Jump to content

Bedford Truck with German Livery


Rob Digby

Recommended Posts

Hi all

On a walk near our home in Northamptonshire me and my dad stumbled across a WW2 Bedford truck in desert paint and with German Afrika Corps livery. Our interest comes from my grandad (Fred Digby) being a Desert Rat in the 8th Army as a tank commander at El Alamein amongst others where he won the Military Medal. To our untrained eyes it looks like a British truck that was captured/reused and repainted in German livery. It is right hand drive and we think there is the Desert Rat emblem on the mudguard that has been over painted. I'm hoping someone on here can help us with the history of this truck. Please see the photos. Many thanks Rob Digby. 

Bedford Truck 1

Bedford Truck 2

Bedford Truck 3

Bedford Truck 4

Bedford Truck 5

Bedford Truck 6

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Niels v said:

It does remind med of a : Bedford OXD 30cwt, that belonged to a LRDG/SAS collector named Peter Sanders. 
it was yes done up to look like a captured truck 

Hi Neils,

The OXD that Peter Sanders had was previously owned by a friend of mine and I had worked on it. I do not think this is the same Bedford as the photos on this thread as an OXD does not have the spare wheel stowed behind the cab, the body on an OXD butts up to the cab. I think the one in the photos is an OY.

regards, Richard

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Jersey Archive and CIOS site have a number of photos of Britsh vehicles with German markings in the Island. Itws a common practice. The German forces wer edesperate for any formofmotor transport. I know there is a picture of an OY and a Morris 15cwt/.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/31/2020 at 8:34 PM, Rob Digby said:

 To our untrained eyes it looks like a British truck that was captured/reused and repainted in German livery.

Hello Rob,

I don't think this can be a WW2 paint scheme - it looks like a paint scheme someone's come up with while the truck's been in preservation, or for a film. The truck has a lot of non-original and post-war features that are obviously contemporary with or pre-date the desert colour, the Afrika Korps logos don't look authentic, there don't seem to be any German tactical markings, and the desert paint itself looks to be over (post war) deep bronze green which itself looks as though it's over a yellow paint. Sorry!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...