Coy RASC. 'NIG NOG' Taylor i/c in the back of our 'spare' L.C.V" and the second: "L.C.V Showing part of Pent house + the mast can be seen faintly."

On my last exercise in Germany still in Rheinschler Camp Actually with 107 coy RASC NIG NOG Tayl.jpg

LCV showing part of pent house + the mast can be seen faintly.jpg

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A couple more LCV interior shots entitled "Snap of 53 Set in Bateman's L.C.V during static working Jan '52", and "Raukus on the set in Bateman's C.V during static working Jan '52".

 

I recall my father talking about all the bright multi-coloured radioactive paint on the dials of the radio sets and how spactacular it looked after dark inside (and how dangerous it was with a little more knowledge of the dangers of radioactivity). I am not sure whether he was talking about these LCVs or 'his' White Scout Car. I do remember him saying that the equipment was Canadian built, but don't know if he was taliking about just the radio sets or the White Scout Car body and whole fit out.

Snap of 53 set in Batemans LCV during static working Jan 52.jpg

Raukus on the set in Batemans CV during staic working Jan 52.jpg

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Just three more tonight. Inscribed on reverse: "Just come back off Ex Wheel Spin Jan '52. My waggon + Gibbs' ", "By the TEVD on Wheel Spin. LTOR Herr Leineweber, Rix, Boxall, Young, with Bill Bowles kneeling in front Jan '52", and "Ex Wheelspin Rix + Myself mounted, Swankie behind + perhaps Stanger in the background Jan '52".

Just come back off Ex Wheelspin Jan 52 My waggon + Gibbs.jpg

By the TEVD on Wheel Spin LTOR Herr Leineweber Rix Boxall Young with Bill Bowles kneeling in fro.jpg

Ex Wheelspin Rix + Myself mounted Swankie behind + perhaps Stanger in the background Jan 52.jpg

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There are a couple of questions that I have about the last photos I hope that you good folks could answer:

  1. What is the difference between a TEDV and a LCV?
  2. What is the dispatch rider's motorcycle that my Dad is sitting on - at least I presume is a dispatch rider's machine - there are two photos of it, obviously taken at the same time, in the other one there is what looks like a dispatch rider on it, wearing what looks suspiciously like a paratrooper's helmet?

Sorry, incredibly busy at the moment, but hopefully will be able to scan in a few more later in the week.

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Bystander,

 

The motorcycle is a BSA WM20

 

Thanks Richard?

 

I presume that this is a standard dispatch riders bike of the period? (I know almost nothing about bikes I am afraid, unlike my father who loved bikes and had a Sunbeam S7 in the '50s)

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Thanks Richard?

 

I presume that this is a standard dispatch riders bike of the period? (I know almost nothing about bikes I am afraid, unlike my father who loved bikes and had a Sunbeam S7 in the '50s)

 

In the period the photos were taken, the Matchless G3L and BSA would have been the standard bikes of the time. I am sure the BSA WM20 was the most numerous of all the British made motorcycles in service during the war. Pretty sure production ceased in 1945. This machine carried on in British Army service right through to the 1960's, with the help of the large amount of spares in stock no doubt.

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In the period the photos were taken, the Matchless G3L and BSA would have been the standard bikes of the time. I am sure the BSA WM20 was the most numerous of all the British made motorcycles in service during the war. Pretty sure production ceased in 1945. This machine carried on in British Army service right through to the 1960's, with the help of the large amount of spares in stock no doubt.

 

Thanks Richard, very interesting info.

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Just time to post one tonight - a photo of the White Scout Car under camoflage, which I think was taken in the same place as the photo of it bogged down at the start of this thread, but presumably shortly before! There is no annotation on the reverse of the print in this case.

 

I remember Dad telling me that they would camoflage themselves and the RAF would then drop photos to them showing how they looked from the air. But the giveaway was always the mass of vehicle tracks heading for the wood in which they were hiding, which was blindingly obvious from the air!

 

I also recall another of his stories about seeing a Vampire crash site - it had run into some conifers and cut very neatly and increasingly deeply into the tops of the trees for about 200 yards before ending in a fireball that burnt out an area of wood. Looking for the pilot not much was left -the largest bit found being a bit of foot inside a flying boot.

Camo White Scout Car.jpg

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There are a couple of questions that I have about the last photos I hope that you good folks could answer:

    [*]What is the difference between a TEDV and a LCV?

    LCV stand for "Lorry Command Vehicle", these were based on the Bedford QL truck as one can see in your pictures. See http://truxmodels.co.uk/page19.html for more info on the various types of LCV.

     

    TEDV I do not know, yet.

     

    Thanks for sharing you father's story and pictures, very interesting!

     

    Regards,

    Hanno

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LCV stand for "Lorry Command Vehicle", these were based on the Bedford QL truck as one can see in your pictures. See http://truxmodels.co.uk/page19.html for more info on the various types of LCV.

 

TEDV I do not know, yet.

 

Thanks for sharing you father's story and pictures, very interesting!

 

Regards,

Hanno

 

Thanks Hanno, although in my father's commentary he said that LCV was an anotation for "Light Command Vehicle". Like you though I am puzzed what TEDV stands for and how it differs from a LCV - I note that it had louvres in the side and was wondering if it was some kind of diesel generating vehicle, but hopefully someone knows! It is facinating getting the low down from the experts on this site to piece the jigsaw of his army experiences together.

