Info needed: correct colours for WWII Aust vehicles

[Mike K]

Appears to be a British colour scheme 1941 ? Malaya . The car looks like a Chev so its Australian paint ?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Appears to be a British colour scheme 1941 ? Malaya . The car looks like a Chev so its Australian paint ?

Yes Mike it's KG3 with Dark Tarmac disruptive (standard British disruptive colour at the time). Looks like the KG3 was repainted at the same time, presumably British stocks were used. I have another image which shows 8th Div formation sign, plus B&W image showing this scheme.

8th Div staff car Malaya 1941 (note camo).jpg

009341 1941-08. MALAYA CROSSING A MALAYAN RIVER. AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRANSPORT. (NEGATIVE BY M. NIC.JPG

[Tony Wheeler]

Singapore April 1941 we see Dark Tarmac disruptive again but this time over S.C.C. 2 which has already replaced KG3 in production. Note rear vehicle still KG3 which dates the changeover to early '41. Meanwhile Australian Army retained KG3 until 1948!

Morris quads Singapore April 1941 Photographer Carl Mydans (2).jpg

Morris quads Singapore April 1941 Photographer Carl Mydans.jpg

[Mike K]

I believe some of the refugee vehicles arrived here still finished in the earlier two green disruptive British scheme .

I have one original Morris CS8 GS body side, the two greens are there to be seen , faded of course. The darker green was originally very dark , this was hand painted over the khaki 3 . The PU I have here has the two greens as well , under the desert yellow, which is under the cheap grey Lanes Motors applied in 1945. The old chap up at Whittlesea told me: Lanes Motors slapped a cheap coat of grey paint over the military paint before they sold the vehicles.

BTW the Ambulance in the Wangaratta film is a very odd strange green, the canvas and uniforms appear to be a reasonable colour . This to me indicates the dyes in the film stock appear to be in OK ?

This is a drawing I did years ago, an attempt at re-creating what I found on the Morris body. I should not have indicated G3 for the darker colour .edit: it should be G4 . The two Humbers on the punt, maybe they are the two greens ?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

I believe some of the refugee vehicles arrived here still finished in the earlier two green disruptive British scheme....The darker green was originally very dark, this was hand painted over the khaki 3....The two Humbers on the punt, maybe they are the two greens ?

Good point Mike, I hadn't considered that possibility. I presume this refugee Bedford is the two green scheme...? They're quite close in tone, very little disruptive effect. Humber scheme looks to have more contrast, so my first thought was Dark Tarmac, but on reflection I suspect you're right. It's quite dark overall, more like the Bedford than the ambo seen below. However I don't know enough about British colours and chronology to be confident. It takes a practised eye to distinguish camo schemes in B&W photos, and I lack familiarity with British schemes.

BRG-213-121-14-23A.jpeg

BRG-213-121-14-23B.jpeg

009341 1941-08. MALAYA CROSSING A MALAYAN RIVER. AUSTRALIAN ARMY TRANSPORT. (NEGATIVE BY M. NIC.JPG

P03429.001 Malaya 1941 Chevrolet 30 cwt Indian Army Pattern Ambulance donated by Rawleighs L.JPG

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Tony
I always understood that the Bedford QLB LAA tractors as in your post were actually sent to Australia and not refugees. From what I remember they were assembled at the GM plant at Fishermans Bend. It is highly likely they left the Vauxhall factory in Luton in the same colour as all other Bedfords coming of the line, ie same as the then current army paint regulations in UK.
Regards Richard

[Tony Wheeler]

Hi Richard,

I’m afraid my use of the word “refugee” was an assumption on my part, I really don’t know much about these Bedford tractors, just using this one as an example of paint colour. Thanks very much for the info, which makes perfect sense now that I think about it.

Photos are indeed taken at Fishermans Bend, they appear in a promotional album produced by GMH in 1942.

Cheers, Tony

BRG-213-121-14-23.jpeg

BRG-213-121-14-21.jpeg

BRG-213-121-14-24.jpeg

Bedford QL Bofors tractor Lae NG.jpg