chrisgrove

Hi Clive. Sorry, but the only pics I can find are these three of Bedford RLs with apple green supposedly fireproof canopies with raised tops so petrol would fall off. Only black and white too, but you can see the difference in reflectance between the DBG and the brown. Despite being the Unit Press Officer, I had other things on my mind and didn't take many pics at that time. The pics were also cropped (manually) for publication, probably in Tankette, so are not exactly first class! Chris

Nice looking Austin K5 too! Chris

Very interesting article. I would add that in 1969, in Belfast (well, Palace Barracks Holywood to be precise) our Pigs and our softskins were painted in gloss DBG with a matt mid brown disruptive. My models have attracted comment rather like your Shorland, but photographs prove my point even in black and white. Chris

Hi Baltik The numbers you quoted from your Landrover included the letters BGS. The (West) German Bundesgrenzschutz used landrovers - many made under licence by Tempo. I was not aware that they used such modern(ish) models as yours, but perhaps this was a model proposed by LR for the BGS, which would explain the German labelling; perhaps the germans then decided not to order them and used something home grown instead, Funny colour for BGS though. Chris

No argument about the Valentine tanks, but the softskins are interesting. I think the truck towing the 3.7AA is a Leyland Terrier - much rarer than the Retriever, and used for towing AA guns (though more often the 3inch) . The searchlight truck behind it is the special searchlight bodied Retriever - nice to see what the inside looked like. The 15cwt towing the 2 pounder is the portee version of the CS8 - apparently designed with the French 25mm gun in mind rather than the 2 pounder, but higher than the normal to allow more room to handle the gun. Humber Mk 1 armoured cars too, earlier in the film

The WW1 4.5 howitzer was a short barrelled weapon. It was also (converted to run on pneumatic tyres) used at the beginning of WW2. The later 4.5 gun was very similar to the better known 5.5 gun; same carriage but the 4.5 had a longer barrel (and obviously a smaller bore). It did not remain in service long as the shell was apparently not impressive in effect. Chris

I'm sure you are aware of this, but you should decide at what period of its service your truck is to represent. The L number you have found would be the number it wore from manufacture until about 1949; the YX number would then be the number it wore from the change date until release from the Army. No way would it have worn both at once! Chris

Hi My father (now deceased) commanded the AATDC (incidentally the Army Airtransport Training and Development Centre) during the time that this thread covers - about 1958-1960. Unfortunately, I did not even possess a camera in those days, so have no pics or docs from that time, though I seem to remember a photo of a Ferret which arrived on the ground without the benefit of parachutes. I later attended a UEO course at JATE, then at Abingdon.. The venturi on the Wombat pic above looks very short, though it opened sideways to load the round, as compared to BAT, Mobat and Conbat on which the venturi dropped down. Some nice pics above. Thankyou for those. If I do unearth any pics I will post them here. Incidentally, the Royal Engineers Museum at Chatham contains a large bulldozer rigged on an HSP, reputedly as dropped in Borneo to construct an airstrip. Chris

Maybe Artillery tractors had runflats. Chris

While I am sure that a standardised Ram barricade item was eventually produced and fitted, I am equally sure that I have seen (in Northern Ireland during the troubles) different types of Ram barricadeson Pigs. Round bars, Square bars, etc. How about this one, though most of our pigs had the standard one (but several different patterns of mesh windscreen protectors). Chris

Sorry, Old Git, can't really help. I was issued with a pair of these in the 1960s for an exercise in Cyprus in the summer, and by the end of three weeks the soles were worn out! I had them resoled, had a leather extension sewn round the top so that gaiters would stay on (and not just ride above them), and used them for some years, but I no longer have them. Chris

My Dad's airborne helmet at about 1953-55 was certainly not gloss DBG! Olive drab matt it may well have been and the texturing looked as if sand (and not too fine) had been used. Chris

Hi 10FM68 Wanting to make a model diorama featuring a mule carrying two hayboxes (That was what those huge rings on the side were for - to hook the thing on a pack saddle), I spent some time trying to find a haybox so I could measure it up. No luck at first. I made contact with the cook of a re-enactor group at the War and Peace Revival show (then at Folkestone Racecourse) who assured me that, while the 6 gallon dixies were still useful and thus available, the 6 gallon insulators were not, as better versions were used instead. I dod eventually get the dimensions I needed from a helpful gentleman in Canada who measured one up for me at his local scrap yard! I think there were several slightly different versions - not surprising considering how long they were in service.

