Great War truck

Just found some old photos of one of our Peerless trucks prior to recovery. We have had it exactly 30 years and we know that it changed hands at least twice before we got it, so goodness knows when these photos were taken. Photographer was not very good at getting the truck in the centre of the picture it seems.

The next instalment of the superb Tankograd books, World War One – Imperial German Army Weapons and Soldiers of the Great War has arrived. This is another book within which I have been involved. Spezialfahrzeuge (German specialised Motor Vehicles) is a superb addition to the collection and carry’s on from the previous two books Lastkraftwagen German military trucks volumes one and two. Written in English and spread over 96 pages illustrated with 230 photographs it describes in detail in 21 chapters some of the more unusual vehicles which did not make it into volumes 1 and 2. Vehicles such as recovery trucks, signals vehicles, searchlights, tankers, busses, delivery vans, mail trucks, motorised dummy tanks, postal trucks, trench diggers to name but a few. The photographs are all of superb quality and from the authors collection. I have been collecting WW1 German vehicle photographs for 20 years plus and have only seen one of the 230 photographs previously. On the whole, the book is a massive treat for me as this is a subject which I find fascinating and on which very little has been written previously. I cant wait to see what the next book in the series will be. PUBLICATIONS - TANKOGRAD Publishing - Verlag Jochen Vollert - Militärfahrzeug

Wow! What is that then?

It was to ensure an even drop as the band is pushed on. Stop it going crooked.

Greg and Sam showed us damage and rot on the spokes and felloes which was not apparent until it was all apart. Good job that we went to the effort of having it rebuilt. Now we can crack on and get the tyres on, the wheels back on and then start putting the Peerless back together.

This clip shows it quite clearly.

We unloaded the second wheel today. Greg took some photos for us showing the process. The rim was welded up again (they had to cut it to take it off) and then warmed up in a fire. The rebuilt wheel was left on a flat plate while they put in metal triangles to control the rims descent. When the rim was hot (and suitably expanded it was taken out of the fire and dropped on the wheel, then gently tapped into position. To cool it down and to prevent the wheel from becoming overly scorched it was cooled off with gallons of water. These photos demonstrate the process. 20220504_171659_04.mp4 20220504_172500.mp4 20220504_172740_1.mp4

Great to see you in Brighton today. Well done with such a super restoration and well deserved trophies. Tim

Stunning model. Well done.

A local chap to me was on Rodney at the same time as your Father. He said that after the Normandy bombardment he went out on to deck to find that the blast from all of the shells that they had fired had ripped up the deck. He said that he did not enjoy his time on Rodney but preferred his previous ship. I cant remember his name and i think he is dead now. But there we go. An interesting chap to talk to.

I wonder if it might be poles for field telephone?

Yes, try E Bay. Hard to put a value on it. Maybe £40 - £50 or more?

There were 11 different models of GS wagons - one to eleven. This is from the 10 Model or Model "X" in Roman numerals.

Model X is model ten. The number is a unique number assigned to that wagon. Yes, RCD will probably be Royal Carriage Department? They are quite collectable, with some models going for more than others.

Not my field , but Wagon General Service Model 10 which were an improvement on the mark 9. Built from 1905. RCD is the manufacturer, but i dont know what that stands for.

Should be on the front left hand spring horn, or on a data plate a little like this.

Cracking find Bob. What is the chassis number?

Yes, it does look like that. Third photo shows a white road and a pile of white rocks. Water was used in the making of limestone based roads so road menders it is!

Is it definitely being used for water delivery? If they ever put petrol in there during the war, the water is going to taste pretty awful. Would it be used for construction work/road making?

The angle of the filler suggests WW2 or later. Date usually on the bottom. WW1 cans should have the date and makers name on the ends of the handle. Like this one.

That is an Ex US Army Packard petrol and oil truck but sold surplus in civilian hands. Great photos.

Possibly. This similar one was photographed under a WD Crossley ambulance on Home Service. The wheels make sense to suite some ambulances, it depends upon the set up of the stretcher mountings.

Bob, I have always enjoyed your then and now style photos in Stand To. I would like to see more. I also very much enjoy studying these old photos. I have not seen the postings on Facebook Bob, but my other thoughts are that the GI's have 44 pattern webbing so it could not have been taken around D Day. The standing Lt has what appears to be an Engineers Special Brigade patch on, but i suspect that it is the red variant which was used by Amphibious Forces. The ESB patch probably only appeared around D Day in Europe and of course in the Far East. So the Lt is not with the 89th Division but the DUKW driver. Were DUKW's used for assault on D Day? Maybe by the Rangers at Pointe Du Hoc, but otherwise wasn't it all Higgins Boats? Anyway, super photo and thanks for sharing it.

Here is a modern image of the East bank of the Rhine at Oberwesel. Very steep fields which are terraced. Railway and road at the bottom. Not found the exact location but this is pretty close.