Canadian Armour in the Italian Campaign
Julian,
First let me apologize for my hurried response yesterday concerning Lorried Infantry. I didn't mean for it to sound so curt, but I found the time in which I had to respond cut short.
As to your request, I want to recommend a brilliant monograph written by Don Dingwall in 1999 called Canadian Armour in the Italian Campaign, Italy 1943-1945. It's sub-title is 'Canadian Vehicle Markings, Order of Battle, and War Establishments for 1st Canadian Corps and 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade.' It has the answers to most of your questions and is a gold mine of information on Canadian armour in Italy.
I quote from page 6 about the White Scout Car in the Motor Battalion:
White Scout cars saw widespread usage by Canadian units in the theatre. They were used as medical vehicles, artillery command post vehicles and as personnel carriers, with the largest numbers being employed by motor battalions such as the Westminster Regiment. Where the unit war establishment called for any number of "Truck, 15 cwt, Armoured 4x4," the White was generally the vehicle being referred to until the arrival GM Canada C15TA Armoured trucks.
Later, under 'New Equipment' on pages 17-18 he writes:
By late October, 1944, the "D-Day Dodgers" as the Canadians in Italy referred to themselves, began to finally receive new armoured equipment, things that had been taken for granted in Northwest Europe. Sherman Ic, Ic Hybrid and Vc Fireflies and Sherman Ib 105mm howitzer tanks were taken on strength.
In addition to the new Sherman that began to arrive, other equipment was also issued or tested. Infantry and armoured units began to receive GM CT15A's, an excellent 4x4 armoured truck, which began to replace the White scout cars then in use.
Dingwall also provides the number of vehicles authorized for the armoured war establishments used by the Canadians in Italy. A quick count shows that a Motor Battalion had 53 armoured trucks 15 cwt on establishment. So, using the information provided in the book, the Westminster Regiment initially had 53 White scout cars which were replaced in the fall of 1944 by 53 GM CT15As.
Hope this is what you were looking for.
Cheers,
Dan.
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