43rdrecce

Hi Enigma, thank you for flagging this up. As you are probably aware this desecration of war memorials is a huge problem in the UK too. Just picked up this thread. We have passed this sad news on to the 43rd Recce veterans. Sadly some of those intimately involved in the erection of the memorial are no longer with us, Frank Thompson (part of the original patrol) Fred Sylvester an A Squadron man and researcher of this tragic patrol and its story. We will be in touch. Kind regards Paul

Having a rummage again in my unit and found these, 3" diameter fuel filler caps. Repackaging labels for September 1960. No VAOS codes only the long number 2910998346524. Hand written in ink on the top of the box is the number '7203' Anybody recognise them? They might be useful to someone..... Cheers Paul

Ta chaps, I thought they were most likely post war looking at them, so maybe Comet. Definitely not rexine in a Daimler, only Vaumol dear boy..... Cheers Paul

Richard, Thanks for the swift reply. If that is the case I can think of a couple of people who might need them! They were incorrectly fitted to my Daimler turret, the two pads side by side, but the Daimler has a single large pad. Thanks again for the reply. Regards Paul

Part No LV1/LD BC65036 Pad Head Assy Aux Gunners Comp Can anyone enlighten me as to which vehicle this part is for? It is a brown rexine covered pad. I have two of them in nearly new condition. Sadly some plank has attached tape to one of them in the past and it has removed part of the surface finish. Curious as to what vehicle they are intended for. Cheers Paul

Tim, Many thanks for the response. Perfect answer mate, just what I was looking for. It had to be legit as nobody was interested in DPM stuff back when I first acquired this. Thanks once again. Cheers Paul

Hi, Thanks for the reply. I knew it wasn't 'right' in the sense of an original khukri as I pointed out in the original post. Almost definitely a repro, but it has been in that scabbard, covered in 'dot' shaded 68 pattern dpm since I bought it in Camden Passage around 1983 when there was sod all interest in anything dpm. It may be a repro khukri in a home made frog, but still in its way 'genuine' ie it has apparently seen service use. My question was really is the frog remotely resembling anything issue, Ghurka or otherwise, or was it user made. I'm not sure the word 'right' is the point,it is what it is, a bit of a curiosity. Good suggestion on the 51mm mortar though, it does look as though its been converted from something and has seen a fair bit of use. Cheers Paul

Would anyone care to offer an opinion on this khukri, frog and scabbard. I've had this item since 1983 and it looked knackered then so I guess pre Falklands in origin. To my untrained eye it looks like a non issue khukri with bogus military markings, witness the date having been scrubbed off with an electric pencil. This non issue item has then been by a serving soldier and made a 'genuine' service item!! I seem to recall these tourist repro khukris were easily obtained at that time, often marked with WW1 dates. I also seem to recall there was a bit of a craze post-Falklands for odd fighting knives and khukris, but as I mentioned above this one had some serious wear even in 1983. Note the markings on the frog 'Baker HQ' and 'Baker 27' The frog has been very well made, at unit level I would imagine given the eyelets and the green lace, but doesn't look well made enough to be an issue item. Anyone have an issue Ghurka frog? I have a precedent of this fake becomes real stuff. During Op Granby I supplied some sets of repro WW2 combined ops patches to a friend of mine who was later seen on TV wearing them and several others too for that matter, he was a press handler (or should that be wrangler) So anything can happen. The unit level patches had yet to take off full at that time, so you get my point. Anyways, opinions please. Anybody come across one before? Cheers Paul

Adrian, Many thanks for that. They are identical for the Daimler and most other afvs I would imagine. It might be useful to have the stores numbers, they are using your numbers: 6 Brush Cleaning Tank Sect. K. K.E. 0858 7 Brush Cleaning 12" Sect. LV6 M.T.I.-3573 8 Brush Cleaning 11.5" Sect. LV6 M.T.I.-3571 10 Brush Cleaning 11" Sect. LV6 M.T.I.-3569 11 Brush Flue 3' 10" Sect K. K.E. 0875 12 Brush Hand Bass Sect. K. K.E.0874 I have 7,8,10 and 12. I may have duplicates I'll have a look. Amazing how hard these are to find given how many must have been made both pre, during and post WW2. Paul

