Canadian to British

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

As you know, a number of CMPs were sold to the Ministry of Supply, Chevrolet and Ford. I guessed that this was because the Canadian 2nd Division was being allowed a quantity of vehicles in the scheme of things, and they had not yet landed. Dunkirk had been and gone, and a massive order had been placed for CMPs and MCPs. I believe that the DND had reluctantly come to the conclusion that they could release some vehicles in the meeting in Ottawa on 27th June 1940:

[Colonel N.O.] Carr thought that the mechanical transport already delivered for the 2nd Division had an important bearing as it might be utilised to satisfy in part English {sic.} requirements

This at a time of the massive, with the greatest respect all round, hypocrisy from the British end. Up until Dunkirk elements of the War Department and Ministry of Supply, including the Minister himself, had stated that the British would be able to provide the Canadian Government with vehicles for the 1st Division, and that there was to be no reliance on Canadian supply. This continued even though by mid-June '40 the wind had changed, and that the depletion of precious dollars and foreign currency to pay for US and Canadian vehicles had to be voted for in Treasury Committees. This of course resulted in the orders placed in Ottawa and New York, to supplement the diverted French orders. By July there was a clamour by the British for supply over the need to provide for the Canadian 3rd Division. It is to Ottawa's extreme credit in my opinion that at least a quantity of these precious assembled vehicles were released, and I suggest as I have done before, that some if not all ended up in North Africa.