WW2 Photos

[cliff]

here is another AWM photo showing Holden Bodied trucks with the heavy front bumper and a brush guard.

Caption...

ID Number: 084090
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: ATHERTON, QLD. 1944-12-14. ATHERTON DETACHMENT NO.1, QLD LINES OF COMMUNICATION AREA BULK ISSUE PETROL AND OIL DEPOT PERSONNEL OPERATING AS A MOBILE UNIT IN THE TABLELAND AREA FROM CIVILIAN UNDERGROUND EMERGENCY TANKS POSITIONED DURING THE JAPANESE ADVANCE. IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- PRIVATE F.J. WALDUCK, (1); PRIVATE V.F. CLANCEY, (2); SERGEANT C. O'BRIEN, (3); PRIVATE T.J. MCFARLANE, (4).
Copyright: clear
Related subject: Petrol and oil supply; Group portraits
Related unit: Bulk issue petrol and oil depots; Queensland Lines of Communication Area
Related place: Atherton

Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

[cliff]

Here is another AWM photo showing the imported Chev CC60L with a custom built van body on and a different front bumper again. I am assuming the rear van body was built locally onto an imported cab/chassis. These may have been bought back from the Middle East and rebuilt or imported direct to Australia.

Caption....

ID Number: 141861
Maker: Herald Newspaper
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: Brighton, Vic. 1944-10-23. Two Mobile Welfare Vans presented to the RAAF by members of the Brighton Hostess Air Force Auxiliary.
Copyright: clear
Related subject: Vans; Welfare
Related unit: Royal Australian Air Force
Related place: Brighton (Vic)

Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

[Mike K]

The lighter 1 ton variant is rather scarce . Back in 1981 I bought a ex army 1941 1 tonner for 50 bucks , up at Orange NSW . It had the GMH cab and sat on 17" wheels. I flat towed it from Orange to Cargo behind my 1946 Dodge ute .It was vandalised by the locals thee and ended up a wreck, it was in very good cond. too. The cab had a stencil on the wall .
VANS 1 Ton GS .

The little GMH badge said - paint : KHAKI 'defence enamel green'.

It was hairy towing it along the hilly road from Orange . The rear tray was a wooden thing .. original army one was long gone . Somebody had removed the cyl. head and it was in the back . The brakes worked well .

On the same trip I found a Fordson WOT2H in a field of lucerne . The local Butcher in Canowndra owned it . I approahed him and I got it free ! I borrowed Bedford wheels and flat towed it to Cargo behind the Dodge ,my 15 year old nephew steered it . Its brakes worked too , mechanical type.The skinny Bedford 20" wheels made it look very odd . The gearbox was full of water . i had to remove the rear half shafts to move it . It was in December and the heat nearly killed me , it was jammed on a old log and I had to jack it off . The door had a graziers name on it .. from Canberra of all places .The cab was excellent .. front wings stuffed . chassis good . Wish I had kept it . I sold it for 100 bucks to a NSW collector . I've got pics of all this .

Mike

[jim sewell]

Thanks Cliff for the pictures , I notice that in your last post the 2 chev van bodied trucks could be Lend Lease trucks as they both have the wider front bumper which I have seen on L/L trucks used for civilian purposes around here.( one piece door window, not side cowl air vent )
From all of the posted pictures there appears to be 3 different front bumpers .
The pictures below from the left , L/Lease civilian , 2x Aust bodied 10.50 x 18 tyres.
Regards
Jim S.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

Thanks Cliff for the pictures , I notice that in your last post the 2 chev van bodied trucks could be Lend Lease trucks Regards
Jim S.

Jim that is why I called them CC60L rather then Holden bodied as they are in fact the imported type. Easy ways to tell the difference are that the local Australian Holden bodied Chevs have small quarterlite vent windows in the doors and side vents on the side of the cowl unit. The imported CC60L vehicles did not have these features.

I have other photos showing the different types of front bumpers on Chevs but the main ones are posted.

[jim sewell]

These RHD trucks were imported into Aust from the USA by the Commonwealth to be used for essential services and are referred to in Aust as lend lease trucks , these were model M trucks and used a 216 engine that was different to the Canadian engine in that it had flat top pistons and 2 hole water pump and block.
Regards
Jim S.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Through the wonders of Science, and the information that as a pack rat I keep, I can advise that these lorries were model MS, and from the Master Parts List were:

1 1/2 TON CAB WITH PLATFORM, EXPORT, RHD, 1942 MODEL 4408
1 1/2 TON CAB WITH STAKE, EXPORT, RHD, 1942, MODEL 4409
1 1/2 TON CAB, RHD, 1942, MODEL 4403

Do I assume correctly that some were used by the military? Interesting that they were US-procured, delivered under Lend-Lease and used for 'civvy' and not purely military purposes. I am not sure whether this also applied in the UK. I have a feeling that it did, judging by papers I acquired from the Public Records Office in London years ago. For instance the London County Council petitioned the government for Dodge trucks for use in bomb damage clearance. By then they had available obsolete ex-military US vehicles.

[cliff]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

These RHD trucks were imported into Aust from the USA by the Commonwealth to be used for essential services and are referred to in Aust as lend lease trucks , these were model M trucks and used a 216 engine that was different to the Canadian engine in that it had flat top pistons and 2 hole water pump and block.
Regards
Jim S.

This does not explain the top photo which definately has a military build look including the front bumper and the rear body has a look similar to a steel GMC-CCKW body complete with the way the spare wheel is mounted. I would say that this truck is not one of those imported for essential services. The photo of the two 'van bodied' trucks I posted could very well be the US supplied trucks though.

Thanks for posting that Jim as it has added to my information on these types of Chevrolet trucks and confirmed my belief that some did come from the USA as RHD imports.

[Max Hedges]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

Thanks Cliff for the pictures , I notice that in your last post the 2 chev van bodied trucks could be Lend Lease trucks as they both have the wider front bumper which I have seen on L/L trucks used for civilian purposes around here.( one piece door window, not side cowl air vent )
From all of the posted pictures there appears to be 3 different front bumpers .
The pictures below from the left , L/Lease civilian , 2x Aust bodied 10.50 x 18 tyres.
Regards
Jim S.

Jim the 2nd chev in your photos is one we had once and now belongs at the AWM and the arn is 29678 and it still has it's orginal engine.I found out that truck number 29679 was wrecked in the middle of 1941 but didn't find the age of the one we had.

[jim sewell]

Hi Max
I think that pic was taken in Darwin in 1995 during the back to the track run.
Regards
Jim S.

[Max Hedges]

Originally Posted by jim sewell

Hi Max
I think that pic was taken in Darwin in 1995 during the back to the track run.
Regards
Jim S.

Jim the photo would have been taken in front of the AWM on Anzac parade when we had it there for a display. From memory the spedo only had 36000 miles on clock, we also left the original jack in the tool box and under the green paint you could see the cammo patten that was used. It was at one of the trips to Canberra with the old chev that we were asked if we were interested in coming to some arrangements with the War Memorial.

Max