British Empire Staff Cars

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by lynx42

Here is my 1940 Chev. I found it in a hayshed in Western Victoria. Enquiries through the Australian War Memorial in Canberra prove that it was General Stanley Savige's Staff car throughout the Middle East, 1940/41. Gen.Savige was the OC of the 17th Brigade, 6th Australian Division. The car arrives back in OZ in April 1942 on the S.S.Somerville and then was used on the North/South road between Alice Springs and Darwin. It was sold to a Mr.Williams of Ararat Vic in 1945, who owned it until 1971 and then sold it to John Woodburn of Dunkeld. I found it in 1993 and purchased it for the grand sum of $2.00. (yes, the decimal point is in the right place). It is now painted in the Syrian Campaign colours 1941 when the 17th Brigade were fighting the Vichy French.

And you can see it in action on the Corowa 07 Year of the cycle and staff car DVD along with an interview with Rick.

[Keith Brooker]

Does any one have a rear photo of a Humber Staff Car?
I did find some 900 x 13 tyres, 2nd hand, but good, off Millweb. bought the last 4 he had. its worth looking on that web site.

[servicepub (RIP)]

I copied these photos from the Canadian Forces Communications and Electronics Museum (formerly Royal Canadian Corps of Signals). Can I get an ID please. I believe that they were taken in 1938. The motorcycles are BSAs.
The markings on the vehicles are "RCS 10x"



This was taken on the same occasion as above.


No information on this other than a date (1938) on the back of the photo.

[cliff]

the bottom photo is of a 1936 Ford.

[Bill Miller]

Can any of you positively ID this car. I am not sure, but from unit War diaries and similar looking (but not exact) vehicles I was able to "google" up I think it is a 1940? French Ford. However, I am sure someone here can say for sure. Thanks,

Bill.

[lynx42]

Sorry Cliff, For once you're wrong. The Ford in the bottom photo is definately a 1935 not a 1935 model. Different grill, wire wheels and I used to own one. (A Delux 4 door touring sedan.)
Regards Rick

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

1. Yes the mystery car was indedd a 1939-40 Sunbeam-Talbot, assembled in Barlby Road, Acton, London W., and probably a 3-Litre.

2. The bottom car I think is one of the 1935 Phaetons [Model 48, so a C48?]: the DND had 1934, 1935 and 1936 Phaetons, and several '36 Models were retained after the mass sell-off in 1938. Here's an extract from the papers:

Lieut. Jolley then drew up a list of all 15-cwt. Trucks or equivalent that were to be replaced by new trucks, traded-in, retained for schools or for instructional purposes. The oldest was a 1928 Model Durant Coach. There was a 1929 Chevrolet LQ stake truck, a 1934 Chevrolet Light Delivery, two Chevrolet pickups and a 1½-ton stake truck, all 1934 Models. There were eight Crossley Staff Cars to be sent to schools, otherwise all others were Fords: 1931 to 1936 Models, 2-ton stake trucks, Station Wagons or Phaetons. Ten 1936 Ford 2-ton trucks were to be retained, to be supplemented by the new 15-cwt. Trucks.

There appears to be several panel vans in rhe line-up. Is that so? It looks like a Ford to me but I have no idea otherwise.

Somewhere I have a list of all the DND numbers of the disposal list but can't find it at the moment, save for these Chevies:

DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE TRUCKS:
1934 CHEVROLET LIGHT DELIVERY 1-168
1934 CHEVROLET PICKUP 1-174
1934 CHEVROLET PICKUP 1-175
1934 CHEVROLET 1½ TON STAKE 1-180