“Flow of WWII weapons after the war”

[Hanno Spoelstra]

You’re right Bruce, while armament tradings are controlled, vehicle sales are much less so. In the Netherlands we have a couple of international players like Van Dam, Reomie and Commerce-Trucks. As far as I can tell they all started after WW2 when the vast surplus stocks of the Canadian Army overseas had to be distributed in the Netherlands and abroad. Most of these businesses are a former shade of themselves, now often specializing in e.g. sales of Land Rover parts (the full stock of spares taken over from the Dutch Army), or selling ex-military trucks to the African continent where there is a need for off-road vehicles and less stringent emission regulations. These are sprayed white, blue, etc. and are then shipped over, often with the cargo bed filled to the brim with spares and consumables.

Picture shows a Dutch DAF YA-4440 YAD 4-ton 4x4 GS ex- NL Army truck prepared for shipment. This truck was built some 40 years ago and will serve for many more. How’s that for durability, eh?

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