Canvas doors

[Keith Webb]

A. Growse might be more interested in it these days...

That one in the auction is safely in a shed on the Murray these days, one of the lowest mileage CMPs around.

[Mike Cecil]

Thanks, Mike, nice spotting!

MGO Equipment Memorandum No13, Sept 1944 discusses the application/conversion/retrofitting of existing CMP steel doors to canvas doors at workshop level (4th Echelon repairs), due to shortages of maintenance components for steel doors, rather than as a response to climatic conditions.

This is the application of the canvas door kit I mentioned earlier, for retrofitting to existing vehicles (pre-44 pattern cabs). In such cases, the fitting was optional as it depended on factors such as extent of damage to be repaired, availability of spares, desirability of the owner unit to have the doors replaced, etc. While it does not mention specific CMP models, it does state that 'this changeover will occur on 15cwt and 3 ton WD vehicles when undergoing 4th Echelon repairs'. In other words, the vehicle had to be pretty banged up before such a changeover was going to occur, and then only if the damage warranted it.

New production vehicles were equipped with the 44 pattern cab as standard.

MGO EM 13 also contains the jeep winch entry (another thread....), and the autopulse electric fuel pump to overcome vapour locking.

There is an ex-RAAF Heavy Wireless/Telegraphy CMP truck done up as a 'field cash office' at the Pay Corps Museum at Watsonia Barracks: such a shame it is not at the RAAF Museum done up as what it actually is! (The Pay Corps Museum knows, but.....)

I'm sure Alan would welcome the return of the booklet to the Growse Family Military Library!!

Mike C

[Matt Austin]

G'day folks,

If I may stumble in here; I wonder if the rationale for CMP canvas doors is the same with my International K5, as pictured? I wonder if I'm safe to assume that it fell into the category of "15cwt and 3 ton WD vehicles when undergoing 4th Echelon repairs"? I know that in other areas of military history, one should never assume, and I guess the same is true with these vehicles?!

Mine also has a canvas roof, and I haven't been able to find any information about the use thereof.

Cheers,
Matt

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Matt Austin

G'day folks,

If I may stumble in here; I wonder if the rationale for CMP canvas doors is the same with my International K5, as pictured? Mine also has a canvas roof, and I haven't been able to find any information about the use thereof.

Cheers,
Matt

They were a tropical mod so they could be removed for better ventilation so that wouldn't apply to the Inter. The canvas 'Sunshine' roof is also on many 15cwt CMPs, as Mike C has mentioned previously.