[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Richard, thanks for the input. We might in fact have a date for the two original photos. These would have been a 1942 delivery (at earliest) I would say from the contract number*. I have just checked the original photo and it clearly shows "H etc". and I have just checked the official Kidbrooke photo of the representative lorry, and it carries the "H" prefix and 5582702. However it clearly states in the description "Ford 3 ton 4x4 carrier 40 mm SP Bofors". The front axle is clearly visible by the way!

I suggest that these lorries were originally designated in the 'tractor' series, and this was a mistake/misdescription, though the fact that the official photograph shows the mistake is interesting. When those vehicles that were reburbished at the earliest in October 1944 by Pearons, they had apprarenly lost their trailers and I suggest that the opportunity was taken to rectify the census number. The photo I have from outside Pearson's works shows that they used (at least) two ways of applying the census number on the cab side. I would like to ask therefore if the concensus is that these Bofors Fords were, when first assembled, designated as though they were tractors although they never were and that this was therefore a misnomer?

As to dating I remind that the photos clearly show the allocated 'Willys' Ben Hur trailers with the predictors, whereas the late war shots with the corrected census prefixes show that no trailers were used. I will endeavour though to see if the early photos have date codes. We know the locations, and from other evidence it must have been at least 1942.

Regarding prefix changes, we know that this was the case, or rather there was confusion, with Mack lorries assembled by Pearsons: NM5 and NO6 were supposed to be tractors, hence 'H' prefixes, but two NM5s according to the record card were lorries, hence 'L' prefixes and the two photos we have of a NO6, which should officially have 'H' prefixes has an 'L' one. Great fun!



*On reflection I wonder if the record cards exist at Bovington?