AWM acquisition?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Actually, Tony, I don't believe you can 'mix and match' the individual requirements as listed under each heading - I think each stands alone

Certainly that's the literal interpretation Mike, which I believe would apply in 99% of cases. However, in the case of Cab 12 FAT, it would lead to some vehicles getting around with WO numbers (Stepsister ship arrivals) and others with 50210-51000 numbers (refugee ship arrivals). Rightly or wrongly I don't believe that was the intention at the time, so I've deliberately circumvented MECH 314 ("mix and match" interpretation) to achieve the required outcome.

What I'm suggesting here is that MECH 314 was policy on the run which did not cover all possibilities, and hence needs to be applied judiciously in certain cases. This requires an understanding of policy intentions at the time, in which OVP staff would have been instructed, but which we ourselves can only deduce from surviving evidence.

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

which leads me to conclude that therein is the basis of the difference between how we each see MECH314

Yes, but the difference exists only in relation to Cab 12 FAT, because I see it as an anomaly which was not anticipated when MECH 314 was drafted. That is, a vehicle type brought back by AIF which had never actually been operated by AIF.

Ultimately it all comes back to our understanding of 50210-51000 block and "Refugee" entry in the ledger. I think we need to challenge our assumptions here. It's my strong suspicion that the word "Refugee" in this context may not mean what we think it means, but is more of a beaureacratic label. I believe it's worth exploring because it may open the possibility of AWM FAT being ex-Stepsister movement, which is far more significant provenance than mere "refugee cargo".

Of course, it's also possible I'm barking up the wrong tree completely!

[Tony Wheeler]

Mike, I wonder if we can track these Cab 12 FATs trans-shipped at Colombo en route to Australia. Photo undated but presence of Andes indicates late February after Orcades returned from Java debacle (Andes embarked Suez 18 February carrying advance party 2/11 Field Regiment; disembarked Adelaide 16 March). Orcades disembarked Adelaide 14 March. If WO number H4522081 can be traced in vehicle records it may shed light on how these vehicles were eventually processed under MECH 314.

030110-01 Colombo, Ceylon. February 1942..jpg 030111-01 Colombo, Ceylon. February 1942..jpg 030111-05 Colombo, Ceylon. February 1942..jpg

030113-03.JPG 030115-02 Colombo, Ceylon. February 1942..JPG

[Mike K]

Don't know if this means anything but one of the Morris CS8's I have here has the British WO census nr. on the bonnet . And the first Morris PU 8cwt I aquired, has the strange "O" prefix number on the bonnet - these "O" census numbers appear on vehicles in Palestine , as seen in the AWM Palestine photos . Specifically, Morris 15 cwt and 8cwt trucks on issue to the AIF . Nobody can tell me what these numbers mean - their origin . This anomaly has everybody stumped

[Mike Cecil]

Tony,

H4522081 is not listed within the Refugee block.

All tractors within that block are (later?) H454XXXX registrations.

Mike