Armoured Carrier, Wheeled - Indian Pattern

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

It did ring a bell so I had a search for it. Found it in the thread armoured vehicle query, which has more pictures of these types of carrier in the NEI.

That thread has gone missing, alas. I posted this picture, of which a much better quality scan has now been made available in the Dutch National Archives.

There are two Wheeled Carriers, both of which have the typical Indian Army census numbers of which the /|\ has been supplanted by a Dutch flag. They are following a Universal Carrier and what may be a Humfox leading the column.

Beschrijving: Dr. C.P.M. Romme (in licht overhemd). Zit op een pantserwagen, onderdeel van een colonne over de "dodenweg" van Medan naar Belawan
Datum: 2 februari 1947

NL-HaNA_2.24.04.03_0_145-2-4_resized.jpg
Source: http://proxy.handle.net/10648/8e5151...f-c6c68ae1fe61

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"1946 India - Soldiers & Daimler Dingo (sic) with Wire cage roof #1"
393060134180.jpg
Source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393060134180


"1946 India - Soldiers & Daimler Dingo (sic) with Wire cage roof #2"
393060127604.jpg
Source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393060127604

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Three more pictures of this vehicle in service with the Netherlands army in Indonesia (Dutch National Archives)

DBAF6CE8-E635-4F87-9F7A-413E21DD4AC0.jpg 6F520CAE-2D73-4585-A1E1-036DC094859D.jpg

613F4A01-EB93-4270-8DB5-629084FC73C2.jpg

[Mike Cecil]

The lower image shows a carrier mounting a Japanese 13-mm Model 93 machine gun. Calibre was actually 13.2-mm (0.52 inch). Had a 30 round magazine. Fired Ball, AP or Tracer. Also issued in a dual or triple mount. If I remember correctly, the butt has a kink in it to offset it to one side, I think the left, so that the operator can see past the action & magazine to align with the offset front sight.

Interesting that the Dutch picked up Japanese equipment and put it to good use: there would have been plenty of Japanese weapons and ammunition available.

Mike

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks for IDing the gun Mike.

It surely looked Japanese to me but firearms are not my forte.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

The lower image shows a carrier mounting a Japanese 13-mm Model 93 machine gun. Calibre was actually 13.2-mm (0.52 inch). Had a 30 round magazine. Fired Ball, AP or Tracer. Also issued in a dual or triple mount. If I remember correctly, the butt has a kink in it to offset it to one side, I think the left, so that the operator can see past the action & magazine to align with the offset front sight.

Interesting that the Dutch picked up Japanese equipment and put it to good use: there would have been plenty of Japanese weapons and ammunition available.

Here is another photo of Wheeled Armoured Carrier 35-273 sporting the Japanese Model 93 machine gun:

2116-0382_resized.jpg
https://beeldbank.nimh.nl/foto-s/det...3-29925d04aa65

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

There are two Wheeled Carriers, both of which have the typical Indian Army census numbers of which the /|\ has been supplanted by a Dutch flag. They are following a Universal Carrier and what may be a Humfox leading the column.

These photos show Dr. C.P.M. Romme, a Dutch politician (in the light shirt) sitting on a Wheeled Armoured Carrier, part of a column on the "death road" from Medan to Belawan, Indonesia.
Apparently there was not a high risk of attacks on that day, otherwise Romme would have travelled under armour.
Date: 2 February 1947

NL-HaNA_2.24.04.03_0_145-2-4-klein.jpg

NL-HaNA_2.24.04.03_0_146-1-2-klein.jpg NL-HaNA_2.24.04.03_0_145-2-6-klein.jpg

Source: http://hdl.handle.net/10648/8e515100...f-c6c68ae1fe61 | http://hdl.handle.net/10648/96adc277...b-a9e7744049c1 | http://hdl.handle.net/10648/38b89ede...0-08127ab354c3