On the road to Syria

[Mike K]

I managed to track down the original source of this photo. By chance, I have a wreck or the bare bones of one of these 1939/40 1 Ton trucks. I can't find any army paint on it. The rear axle and springs are identical to the C8 CMP truck. The wheels are split type 17" with 750-17 tyres. The army version was fitted with a typical Australian ute style body, in this case built by GM-H , a wooden frame with metal skin - these Australian style bodies are wider and more spacious than the narrow North American ' pick up ' style bodies. In civilian use, GMH also offered other body options, including a wooden flat tray or deck . The grill is unique to 1940. The 39 models have a different looking grill. The example I have is fitted with the 4 speed crash gearbox. The drive to the rear axle is through a torque tube. It would be a long-term project , building an Aust. Army version, the biggest problem would be finding a original body to measure, like finding the end of a rainbow. The GMH archives, held in South Australia, include a few factory photos of a similar body, fitted on a 1941 1/2 Ton model.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/885722...57631771339670


Early July 1942 - Australian Army 2/4 Anti Malaria Control Unit mates Sergeant Norm Grainger & Driver Bob Elliott with Driver Tom Beazley's Chevrolet 1-Ton GS (General Service) light truck at Syr, Syria (now North Lebanon)
SOURCE INFO

- The original image was captured by my late father-in-law, Driver Tom Beazley of the Australian Army 2/4 Anti-Malarial Control Unit, 9 Division, 2 Australian Imperial Force, using a Kodak 6-20 Folding Brownie camera with B&W 120 roll-film.

[Mike K]

I found a pic of what appears to be the rear end of a CHEV. 1 Ton GS Van. The rear mudguards are longer than the similar 15 cwt. Version. The 15 cwt (model 13) has a 113.5" wheelbase, the 1Ton chassis (model 14) has a 123.75" wheelbase.

Detail of the canvas fittings: the only major modifications to the civilian truck were the fittings for the canvas tilt frame and the military directional bar tread tyres.

Update: the pic with the two guys, the vehicle is looking more like a car based utility.

[Mike K]

The GM-H issued parts book for the Chevrolet and Maple Leaf MCP Army vehicles they built - 1939/1940. It's interesting that GM-H refers to the vehicles as standard or commercial chassis, rather than using the army nomenclature i.e., GS Van.

The 123.75" wheelbase model, in Aust. Army terms, is the 1Ton G.S. Van . The contemporary North American civilian equivalent model, was the 3/4 Ton pickup, which unusually, had 15" wheels. But , in North America, there was also a special 'heavy duty' 3/4 Ton model listed, which had the 17" wheels fitted, it was also fitted with heavy duty rear springs. This 'special' model was the model (series 14) chosen for the basis of the Aust. Army 1Ton G.S.Van.

The book has a previous owners name inside the cover, it belonged to a soldier: Sgt. G.A. Brown V165580. He transferred to the AIF and became VX106727. I found his WW2 service records in the naa system. He had worked as a storeman at Ford Geelong. He served overseas at Morotai and Labuan, Borneo.

[Lang]

It would be good to get the second page of his service record. Meteoric rise to fame Private Recruit to Temporary Corporal to Sergeant in a few weeks.

I suppose he was a qualified storeman at Ford so perfect man to understand stores paperwork.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Lang

It would be good to get the second page of his service record. Meteoric rise to fame Private Recruit to Temporary Corporal to Sergeant in a few weeks.

I suppose he was a qualified storeman at Ford so perfect man to understand stores paperwork.

He was eventually promoted to W.O.2.

He was transferred numerous times and moved around. He sailed to Morotai on the vessel MV Duntroon.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Duntroon