Rare vehicles and unusual sightings in Dutch Liberation pictures

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

It seems every soldier had a lot of "stuff" to move around in 1945......campers, caravans, roofracks, but also all sorts of trailers are seen in period pictures. Ever wondered what to do with half a CMP?

Picture 1 and 2: the rear end of a Chev, Ford or Dodge converted into a trailer. Amsterdam

This screenshot shows a similar conversion. Is it a 2B1 15-cwt body on the back half of a 15-cwt chassis? The wheels look larger. It is towed by a C15TA.

This picture was not taken in Holland, but during OPERATION GOLDFLAKE - the move of 1 Cdn Corps from Italy to North-West Europe, Feb-Mar 1945. So this trailer proably ended up in Holland.

screengrab 2.jpg

[David Dunlop]

Hanno.

It almost looks like tie rods under the axle assembly on that trailer. A salvaged front end, or perhaps even an artillery axle?

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

It almost looks like tie rods under the axle assembly on that trailer. A salvaged front end, or perhaps even an artillery axle?

David, well spotted!

It could indeed be a true "bitsa" made up from parts scrounged from the battlefield scrapheaps in Italy.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Well spotted Hanno! For a moment I thought.....wartime Sankey

Alex

[Grant Bowker]

I don't think it's a salvaged front axle - neither a differential housing nor the typical drop of a non driven axle (and not as heavy as the straight axle of a 3 ton CMP 4x2).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

The tie rods may be mechanical brake linkages?

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

The tie rods may be mechanical brake linkages?

Based on the 15 and 20 CWT CMP trailer frames I've seen, the parking brakes are cable operated and the service brakes hydraulic (based on Ford parts same as CMP rear axles) so it would have to be a non-CMP sourced axle.
The trailer frame seems to have a reinforcement at the bend at the front of the body and may have an upward step toward the drawbar. Not standard CMP trailer features, does this suggest anything?

[Steve Guthrie]

A couple of interesting documents.
The first two are from 'Wait for the Wagon' by Arnold Warren. It's a history of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. These excerpts explain why units made their own trailers

The next are parts of the Manifest for the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade Workshop and list all the vehicles it shipped from Italy to France in February 1944. Lots of unregistered trailers and some rather interesting vehicles too

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Very interesting info!

Thanks a lot for sharing, Steve.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Steve Guthrie

The next are parts of the Manifest for the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade Workshop and list all the vehicles it shipped from Italy to France in February 1944. Lots of unregistered trailers and some rather interesting vehicles too

More documents from Steve:

Here are a couple of really interesting documents from the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade RCEME Workshop. They list vehicles (their own and other 1 Corps assets) which were sent from Italy to France in Feb 1945. Look at the number of types plus the number of unit built trailers, which did not have census numbers.

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92028465_10157614646797025_3349961245477306368_o.jpg 92074982_10157614646737025_2297603720046706688_o.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Courtesy of Steve, part 2:

Here are a couple of really interesting documents from the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade RCEME Workshop. They list vehicles (their own and other 1 Corps assets) which were sent from Italy to France in Feb 1945. Look at the number of types plus the number of unit built trailers, which did not have census numbers.

92037620_10157614647122025_7803461711427534848_o.jpg 92086346_10157614647492025_6343441738689937408_o.jpg 92382033_10157614646912025_5212192832332234752_o.jpg 91979576_10157614647062025_1715598787734405120_o.jpg 92336248_10157614647217025_1293156211205603328_o.jpg