Canadian 2 1/2 ton 1950s

[Robin Craig]

Does anyone recognise this truck and does anyone know where it might be now?

[Peter Phillips]

I thought I'd seen that one on Hwy 36 heading South of St Paul, AB. Unfortunately that was over a year ago and I only seen it once. Does that make sense?

[Robin Craig]

I have no idea where it was in your fair Province but it was listed on Kijiji around that time.

I was hoping that someone on the forum might have bought it or know where it might be. The vehicle has certain features that interest me if they are preserved.

[super dave]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

I have no idea where it was in your fair Province but it was listed on Kijiji around that time.

I was hoping that someone on the forum might have bought it or know where it might be. The vehicle has certain features that interest me if they are preserved.

What Features are you referring to ??

[Robin Craig]

I deeply suspect that this may have been ne of the trucks loaned to the Brits at BATUS and as such holds an interest in acquiring.

The paint scheme and call sign on the door to my untrained eye looks non Canadian.

Can anyone comment?

[Ed Storey]

The vehicle is ex-BATUS which alone would make it unique.

[Robin Craig]

Than you Ed Storey for confirming my suspicions.

I wonder where it went to?

[Wayne Hingley]

Ed, Im curious... Other than what appears to be a British style paint job, what information do you have to confirm this was a BATUS vehicle?

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

Does anyone recognise this truck and does anyone know where it might be now?

I was lucky enough to have a BATUS looking M135 slide into the herd. That colour scheme would keep the texting drivers from running into it.

There must be more of these out there. Surely they all didn't see the crusher yet.

[jdmcm]

Curious passenger side mirror on that truck as well as the paint job...sure looks like the BATUS markings, my FV432 had a very similar scheme we found under the green re-spray

[Robin Craig]

I have always been attracted to vehicles that are the exception to the norm.

The M135 vehicles used by the British at BATUS are such an animal.

While I yearn for one myself the reality of being a few provinces to the right makes ownership of one a remote possibility at the moment. In fact I might end up owning a Bedford MJ before i get one of these.

There are a few other vehicles currently or formerly in Alberta or nearby that I have tried to secure but alas without success.

Who knows what twists of fate may come to pass and who knows I may get one in the end.

[Robin Craig]

Rather like whale watching and the recognition of them, the paint scheme random patterns may lead someone to identify the British military registration number.

I am showing a picture I was sent a while ago that I should follow up on. It will be interesting to see what the official records say this vehicle was.

[chrisgrove]

Hi guys

Not a great pic, but this is another genuine BATUS M135CDN in which I covered just a few miles (in those days) on the great Alberta prairie. This was taken during either the first (probably) or the second British battle group to carry out training there waaaaay back. You can see the MoD number plate (22FL04) - these were just painted - no embossing. I assume, though I cannot swear to it, that all those GMCs were registered in the same FL series. It was so early in the BATUS saga that this truck (they all were) was still in its original - presumably Canadian - shade of green. No sand patches back then. This was actually the safety officers' admin truck.

Chris

[Dave D.]

It would be nice to have a BATUS rep on the streets for the historical interest.

I'll try another picture of the fleet. Having a few challenges posting pics so I hope this works.

[jdmcm]

Wow great collection Dave!

[super dave]

He just likes the bragging rights

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by jdmcm

Wow great collection Dave!

Thanks jdmcm, I'd like more so when we get visitors, they can try em' out.

Don't want to step on Robin's thread too much....or until I take that drive up highway 36 and find that truck for him....meanwhile, here's Superdave "Tuning up the truck". This is how you tune up the trucks.....right?'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU-Y6D6bxEM

[jdmcm]

Yes apologies to Robin for the sidetrack....what a great video! And if you really want more I have 5 of them I might consider parting with as I thin out the herd in anticipation of a spring move....sorry Robin no BATUS trucks among them!

[Ed Storey]

Here is a BATUS 101-Inch Forward Control Land Rover with a FL Series licence plate.

[David Herbert]

For those not familiar with the 1950s series of British army registrations, the letters were assigned in alphabetical order but with some codes reserved or not used. So BC is later than BB and EA is later than both. It is possible that FL was reserved for BATUS but I suspect not. The letter pairs did not refer to particular dates but most followed on from each other so do actualy help to date vehicles. Within each letter pair vehicles were allocated numbers in blocks at the time of purchase contract. A block of numbers could start at 00XX01 and end anywhere, so there might well be a completely different vehicle type starting at say 02XX01 (leaving 200 possible vehicles in the first block) and the next block could start at 42XX01 (leaving 4000 possible vehicles in the second block). The blocks were almost always bigger than the actual number of vehicles delivered but also it was possible for identical vehicles to be registered in more than one letter pair - for example FV434 REME fitters vehicles with ED and FA registrations.