Sorry for butting in on this one Alastair..... Adrian, what nomenclature is given to the brushes 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11 on your diagram? I have these shown in a diagram for the Daimler but they are described as 'Tank cleaning kit' and not identified individually. The parts list I have names them all with part nos but no diagram. It would be helpful if I could cross reference them! Cheers Paul

Adrian, Ahhh The $64,000 question....Most WW2 tentage was brown, or shades thereof, and that's what I would go with. That said the training film for the Daimler shows the turret cover and engine cover being used and in a light shade, probably that 'orrible pea green colour ('Willesden' copper based rot proofing I'm told) like the canvas water buckets and most of the BESA muzzle covers. I also have a set of the case catchers for the BESA and 2pdr which are mid green. (but no breech cover if anyone has got one!!) To be honest I'm deliberately painting items in varying shades of green and brown to give more realistic appearance and a more 'in service' look. The Jerricans will be slightly different shades, water cans SCC2 Brown with white bits of course, with different odd batch nos etc stencilled on them as per period photos for instance. The final choice of colour would be driven by the fact that I would be using a damaged 160lb tent to make this up. It's 1944 dated and brown! Case closed. Cheers Paul

Adrian, Thanks for that. I thought you might contribute! Amazing how hard these things are to find especially as they were one per vehicle it seems. What date is the illustration you've attached? It's the clearest image I've seen of one yet. It would seem most crews didn't bother to use the poles judging from the wartime photos I've seen, with the canvas draped to the ground at one side. I wonder how many different sizes there were? Seems the armoured cars had CIM (T) 650 and the Churchill 652. Anyone got any others listed? Were they issued with the CES for Saladin for example, it would be similar to the Daimler sized one I would imagine? Can anyone provide key dimensions so I can have one made up. Cheers Paul

Hello all, Thanks for the replies, very informative. I acquired it from an Officer in 10 Para sometime in 1983 I think. He told me that the vinyl straps were a bit sweaty to wear and were unpopular. At the time I was going around hoovering up Falklands kit, a lot of which I subsequently lent to the IWM for their FI 10th anniversary exhibition a few years later. At the termination of the exhibition I sold most of the items to the museum as I had decided I didn't want to retain them. (my main interest being WW1 and WW2 Infantry and armour) There were some quite unique items amongst them including a data panel from one of the cluster bombs dropped in the first raid on Port Stanley airport, as well as some bullet holed items from Government House, some historic stuff. Last time I was at the IWM I was pleased to see that some of the items are still on display. The rest I presume is in store. The helmet cover was on it when I acquired it but is a tad later in vintage of course. Just had a look and it is finished in green, so an early Para helmet then. Thanks to Dave, Panzer Nut and WDbikemad for the info. Cheers Paul

Hello all, Does anyone have any detail on this item which is shown in the stowage listing for the Daimler armoured car? I assume it was a generic item as it uses the term 'Tank' It seems to been issued for a variety of armoured vehicles as it is also shown in the stowage listing for the Humber MkIV armoured car. I am asking on the tracked vehicles section of the forum in the hope that someone might have more information from a tank handbook, or wonder of wonders, might actually have a captive example of this item. The full nomenclature shown is; Cover, Tank and Bivouac CIM(T) 650 and Poles, Bivouac CIM(T) 653 (these are given as 3' long in another document) These bivis usually look like a jumble of canvas alongside the vehicles in period photos and it is difficult to see what is going on. Did this item continue in service after WW2, if so does anyone have a post war green version of it? All contributions gratefully received from you armour boys! Cheers Paul

Hello all, Does anyone know the details of the introduction of these helmets? They saw limited use during the Falklands and there are one or two shown in photos. Not sure if this is one. I have had this one since the very early 80s, 83 or early 84 I think. It has the first pattern chinstraps in pvc/leather/nylon webbing bit like the wartime leather straps for the steel para lid. I believe these plastic straps were unpopular and were soon replaced. The helmet has a custom made fitted cover (looks like a combat jacket hood in early DPM colours) and over this is a first pattern Mk6 cover (without the vertical elastic foliage bands,just two horizontal bands) I'd like to know a little more about the introduction if anyone knows. Cheers Paul

More Nosh of Yore.... My two ebay 99p specials which include the legendary salmon. The chap who sold them to me had 'inherited' them when he bought his current property. The previous owner had been an arctic explorer (I kid you not) and these had been left over from one of his expeditions in the 1970s. They were found in the loft of a building he used as his map room. You couldn't make this stuff up could you! I found an Airline label attached to the outside of one of the boxes so the story checks out. Anyway no bidders except me and located only a few miles away. Result! Enjoy the trip down the gastronomic memory lane.... Regards Paul

