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Runflat

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    Guy vix-ants - queens messengers

    in British Vehicles

    Posted

    And as a bit of fun (although deadly serious at the time) are extracts from file INF 6/488:

     

    The Ministry of Information presents THE QUEEN’S MESSENGERS – a Jay Lewis Production (of Strand Film Co. Ltd.). (Commissioned 4 April 1941, copy lodged with the Imperial War Museum, September 8th, 1952.)

     

    Associate Producer: Basil Wright

    Directed by Jay G Lewis

    Camera: A E Gibbs & Jo Jago

    Commentator: Frederick Allen

    Editor: Michael Gordon

    Recordist: Al Rhind

     

    Mrs. Higgins: I bet he pays us a visit tonight.

     

     

    Joe: Aye. We’ve had our turn.

     

     

    Man at bar: Don’t you worry Ma.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: Who’s worrying?

     

     

    Landlord: Cheerio.

     

     

    Joe: Here! What’s up with the wireless?

     

     

    Landlord: Must be a raid on Mrs. Thomas.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: There you are. He always comes at and spoils my supper time, when I’ve just got something nice. Last time he came to Oldcastle I ‘ad a lovely piece of tripe – a really lovely piece it were.

     

     

    (Raid noises)

     

     

    Operator: Yes. Yes. Oldcastle is it? Right I’ll ring him at once... Hello – Flying Squad? Call the Q.M.

     

     

     

    Change to Queen’s Messenger Depot

     

    Mr. Cooper: Mrs. Brooks No.9 Store Lorry; Mrs. Talbot No.10 Store Lorry; Mrs. Turner No.11 Kitchen Lorry; Mrs. Preedy No.12 Kitchen Lorry; Mrs. Ald No.13 Canteen; Mrs. Garland No.14 Canteen; Mrs. Mills No.15 Canteen. Mrs. Griggs – is everybody here?

     

     

    Mrs. Griggs: Yes Mr. Cooper.

     

     

    Mr. Cooper: Fine – we can get going now.

     

     

    Commentator: The Queen’s Messengers are on their way. Driving through the night to a neighbouring town that has suffered an air raid. Their job is to help with food and comfort where the blitz has upset local arrangements. Provided by Her Majesty, the Queen, and friendly Americans, the convoy consists of eight specially designed lorries with cooking equipment, food stores and a water container. N 18 of these convoys are to be placed all over the country, staffed by the Women’s Voluntary Service Workers, ready at a minute’s notice.

     

     

    The QUEEN’S MESSENGERS are on their way.

     

     

    After their drive through the darkness, the Messengers enter the battered town. Motor cyclist patrols have made contact with the local authorities, and now they lead the convoy through the bombed streets to a place which will serve as headquarters during their stay.

     

     

    Joe: If only the dratted gas and electric hadn’t gone.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: Go to the Rest Centre, they says. I wasn’t going to leave my ‘ome for no one. I got poor Mr. Higgins’ picture out alright. Look – 32 years ago he had that took – just after we came to live here. Oh well perhaps it’s just as well he never lived to see his ‘ome like this.

     

     

    Joe: If only I could get a nice hot cup of tea, I’d be alright.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: Yes, that’s what I’d like. A nice hot cup of tea.

     

     

    Commentator: Tea will soon be ready, and hot soup too, for the Messengers carry their own stoves. All day these women will be making soup, tea and thousands of sandwiches.

     

     

    Leader of Q.M.: Are you loaded up Mrs. Orme?

     

     

    Mrs. Orme: All except two soups.

     

     

    Mr. Cooper: A Dispatch Rider’s going out – I want you to follow him.

     

     

    Leader of Q.M.: Very well.

     

     

    Two more Messengers: We’re quite ready Mrs. Griggs.

     

     

    Mrs. Griggs: Good. You’d better go to the street outside, and you go with her.

     

     

    Commentator: Led by a patrol rider who has explored the neighbourhood beforehand, a canteen is going to an outlying district. In each convoy there are three canteens and they move from one district to another as conditions demand. Patrol riders keep in contact between canteens and headquarters.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: Last time I came to Oldcastle I ‘ad a nice bit of tripe – a really lovely piece of tripe it were. I was just putting it in a pan,...

     

     

    Joe: I should think old Hitler’s heard about that tripe by now.

     

     

    Mrs. Higgins: And what’s it to you Mr. Thomas?

     

     

    Joe: Look!

     

     

    (Chatter)

     

     

    Commentator: From dawn to dusk hot soup, tea, bread and margarine and sandwiches can be fed to 5,000 refugees a day. In this war everyone is in the front line, and the Queen’s Messengers are ready – ready to serve anywhere in their work of providing food and comfort for the suffering.

     

     

    THE END

    Guy vix-ants - queens messengers

    in British Vehicles

    Posted · Edited by Runflat

    All this recent activity is very appropriate if there's a big event tomorrow!

     

    With thanks to Dusty's efforts I can now attach a combined list which also details other tit-bits gleaned from the National Archive files. The Commers were certainly a surprise and were used as 'welfare vans' (pictures please!); and the OYC chassis explains the file note that exists for CUN 358:

    Ministry of Food QMC fleet.pdf

    Ministry of Food QMC donors.pdf

    Austin BYD

    in British Vehicles

    Posted

    I seem to remember seeing this at the now closed Newcastle Military Vehicle museum and thinking it didn't look quite quite right.

     

    The obvious things that are wrong are that the wheels should be of the 'artillery' type and the radiator and bonnet should also be of a different pattern. The rear body and cab looks about right but could be a mock up. You won't know whether it's truely a BYD without a closer examination - it should based on the 1936-38 pattern LL (low-loading) taxicab chassis. My guess is it is make believe.

     

    Pictures appear in Wheels & Tracks #16 and Bart Vanderveen's Army Vehicles Directory to 1940 (page 187).

    Austin BYD

    in British Vehicles

    Posted

    I seem to remember seeing this at the now closed Newcastle Military Vehicle museum and thinking it was didn't look quite quite right.

     

    The obvious things that are wrong are that the wheels should be of the 'artillery' type and the radiator and bonnet should also be of a different pattern. The rear body and cab looks about right but could be a mock up. You won't know whether it's truely a BYD without a closer examination - it should based on the 1936-38 pattern LL (low-loading) taxicab chassis.

     

    Pictures appear in Wheels & Tracks #16 and Bart Vanderveen's Army Vehiles Directory to 1940 (page 187).

    What make/ model / age ? 6x6

    in Pre WW2 vehicles

    Posted

    Not wanting to be outdone by Commercial Motor an article also appears in Motor Transport for August 12, 1929. There're no line drawings, but several photographs accompany the article. And some further photographs appear in later editions.

     

    There are probably also articles in the modern magazines - I haven't checked - but no doubt they would be largely based on the originals!

     

    I recall the 'new' discoveries being advertised in one of the classic truck magazines about 10 years ago. Good to see they are still around.

    RFC Tender Trailer

    in Pre WW2 vehicles

    Posted

    Tom, a snippet from Cooper's Vehicle Journal, April 1916: We hear that Messers. E. & H. Hora Ltd. have received a contract from the Government for 100 of the latest form of areoplane trailers.

     

    Not much to go on, and it could refer to something completely different to what you are building.

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