British Empire Staff Cars

[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

[Bill Murray]

Mr Miller:

Yes, your Ford photo is a French Matford. Not a 1940 model I think but I will post a photo tomorrow to try to pin it down.

As to Cliff's 1936 Ford, it is in fact a 1935 model.

Bill

[servicepub (RIP)]

More 'staff' cars. This is a misnomer as the cars were often battalion or company level vehicles and were used in a cross-country mode. These were ultimately replaced by the ubiquitous 5-cwt 4x4 (jeep).


Note the cam painted troop carrying bus in the background.


Caption - CWACs undertaking maintenance at CMHQ garage.


Dated 1935-36

Now for something a little earlier;


And for something a little later;


And an ambulance 'cause I couldn't find the right thread. The donor is well known to all of us.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Wow!

I wonder if the top bus is one of the ex-Green Line AECs that were used by the US and Canadian forces?

The next one down looks like the East End of London, but I really have no idea.

The third one is the 1934-5-6 Ford phaeton and station wagons, unless there's a 1934 Chevrolet truck in there! I have been looking for a decent shot of these for years!

The next one MIGHT be the 1929 Durant that the DND had that was sold in 1937 I think. Same comments apply!

The Buicks might be 1942 series 90 Limited Model Imperial Sedans. As used by HC Massey et al.

[Les Freathy]

Nice photos Clive, here are a couple of slightly later model station wagons one has a almost identical body to your photo the other has a lot less ribbing both of these are fitted with military floatation tyres
cheers
Les

[Dusonn]

Hello guys,
would anyone dig out a photo of a Standard other then Utility being used as a staff car? I am restoring a Standard Flying 12 limousine as one. I found information in our military archive on Standard 4-seat car in service with the Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade in the UK but there are no details. I guess the army used many donated civilian cars at the outbreak of WWII.

Cheers Dusan