So the Land Rover 101 is over 4600 registrations later than the 2 1/2 ton trucks and there could be all sorts of other things in between (and also gaps)

While on the subject, letter pairs starting with X, Y or Z were for renumbered vehicles that had had WW2 style registrations and the RAF had letter pairs starting with A.

Once a vehicle received a registration of this style it kept it for life, regardless of conversions etc. So Humber Pigs kept the registration of the 1ton trucks that they were converted from for example.

In the 1970s it got much more complicated...

David

[Robin Craig]

Dear David and all,

The statement "It is possible that FL was reserved for BATUS but I suspect not" is correct in the "not" part.

There were blocks of registrations for various fleet acquisitions, the 2 1/2 ton wagons were done one a local system that is currently being unraveled, exactly what field expedient program was used is unclear but I have inquiries ongoing in various domains that will reveal all in good time.

[super dave]

Here is a few pictures I took a couple years ago of some. there is one if I can find it is of a British made truck I believe with the same paint pattern.

[Ed Storey]

Here is a colour photograph taken in the same vehicle park.

[jdmcm]

Just something so cool about the GMC M series trucks...I remember them as a kid, the trucks lined up at Mewata Armouries in Calgary. We used to walk up and down the rows of them and I remember thinking...one day!

[Kolten Hooper]

A little bit off topic but here is a Kijiji ad for a Series 3 Land Rover and trailer which the seller claims to be ex BATUS. I have also included an image from the ad for future reference, when that ad is no longer active.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars/...ler/1220139714

I have no relation to the seller or ad.

[super dave]

A little off topic but I found those pics but not sure what kind of truck it is.

[David Herbert]

The truck in the post above is a "Truck, 3 ton, 4x4, tipper, with winch, FV13219" Usually refered to as a Commer Q4. Mostly built in 1952 and fitted with a 95hp side valve 6 cylinder petrol engine and a 5 ton winch. The basic vehicle was the FV13201 GS cargo truck. There were never great numbers in service and they tended to be used in more obscure roles, Bedfords being much more numerous. One of the best that I have seen - definately should be saved.

David

[Robin Craig]

The colour schemes at BATUS have varied slightly over the years. The most vibrant have been the OPFOR colours.

The Commer I have seen pictures of before but as I wasn't prepared to give someone gold for it the location was never revealed. I would dearly have loved to see it saved but could not get that achieved because of the lack of info.

The series 3 that Kolten posted is well known to me and I can vouch for the BATUS history on it and of the trailer, they are genuine without question and come from proven sources of long well known history. The truck is a good deal at the price and will likely end up in the US of A because of our dollar difference. The seller is the father of my god daughter, I found the trailer and sold it to him for what I paid for it and should have sold him my BATUS trailer and kept that one!

The 2 1/2 tons are magical because of the holes n the front bumper in my mind, same as the mighty mite look. I'm tapped out for a big truck like that I am told, I don't agree on the accounting so a truck may be in my future. If I can find one with its registration still painted on that would be the cats whotsit.

I am thrilled by how much attention this thread has generated.

[Dave D.]

Originally Posted by Robin Craig

The colour schemes at BATUS have varied slightly over the years. The most vibrant have been the OPFOR colours.

The sun may be shining on the next BATUS project so we should ask at this time if anyone has the paint codes for the old deuces?????

Since there was a variance over the years it makes sense to me to find all of the codes but I'd like to stick to what is currently on my early deuce. Looks like the kids started training here around 1972.

The boys over at Endura have some real good products and helped paint my first go-cart in the 70's so it'd be nice to get them involved.
http://www.endura.ca/index.html

Here is the little bit of research I've done on the colours for British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS)
http://leopardclub.ca/InTheField/Canada/C2-01/
http://www.army.mod.uk/operations-de...nts/22727.aspx

There is another thread on Maple Leaf Up that has a few great pictures so I'll try and dig that up.

[Jes Andersen]

Dave, Its good to see you posting up a storm over here and back over on the SS site. You can't be plowing much snow out there these days? We got some here but all the green trucks are inside where they like to stay...