[David_Hayward (RIP)]

The answer I come up with is that:

1. 2-Pounder Portees:

a) Census Numbers L 4594498 to 4595497 were issued as domestic theatre numbers for those 30-cwt A/tank Portees delivered under Contract or Demand Supply-Mechanical 2028. There is an IWM official photo of one in the Kidbrooke Ministry of Supply series in the snow, KID 3928, probably taken winter 1941. So, in theory, and going by the 'X2' destination export code on the known survivors, they were intended for UK assembly: by LEP Transport Ltd in Chiswick, West London. I can imagine that Hanno is correct and almost all were then shipped out to the Mid-East but carrying their original Census Numbers.

b) There were also a large number, possibly more than the UK deliveries, delivered direct to I would say Alexandria* and assembled there.

E.g.: L 4623008, L 4623053, L 4623061, L 4623452, L 4623541, plus the known Portees issued to the AIF:
L4516072 L14418712 L4516466 L4514359 L4516492 L4413524 L4514782 L4514865 L4514809 L4514803 L4412964 L4412889 L4514860 L4412893 25/07/1941 L4516467

Of those above a good proportion were as mentioned issued to the AIF, and along with those issued to the NZEF and Indian Army (if any) were sold in June? 1942 in a deal between the UK and the respective Commonwealth Governments that as part of a wider deal saw those Portees still extant transferred to the Forces using them having been loaned them initially. Further, 219 I believe Chevrolets and Morris-Commercial equivalents, were shipped out to NZ in 1944?, and then used as Portees or converted to G/S trucks.

c) In late 1943 I think it was Morris Commercial Cars in Birmingham had a contract to rebuild surviving Morris-Commercial Portees to 17-Pounder Gun Tractors, both normal type and Airportable, as well as the Predictors, and some GTs. Somebody, and I originally guessed General Motors Ltd in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, had a contract to rebuild Chevrolet Portees to 17-Pounder tractors, e.g. H 4594682 which is the one in the W & T photo in Italy. I believe but have no evidence that some/the remainder were rebuilt as G.S trucks. That said, it makes no sense to me now that GM Ltd would have had these Portees back, and then rebuilt them and shipped them to Italy. It makes more sense to me that that were rebuilt in the leased *GM Near East Ltd plant in Alexandria and then sent to Italy. If anyone has any evidence of any Portees surviving to the end of the war in British service as G/S Lorries I should say, then I would be very grateful.

2. 6-Pounder Portees:

L 5216042 to 5216554 was allocated for the C60L 6-Pounder Portees delivered under S/M 2613 in 1942. I have no evidence that they were ever used anywhere...perhaps someone knows for definite? They must have had a short life as they were quickly officially obsolete, and then rebuilt (and I am certain this time that it was GM Ltd in Bamber Bridge) to 3-ton G/S trucks with a modified # 43 cab, e.g. L 5216493 in IWM photo KID 4052 which is unquestionably in England