[Shane Lovell]

Dear colleagues

I’m new to this forum so I’ll take the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Shane Lovell and normally I’m a scale modeller and armour researcher. I am fortunate to live in Canberra, Australia and am able to readily access the files held by the Australian War Memorial. What brought me to this forum is an interest to build a model of an Australian portee from the Middle East. As I have seen a lot of material on Australian topics on this forum I would like to share my own research notes. I profess no expertise in this area.

The following comes from the War Diary of 85 Light Aid Detachment, attached to 4 Aust Anti-Tank Regiment. This unit was the organic anti-tank regiment of 8 Aust Division.

For those looking at primary material I recommend that you also look at Workshop and LAD diaries. In many cases these contain much more material of a technical nature that the arms unit diary.

3 February 1942

Modifications for Portee mounting of 2 pdr guns on 30 Cwt Malyan type Ford trucks carried out as follows: The lorries were stripped of canopy frame and sides of tray. Welded steel plates were bolted towards the rear of the trays by U bolts under the cross members and supported the front legs of the the guns above the knee and secured by 2 U bolts. Front legs retained in semi-folded position. The rear legs of the guns were secured by MS clamps and the spigots were allowed to drop into holes cut in the floor abot 15" behind the cabin. Wells weresunk in the trays to accomodate ammunition boxes and cabin tops were removed to allow 360 degree traverse. After one truck had beenso modified a firing test was carried out on the SW coast. Firing at a target on an island from variouys angles on the truck proved the design satisfactory and instructions were received to fit eight trucks. Six vehicles were fitted when enemy landings on 8 Febuary prevented... [further conversions].

cheers

Shane