Carrier Scout Mark 1 L
 

I am posting this message on behalf of an associate .

Regards
Jim S.

Amazing find Jim
 

Could you get a pic of the other side please?

I have driven the Carrier Bren Mk II at Waiouru a few times. It would be great to compare the two, pity they are so far apart!

Rob

rob
i have a MKI and a MKII the only real diffrence is starting of the two. on a MKI you have a starter button and selonoid on the starter. on a MKII you have the pull handle on the left side. less to break.

im thinking of getting my 3rd carrier up and running soon, im thinking of moving the drivers station to the proper (USA) side on this one :kangaroo

thanks
dave

Dave, these are not Universals,
 

The Scout Carrier and the Bren Carrier predate the Universal Carrier.

These are 3 man only, with one side open at the rear, Left side on a Scout, Right side on the Bren.

They are probably the rarest of the carriers (except for the contemporary Cavalry Carrier and the earlier prewar types)

Hence my wish to see the pics of the scout

Cheers
Rob

Bren
 

Here's a pick of the Waiouru one.

(It has NZ fleet no on the left side, and T number on the right side)
Rob

yea rob i got that, thought you wanted to know what the diffrence between driveing them was, as you worded it. ow well :drunk:

did that carrier have armor installed on the rear? i know about the scouts....

there was a rebuild system in the UK that took the older scout / MG carriers and rebuilt them to UC MKI standards, then there was another where they took MKIs and rebuilt them to MKII standards latter. was wondering if it could be a rebuild due to it looking like it had some armor on the rear at one time.

Cheers Dave,
 

I was looking at the first image in Jim's opening post, and I reckon there are remains of the original armour in the back right corner, which would have been similar to a universal. I would like to see a photo of the left side to see if that is similar to the right side of the Waiouru Bren, with only the track guard at the rear.

I have driven a Mk I in NZ, and was luck enough to get a drive in a Mk II at Beltring in 2001, thanks to Nigel Watson. Most of my carrier driving has been LP2 / 2A carriers.

The Bren I drove has the smaller motor in it, but is quite peppy due to the lower weight without the universals rear armour.

Rob

Jim
 

Please post a pile more detail photos.
That is a most amazing find. According to Nigels book it has hinged armour plate at the rear, in keeping with what see in the photo.
I note that the air ducting is rounded on the out side not two flat sides as found in a universal. I am suprised that it made it to this side of the world, and it may be the only Mk1 Scout left anywhere.

Jim
 

According to Nigels book," T5255 to T5550 (contract T6024) 296 units were built by Aveling Barford

Another English carrier
 

Jim,
It is good to see that another one has surfaced of these rare beasties in Oz.

The Scout looks like a universal when veiwed from the right side and from the left side, has the long box on the top of the guard.

Carrier Scout Mk 1
 

More pictures .
Regards
Jim S.

Jim
 

Can you put up a picture of the I.D. plate?

Also
 

The driver's compartment especially where the instrument panel sits. As it was obtained from the original owner, after the military that is, what is its provenance and did the owner have any annecdotes or photographs?

Bob

Carrier Scout Mk 1
 

Thats all the pic's that I have , it will be some time before more would be available.
Regards
Jim S.

Thanks Jim
 

What a beauty! Although many panels are cut, there is such a lot of the body still there.
I agree with Lynn about the hinged rear panel, you can see the hinges in the third pic!

Good luck with the restoration!

Rob

Retoration has commenced
 

Hello all,

After a VERY long absence from this forum I have at last found the time to return. The Mk 1 Scout Carrier has been moved to a suitable work area and the long ground up restoration has commenced at last.

I have been very lucky indeed in finding a number of parts and fittings here in WA for the vehicle.

I am still looking for an instrument panel in any condition, some more british pattern track, complete or random links, a suitable engine and the gear between the gearbox and rear axle.

I have some loose Australian Pattern bren gun Carrier parts to trade.

