LRDG Ford 15wt question

[Scott Cacciamani]

I'm trying to find out the origins of the 1940 model year 15wt trucks that the LRDG first used the North Africa. These are civilian right hand drive 1/2 ton 2X4 pickups. I thought they were purchased new from a dealer, but re-reading my old references i can only find a reference for the early Chevy 30cwt trucks. It is said that 14 of the Chevys came from a dealer in Alexandria and the rest from the Egyptian army. I have also seen some suggestion that the 15wt Fords came from the Egyptian army. If so they would have been purchased new in late 1939 or 1940 as they are 1940 model year trucks. If anyone has photos or documents of any civilian style Ford 15wt trucks in the Egyptian army i'd love to see them.
thanks scott

[Mike K]

These ........................

[Scott Cacciamani]

Those are the trucks i am speaking of. I want to know where they were procured from. Egyptian army? Straight from the lot?
thanks

[Hanno Spoelstra]

The pictures above are (also) found on the website http://www.lrdg.de/main.htm with the following caption:

Pilot Cars

Ford 01 V8 - These left-hand drive vehicles were acquired in early 1941 for patrol use after the small Chevy trucks that were initially intended as pilot cars proved to be rather unfit for desert use. Although the Fords performed remarkably well in rugged terrain, their V8 engines did not take kindly to constantly being exposed to sand, and by the end of the year, all the Ford engines had worn out and the trucks had to be replaced - first by a small number of 8cwt Fords, about which virtually nothing is known, then by Chevrolet 1311s.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

“The unit is pictured on a mission on January 12, 1941. Behind the Vickers machine gun is Vice Corporal Lawrence 'Clarrie' Roderick, a pro boxer. Shortly after the photo was taken he was was captured and sent to a POW camp in Italy. He escaped and joined the partisans, fighting with them to his death in 1944”

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rica-WWII.html