Morris CS8 2 Pounder Portee

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Hello again! My interest in the MCC portees is because they mimicked the Canadian 2-Pounder Chevrolet portees. May I refer you to WHEELS & TRACKS # 30, page 28 on 'MORRIS QUAD DERIVATIVES'?

However what was not explained was that the original 2-Pounder cavalry portees [1937-8] were based on the 4 x 2 Morris-Commercial C.S.8.T chassis, which were 15-cwt. or 3/4 Ton capacity officially. The 1939-on C.8/AWD* 'Quad' Field Artillery Tractor 4 x 4 spawned derivatives, the initial portees being the C.8/MG for 'Mobile Gun' which had a similar chassis to the Quad gun tractor but less the PTO and so had no winch. The third contract for Quads incorporated an order for C.8/AT 2-pounder portees which again had no winch, and were very simiar to the Chevrolet FAT derivatives. We know that a quantity shipped out to the Mid-East were initially allocated/loaned to the AIF [and NZEF?] and after technical sale in 1941 were then shipped on to Australasia for further service. Some were rebuilt in late 1943 by MCC in Birmingham to form 17-pounder tractors, and of those some became airportable versions. As you know some 2-pounder Chevrolet portees were converted to 17-pounder tractors as well.


* I should add here that I have at last ascertained that the two prototype Morris-Commercial 25-pounder gun tractors, a photo of which was in W & T 28, H 384296/7 to V.3215/ February 9th 1938, were officially 'C.S.8/F.W.D.' models, and therefore at some stage duroing 1938 the 'C.S.8' designation became 'C.8' for the 4 x 4 chassis. Perhaps those with more knowledge than me on MCC can comment further on this?