Cheers

Phill

Pics from Phill of his Scout Carrier
 

Hi All,

Phill's posted some pics on CD that I'm uploading here for him.

These are generally front views

Regards

Alex

More Pics
 

These are generally centre views

Regards

Alex

More Pics
 

And these are rear, and a couple of others.

Phil can answer any questions, accept any advice or offers of parts.

Regards

Alex

Could you get some measurments for the canvas bag/holder on the inside of the stowage locker.

Good eye Jordan. I had one of these canvas pieces show up with my carrier when I bought it and always thought it was unrelated. I now know better.

Any idea what this holder was for?

i think the small bag was for either an oil bottle or a cleaning cord. the other part may have been another place to hold the bren spare parts bag.

Canvas holder
 

Hi Rob

My understanding is that its an antenna holder (#19 set ) for the MK1 carriers it was mounted in the lid of the rear storage locker.

If Jordan wants I have one, I only live a short distance from him.

Cheers
Adam :no4:

Bren kit
 

I feel quite certain that the canvas holder is for the Bren gun oil bottle and spares/tool kit, and this is confirmed by the Bren cleaning rod holder which you can see is also located under the stowage bin lid.

The Mk1 Scout was fitted for the Wireless set No 11, and there appears to have been no special provision made for the stowage of spare antenna or accessories above the carriage of the remote antenna, wireless set remote unit, spare valves case and spare parts case. When this vehicle was built the Wireless set No 19 had not yet come in to general service

This is also confirmed in Nigel Watson's brilliant book. Which I have almost worn out with constant reading !

Cheers

Phill

Stowage etc
 

While on the subject of Scout stowage, there is a Bren magazine bin attached to the rear of the bulkhead behind the driver, and facing the rear gunner/Wireless operator position, instead of the later mounting position of 45 degrees across the right track guard and right side armour plate.

There are two spring loops for either the bogie jacking bar or compressor junior just to the rear of the Bren mag bin and then four evenly spaced holes in the track guard behind that. Next towards the rear is the lower hull mounting frame for the Wireless set no 11 then the rear armour plate.

There seems to be no evidence of the usual flare pistol mounting bracket found on later carriers at the rear.

The folding rear armour flap carried another brass bren pintle and the hook end of the closing catch. there appears to have been no backrest for the crewman here unless it was somehow attached to the fixed armour plate.
This closing catch for the folding armour, as far as I can work out was the standard Mil spec catch also used on the side stowage box, battery box and engine covers and was attached to the right side armour plate.

Cheers

Phill

the ID Plate
 

Sorry Phil, I'm a bit slack. I was going to post your pictures.Anyhow here is your Plate since it hasn't come up yet.

Early Scout
 

The Scout in the picture Lynn posts is most likely the prototype or certainly one of the first. It is based on the Machine Gun Carrier. Main recogniseable difference from the photograph is the lower position of the front track adjusting idler wheel, and the subsequent sloped mudguards over it. It looks as this great find that Jim shows has the early Bren features.
Wouldn't it be great if it turned out to be the one pictured entering Fort Capuzzi in North Africa?

Look forward to seeing it come to life.

Nigel

Surely not ?
 

Hello again Nigel,

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

I have been spending a lot of late nights examining Scout carrier pics from all over the world on the net with a strong magnifying glass. Apart from the inescapable fact that my Scout (RMY 682 or RMY 683) is within one or two digits of the Fort Capuzzi vehicle RMY 681, my left hand rear track guard is dented and distorted in an identical pattern to that shown in the Capuzzi photograph!
What are the chances they are one and the same vehicle ?

I would love to know for certain...

Cheers

Phill

Nigel, do you have a higher resolution copy of the picture from your book? What is the source, might there be other identifying pics in the series?

Phil, Could post a comparison shot from the same angle to confirm the ID?

PS the name of the Fort is Capuzzo. It copped a bit of artillery and chipped part of the name in the masonry.