Aussie WW2 staff cars

[Lang]

Just had a look at the Australian Second Army. It was an organisation that gave various floating and home defence units in NSW, Victoria and South Australia a formation headquarters.

At its peak it had close to 150,000 people under its control including two American Divisions training in Australia, various home defence organisations but particularly many training schools. Initially headquartered in Melbourne but by the time the war finished it had slowly been reduced to mainly defence of the Sydney area and various training schools - a mere shadow of its former self.

Its redesignation as "Training Command" was never completed because of the war's end.


Upon formation in April 1942, the Second Army consisted of the following formations:

2nd Motor Division
Victoria Covering Force
US 41st Infantry Division
US 32nd Infantry Division (joining/arriving)
12th Brigade Group
By August 1943, the formation had been reduced to the following:

1st Division
1st Brigade
9th Brigade
28th Brigade
Commanders
Second Army was initially commanded by Lieutenant General Iven Mackay. In January 1944, the position passed to Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead; he remained until July 1944. That month, Major General Herbert Lloyd assumed administrative command, and he remained in the position until January 1946.

[Mike K]

This pic depicts the many colours of vehicles in use. Although the cars appear to have civilian number plates . The fourth car along is a 39 Dodge/Plymouth sedan .

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C51344

3821709.JPG

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Lang,

Wiked-pedia seems to have overlooked the 2nd and 3rd Army Tank Battalion Groups (100 tanks each and a pers strength over 90%) plus all the Coast Artillery and Search Light Units, fixed and mobile AA and SL units, AEME, transport units and Volunteer Defence Corps units that were still part of Second Aust Army in August 1943, as well as all the various schools and training establishments, so still a substantial force for the defence of Australia's east and south-east. The OOB list for the operational units is some 12 pages long, whereas the training establishments and units list is only 3 pages.

In 1944, the Formation, which was in the process of being substantially reduced as units re-formed and transited to other commands, also assumed responsibility for units defending South-East Queensland, and the training establishments in that area, such as the Jungle Training School at Canungra.

A nice set of markings to use on your car, Lang, representing an area of the defence forces not often represented on restored vehicles. For those interested, Lt Col Southwell's car carries the Formation sign of Second Aust Army (horse, facing left as viewed, over a boomerang) and the unit sign of the NSW Coast Anti-Aircraft and Coast Artillery Signal unit (white over blue, divided horizontally, unit code numerals in red) which provided signalers to all the fixed defence fortress and AA units. As Second Aust Army shrank, that unit was later re-designated in April 1945 as the Eastern Area AA and CA Signal unit.

Mike

[Lang]

Thanks for the expanded information Mike.

Lang

[Mike K]

Lots of chrome on this one. Maybe it went to a civilian who had the permit , a doctor or similar.

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/r...+213/207/1/271
BRG-213-207-1-271.jpeg


1941 models ?


https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/r...+213/207/1/270
BRG-213-207-1-270.jpeg


https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/r...+213/207/1/268
BRG-213-207-1-268.jpeg


https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/r...+213/207/4/494
BRG-213-207-4-494.jpeg

[Lang]

Mike

I think you will find the vast majority of staff cars that did not go to the Middle East had the chrome left on them regardless of within Australia or operational areas. Most of the New Guinea staff car photos show chrome fully exposed.

Lang

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Lang

Mike

I think you will find the vast majority of staff cars that did not go to the Middle East had the chrome left on them regardless of within Australia or operational areas. Most of the New Guinea staff car photos show chrome fully exposed.

Lang

I've seen a pic of AWAS drivers removing the army paint off staff car grills

Rather bad paint job or the sand blast effect !

https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/r.../PRG+691/12/15

PRG-691-12-15.jpeg