Wartime pictures wanted: CMP F15A

[James Baxter]

I have found some photos of 11 and/or 12 cab 15cwt trucks taking part in an exercise in UK, possibly during 1941, judging by the early style camo on the vehicles. The architecture of the buildings would suggest the photos were taken in the county of Kent.

The first, attached, is AA truck with the Vickers m.g. and the angled Census number on the door, is particularly interesting, I think.

Another, with a slat grill Jeep.

A nice picture of a convoy of 15cwts.

[Tony Wheeler]

The F15A was used extensively by Australian arty units and one of my favourite wartime pics is this attractive image at Joint Overseas Operational Training School Nelson's Bay NSW December '42. Plenty of Australian arty interest here, and the landing craft marked Ubique completes the scene. F15A is 6th Div and appears to be freshly painted in what I believe to be the high contrast disruptive scheme Vehicle Dark Green / Vehicle Light Grey specified in November '42. This scheme is rarely seen in wartime pics. Tyres look oversize to me, possibly desert tread..? Anyway it looks fabulous I reckon, would make for an excellent replica project.

Cab 12 FAT is ex-Middle East, probably 2/11 Fd Regt as this unit received a number of Chev Cab 12 FATs prior to departure for Australia in Feb 42, which appear to be the only Cab 12 FATs ever to reach Australia. They arrived in British desert scheme (Light Stone) and were subsequently reallocated and repainted, some of them evidently receiving the November '42 camo scheme also.

P02216.003 Dec. 42 Joint Overseas Operational Training School (JOOTS), at Nelson's Bay NSW - C.jpg P03113.002 Cairns, Qld. Probably 10th Australian Light Anti Aircraft Battery.jpg

[Keith Webb]

These seem to be a mix of Ford and Chev, mostly Chevrolet going by numbers of surviving vehicles.

Good photobomb attempt by the dog here.

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Keith Webb

These seem to be a mix of Ford and Chev, mostly Chevrolet going by numbers of surviving vehicles.

Plus of course there were Guys in the mix as well, presumably brought back by various other 6th and 7th Div arty units. Here's another example of the Nov '42 camo scheme seen on the F15A, with Dark Green very obvious on the front wheel. Not sure there's much point trying to push one of these through sand!

304846 HMAS ASSAULT, COMBINED OPERATIONS SCHOOL, PORT STEPHENS, NSW..jpg

[Tony Wheeler]

Getting back to the topic....

078604 BOUGAINVILLE 1945-01-24. HQ 7TH BRIGADE F15A BOGGED IN SAND ON BEACH ROAD. TOWING JAPAN.jpg

[Larry Hayward]

Interestingly, hardly any on the vehicles in this thread show much use of Micky Mouse Camo, that was supposed to be in use 1942-44. I guess that by the time the Allies got to Belgium and Holland an all over colour was adopted.

More photos anyone?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Larry Hayward

More photos anyone?

Here you go Larry:

Two Ford F15A 4x4 15-cwt trucks, one Ford staff car and two CMP 3-ton trucks by the railway overpass at the Ringbaan-Oost - Bosscheweg intersection at Tilburg, 10-1944. They are on their way to the battles along the Wilheminakanaal.

No noticeable camouflage that I can see.

Those chunky tyres made me think for a second these F15As were F22s......

12375.jpg

Source: https://hdl.handle.net/21.12103/7dfe...9-4bad5d5e999e

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another picture by Alex, F15A entering Amsterdam on 8 May 1945.

Note the lack of the Allied white star on the door.

Ford F15A Amsterdam.jpg

[Alex van de Wetering]

Note the lack of the Allied white star on the door.

Also no Census number on the door.....even though I think the official instruction was to paint the census number on the drivers side and rear of vehicles(?).

The marking on the door would make it a troop leader of an Artillery unit.

https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/veh...ticalsigns.htm

Alex

p.s. also a 20cwt trailer can just be seen on the left