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Mike, I was able to get in there in the middle 90s, via a RAAF Caribou - it's owned/leased by Santos now and surrounded on three sides by Aboriginal land holdings. We walked about 15 kms from Truscott to the C47 site. The aircraft is still mostly intact, but the important bits were salvaged long ago. A large hole had been cut into the fuselage, presumably to facilitate that salvage. This is the plane, which I believe ran out of fuel - there's no evidence of anything being shot up, apart from a few later bullet holes. Jack

Keep a lookout for a small group of Australians and a couple of Kiwis who shipped their WW2 vehicles to Turkey and are now driving towards Normandy for the big day(s). Last report had them in Verdun. There are a number of blogs on the web relating to the trip - here's one: http://sewellnormandy.blogspot.com/ Jack

All this reminds me of a very funny story, among a lot of other very funny stories, in a book called "Unofficial History" by FM Sir William Slim (plus lots of letters after his name), in the chapter titled "Elizabeth Succeeded Henry". It's about a Rolls Royce armoured car troop in Mesopotamia and a cunning troop leader. Jack

There is a restored Australian GS Wagon (Mk X and serial # 683) at the Army Museum here in Perth, but I think there maybe some differnces between it and the British counterpart. I've also got a copy of the British Army's 1934 production of the Handbook for Carpenters, Wheelwrights and Smiths, which contains some line drawings of these wagons. (Pics attached) The handbook contains a fascinating amount of proabably forgotten detail on working with wood and iron/steel. Is the Mk VII very different ? Jack

This is a pic of the one in the USMC Museum at Quantico. Once you've finished looking at the tank telephone, have a look at the front RH track. I found the exhibits in this newish museum to be just a little different - the curator here has put some thought/life into the displays. Jack

Mike, I managed to get access to the sewing machine owned by my Car club and over a lengthy period, sewed up a canopy for my Dodge WC. These come in two sections and while the rear wasn't too difficult as it was a straight bit of sewing albeit with a few buckles and whatnot thrown in, the front part from windscreen to first canopy bow was more stressful, as it changes shape a couple of times. I was completely new to sewing, but managed to produce a product that I'm very happy with. I think that sewing side curtains would be difficult without the correct (sewing machine) foot, because you need to get the needle quite close to the metal frame. Haveago, mate - it's very therapeutic. Jack

ekawrecker/Richard, This is the vehicle that Bob assembled from (large) bits he found around the country - but it has changed hands twice, since then. The current owner has done significant work on the cosmetics of the vehicle and continues to put in major effort on the mechanics. I understand that there were 7 of these things in the country during WW2, but imagine that this might be the only survivor. I took part in the Trackers 2005 run to the Alice and am thinking about 2010 ... A couple of pics I took some months ago are below:

Can this one be in the Gallery, too ? It has been restored by a local fellow and was at a country Veterans Re-union (in West Australia) earlier this month, together with the Cent. Jack

Here's another one - unfortunately I can't remember who posted this pic. It would have come off a website (maybe the Power Wagon forum) within the last two months. Jack

Sorry - can't vouch for any of the floor's authenticity. It looks to me as though someone has previously been playing around in this area, but it could be original - I've nothing to compare it to. AFAIK the removable floor is original, but again it's foolish to be positive on such things after 60 years of POs. Jack

I've attached a couple of pics hoping to give you some help in your project. Neither photo is very clear, but may provide another piece of the puzzle. The wood spacer is my own concoction - it replaced a rock solid piece of rubber which had obviously been inserted by a post service owner. The pic is taken from the wheel looking rearwards. The wood block is 20mm thick and has insertion rubber top and bottom to provide some insulation, with a total thickness of something in the region of 30mm. I think that measurement is about right as you need the cab to clear the accelerator linkage between rear of motor and cab firewall - what I've done gives adequate clearance for the rod linkage. I can also see that the floor of the cab, has been welded at some time, so that might give a false lead ? Jack

Thanks for the story - you described the scenery and the emotions very well. We have memorial plaques at the base of some of the tree lined roads in our pre-eminent park here in Perth WA, detailing the names, units and ages of some who died in the Great War. I've always found it seems to produce a lump in the throat. Now I know the remedy - a 'conker' (whatever that is). Jack

I was on Ambon (one of the eastern Indonesian islands) in 1992, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its capture by the Japanese (and subsequent massacre of 200 Australian soldiers at Laha airport). The site of the POW Camp where interned Australians from the 2/21st Battalion spent a brutal four years (so much so that only 25% returned home), is now a Commonwealth War Grave. The dead buried here are from a wide area of the South West Pacific and not just Ambon. On walking over the area, I came across an inscription which has stayed with me for over a decade. Some NOK had inscribed on a gravestone the words: "Into the mosaic of victory, I have given my most precious possession" I've forgotten the name of the soldier who is buried there, but not those words. Jack

I was out at the Steven Udvar-Hazy annex to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum yesterday, located near Dulles International airport outside Washington DC (S U-H paid $66m to help build this exceptional aviation memorial) and spent a bit of time near the Enola Gay. However you regard this act, it is a unique part of history. Jack

....and I believe, a small group from West Australia. Regrettably, I wasn't amongst them but those who were there still occasionally talk about that experience. Jack

My late S2A station wagon - in the livery of the Australian Army's Canungra Transport Unit (home of the once dreaded Jungle Training Centre). Jack

The skimming fix also assumes there will be sufficient meat left in the drum walls to cope with some being removed in the process. What that is, I don't know, but if you go down that road, the machinist will look in his books I guess - or maybe someone on the forum can provide the info. Jack

I think the fault is due to ovality of the drums - it is not uncommon on Dodges. The answer is to have the drums skimmed but that can be a problem firstly finding a shop which has a lathe suitable for Dodge drums - they have a peculiar shape which defies the grip of some chucks - and secondly the drums need to have a certain wall thickness, to allow safe skimming. Jack

Richard, It's not that hard to tell the bloke in the pic is a colonial explorer - whatever happened to the baggy shorts they used to wear ? Jack

Thanks, Tony. Nothing for me to worry about, then. Jack

Perry, What does "Prestone 43" mean ? Jack

Thanks for that, Marty. This pic is of interest to me because it describes the truck as a Fargo. I know they were of the same family at that time, but the WC 55 was a Dodge and these early WCs bore the Dodge nameplate. Also of interest to me was the fact that the crew are training the 37mm gun forward over the vehicle's bonnet - surely this would have been a no go area. Jack

Tony, I reckon you need a new supplier ! There may well be suppliers in the UK (maybe Dallas Autos ?), but if I was you, I would go to Midwest Military http://www.midwestmil.com/dodgewc.html and check his catalogue - email John if you can't find what you're looking for. He speaks Dodge, reasonable prices and excellent service. Jack

Tony, Do you mean the tie rod end hole in the swivel joint bracket is too small or the tie rod end itself, is too small to fit the hole ? Are you sure the tie rod ends you received (from whom?) are for the WC or the Power Wagon. I'm unsure if there is a difference but there could well be. I know the PW steering box is less substantial than the WC, so maybe the PW track rod and track rod ends are also smaller. The WC track rod is a heavy and solid lump of iron. Jack

Tony, The other option might be to check with John Bizal at Midwest Military to see if he has any replacement brake linings and go the old fashioned route of rivetting them onto your shoes. Jack