BSM

Certainly nothing "fancy" with these vehicles in Egypt. Caption on the image says it all....enjoy...Rod

Well stated Gustaf and a fine job you have done with yours. Richard I have passed on your comments re Corowa. One of the second issue of Fords to the 1st Light Car Patrol in Palestine sported an unofficial badge on the radiator and attached is an image of the replica fabricated by Jack which makes a nice addition to the project. There are a couple of nice images of British Light Car Patrol vehicles mounting 2 Lewis Guns on the AWM web site. Time was 1919 and the Units were used in Egypt to quell the uprising that occurred.

Aleppo is a place in the news in recent times. A very nice Australian LCP Unit photo was taken there at the end of the war which included the above Ford with the radiator badge plus an interesting addition in the form of an Imp. German Loreley staff car captured earlier and used by the Australians until the British Theatre Command decided that it had to remain behind when the Unit returned to Australia. Rod

Thank you. I'm sure Jack would appreciate the well wishes and I will point him in the Forum's direction. Following plus the couple of attachments is the latest from him .... enjoy ... Rod

"Last week, with the help of a more talented friend, I completed the opening LH door and the false door outline on the RH side. So I'm about to fit the LH door into the access opening, but will probably have to adjust the door hinge post a trifle. A couple of pictures - one of each side, are attached.

The RH false door is still a flat sheet of tin, so that'll have to be bent mainly front to back, to conform to the radius of the existing wooden frame. Once that's done, it is then a fairly simple matter of welding both the new and old pieces together and the next task will be the painting."

With a bit of renewed Ford interest on the forum here is a noteworthy Aussi addition.

In August 1916 the 1st Australian Armoured Car Section disembarked in Egypt. The section’s vehicles consisted of two Armoured Cars scratch built on a Mercedes and a Daimler chassis, a Minerva Car used as a ‘Tender’ and a new Hudson Motorcycle and side car combination also mounting a colt MG.

The Section supported British elements against the Senussi and carried out a number of recce tasks etc. however the vehicles were soon found to be unsuitable and they were withdrawn. The Unit was then issued six rather well used Model ‘T’ Fords from British stocks and re-named the No.1. Australian Light Car Patrol. They transferred North in 1917 to join the British Car Patrols supporting the Mounted Divisions in Palestine until peace was declared in 1918. This is a very short introduction to support the following.

I have been corresponding with a chap here in Australia who has an interesting project underway. He is building a replica LCP vehicle on an original Model T Ford engine chassis combination. He has provided the enclosed images for those of you interested in such things. Should be well and truly complete for the Centenary years of WW1 commencing in 2014. The main armament was a .303 Lewis Gun and a de-activated example will be used for display activities. Rod

Second the motion .... well put and totally agree. When you have actually done a restoration or 2 irrespective of the era, it puts a totally different slant on things!! Regards Rod

Marcel, a great selection of images. Thank you and the 85 year old Museum owner for sharing. Coming across those post cards is almost as good as finding a WW1 motor vehicle in a barn. Regards ... Rod

John it looks like you have kicked off an interesting thread given the response thus far. Pity Grand Dad disposed of his "spoils". Re the plate on the front of the hood ... as Tim says there are content variations in surviving images. Having said that there were obviously some rules which may or may not have been complied with. An example is a Second Army memo dated November 1916 and an extract follows .... "The approved Army Mark will also be borne in front of M.T. Vehicles on a tin plate secured to the front of the hood, when this is rigid, otherwise in the centre of the dashboard; and also on the left of the tailboard." Whilst rules were rules there were variations from Army to Army and Corps to Corps in some cases.

Note, an 'Army' mark is a unit marking as used on both MT & HT as opposed to a GHQ mark which was basically a Branch of Service marking. In my recent book there are 25 pages describing vehicle markings other than registration or census numbering and that is just scratching the surface.

Another Salonika example is attached. Whilst also a poor quality image there is a 245 Coy ASC Army Mark and an L^548 census number on the tail gate. Rod

Great images ... thanks for posting ... quite amazing what still comes out of the woodwork as they say particularly material from almost 100 years ago! Adding to your thread is the accompanying image of an Albion with a load of Australian Nurses on leave from their British Hospital. Lorry belonged to 683 Coy. ASC in Salonika.

Rod

Even the ASC sometimes got time off duty...

 

John.

Wayne Vinwire in Melbourne also has some other products you may find helpful.

The Wire protection tubing in the attachment is one I have used and it is very similar to

what I have seen on Aust. Military Rovers from memory. They also supply a small range of armoured wire

which we are going to use in the crew cab of the arty tractor which is the same as the original type.

