Looking for Deepwater Fording and Wadeproofing CMPs

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Lang

What a treasure trove information. I suspect that the desires for which one to scan and post will be quite varied. But so as to not impose might I ask that you do two one Ford and one Chevy for the most numerous type the 3 ton 4x4 that will cover 24% of the Canadian Production.

Lorry, 3-Ton Chevrolet (Long Immersion for driving in Water)
Lorry 3-ton Ford (Long Immersion)

From the point of historical value to CMP community it would be nice if all of them in time might be scan and preserved.

Found the picture of the Ford V8 on test stand to be most interesting, what a display to have. Can you imagine hearing and watching as that thing was lowered into a tank of water while it was running.

You also raise some very good information in terms of terminology, I was saying "Deep Water Fording" and "Wade Proofing" you added "Amphibious Operation" do the manuals draw the distinction. I'll add the phrase "Amphibious Operations" to my web search and see if I stir up an more information.

Thanks for responding to my question.

Cheers Phil

[Lang]

Phil

I was lucky enough to get this lot back in the mid 70's. I was working in Victoria Barracks (the main HQ in NSW) and heard that the big base vehicle workshop west of Sydney was having a clean out.

I raced out in a ute and got there just as they were loading absolutely full, a truck with all their manuals dating from the 30's - several tons of them! Not just theirs but those from the nearby Ordnance Depot.

I knew the officer in charge of that section well and we both climbed up onto the pile and pulled out only Operators Manuals, Workshop Manuals and Illustrated parts manuals of every type of vehicle the Australian Army had ever operated and many they had not. The cardboard box of waterproofing instructions somehow got saved.

I filled the back of the ute but could not stop tons of books heading to the dump. If I had received earlier notice I knew the system well enough to easily have had the truck leave for the dump and arrive back empty with thousands of manuals diverted from the destruction order to disappear into the mists of the community

Unfortunately I donated maybe 300 manuals to a museum a couple of years later, just keeping a selection of a couple of hundred in my library. The museum failed, I got no phone call, and even today I see my rescued manuals advertised and at swap meets for outrageous prices. Maybe you have one??

As for scanning, these books appear to be very generic inside the covers (I haven't read right through any yet). If that is the case we may be able to achieve the aim with more types by just copying specific vehicle instruction pages to attach to the general section.

I can understand why these manuals are rare as each has the check list tear-out pages and look like they were issued for a specific operation and probably thrown away after the vehicle was prepared.

Lang

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Phil Waterman

Found the picture of the Ford V8 on test stand to be most interesting, what a display to have. Can you imagine hearing and watching as that thing was lowered into a tank of water while it was running.

Hi Phil,
The photo of the waterproofed engine on the stand is not a Ford V8, it looks to me to be an Austin 4 cyl., either an 8hp or a 10hp.

When I worked in army workshops, one of the longer serving workers told me that they had a display unit once with a Bedford petrol engine in it all waterproofed and the tank was filled with water and the engine started. Think is was taken out for displays.

cheers Richard

[Lang]

Richard

You are right, I think the overhead generator might have thrown Phil off the scent.

The photo is one of many original A4 size original glossies that are in the collection - not printed or copied - so they are very clear.

Lang

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Lang

Richard

You are right, I think the overhead generator might have thrown Phil off the scent.

The photo is one of many original A4 size original glossies that are in the collection - not printed or copied - so they are very clear.

Lang

Hi Lang,
The photo of an instrument panel with sealer all over it is from a Fordson WOT6 and also same vehicle type in icy water up to the windscreen. Very good photos for reference details no doubt. I lucky find. I have the waterproofing instruction for a couple of WW2 British armoured cars, for wading up to 3 feet and there is one heck of a lot of work involved, usually with a specific kit for the vehicle.

[Lang]

I love the caption on this "17 PDR. ON TOW BEHIND A STUART TOWER"

It could be a Rolls Royce on a rope as far as any useful information goes.

Richard can tell us what the partially waterproofed motor is.

[Lang]

More Photos.

What nightmare all these trucks would have been for mechanics after landing. Nobody would have removed any of that putty and goo and it would have baked hard in many cases after months or years in service before someone had to repair a carburetor or track a wire behind the instrument panel.

[Lang]

And some more