Austin K4

[mick garner]

Hi Tyler,

If Paul was slacking off then what were you doing??!! :lol: Very nice truck, keep the good work up for Duxford!!

Cheers,

Mick.

[tyler]

Hi, Mick I will pretend I didn't read that :lol: . The black camo markings have started to be applied, wheel nuts painted and a small load on the back. We went to a small 1940's show on Mollsworth US airbase at the weekend very sureal thats what I thought, the base commander almost arrested someone for wearing shorts :roll:, also the Austin fire tender was told to STOP by an armed carpark attendant only to be asked 5mins later why he had stopped :?: .

 

Heres some pics of the show:

 

 

And here is a in service pic of a K4 (the only one Ive ever seen), thanks goes to 79x100 (Rich) for finding this pic.

It looks like a civi version as the lights are bigger.

 

Thanks.

[79x100]

Tyler,

 

Glad you liked the picture and that my vehicle recognition was up to scratch. It came from "Mei 1940" by Peter Taghon which only appeared as far as I am aware in Belgium, in French or Dutch editions. It is one of my favourite books dealing with what the Belgians call the "Eighteen-day campaign" but it was only on re-reading it that I recognised the vehicle thanks to your thread.

 

The photo is from the IWM so a copy would be available from them showing more detail. It is one of a series taken in Vilvoorde (to the north of Brussels) probably showing troops of 4th Infantry Division who were moving up in support of the 3rd Division who went on to man the "Dyle Line" at Leuven.

 

Loosely translated, the interesting bits of the caption say that on the British lorry, a Bren is being held in readiness for a sudden air attack. A part of the Canvas has been pushed aside and the weapon rests on an arm (or rod) above the cab.

The laughing British keep their courage up. The lorry, delivered by the "General Services" (I assume he means RASC) is lightly damaged and has lost a headlamp.

 

If the vehicle is RASC then Arm of service insignia would be red over green. The photo looks lighter but I can't think of any alternative. It has a white line under which at that time indicated GHQ troops.

 

I don't know if there are any serial number experts on this forum but the number on the bonnet seems to read 175175 although I can't see any "L" prefix.

 

Huge quantities of vehicles were lost at Dunkirk (63,879 from the 68,618 taken to France) so it is not surprising that even if K4s were present in large numbers in 1940, few appear in photographs. Anyway, at least you've got proof of them being used now !

 

Cheers,

 

Rich.