Old Git Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 The right one is a Leyland Retriever Pontoon Carrier....the other is a Leyland Retriever too not 100% sure wich body model is fitted. The other body is the frame work for Folding Boat Equipment, similar (but not identical) to the winches on the Pontoon body. Someone on MLU posted drawings for both a few years back. I think I've squirreled them away to my hard drive though. A Leyland Retriever is on the long term plans list as I've got a load of 1/6th scale Pontoons for the Bailey Bridge set I have! The picture above is of a Mk I, I think, and was taken somewhere in Tunisia. If the records I quoted are correct and the RAF only had a couple hundred of these then they do seem to have gotten better photo coverage than the other 2,000 or so that served in the Recce and then the RE role. Certainly, given the pics above, I'd say for Normandy you couldn't go wrong using it as a Liaison transport or recce vehicle for an RE unit! I think I'll get on to the IWM and see if I can't get a better copy of that picture to see if I can't make out the divisional sign next to the unit designation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 Im sure some pics have been posted on the Morris Commercial gallery I started years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted August 6, 2014 Share Posted August 6, 2014 (edited) Rick, you may be thinking of this thread? http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?883 or here at #28: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?7797-Morris-Commercial-gallery/page3 Edited August 6, 2014 by Runflat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Judging by their very limited use in teeth arm units by the time of the NW Europe Campaign, the majority must have sat in depots and it seems amazing they were still making them by 1945, long after Humber LRC production had been stopped. If the British Government had done the sensible thing like the Americans and instructed manufacturers to make other companies products, the only wheeled armoured in service would have been Daimler Armoured Cars and Scout Cars. By the end of the war most of the Recce Corps Units had been re-equiped with Daimlers, but there were never enough to go round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Johns Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Judging by their very limited use in teeth arm units by the time of the NW Europe Campaign, the majority must have sat in depots and it seems amazing they were still making them by 1945, long after Humber LRC production had been stopped. My late Uncle bought a Morris LRC after the war in new unissued condition, removed the turret, cut windows into the hull and used it as a car It was restored some years ago and is now in the USA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-boy Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Wow, thank you! You've just made my day, in fact my whole week!!!! I'd love to see your docs, can you link me to the Yahoo LRC group? (EDIT: Just found a Yahoo British Armoured Cars group on Yahoo) I'm not sure where I got the following note from but it may well have been from documents in the National Archives... Below are a couple of famous shots of LRC's in Normandy, (and somewhere I have a pic of an LRC driving over the rubble that was Caen). I'm assuming the Sherman Flail in the first picture, and certainly the Folding Boat Equipment in the 2nd picture, indicates RE? If they are RE then 40 would indicate an RE HQ Unit for either Armoured or Infantry Division, whilst 51 might indicate an RE Field Company for an Infantry Division. EDIT: Just looking at these pics again and I can just make out the 3rd Inf Division symbol above the 51 in the first picture. Old eyes ain't what they used to be, doh! THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944. © IWM (B 7540)IWM Non Commercial Licence A Morris light reconnaissance car and, in the background, Sherman Crab flail tanks move up to the battle area for Operation 'Goodwood', 18 July 1944. THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944. © IWM (B 6233)IWM Non Commercial Licence A Morris light reconnaissance car and other vehicles passing through Bretteville, 30 June 1944. Just noticed in the top pic, the 'Wheels Only' sign. Seems that tank crews have never obeyed the rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 (edited) Just noticed in the top pic, the 'Wheels Only' sign. Seems that tank crews have never obeyed the rules. it may have something to do with mines which is why the flails are going forward to deal with it? Re the LRC in the second picture, given the date there were only three possible units in that area (Bretteville-Sur-Orne) and those were 11th Armoured, 43rd Wessex and 15th Scottish. What little I can see of the Divisional sign doesn't convince me that it's 11th Armoured so that leaves either 43rd Wessex or 15th Scottish. At this time 43rd Wessex were dug in on a line running from Tourville, Mondrainville & Mouen, along what is now the D675, which runs east via Bretteville and on into Caen it is possible that these are 43rd Wessex Divisions bridging engineer's being called forward to deal with some bridging op on the Odon. It wasn't a particularly wide waterway which may account for the FBE going ahead of the pontoons, just guessing though! Of course it might just be an 8th Corps tac sign which may mean the LRC belongs to the Corps RE HQ unit? Thanks very much. This is all great stuff. I will dig out out the stuff I have collected and get in touch Thanks for that Barry, much appreciated mate. I've signed up to the Yahoo group and pulled off a lot of stuff that was up there. Looking over it all has made me want to start on the LRC immediately! Here's a pic of the cardboard mock-up that I did to test the viability of the project. The wheels aren't correct they're just there to make it look better! Edited August 7, 2014 by Old Git Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 A little further progress today :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted August 9, 2014 Author Share Posted August 9, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 Cracking stuff! It's wonderful to see the internals of this beautiful wee vehicle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 Picked up a front axle today, pretty sure it's a C8 FAT ????? Can anyone tell me the diff ratio for the C8? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawtrylwt Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) C8 diff ratio is 6.57:1 The axle code is usually stamped on it on the n/s top Edited August 13, 2014 by bawtrylwt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 Excellent, they are the same thankfully. Thanks for the info. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Few more panels stripped out and some dodgy repair panels. Stripped the engine, everything is standard sizes with very little sign if wear :-) sadly the bored and pistons are shot! It has sat with water in the bores at some point in its life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted September 20, 2014 Author Share Posted September 20, 2014 Managed to strip some more of the internal panels out this week, not helped by the previous repairs making it near on impossible to remove anything as they had all been welded to each other! One bonus is that the tow hitch fitted to the vehicle had been made from one of the original lifting eyes :-) so at least i have a good pattern for the new ones. Also had the new roof section cut ready for fitting up with components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Absolutely cracking pictures mate, keep em coming. I'm loving this thread! :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted September 27, 2014 Author Share Posted September 27, 2014 Bit more progress today, started on the rotisserie and got the back axle out of the way :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 very nice..... I seen one in a museum over here and have liked the look of them ever since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Git Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 Just Beautiful! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Johns Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 The MK1 4X2 Morris LRC that used to be on display at Duxford is now at the East Anglia aviation museum Flixton, Suffolk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Not been on the forum for a few years ,so just noticed this thread,We've got a Morris LRC MK 2 also in need of restoration,I'd possibly be interested in sharing any expense on parts you may be having made,I.E Turret for one as ours is missing .We also need several of the hatches as they are missing too. Regards Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted December 13, 2014 Author Share Posted December 13, 2014 Hi Steve, sounds like a good plan. I will give you a ring when I'm back in the uk in the new year. I have all the templates for the turret and will make it later this year, I also have make all the hatches so can get extras profile cut when I do it. Have you got any pics of your one? Does yours have the fan drive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 (edited) The strip down has progressed a little further, all the internal panels in the rear have been removed sadly nearly all the slot head screws (over 200) had to be cut/chiseled off. It's mounted in the frame now so it can be turned around to make life easier. Just need to remove the front axle and the steering box, pedals etc then off to blasting. Edited January 29, 2015 by RMS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Some more progress in the strip down, seems to be taking forever to get it apart. So I decided to start making some new parts to break up the work a bit :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMS Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 Tear down nearly finished :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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