Rod

I have the same dilema with the woven mesh outer sheath on my Landrover lightweight loom that runs inside and outside the chassis.

 

I have decided that fabric tape.......Not GAFFA or Carpet, but the genuine cloth one would be most appropriate and weather the best under all circumstances. Not original, but would look authentic.

Don't know if this is any help but there is a company here down south in Australia who are suppliers of cable and

looms for a range of vehicles including Military. I am currently using their correctly marked cotton covered cable of various gages for the restoration of a No. 6 Artillery Tractor which is based on a C60S, CMP pattern 3 tonner. Email address of one of the principles is "contact@vinwire.com.au" and they may have the info you are looking for.

Regards.....Rod

Yes Tom, the 2 you posted are duplicated on the AWM site and there are three others from memory and given the different wheel configuration on the Crossley (apart from other similarities) they would all be of the same event including the one I posted from the ebay Album auction. The original album owner was in the Dental corps according to the description.

I believe the event occurred in Oct. 1917 however and most unfortunately there are no existing War Diaries for the 1st Sqn. AFC (67 Sqn on the RFC books) before Jan 1918 so it is not possible to check details of the recovery etc. Rod

WW1 album currently on Ebay in Aust. (Item 110846701236) has the attached trailer image and a couple of

RR Armd. Cars for those interested. Interesting project by the way. Rod

Following on from Tim's post re a US trailer herewith a British example I tripped over recently (not literally) for the general information department. Rod

Some new material and excellent images....thanks for sharing. They will no doubt stimulate further discussion.

Rod

Hi Rod,

many thanks for attaching that, I hadnt seen that image before, she is a beauty!

Slightly diffferent running gear to mine, as the pictured truck has eight spoke front wheels, against six on mine. I'm surprised to see plain round profile spokes, the larger models (from the images I've found so far) seem to have the more intricate Y shape, as also noted by Runflat.

As per Redherring, put me down for a copy of that book!

Yes Mark that was rather slack on my part. After counting spokes for around 5+ years in various images I should have picked up on same however I am pleased the content is still of interest. Michael Y, Tim G, Richard P, Roy L and specific key members of the Thornycroft, Talbot, Crossley etc. etc. (all recognized in the publication I would hasten to add) groups from over your way have contributed to the book and I trust it is the basis for much more on the subject by others. Still have a bit of homework or fine tuning to do re getting same to the Northern Hemisphere but in the meantime I will send you the Aussi blurb. Regards Rod

PS....almost forgot....book title is "The Benzine Lancers".

Rod,

I would love to see that image, could you PM it to me?

The plot thickens!

Mark, pleased to assist. jpg copy attached. London rego noted. Have just finished a book on the 'Mechanicalization' of the Australian Army 1901 to 1919 (based on British Establishments and transport) and this is one of the over 450 images in said publication which is at the printers at the moment. Regards....Rod

Thanks for the correction mate, just testing you.....seriously a late night entry with a minor inaccuracy....will pay more attention next time....either way the info remains topical and it is off to the sack for some well earned ZZZZZsss. Regards

Gordon far be it for me to throw the cat among the pidgeons but I have an image of a full page Feb 1916 Australian Advert. (Brit. image content) for a W^D Napier which has identical running gear to your new acquisition and clearly on the side is the signage "LOAD NOT TO EXCEED 3 TONS" .....trust that helps.....Regards....rod

Having been up many dry gullies searching for memorabilia etc. I would think that what you have is first of all a great save from the Chinese scrap steel market, a good start for a project (albiet with due respect to the difficulties due to heritage etc. to state the obvious), a better start than some we have seen in the past and generally a good basis to work from. Good hunting and I look forward to following your progress. Regards Rod

And this is a fine example of an Australian Equivalent at the Emu Gully Military display 2009/2010.

The screws on the plate are "bogged" to prevent idle hands thieving it. Rod

What a bit of black powder can achieve on a clear day!

Rod

Republics were not uncommon in Australia in civilian use. From period documentation a Model "C", Chain drive 2 ton (US) and in shaft or internal gear configuration - Model "F" 3/4 ton, Model "E" 1 ton, Model "A" 2 ton and a Model "T" 3 ton. Early in the conflict the ACMF purchased 5 units. I shaft driven and 4 chain drive. The former remained in country but the 4 ended up in England, after operation in Egypt, where they were sold at Wars end.....so what have you chaps done with them?? Joking!! Regards....Rod

Agreed,

I would expect it to be good mechanically

Have you any images of what it should look like?

 

Tom

Thought this may be a worthy addition to your post. Visited a friends collection recently and he has a nice tilt tray restored 1914 Fiat which no doubt would have had some militarized relations. Regards...Rod