Mike C

Glad to be able to assist. Nice result. Mike

A case of grandfather's axe: 'only had five new handles, and two new heads but still in service after X years'. Looks more like P9374 contributed the registration and not a whole lot else. Mike

Here's the Australian take on the spelling: The AIF Middle East HQ issued Routine Order RO163 as follows: 'German Type Returnable Containers: 20 litre captured German petrol containers of the pressed and welded type, with hinged quick acting cap, will in future be referred to, for the sake of brevity, as JERRICANS. RO467, issued 13 August 1942: Jerricans, max issue per vehicle: Lorries 3, light vehicles and cars: 2. There are also a few ROs in late 1942 concerning returning stocks for re-issue on a priority basis - apparently not enough captured ones to go around. Mike

Thanks Ron, that solves it - I stand corrected and have learnt something new in the process. Mike

Gents, Not sure the Flimsy had a cap as such - just a repeat of the same pattern as the other 3 corners, with the top run onto the body by a rolled top edge wheel tool after filling, so no solder, and no hot copper iron against the exposed fuel. The top edge could then, if needed, be safely soldered with a copper iron, acid flux and a solder stick once the lid was in place. Do surviving examples show the top edge to be soldered or not? I understand that a curved pourer with a sharp, pointed bottom edge was available to punch the hole for pouring, but was rarely used for pouring, just for punching the hole. The idea was to use the pourer tip to punch a small hole in one corner, then punch through the opposite corner to pour. In my interviews with WW2 veterans, a transport sgt with an Aust field regiment who served in North Africa said they always carried Italian bayonets with them in the trucks, to punch the holes in the fuel cans. No mention of a soldered/removable cap. Mike

Alan, Nice vehicle. Very unusual, but very useful. A Coles Crane - I think the same or an earlier model than yours - was sent for tropical trials to Australia in the 1950s, along with a Ferret Mk.1, Humber 1 ton, and an Austin Champ. Mike

Hi Richard, That's it, just typical of an Aussie to abbreviate it to '4by' (pronounced 'fourbee', of course!) Some snow here but not much yet. The passes between here and Seattle are closed due to snow (those Seattle-ites only know how to handle water when it's wet, not solid!) but we in the east of the state are having a mild snow year thus far. Are you gearing up to depart to Oz this year for the annual Corowa MV convention? Mike

Richard: you are spot on: the 'rod' is a cleaning rod for a pistol. The slot near the end is to thread a piece of 'fourby' - four x two inch cleaning cloth, dispensed in rolls 2 inches wide with dividing lines every 4 inches, roughly through the slot, one corner point first, then a squirt of gun oil on the cloth, and draw the rod back through the barrel if a revolver, or push it through from the muzzle if a semi-auto. Some military holsters had provision on the outside for carrying the rod. Rod was often made of brass. Mike

The image also has at least one companion image taken looking back toward the rear of the cargo compartment. It is captioned 'crossing the Rhine at Oberessel, Germany, 89th Division men crouch low in their crowded assault boat to escape enemy fire. 3/26/45. 89th Infantry Division, US 3rd Army'. It is credited to T/S A H Herz. The companion image is published on page 91 of Davis, P J (2004) US Guns of World War II, ISBN1-57747-105-9. Mike

Yes, I agree with you, but I still find it interesting that 'standard' M1903 rifles (M1903 and M1903A3) were being issued and used by forward area troops, as these appear to be as they are still equipped with the foresights while factory-finished sniper rifles fitted with scopes had the foresight removed (USMC versions done 'locally' retained the foresight). The one in the driving compartment ie issued to a transport driver, is readily understandable, but I'd be pretty p****d off if I was the only guy in the Section issued with standard bolt action while everyone else had Garands. Mike

Interesting that, while the majority of rifles visible are semi-auto M1 Garand rifles (as you would expect) there are two bolt action M1903 Springfield rifles which are visible leaning in the front right corner of the DUKW, one each in the cargo and driving compartments. Mike

"All you need now, is a female figure with an Ice cream tray hanging off Her neck! " ...... I'm sure every Aussie soldier would agree with you, but, alas, that was the US Army, not the Australians. Just a friendly Salvo at the 'Hop In' centre with a cup of tea and a bikkie was as much as an Aussie could expect.

Hi Frederic, Pretty difficult to read, but it has to be a six digit number starting with 14, so 14XXXX. Note the GMC further along the line has what appears to be a 5 digit number, but the sixth number is just partly visible. The fourth digit on the jeep appears to be a ' 7', so 14X7XX. If the third digit is a '2', the possibilities are: 142758 to 142799 inclusive. The third digit cannot be a '3', as the only jeeps in that series are 143000 to 143085, ie none with a '7' fourth digit. The third digit cannot be a '5' , as there are none with a '7' fourth digit. The third digit cannot be a '6', as there are no possibles with a '7' as the fourth digit. The third digit cannot be an '8' as all the 148xxx series are trailers. The third digit could be a '9'. If so, the possibles are: 149701 149708 149709 149729 149730 149734 149762 149763 149793 149794 The above are the only possibilities for the registration number of the jeep in the image. A little bit of detective work based on the images shows that 122 Mobile Cinema worked with 6th Infantry Division at Wewak, New Guinea in November 1945. 122 Aust Mob Cinema was one of a group of mobile cinemas formed at wars end to entertain the troops after hostilities ceased. We know that the images were taken while operating with 6th Infantry Division because the unit sign on the GMC CCKW353 is 2-4 over 91, which is the unit sign of 2/4th Aust General Transport Platoon, which was part of the 6th Division. Hope that all helps to provide a better 'picture' of what your model represents. Mike

