something for everyone....!

[Jack]

British Army Engineers using steam shovels to clear debris from the streets near wrecked tank, the aftermath of heavy bombardment and the long bitter struggle against the Germans for the town.

Location:Cassino, ItalyDate taken:May 19, 1944

 

I am now kind of thinking that not one of these vehicles is British???

[AndyFowler]

I think the background shows what a lucky generation we are not to have suffered such devastation ! :cry:

[N.O.S.]

The (diesel) shovel could be British, Jack - I think some were Ruston Bucyrus British-built, some would have been Bucyrus Erie U.S.-built lend-lease machines. The cab looks like a British one, they were pretty much identical mechanically. Possibly a 17/19RB?

[chevpol]

agree on the Ruston Bucyrus, definatly not steam!!!

 

Mark

[Richard Farrant]

The trucks are Canadian Dodge tippers.........

[N.O.S.]

Just going to the edge of "off Topic", was every bit of alien kit used by the British technically LEND-LEASE, or did some come out of a pool of spare equipment shipped out to Europe?

 

For example the Dodge tippers here - were they already in a British Engineer unit or obtained quickly to get the job done?

[Degsy]

The Dodge D60 trucks were RHD and were produced specifically to British orders. These trucks were Canadian built and would have been paid for by Britain, the majority would have been 4X2 cargo trucks and were used in large numbers in the Western Desert and Italy.

[Richard Farrant]

Just going to the edge of "off Topic", was every bit of alien kit used by the British technically LEND-LEASE, or did some come out of a pool of spare equipment shipped out to Europe?

 

For example the Dodge tippers here - were they already in a British Engineer unit or obtained quickly to get the job done?

 

 

There was a British Purchasing committee in North America during the war and a lot of equipment was paid for. I would be interesting to see a list of what was Lend Lease, and what we actually paid for.

[Degsy]

There was a British Purchasing committee in North America during the war and a lot of equipment was paid for. I would be interesting to see a list of what was Lend Lease, and what we actually paid for.

 

Thats a question I've often wondered about Richard.:???

[Adrian Barrell]

The Cat is a D4 with LaPlante Choate angledozer and LeTourneau power control unit and the Sherman is a Sherman III (M4A2.)

[Mark]

There's a bit of history here about it, read on down

 

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/386308.html

[Brooky]

There was a British Purchasing committee in North America during the war and a lot of equipment was paid for. I would be interesting to see a list of what was Lend Lease, and what we actually paid for.

 

Good question, thought you might like to see the attached letter. It probably asks more questions than it answers!!

ward la france 1.pdf