I thought this might be of interest, I photographed these back in the early 1980s for an article I wrote for the old Military Illustrated magazine. The arctic rat pack was just pre Falklands, and the GS pack was 1984. I still have both of these packs but they are probably not in quite such good condition now! The bacon grill and fruit salad tins in particular seem to blow after a few years. The cheese possessed has stayed strangely inert......maybe because it was a non-organic substance to start with! I also have two unopened 1974 dated 10 man rat packs which I bought off ebay recently for an amazing 99p each! If anyone wants to see some photos please shout. Cheers Paul ps none of them for sale before anyone asks!

Interesting info Clive. Below is from the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment war diary for February 1944: “Training Water Cans 4.5 gallon, painted No.2 camouflage brown, ‘water’ painted on both sides, surface under handles and indentations painted white. Leather Jerkins will not be worn for walking out. Sten slings will be attached behind the foresight. Dannert wire will be carried by all vehicles, either wrapped in hessian (training) or secured with wire.” Clearly a long standing practice. Did it begin with the introduction of SCC2 paint I wonder and what colour were they before then? (water cans not of the tuetonic type!) I seem to recall they were sometimes black during WW1. Regards Paul

Hmm, I think I might have to do some research then.... Paul PS interesting that you have seen white on other DACs. I think 'custard' describes the white I've seen on the inner mantlet quite nicely. Definitely aged to a pale creamy oxydised white.

Can't comment about the alloy design shown, which is clearly late or post WW2, but the concept goes back well before the Korean War. The British army used packboards in WW1 and WW2, complete with the head strap, which is called a 'Tumpline' They were referred to as 'Yukon' packs during WW1. Same principle, and just as useful, but made of wood etc and obviously a bit heavier. The septics had them in WW1 too. I think the Canadians claim credit though for introducing them, but who knows. A good idea anyway and a handy bit of kit. Regards Paul

I'm repainting the inside of my Mk1 Daimler armoured car white, having found that the inner mantlet which has clearly not been disturbed, was painted in a very faded and yellowed white. On the rest of the vehicle I have found white on one single part from the engine bay (on the underside of the oil can holder, which again looked like it had never been moved) and tiny traces elsewhere. I've heard a lot of people say 'ah but I took the stowage out and it was silver underneath' My own observations have been that the post-war 50s rebuilds were extremely thorough, after all there were quite a few paintbrush wielding National Sevicemen at the time, so few conclusions can be based on what finish is there now. I stripped down a Fordson 15 cwt a while back expecting to find evidence of paint finish. During the rebuild they had even painted underneath the upper part of the the front scuttle. I found about a 1" square of brown tucked right up in a corner, showing that the original paint was indeed SCC2 which would fit given the date of the vehicle. Period interior photos can help a little, in my case some of the early photos of Mk1 DACs seem to indicate white, as does the training film that was produced. I'd go with white Bob, unless someone can prove otherwise of course...... Regards Paul

I agree with Niels, fantastic job and great attention to detail. You've set a very high standard. I've really enjoyed watching this restoration. Regards Paul

Hello all, Has anyone come across this item? I am looking for a better reference image other than the drawing in the vehicle handbook. I have never seen a set of these, does anyone have a set? Were they issued for any other wartime British vehicle? The only numbers shown in the stowage list I have for the Mk1 lists them as TD 9669, for the bag, and TD 9668 for the connections, but these may be drawing numbers. The full nomenclature as shown is Bag, Canvas, Flexible Connections and Connections, Flexible, Funnel, Filter. Cheers Paul

Blimey that was quick... Thought they might be. I have a larger version on my Daimler AC so suspected it was Ferret. I think someone must have palmed them off on me at some point! Strange, I hadn't opened the boxes until today, followed my head scratching. Any idea what they might be worth? Cheers Paul

Can some kind soul enlighten me as to what vehicle these are from? I feel I should know as I've just found two of them in boxes at the back of my unit. They are not spares of any vehicle I own and I haven't got the foggiest as to how they came to be there. I guess I must have bought them in with something else. Labels are missing from the boxes but appear to be standard miltary packaging. Ferret?? Part number marked on them is FV58266. The inevitable supplementary question, what are they worth! Ta Paul