abandoned U/C carrier

Gordons · #1 13-09-08, 22:10

A few more pic of 1942 U/C abandoned

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #2 13-09-08, 22:19

Er.... abandoned, eh.... Gordon, why is this not in your garage at this point?

Gordons · #3 14-09-08, 02:36

well its in a tricky place to try and retreive and this is why its still there, its on an island that is surounded by reefs in the summer and by very deep water and thin ice in winter, and its really only accessable in the month of March, when the snow melts and the ice is still strong, its just far enough from home to make it difficult to get out, helicopter is to expensive, can not get a barge in there and no one wants to risk loosing there 4x4 or caterpillar tractor for a piece of worthless junk, but I have not given up.

Gordons · #4 14-09-08, 02:47

say can anyone make out the regiment name on the side ...MINSTER REGT ?

sth65pac · #5 14-09-08, 07:48

Hmm, Gordon,

I presume you're in Canada...perhaps you could try and talk to Coulson's?? http://www.coulsongroup.com/aviation_sikorski.html

They fly Sikorski S61's (Sea King) for logging & firefighting.. You might be able to get the carrier hauled out as a PR exercise. I would try that spin.

An S61 can lift 4500 pounds underslung. I think Coulson's S61 aircraft are of a higher rating..5000? if they are in the area,(on a mission or for the season) they might do it for a few hundred $$$. An S61 costs about $4500 an hour to fly so if they were quick (10 mins) you might only pay $450.... or a carton of ???

Otherwise, have you thought of a strip of the hull completely, and then use logs & skid it across to the shore or the lake, then when you're at max ice thickness skid it across on long lengths of timber. 30 or 40 foot. That would disperse the weight to around 4 pounds per foot?! So, with a cable, you would be able to get it to your side of the water.

Ian (in OZ)

kevinT · #6 14-09-08, 08:56

Hi Gordon,

But I cannot be sure of what is in the ()
It looks like ?ATOR. But that is a guess.
Do you know if there is a WD serial visible anywhere?

Cheers
Kevin

Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP) · #7 14-09-08, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinT

Hi Gordon,

But I cannot be sure of what is in the ()
It looks like ?ATOR. But that is a guess.
Do you know if there is a WD serial visible anywhere?

Cheers
Kevin

The WD number on these girls is stamped into the top edge of the armour plate immediately in front of the driver...

rob love · #8 14-09-08, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordchevcmp

say can anyone make out the regiment name on the side ...MINSTER REGT ?

The marking on the side is "The Westminster Regiment" from New Westminster British Columbia. The word in the brackets is likely "Motor".

http://www.army.gc.ca/royal_westies/history6.htm

Quote:

In April of 1941 the 1st Bn, Westminster Regiment (MG) underwent an entire reorganization, re-rolled, and re-equipped with Bren-Gun Carriers, White Scout cars and motorcycles. They became a motor regiment a precursor to today's mechanized infantry units. In-conjunction with their new role was a subsequent name change from 1st Bn, The Westminster Regiment (MG) to 1st Bn, The Westminster Regiment (Motor).

rob love · #9 14-09-08, 14:51

If you strip the carrier down to it's center roadwheels only, and pull off everything that can be pulled off, it can be floated reasonably well. There was a method of using oil drums strapped to the sides. I believe each drum is good for something like 600 to 800 pounds. You can also wrap the hull in a tarp so it will float even a bit better.

A quad will pull a stripped carrier hull with just the center bogies on it.

I would love to go for a project like this. It's been a few years since I have helped dig carriers out of marsh banks, or from across 10 miles of water.

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #10 15-09-08, 09:45

Hi Gordon - at this stage, instead of questioning how to retrieve it, I would be questioning how and why it got there in the first place. Possibly an old local may know. But then you have probably been down this avenue.

Bob

charlie fitton · #11 15-09-08, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by rob love

I would love to go for a project like this. It's been a few years since I have helped dig carriers out of marsh banks, or from across 10 miles of water.

I'm with Rob on this - If it were possible , I'd help.

Best one I helped with (other than mine) was north of Toronto, Brass plate on the front mudguard, paper air filter, and an archeological dig in the botton gave up a top for the AA mount.

Pi##ed of the neighbour ladies dog though........

Colin Macgregor Stevens · #12 08-02-09, 22:55

Markings appear to be THE WESTMINSTER REGIMENT as was noted by another reader. I can't quite make out what is below that. A key thing to look for the the DND number painted on the sides (about where heads of driver and passenger were) e.g. 1943 style 51-234 and overpainted by it the earlier DND number like 42-1-1234. Also as mentioned by another responder, the War Department number assigned at the factory e.g. CT123456 stamped into the top edge of the armour in front of the driver.

The Museum of the Royal Westminster Regiment Historical Society is looking for a Universal Carrier - wouldn't it be nice if that one could come back to New Westminster? Also if the original DND numbers can be found it MIGHT be possible to find "in-service" photos of this carrier.

By the way, I work two blocks from their armouries as I run the New Westminster Museum and Archives.

I have a UC project too. I am also Curator of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada Museum and Archives and we have a UC Mk. I (1943) under restoration.

George McKenzie · #13 14-02-09, 01:28

Gordon's dad went north to go minning .He took three carriers and two LVT's.Like alot of us we were too joung to be interested in what happen to the old things that were left around by our parents .Guys in the south woke up to the fact that these things were getting valuable sooner than the fellows in the north .Like 2000 miles I'm talking .So alot of the military vahicles disappeared .Some ended as far away as Ottawa and to the USA . I got one of the carriers that his dad had .It was salvaged from the garbage dump in Yellow Knife .All that was left was one track , two sides and part of the rearend . The #at the back left corner is 10407 .I even thought I would take a crack at getting the one off the Island .You would have to get it ready in the summer than go back when the ice got thick enough and drag it to shore . This lake is one of the largest in the world and can be very dangerous .There is a ocean going tug with barges that were carrying 1957 Dodge cars at the bottom ,500ft . It would be great if Gordon could get it and we could help him with the restoration .What do you say Gordon ?