G518 "Ben Hur" 1-Ton Trailer

[Matthew P]

What Allied nations saw use of these trailers during WW2? I know France had some and later a lot more. Many went to various Allies after the war.

But did other Allies, specifically Canada or Australia use these?

Thanks
Matt

[Tony Smith]

They were used with the Canadian-made, British-used F60B self propelled Bofors, either as an Ammunition trailer or to transport the Kerrison Predictor unit.

These appear to be a wooden body version, and they frequently re-appear for sale on Milweb in the UK or Europe, so I am not certain if they are the same as the US-made Ben Hur trailer, which is usually a steel body.

[rob love]

There was one here in Manitoba still in DND service in the 80s. It had a welding unit in it. The welder engine had problems because of lack of use. The welder and the trailer went to CADC as seperate units if I recall, and I think the trailer is still owned by a friend North of Winnipeg.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

The British Chilwell Census lists a contract S/M 6288 of 1 ton 2 wheel GS trailers by Willys. See the attached picture from David Hayward's book on Pearson's of Liverpool. It seems they were used primarily with the F60B 40-mm SP Bofors as stated by Tony above.

The text is not entirely correct: 1-ton trailers were not used with Jeeps, nor was the "F60B converted to SP units and the trailers re-allocated for further use" - the F60B was a SP unit from the onset.




F60B with 1-ton "Ben Hur" trailer, as assembled by Pearson's from Liverpool.

[Matthew P]

Thanks! The wood trailers are indeed the same as the metal ones. There were 30 manufacturers of these trailers in the US with many small coach and trailer companies having contracts for only about a thousand. Many of the companies made wood body ones. There are some parts that are singular to one type or the other, but many other parts are interchangeable and the same parts catalog covers both types.

I also forgot I had this image from IWM in the collection already:
https://g518parts.com/wp-content/gal...H_028473_1.jpg

Caption reads "No. 14 Power Trailer" and was dated 31.3.43

Matt