@surveyor Agreed! I was once, on attachment to a battalion other than my own, standing next to a No 1 burner in action. The colour sergeant had, in a somewhat foolhardy manner, stacked jerricans containing fuel next to the trench. The company were queuing for their midday meal. The burner caught fire, and suddenly I realised I was the only one left in the queue. All the others had legged it! Fortunately the fire was put out and normal service was resumed! Chris

No 1 was generally known as a No 1 burner as it consisted of a burner unit which sent a jet of flame out. You needed several metal stands which were generally dug into a trench in a line. The flame jet went along the trench through the stands. Dixies stood on top of these. Lethal bit of kit, but served the army for a very long time! Chris

Thanks MatchFuzee. Very helpful. I tend towards the Milicast version of the exhaust, even though Milicast, to my disappointment, only do the several 4x4 versions. If the exhaust came out as assumed by the Scaleline version, I am sure at least one of my pics would show it. But Scaleline appear also to omit the rather distinctive rear mudguards. Chris

I am making a model of a Guy Ant 15cwt (4x2, not the QuadAnt, though that might be much the same), but none of the plans or photos that I have give even a hint of what the exhaust system might look like or where the end of the exhaust pipe might be visible (if at all!). I reckon that, probably, the system will be along the right side, somewhere between the prop shaft and the chassis member; the silencer will be somewhere between the two fuel tanks, and the exhaust will exit, pointing downwards, somewhere forward of the rear axle. Can anyone confirm this, or tell me what it really is like? Happy to get info on the Quad version(s) if info on the 4x2 is lacking! Chris

As a modeller, I am pleased to see that you vindicate my thoughts that the central hinge and its associated strap on the tailboardis not exactly central, but offset just a little to the right. Those drawing modellers plans, and not a few modellers, have failed to notice that! Chris

Thanks REME. Any idea what the lens diameter of the wartime version was? Chris

Pictures of wartime vehicles showing the rear are rare! Was there a standard rear light for militay vehicles? Pictures of restored vehicles are no good as they invariably have updated rear lighting to make them road legal. And where was it placed? I do remember that only one rear light was then required. I am particularly interested in the Austin K2 and Bedford ML (and possibly the several Morris) ambulances, all of which had the same or very similar bodies. A photograph would be very useful. Chris

Just a suggestion. My regiment which was stationed at Palace Barracks Holywood in 1969 had recently, served in Hong Kong where an enterprising local, by name (phonetically) Sam Sing, produced a considerable range of webbing, of lesser quality than the issue stuff especially as regards the dye, but certainly including a pack larger than the standard 44 pattern one and more practical in many ways. It would not surprise me to learn that these soldiers were part of that regiment and that some of them owned Sam Sing packs and other webbing. Chris

Many thanks Rob

This should be a very simple answer to find, but I am not finding it simple! OK, I am making a model of the 25 pounder and its associated Artillery Trailer No 27. But the (few) plans I can find all vary in their depicted tyre sizes. I assume that the gun and the trailer had the same size of tyre, but what was it. Since I am making a model, I am not constrained by what is obtainable in this day and age, so what was the original tyre size? Chris

I wonder what a Gurkha Landie was doing being parachuted! No chance of 'Just one more please'. Chris

I can remember a situation on exercise in Kenya about 1961 when my Bedford RL went into a puddle right up to the cab door, stuck and entirely blocking the track. We tried to pull it out backwards but with no success. The only vehicle which was ahead of it was the Morris water truck which did successfully pull it out! So it wasn't entirely bad though certainly not the most comfortable ride! Chris