Canvas doors

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

To clarify Ian's comments, the RAAF vehicle registers were originally located at RAAF Support Command, Logistics Management Unit, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. They were relocated to the RAAF Museum in the mid-1990s, but were recalled by the Support Command in the late 1990s, against the wishes of the RAAF Museum staff. Soon after, they went missing and have not been seen since. The RAAF Museum librarian was extremely upset by their loss. As far as I am aware from speaking with her, there is no record of them having been 'lent' to anyone, and this is the first I've heard of that: the more likely scenario is they were 'round filed' during a clean-up/move: the unit certainly didn't appreciate what they were holding when I accessed them in the late 1980s and early 1990s, until I informed them of their historical value.

In the mid-1990s, I was instrumental in having them moved to the RAAF Museum (I actually recommended they be forwarded to the AWM, to be held along with the Army registers). I still have the correspondence.

Fortunately, I made copious notes from the registers when I had access. Those records were then transcribed to my registrations database: a HUGE and time-consuming job!

Same sort of thing happened here in Holland, where vehicle registration cards were taken from the Army's archives and were going to be disposed of. Two acquaintances of mine asked if they could have the cards as they were collecting vehicle registration numbers and details. The answer was no, they were to be destroyed.
But they were allowed to copy details. This was in the pre-digital camera days, so they had to sit down and take notes. Sadly, time was lacking to record all vehicle histories.....

My experience with serving military is that anything struck off charge is of no value to them, except when it can be used as a range target

H.

[Mike Cecil]

Yes, Hanno, there are similar tails of the vehicle history cards in Australia: most were binned when the system was computerized. Only the basic registration details remain in the registers in most cases (which are now at the AWM), whereas the history cards recorded most movements of a registered item between units, storage, rebuild, and so on. Alas, mostly gone...

Most vehicle log books went the same way, though I see the most recent round of disposals includes the log book: quite a departure from what happened previously.

The Truck Heavy Wireless/Telegraphy was a composite bodied (wood/Masonite/caneite) van with a rear door and steps. There were a number parked at RAAF Point Cook under the trees lining the main road for many years: Keith, do you have any monochromes of those?

Mike C

[Keith Webb]

Keith, do you have any monochromes of those?

No I don't have any of the vehicles at Point Cook but I do have a pic of a different one, will dig it out.

[Keith Webb]

The remains of the frame looks about the right shape.

[Mike K]

I have a 1944 equipment memorandum, in it the canvas doors are detailed .

The book suggests the doors were a optional thing , it does not mention specific models of CMP's .

The little book belongs to P Growse .. I should return it

I think one of those RAAF wireless vans was sold at the BAndianna museum cleanout, around 15 years ago, it was in faded RAAF livery .... it was very complete . who bought it ?

[Keith Webb]

A. Growse might be more interested in it these days...

That one in the auction is safely in a shed on the Murray these days, one of the lowest mileage CMPs around.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Mike, nice spotting!

MGO Equipment Memorandum No13, Sept 1944 discusses the application/conversion/retrofitting of existing CMP steel doors to canvas doors at workshop level (4th Echelon repairs), due to shortages of maintenance components for steel doors, rather than as a response to climatic conditions.

This is the application of the canvas door kit I mentioned earlier, for retrofitting to existing vehicles (pre-44 pattern cabs). In such cases, the fitting was optional as it depended on factors such as extent of damage to be repaired, availability of spares, desirability of the owner unit to have the doors replaced, etc. While it does not mention specific CMP models, it does state that 'this changeover will occur on 15cwt and 3 ton WD vehicles when undergoing 4th Echelon repairs'. In other words, the vehicle had to be pretty banged up before such a changeover was going to occur, and then only if the damage warranted it.

New production vehicles were equipped with the 44 pattern cab as standard.

MGO EM 13 also contains the jeep winch entry (another thread....), and the autopulse electric fuel pump to overcome vapour locking.

There is an ex-RAAF Heavy Wireless/Telegraphy CMP truck done up as a 'field cash office' at the Pay Corps Museum at Watsonia Barracks: such a shame it is not at the RAAF Museum done up as what it actually is! (The Pay Corps Museum knows, but.....)

I'm sure Alan would welcome the return of the booklet to the Growse Family Military Library!!

Mike C