Early Second War Brit Softskins

[servicepub (RIP)]

Some years ago Gilles Chartrand gave me a number of over-sized photos. The following four images are from that collection and are here for your enjoyment and identification. The era is 1939-40, BEF in France.
Clive

Photo 1


Photo 2


Photo 3


Photo 4

[Mark W. Tonner]

Clive;

Photo # 1 - the vehicles belong to the 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, 1st Guards Brigade, 1st Division, BEF

Photo # 4 - the lead vehicle belongs to Divisional Signals, 1st Division, BEF

Cheers

[Rhett Fisher]

Pic 2. This confounds the old army adage of "if it moves salute it; if it doesn't, paint it!".
Pic 3. I bet they weren't smiling at the end of the following May.

Pic 4. Are those three vehicles between the trees 10/12 cwt Bedfords?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Thanks for posting these Clive. I like the first picture in particular; a mix of 8cwt Morris PU's and 15cwt Morris CS8's. The one on the left "MC 8104" seems to be a very early one with Civvy style bumper and early rounded engine covers as well as old pattern fenders.

Alex

[Mike Cecil]

Mark,

Agree re the unit IDs.

Makes me wonder how many of the poor blighters in the images made it back to England.

Is that a large square of 'Paint, Gas Detecting' on the rear of each bonnet?

Nice pics, Clive.

Mike C

[chrisgrove]

Seems likely. It is generally reckoned that this stuff was supposed to be painted in no particular shape or pattern, but within view of the driver, but I guess that would be anathema to the Guards!

Incidentally, in 1939 pics one can usually differentiate the PUs from the 15 cwts by the windscreens - PUs had a proper windscreen; 15cwts had aero screens. But photo #1 seems to suggest that at least a few of the CS8s had proper screens.

Chris

[Alex van de Wetering]

But photo #1 seems to suggest that at least a few of the CS8s had proper screens.

My first thought exactly, but after a closer look all the ones with full windscreen show the antenna mount behind the cab, another tell-tale sign of the PU Wireless. All PU's seem to show the lower style windscreen; seen on early (?) PU's.

Alex