Can someone identify this case?

[Mike Cecil]

Well, yes, Dave, but I think I should explain that a little more.

We seem to be hijacking D's post, but what the heck, she's a big girl, she can take it!

PITA v PIAT: I remember some years ago a certain restorer from mid-Victoria taking me to task for calling a 2-pdr a Tank Attack (TA) gun. So I did some pretty detailed research, and found the actual changeover orders from AHQ, together with the changes to the unit nomenclature in their war establishment lists. I think I remember that I wrote it up in the VMVC newsletter. Anyway, the truth of the matter is that all equipment and units with the words 'anti-tank' (AT)were changed in Australia in about mid-1943 from AT to TA, which was the norm until just post-war, when it reverted to 'AT'. TA was adopted as it sounded more aggressive than defensive!! The 2-pdr carrier started out life as an Anti-tank carrier, but like all the other equipment, became a TA carrier in mid-1943. As it was declared obsolete BEFORE the reversion to AT, it ended its military life called a 'Carrier, 2-pdr, Tank Attack'. Now I don't know when the PIAT/PITA was declared obsolete (should go and search that out), but it certainly had the two names bestowed upon it in Oz at different times during its service with the Australian Army in WW2.

Mike C

[Dianaa]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Well, yes, Dave, but I think I should explain that a little more.

We seem to be hijacking D's post, but what the heck, she's a big girl, she can take it!

PITA v PIAT: ...
... Now I don't know when the PIAT/PITA was declared obsolete (should go and search that out), but it certainly had the two names bestowed upon it in Oz at different times during its service with the Australian Army in WW2.

Mike C

Only 2 names? Reading of some accounts where the PIAT projectiles seemed to bounce off the later German armour, I would have thought it would have been christened with a number of other names, mostly disparaging. The acronym PITA, not referring to "tank Attack" may well have been one of them!

[motto]

Disparaging names would certainly come naturally in the circumstances you mention Dianaa. Also in an incident related to me by a workmate who had been with the BAOR. They were undergoing training on the PIAT and when one of the fellows fired the weapon a chunk of the spring steel disc that locates and secures the bomb in the tray came back and opened up his face so as you could see his teeth through his cheek. As a couple of fellows helped him away the NCO in charge of the training simply called out 'NEXT'!

To get back on topic, if looking for a box to hide some batteries in it may help to simply give the dimensions of what you need and see what pops up. Does it matter if the box has been repainted? Do you want it with stencilling? You just don't know what's out there. 2pdr, 25pdr, .303, 3.7" We've all got some and a lot of us will be at Corowa. (Except Mike)

David

[Mike Cecil]

Yep, was in Oz last November, so another trip back down under is not on the agenda just yet. Yet another year I miss Corowa. On the bright side, we'll be touring in Texas and Arizona about that time.....

I thought the Larkspur series had specific battery boxes that went under the radio rack in the rear compartment of the FFR Land Rover. They were held in place in an angle steel rack with threaded rod braces with wing nuts and brackets. I can't say I've seen many survivors in Oz (I had the rack at one stage), but maybe the UK might be a source? Postage might be a bit expensive.

Mike C

[Dianaa]

Originally Posted by motto

Disparaging names would certainly come naturally in the circumstances you mention Dianaa. ...

... To get back on topic, if looking for a box to hide some batteries in it may help to simply give the dimensions of what you need and see what pops up. Does it matter if the box has been repainted? Do you want it with stencilling? You just don't know what's out there. 2pdr, 25pdr, .303, 3.7" We've all got some and a lot of us will be at Corowa. (Except Mike)

David

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

...I thought the Larkspur series had specific battery boxes that went under the radio rack in the rear compartment of the FFR Land Rover. They were held in place in an angle steel rack with threaded rod braces with wing nuts and brackets. ...
Mike C

As Mike C suggests, yes they were specific Larkspur Battery boxes and the big issue is that the boxes need to mount four side by side in a frame that is demountable from a Land Rover or Austin Champ, into an Studebaker truck or even into a radio shelter.


Image source: http://www.remlr.com/wireless/b_veh_...%20P15_mid.jpg

The image below is the actual box, from Mike Kelly's wanted post from last year. http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...ad.php?t=16424


Mike specifies dimensions of 15" wide and 11" tall and I measure the frame making the max 8" for the depth .

I am even getting to the situation (if Mike is in agreement) of making a mould off Mike's single box and then replicating them in fibreglass.

[Philliphastings]

Hi Diana,

In more than twenty years of hunting and collecting Radio gear I have never found any of the Larkspur battery boxes lying around.

I have bought one small and one large (yes there are two sizes) example from other collectors but nobody seems to know what happened to the rest.

It may be that they were all bought up by a scrappie somewhere, or perhaps - and this is what I prefer to think - they are all lined up and neatly stacked on their sides in a dry shed somewhere waiting to be found by one of us...

Cheers and good luck.

Phill