Very, very nice model. One point: the registration number is not correct for a 1/4 ton truck (jeep). Aust Registration Number 14371 was a BSA motorcycle, while 14371 (0 to 9) were all 1/4 ton Bantam trailers (the same as shown in your images) so one of those would be correct for the rear panel of the model trailer. If you wanted to make it more accurate, you could locate a suitable jeep ARN in AWM126, on the Australian War Memorial website, if you are unable to read the number in the original image. Mike

'Pioneers of Australian Armour' by D Finlayson and M Cecil, covers the complete history of the Aust Armoured Car Battery that became the Aust Light Car Patrol, the Aust Light Car Patrol service, and the Special Tank Personnel, the last group constitutes the first tank unit in the AIF and Aust PMF. Also marketed in the UK by Pen and Sword as 'Pioneers of Armour', (much to the authors' annoyance, as it covers ONLY Australians! ) Would like to see what you have on the Light Car Patrols, if possible, please. Mike

These seem to be good examples (the A/C and clothing) of RLL - Reverse or Reciprocal Lend-Lease. Items supplied were credited to the RLL account to offset the LL account of items supplied to Allied countries under the LL scheme. Mike

Centurion fitted with a Reflector-cum-Periscope (RCP) sight uses a collimator as the link between the gunner's and crew commander's sights, so that, when aligned, the CC can see what the gunner sees through the gunner's sight. The collimator is attached to the underside of the turret roof. I don't have a full parts list for Centurions later than Mk.III, but someone on here might have and could check if the part number is the same. Mike

Thanks Damien, high praise indeed! I do hope you do a revised edition of your marking codes book - it is a great reference, and is quite rightly included in the reference list in my book, as it was very useful in determining some of the manufacturers. I've often pulled it out over the years, so it's looking a big dog-eared. Time to replace it with a revised edition! Mike

Hi Damien, Thanks for the positive comments about the section you have had the chance to read. I'll look forward to further comments/critique once you have had a chance to digest the entire contents. I was elated that Maj Gen Paul Stevens agreed to write the foreword after reading through a late draft, as he is a gunner with a wealth of experience in both gunnery and in historical research. If he was satisfied with the result, I figured most other readers would be, too. Regards Mike

A8 is a nice find, Damien - one of only 12 improved prototypes, so rare in the extreme. I'm sure, given your hands-on experience, that you'll give it the restoration TLC it deserves. What ordnance number do you have for it, and do you have the early form of muzzle cone? The first prototype image is, appropriately, the first 25-pdr Short image reproduced in the book. We probably sourced it from the same album waaaaay back in the early 1990s. I interviewed Maj Gen Whitelaw on a couple of occasions, and we exchanged correspondence over a number of years on a wide variety of subjects, mostly artillery, but his involvement with other equipment acquisitions during his time as a senior officer was also of considerable interest to me. His father of course features prominently in the Australian 25-pdr story overall, not just the Short, including the first rumblings about an Australian SP version, so there are several quotes and references attributed to him throughout the book. As for the book, I've done my best with the information available to me at the time of writing. I hope I have done the subject justice, and that the book will satisfy the vast majority of readers. Mike

Well Damien, we will just have to agree to disagree on the total number of 25-pdr Short complete guns manufactured. Nothing I see in the paperwork supports more than 213 complete guns in total, but the data does go quite some way in explaining the differences/discontinuities in numbering of major components assembled into a complete gun, a matter I do deal with in my new book. Moreover, I cannot see Ruwolt's continuing to manufacture complete guns in excess of the authorised number in each contract without authority just because they thought it was a good idea. Quite the contrary: Charles Ruwolt was a hard negotiator who, once the deal was struck, stuck rigidly to the contract terms: just look at his 'hard charging' involvement in the Cruiser tank project as a prime example. So unless I've missed a follow-up contract (which I doubt), there is nothing in what I have on the subject that points to more than 213 complete guns in total, and that includes the totals for each contract as listed in the post-contract audits. Have you factored in the manufacture of numbered spares unique to the 25-pdr Short, such as recoil/recuperator blocks, spare barrels and spare jackets, for each of the contracts? Mike

Interesting information and analysis, Watercart, particularly the very high numbering of your example. Is the A224 number on the ordnance or the carriage? I agree with you about the myriad of changes incorporated during manufacture, particularly during the early stages, and the 'mismatch' of ordnance and carriage numbers. My more recent work has placed the total number at 213 based upon actual requirements and issued manufacturing orders: 1 prototype, which underwent several modifications particularly in the early stages. 12 improved prototypes/pre-production prototypes, some of which were used for troop trials, 100 production 'Ordnance, QF, 25-pdr, Short (Aust) Mk.I on Carriage 25-pdr Light (Aust) Mk.I' 100 production 'Ordnance, QF, 25-pdr, Short (Aust) Mk.I on Carriage 25-pdr Light (Aust) Mk.II' Total: 213. I contend that the actual proportion of Mk 1 and Mk2 production guns is not 100:100, but somewhat different. This is explained in reasonable detail in my soon-to-be-released book 'Fire! The 25 Pounder in Australian Service', published by Trackpad Publishing. Shameless plug, I know: https://www.trackpadpublishing.com/fire-the25-pounder I think it also might go some way to explaining why you have such a high numbered example. The image in Talltoms post: I can see an Australian 17-pdr Anti-tank gun double air-spaced shield leaning against the wall at the right of frame - I don't see another 25-pdr Short shield in that image. Regards Mike

https://www.trackpadpublishing.com/product-page/tough-truck-australian-army-land-rover-1949-to-2012 Finished! Now at the printers ..... Mike

That's interesting: the normal light or jungle scale regiment was 24 guns, made up of three Batteries of 8 guns - two of standard 25-pdrs and one of 25-pdr (Short), rather than 32 guns. Mike

Thanks Rick Cove, for doing that for me. Mike