Identification of vehicle and location wanted

[welbike]

Hi all,

I'm sure I've seen this picture;



before, in a book ?? does anyone know what the CMP's are, and the location? Italy comes to mind, but not sure, just bought this picture in Normandy.

Cheers,

Lex Schmidt

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Lex,
The truck in the foreground is a Chevrolet 30cwt Anti-Tank Portee, according to its census number.

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

It was on the cover of World War Two Military Vehicles-Transport and Halftracks, by G.N.Georgano. This was the first reference book I bought, and the photo was the reason. It began my journey...
Rich.

[cletrac (RIP)]

The back one is a Chev, likely a 60 cwt.
You can tell the front one is a portee by the doors.

[Tony Wheeler]

Did they make a SWB portee? I thought they were F30 or C30. This looks like a FAT chassis to me. It also looks Indian pattern. My guess would have been India/Burma monsoon season. Only a guess of course.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Lex,

This is an ex-Portee which was rebuilt into a 17-pdr gun tractor. IIRC, W&T 33 features the same photo, stating it was taken in Italy.

HTH,
Hanno

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

As far as I can tell, all the ones in the UK were rebuilt as "Tractor, 4x4, Anti-Tank, 17-pdr". These were based on the Morris C8 2pdr AT Portee, Morris C8/P S.P. Predictor and Chevrolet 8440 2pdr AT Portee, converted into 17-pdr gun tractors after the portee concept became obsolete. If I recall correctly, the original portee body was modified, rather than an entirely new one was fitted. Read Wheels & Tracks issue no. 33 for the full story and photos.

[cliff]

The New Zealand Army had a lot of these 12 cab portee's in the middle East and Italy. I too would say that this photo was taken in Italy.

The NZ forces took all these portee's home and made them into GS trucks by rebuilding the rear body.

[welbike]

Hi all,

Thanks for the quick identifications, it also says "LST 152" on the windscreen of the first truck, so first thought Normandy, but indeed Italy used LST's too.

Nobody mentioned the bikes, they are not clear enough to see, but I lean towards Triumph 3HW's.

Cheers,

Lex

ps, Hanno, will look up the W&T article!

[Tony Wheeler]

Fascinating! I never knew they built a CGT based portee. Do we have any pics? I guess it would be much like the Morris...?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Fascinating! I never knew they built a CGT based portee. Do we have any pics? I guess it would be much like the Morris...?

Tony,

As stated, read Wheels & Tracks issue no. 33 for the full story and photos.

H.

[welbike]

Here the complete caption of the picture:

"Transport struggling through the surging waters which overrun a division in the Cesena area, October 1944"

Picture IWM NA 19787.

Bart added; "Cesena is in Italy, south of Ravenna and the loaded CGT AT tractor was an ex-AT Portee, note the rearranged canvas cover, obviating the peculiar "two-tier" windscreens, and the H-prefixed WD number"

Scanned the next page, just saw there are 2 more, email me if you want the prev. 2 aswell.



Cheers,

Lex

[Tony Wheeler]

Thanks very much Lex.

[Alan McGuinness]

...and one for sale recently: http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...?t=8093&page=7

[Mike Kelly]

Some of these chev portees have been found in NZ

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Source of this photo is the Imperial War Museum London: “NA 19787 4th Bn moving up in Bucine”

See https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205013522

And https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ject/205534028