question Does anyone have any sound proof of British troops using the CMP 30cwt LAAT ??

[POPPY]

Hello fellow members.

 

Can any one help?

 

I am currently a custodian of a 1944 CMP F60 LAAT (Bofors gun tractor) which I have dedicated to a British unit of the 3rd Uk Division.

 

Very recently I have been fortunate enough to chat with two exstrodinary Bofors crewman (one that landed on D-Day with F-Troop.... as their Wireless Operator...Which is the Troop my F60 is marked up as.... And the second, a Bofors gunner who served in Burma)

Both chaps were actually assigned the Morris SP Bofors gun, and couldn't recall ever seeing a Canadian Military Pattern LAAT in use, but instead the larger Bedford LAAT. (they did have CMP wirless trucks, and CMP GS lorries at their disposal though.

 

I read on the MLU forum that the British probably wouldn't of used 2 different types of LAAT in the supply chain, so I am now wondering if the British ever used the Canadian Miltary Pattern 60cwt LAAT???

 

A curator who also currently owns a CMP LAAT is quite sure the British would of used them ! As so many have survived in England post war.

 

Photos of CMP LAAT's on the net are very scarce indeed .... And the 2 that I have been lucky enough to find show that they are with Canadian units.

 

To that end...... Could any one kindly tell me if there is any concrete proof of the British using them ? I would dearly love to know 😃 !

 

your help is much appreciated.

 

kind regards,

 

Mark

 

1944 CMP F60

1942 40mm Bofors

1940 BSA M20

[brinv8]

Somewhere on my bookshelves, I have a photo of a CMP LAAT from Imperial War museum records, in British Army livery, photo was taken at Chiselhurst in 1944 in front of the local church. I will search for it and see what references are on the reverse of the photo.

In the distant past I assisted my pal Bill with the restoration of his CMP Ford LAAT, and had a CMP of my own.

[Tony B]

Bovington Tank Musuem have that set taken on Chiselhurst Common. I've posted various of the Dodge pictures here. You can still locate the places the pictures were taken.

[POPPY]

Somewhere on my bookshelves, I have a photo of a CMP LAAT from Imperial War museum records, in British Army livery, photo was taken at Chiselhurst in 1944 in front of the local church. I will search for it and see what references are on the reverse of the photo.

In the distant past I assisted my pal Bill with the restoration of his CMP Ford LAAT, and had a CMP of my own.

 

Thank you very much for your reply :-)

 

I would love to see your photo taken at Chiselhurst in 1944!!! .... Hope you manage to locate it! If it turns out to be a British example I will be thrilled.

 

And nice to hear that you are a prevouse owner of a CMP LAAT too ! They are nice strong lorries 👍🏻

 

speak soon,

 

kind regards,

 

Mark

[brinv8]

Your not kidding they are strong vehicles, I have a couple of stories using ours at the All Ford Show at Abingdon and on tour in Belgium.

 

The winches are fantastic pieces of kit, at Abingdon we pulled a 5ton Ford out of the mud side wards because the driver managed to get the motor stuck, in the mud, right near some trees and the only clear route out was side wards.

 

In Belgium, we camped in a sports stadium overnight with a host of other WW2 vehicles, including a 6x6 Dodge Weapons carrier towing a T16 Bren Gun carrier on a trailer which sunk up to its axles in the middle of the football pitch, and we pulled the whole lot out in one go, with limited damage to the fotball pitch. The 6x6 had the rear propshaft removed so was really a 6x4.

 

What fun we had.

[Tony B]

From that description, I'd hate to see unlimited damage to the pitch.

[brinv8]

 

So if I have done this correctly, there should be 3photos, 1st is an original 1940's Photo taken at Chiselhurst on common outside local church, is shown with British census number and micky mouse camo. 2nd is the LAA tractor we rescued and restored, taken in the 1980's and the 3rd is from Canadian Military Vehicle Profiles Volume 2 by William Gregg, which is labelled "Canadian LAA tractor in British service, France 1944............................

Edited September 2, 2015 by brinv8

[brinv8]

Tony, Think W&P arena at the end of the show as un-limited and limited as a couple of sets of wheel ruts about 6" - 8" deep in the middle of the pitch.

[POPPY]

Hi Brinv8,

 

Supurb work !!! Thank you very much :laugh:

 

I am delighted to see your pics ..... Pictures of CMP LAAT's in service seem to be very scarce indeed. A picture paints a thousand words and I now have concrete evidence of British use in 1944 too.

 

Thanks again.

 

kind regards,

 

Mark:tup::

[Tony B]

Tony, Think W&P arena at the end of the show as un-limited and limited as a couple of sets of wheel ruts about 6" - 8" deep in the middle of the pitch.

OOH Nasty! Yep that's Chiselhurst Common alright! North East corner, without being there. The house definitley still exists though.

[brinv8]

That house still survives, but not the house and buildings used by the Army Photographers, which is now part of a block of flats that covers the plot.

[brinv8]

Mark,

Did you receive my email OK.

[LarryH57]

I believe this CMP LAAT is in use by a British unit