Early CMPs in NW Europe

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally Posted by Bob Carriere

Why do we see so many cab 12 in 1945 during the liberation of Holland???

Cab 12 had literally been replaced by cab 13 which were available in great quantity. In fact some would say the cab 12 was more or less obsolete when the cab 13 became plentiful.

I can understand the specialized CGT/FGT and special radio trucks but to see many cab 12 GS lorry still being used surprises me. They did have to come from the central depot in England which were full of cab 13 by late 1944.....why ferry over an obsolete GS to the front lines.

Anybody has an opinion??

Curious.

Bob C

Hello Bob, the answer is in this newsreel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiPkYQEoeac

Groeten

Hendrik

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiPkYQEoeac

Interesting! "Canadian Army Newsreel, No. 70 (1945)"

C15TA with unknown trailer:
Capture 1.JPG

F15A with roof rack, higher rear canvas and trailer:
Capture2.JPG

Kangaroos in Groningen:
Capture3.JPG

Large hatch M4(105) Sherman, rare in Commonwealth service in NWE:
Capture4.JPG

[Bob Carriere]

That explains the mixture of old and new equipment.....they really poured everything they had........ quite the infusion of supplies and troops.

Four days to load, 24 hours at sea and 5 days of driving across France and Belgium quite the feat....... wonder how many vehicles broke down along the way.... the logistics must have been a night mare...... feeding....fuel....repairs....

Makes a joke of the Liberation of Holland Ceremony in Ottawa next week where they are limiting the number of vehicles due to lack of space at the War Museum..... Ha!!!!

Amazing what could be done in 1945 WITHOUT computers.... by people willing to make the effort.

Bob C

[Alex van de Wetering]

That explains the mixture of old and new equipment.....they really poured everything they had........ quite the infusion of supplies and troops.

Well, I don't think the move of 1st Corps from Italy to Holland is the reason so many Cab12's appear on Dutch liberation pictures....I mean, for the Western part of Holland it could be a good explanation, but plenty cab 12's also appear in pictures taken in the Eastern and North Eastern part of Holland and this was 2nd Corps Territory. Unlike 1st Corps, 2nd did come through Normandy, North-West France, Belgium, Walcheren etc. .....basically along the main supply route.

I tend to think 13cabs weren't that plentiful as we thought....at least not plentiful enough to replace all old CMP's at the same time. I guess frontline units were the first to receive new trucks, but even than cab12 15cwt and 3ton trucks were usefull enough to keep operating them, even though they might have shown their age.

Alex

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

I think we forget 1 important thing, in 1944-45 the cab 11 and 12 were only 2 till 3 years old, so almost new, I don't think any army would throw them away for newer cars and remember, only the cabs are different, the mechanical parts are the same.

Hendrik

[Alex van de Wetering]

Cab 12's in Belgium. Avelgem.

The second picture seems to show a row of 3 Cab12 3 Ton trucks.

source: cegesoma.be

[Alex van de Wetering]

First picture was posted by Stefan Leegwater in the F60H thread. A very rare F60H seen in Ommen 1945.

Second and third pictures are screen grabs from a youtube vid on the liberation of Haarlem 1945 (some great footage and vehicles by the way!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOtPL6baJLY

Alex