Chevrolet photos wanted

[Les Freathy]

Not sure from where these came from but interesting RAF adaption

[Alastair Thomas]

They are pictures of my Father, Hank Thomas, taking delivery of an outside broadcast truck in Egypt.
In addition to his responsibilities for all radars from Sfax to Basra, and from Istanbul to Mombasa, once war ended he was also responsible for some (all?) Forces Broadcasting in Egypt.
Prior to receiving this Chevrolet, he had been using a Humber and other vehicles. In one of these he covered the anniversary of the relief of Tobruk and on the way back to Cairo his driver muffed a gear change and snapped the pinion in the back axle. Thinking that it was no big deal, they changed to 4-wheel drive intending to continue by using the front axle. However they discovered that the front propshaft had been removed. Although they were surrounded by smashed up vehicles they could not pinch a propshaft as they had no tools. It was 3 days before they were rescued.
Below is a picture of his faithful Humber in Sinai and some of his trip to Tobruk. The tank is a Fiat-Ansaldo L6-40, the plane is a wrecked Heinkle HE111 and the shell is a 14" naval one.
I wrote all this up including all his journeys into the Egyptian and Libyan deserts in a private publication for my family so can enlarge on this if anyone is interested.
Alastair
F60S
LynxI MkIII*

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alastair Thomas

I wrote all this up including all his journeys into the Egyptian and Libyan deserts in a private publication for my family so can enlarge on this if anyone is interested.

Fascinating - yes, please!

[Les Freathy]

Indeed i am with Hanno on that more info would be a great help

[Hanno Spoelstra]

As per Ian Phillips’ message on one of the FB groups:

“One of the innovations used to enhance the realism of the US Army's huge Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 was the deployment of vehicles fitted with powerful loud-speakers which broadcast amplified "battle" sound effects...explosions, gunfire, the roar of vehicles and the squeak and clatter of tank tracks etc.

Here we see one such vehicle...a Chevrolet panel van with triple speakers mounted on its roof.

(LIFE / Kessel)”

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

This Chevrolet Ambulance was donated by the USA to the Queen of the Netherlands on 21 May 1941 for use by Dutch troops in the UK.
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A survivor in the UK, owned by Chad Jellis in the UK:
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A period picture of a Chevrolet Ambulance, note the detail differences:
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This one is owned by Graham Lycett in the UK:
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