Rob Digby Posted December 31, 2020 Posted December 31, 2020 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 Quote
Niels v Posted January 1, 2021 Posted January 1, 2021 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 Quote
Richard Farrant Posted January 1, 2021 Posted January 1, 2021 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 1 Quote
Tony B Posted January 1, 2021 Posted January 1, 2021 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/. Quote
2e0prp Posted January 1, 2021 Posted January 1, 2021 hi , where in Northamptonshire did you see it please , regards Peter Quote
Rob Digby Posted January 1, 2021 Author Posted January 1, 2021 Hi Peter Wollaston Mill, on the river nene near Great Doddington. Thanks Rob Quote
Sean N Posted January 3, 2021 Posted January 3, 2021 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! 2 Quote
Rob Digby Posted January 3, 2021 Author Posted January 3, 2021 Hi Sean. Thanks for the explanation. That all makes sense. We are trying to get some more information from the owner (a 90 year old man). We really hoped it was genuine, but what you've said would explain a lot. Thanks again Rob Quote
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