 

Are there any surviving LCVs or command White Scout cars left?

 

Hopefully I will be able to post some more photos on Sunday evening.

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I hope that it is appropriate to add this link here, I had been asked to give a jeep ride to a friend's friend who had just reached his 70th. he was ex- Korean War and showed me a set of contact prints that he had - much like those here. I said that I could scan and blow them up - yes, it takes ages! Especially so when you have house to renovate, 3 kids to entertain, a jeep and Saracen to attend to, oh, did I mention work?

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/simon.mallett/Korea02?authkey=Gv1sRgCIHXj67Cw6XKOw&feat=directlink

 

I really don't know much about the pictures apart from a few comments made when they were lent for copying.

 

The jeep was crushed by the halftrack that had rolled off the top of the bank. Most of the jeeps had been nicked from the US Army. The turret less tanks were in fact troop carriers that had been abandoned by the US troops when they ran out of fuel then acquired by our lot, apparently a major means of equipping the British army in Korea.

 

Simon

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I hope that it is appropriate to add this link here, I had been asked to give a jeep ride to a friend's friend who had just reached his 70th. he was ex- Korean War and showed me a set of contact prints that he had - much like those here. I said that I could scan and blow them up - yes, it takes ages! Especially so when you have house to renovate, 3 kids to entertain, a jeep and Saracen to attend to, oh, did I mention work?

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/simon.mallett/Korea02?authkey=Gv1sRgCIHXj67Cw6XKOw&feat=directlink

 

I really don't know much about the pictures apart from a few comments made when they were lent for copying.

 

The jeep was crushed by the halftrack that had rolled off the top of the bank. Most of the jeeps had been nicked from the US Army. The turret less tanks were in fact troop carriers that had been abandoned by the US troops when they ran out of fuel then acquired by our lot, apparently a major means of equipping the British army in Korea.

 

Simon

 

Great pics!

The turretless tanks look like Hellcats, not sure though.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My apologies for the long interval between posts - a combination of the pressures of work and a family holiday.

 

Herewith are a few of the photos that are loose in the front of my father's album, I believe that these were taken with his first camera, and in the case of the barrack room shot by someone else.

 

The first is inscribed on the reverse: "Sigman Stacey & Myself in front of an L.C.V. It has the pent house up which is a steel framed tent which fixes on the side".

 

The second is inscribed: "Myself on Bed in Barrack Room", and then in a later comment added below "Bad Lippspringer early on".

 

The note on the back of the third is: "Me leaning out of the L.C.V window with mike in hand & 'phones on".

 

The fourth I have already reproduced on another thread, but I attach a higher resolution version herewith and also becasue it is the only photo showing tanks. The note on the reverse is reproduced as the fifth picture. Note we have already established that all of the tanks are actually Comets.

 

It is unfortunate that Dad did not take a photo of the Brigadier’s tank - he described it to me as a special Centurion with extra radio equipment fitted, unfortunately his description of the radio equipment in it went over my head at the time. I remember him saying that it did 4 gallons to the mile on Luneburg Heath, and also remember him telling me a story about when a suspension unit failed and they were stranded. I don't think that he travelled a lot in this - I remember him describing travlling in the Commader's seat (presumably because this was the easiest place to stick a supernumerary?). I certainly never heard him talk about the gun being fired, but I presume that he must have sat in the loader's seat for parades, etc when the Brigadier was aboard?

Signaler Stacey + Myself in front of an LCV It has the pent house up which is a steel framed ten.jpg

Myself on Bed in Barrack Room Bad Lippspringe early on.jpg

Me leaning out of an LCV window with mike in hand + phones on.jpg

I took this from the turret of the Brig's tank after the parade for Shinwell.jpg

img130.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry still quite busy - just one tonight to keep things moving. Inscribed on rear: "Sciving round the CW waggon on Rheinsehlar. Price leaning on rad Story (Dvr) laying on bonnet with bullet-holed German helmet. Jack Drum + his sigs dvr from 1st Tanks Harry Wild + Jack Taylor the CW merchants in front".

Sciving round the CW wagon.jpg

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A little more time to post a few more - not very far to go now.

 

The first is entitled "The Three Stooges take on a ghost-like appearance. Mar '52". Dad was trying out the double exposure facility on his camera (the only time that he ever used it) to create an arty effect against the side of 'his' White scout car.

 

The second one of this vehicle is uncaptioned.

 

The third one is a bit different: it just says: "Alsop -3, Adams 3". Presumably the number of prints that they ordered each. Can anyone tell me anything about the tractor - what was it and what was its function? I note that the lorry behind has been damaged - is the tractor's function to shunt dead vehicles around? I also see that the tractor's radiator has had a hard time! Is that Fordson stamped on the side of the radiator?

The Three Stooges take on a ghost-like appearnce Mar 52.jpg

Unknowns in White Scout Car.jpg

Alsop + Adams.jpg

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Thanks for the kind words - my father was a very tallented man, excelling at just about everything he did. It is a pleasure to share them with you - it is better that they get appreciated rather then being locked away in a dusty album, not looked at from one year to the next. It is also very interesting to me to find out some more about them from the experts on this forum - thanks for all of the additional information - some more please!

 

I still have a few more that might be of interest to you (most of the pictures are just groups of soldiers, which I don't think that there is much merit in posting on this forum). Do you want the one of (what I presume to be) the Brigadier's Jeep next?

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