British vehicles in the far east

[Rlangham]

Hey all, i've started to become more interested in the British campaign in the far east - does anyone know what sort of vehicles were used? I've read many times that the troops there were always last on the list for new vehicles, i've seen a few photos of vehicles, such as M3 Lee/Grant tanks, CMP trucks and Dodge WC's, and of course the Jeep, but would be interested in seeing photos of others or what other vehicles were used (I've heard of 'bren carriers' being used but don't know if it refers to the original bren carrier or the universal carrier)

 

Cheers, Rob

[mick garner]

My Uncle was in the Far East in 1947 and he used a Daimler Dingo, that is why he is quite interested in my Ferret as it is it's successor!! :-) I presume that they used them in WW2?

Mick.

[Enigma]

My Uncle was in the Far East in 1947 and he used a Daimler Dingo, that is why he is quite interested in my Ferret as it is it's successor!! :-) I presume that they used them in WW2?

Mick.

 

 

Yep they used the Dingo in WW2, recce's used them.

[AlienFTM]

1. You might like to buy a copy of Quartered Safe Out Here by George MacDonald Fraser (author of the Flashman and McAuslan series). It's his account of his war in a battalion of The Border Regiment in Burma in the last months of the war. It won't give you colour schemes or anything but he knows his stuff and refers to tanks (Shermans) and aircraft (Spitfires and something American which escapes me at the moment) by their model name rather than generically. I haven't got far into the book yet, so I don't know, but I'd expect him to refer to the vehicles he saw and you can find out what was there. Even if you don't find what you want, he is a superb author and it's worth the read. You'll be out buying McAuslan and Flashman before you know it.

 

2. Having established what was there, I have, tucked away in a cranny a collection of vehicle books that have been there since I moved in in 1987. There is a series called ... In Action. I certainly have Sherman In Action and PzKpfw 4 In Action, maybe others. The list available is long. A couple of weeks ago whilst visiting the Tank Museum, I noticed that these books are still in print and available from the museum shop. I have vivid memories of a series of pictures of M3 Lee and Grant tanks in South East Asia. I suspect that may be from this series but not sure.

 

Also, take note of a statement by GMF very early in his book along the lines of "... official documents will tell that the PIAT was never used in Burma. Well I can tell you I remember clearly putting five rounds from a PIAT into a bunker full of Japs ..." Moral of this story: don't take what you read as gospel.

 

HTH