On the road to Syria

[motto]

I wonder at the origins of the Chev in the 3rd photo as it has an interesting mix of features. On this type of truck (RHD Modified Civilian) I would have expected the windscreen to be the wind out type with concealed hinges, not the full military swing out type with external hinges and slider at each end. Add to this the civilian type bumper, commercial parking lights, single windscreen wiper, non military looking cargo body and what may possibly be 18 inch tyres and it becomes a bit of a puzzle how it came to be?
Would it have been sourced from Canada or the U.S.? Would it have been shipped direct to the M.E. or via Australia? Is it an odd one out or were there more like this?
The more you see of these trucks the more unanswered questions arise.

David

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by motto

I wonder at the origins of the Chev in the 3rd photo as it has an interesting mix of features. On this type of truck (RHD Modified Civilian) I would have expected the windscreen to be the wind out type with concealed hinges, not the full military swing out type with external hinges and slider at each end. Add to this the civilian type bumper, commercial parking lights, single windscreen wiper, non military looking cargo body and what may possibly be 18 inch tyres and it becomes a bit of a puzzle how it came to be?
Would it have been sourced from Canada or the U.S.? Would it have been shipped direct to the M.E. or via Australia? Is it an odd one out or were there more like this?
The more you see of these trucks the more unanswered questions arise.

David

Not being an expert , the cab looks like a GMH built cab, the opening screen is a brass frame I believe . It's not unusual for a GMH assembled 1941 Chevy to have the civilian type park lights . Mike C may tell us more from the AIF number plate .

Thanks Tony for the unit ID . Can anybody make a guess , the two colours on the utility ? Light Stone and Black maybe . I have two of these 1940 utes in rough shape . I am missing the rear bodywork .

here are a few more

I reckon the lighter colour has been applied over the dark shade of Green ? It is a rough paint job on the 123" wheelbase 1 Ton Van . The rectangular vent on the cowl side is a dead giveaway ..GMH built cab

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...d_to_Syria.jpg


https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...%29,_Syria.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...pital_in_B.jpg

[Mike K]

Here we go Motto

The cab is GM-H built as seen in this pic of Driver Tom .... another thing is the quarter windows in the doors , seen on Australian cabs .

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F..._Palestine.jpg

[motto]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Not being an expert , the cab looks like a GMH built cab, the opening screen is a brass frame I believe . It's not unusual for a GMH assembled 1941 Chevy to have the civilian type park lights . Mike C may tell us more from the AIF number plate .

The rectangular vent on the cowl side is a dead giveaway ..GMH built cab
Of course, the Holden built cabs with opening windscreen. These are so few and far between that I had forgotten about them. In the side view the quarter vent window and foot well vents are clinchers.
Built in Australia from a mixture of imported and locally produced parts most likely before the arrival of the true Lend/Lease trucks.
Thanks Mike
Dave

[Tony Wheeler]

Base colour is original DBG which often looks almost black in B&W photos.

P02006.050 Puckapunyal, Vic. 1940-03-01. GMC one and a half ton 4x4 cargo trucks and Chevrolet.jpg

[Mike Cecil]

The sign on the 1 ton Chev GS, as Tony mentioned, has the formation sign of a black swan on a yellow background, surmounted by a 1 inch wide white stripe across the top, which equates to 1st Aust Corps Troops, Middle East, while the Unit sign of '308' on a black background equates to any of the four (3,4,5,or 6) Anti-Malaria Control Units under command - they all carried the same sign. The design of sign with the combined formation/unit together, and the formation sign itself, were introduced on 12 January 1942. The black swan/yellow ground formation sign only applied to units in the Middle East.

Later, the name of the Anti-Malaria Control Units was changed to 'Aust Malaria Control Unit'.

The 1 ton with registration AIF V5252 was sent to the ME in October 1940, so had lasted very well given the image was taken in 1942. The Chev 3 ton GS reg L14045 went to the ME in June 41. The Cab 12 'Nancy' has a Brit registration - a common occurrence for CMPs issued to Aust units from British stocks in theatre, often with the letters 'AIF' simply prefixed to the Brit number. Can't quite see if that is the case with this truck due to the angle.

Thanks, Mike: nice pics. Lots of details.

Mike

[Mike K]

The ute appears to be a 1 Ton chassis , with 17" wheels . The 15 cwt models had a full length running board , right to the rear guards , whereas the 1 Ton model had the short running boards as seen in this vehicle . Look at the worn tyre on the front near side.... this ute has travelled many miles

Driver Tom must have been a keen photographer, because there are later pics taken by him in New Guinea , now a corporal but still doing the same job , spraying DDT on mossies !

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...New_Guinea.jpg


Yes Tony , the base colour would be the darker green with the Light Stone applied with a brush

[Mike Cecil]

You are right, Mike .... can't read my own handwritten notes!!

Edited accordingly....

Mike