some unlikely Spanish combinaciones de vehiculos

[nuyt]

From a Spanish book on the history of the Brunete armoured division: Spanish vehicles of Franco's army in the fifties.

1. US Willy's and German 37mm gun

[nuyt]

The trucks were called Trumphy in Spain, the PAK is a 75mm one.

[nuyt]

In the background some Chevrolet 1939 or 1940 with pontoons.

[nuyt]

no comments

[nuyt]

The Spanish army appears te have had a substantial fleet of pre-war Chevrolets. The high bodies look all the same and were probably locally made. The book says these trucks were received in the fifties as Amercian aid (like the previously shown vehicles) but I doubt that. They were probably imports from around 1940 (could this be right, David?). There are several versions in this book: pontoon carriers, infantry trucks, mg trucks and 20mm AA trucks (the guns in this particualr picture are Italian 20mm Breda's: a remnant fomr the Spanish Civil War, I guess).
Enjoy,
Nuyt

[nuyt]

This GMC was used to carry tanks (a Panzerkampfwagen 1 in this case, while the vehicle behind carries a T26- both tanks were still in Spanish service in the fifties). There were also White tank carriers.
This picture is from a 1942 victory parade.
Are these 3-ton Cargo GMC ACX 504, like in French contract?
Enjoy.
Nuyt

[nuyt]

Well, after consulting Vanderveen's books I doubt if these were AXC 504's:
- they have General Motors Truck printed on the hood side;
- the frontbumpers seem fitted higher;
- the headlights seem to be in a different position.
Anyone else?
Nuyt

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by ericnuyt
The trucks were called Trumphy in Spain, the PAK is a 75mm one.

Thanks for the pics, Nuyt!

Click here for more info on Spanish 'Trumphys'.

H.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

1. Background: General Motors Peninsular S.A. was officially closed on 18 July 1936, and then on 30 July the premises in Barcelona [HQ Madrid] were taken over by the Catalan Government. The staff left for France 14 August 1936 in the early evening.
2. The plant was then taken over by the Republicans and spare chassis were then used as we know to provide armoured trucks. Then production commenced under Government control under a new name which escapes me!
3. After Franco's victory in 1939 it appears, though not stated in the GMOO 1944 book, that GM re-entered the Plant and production re-commenced for a short time. In the early part of 1942 the small intermitent volume, the '44 book says. from the Lisboa branch of GMOO did not justify its existence and so on 31 December 1942 liquidation proceedings were completed.

I am conjecting that in 1940 despite the exchange control problems and the ruined economy that GM Peninsular assembled Chevrolet and GMC trucks imported through Lisboa. Those Chevrolets are 1940 Models without doubt. However the GMC has me foxed, or did until I looked up my GMC Parts List for US Government trucks. Now, despite what may have been thought GMC retained the '40 style front end for heavy trucks into 1941 and 1942, and the '41-on Chevrolet style front end was not universal. I believe the GMC is a 1941 CC-453, with military style front bumper. The 1940 Model was the AC-453 ..157 3/4 " w.b. as against the CC-453 159 3/4" but I may be wrong! The reference to 'GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK' indicates civilian style. However I cannot find my drawings of heavy duty '40-42 GMCs so cannot confirm whether the truck is a '40 or '41 Model.

I am gobsmacked that we have proof here that GM did indeed import trucks in the 1940-42 period and yet the official wartime history is silent on the point.

On reflection it makes sense to me that the US Government may have been keen to allow the impression that the trucks were post-war 'aid' rather than imported through the back door in 1940-41.

[Stellan Bojerud (RIP)]

In 1936 Barcelona was the stronghold of the Republicans.

[nuyt]

David, the text of the book explicitly names the "camions portacarros" as GMC ACX-504 and White 920. Now, from the above I gather you agree with me taht the GMC above is not of this type. There may have been 504s on strengt after all, since their name does not show up like that in these serious publications. So perhaps they were there as well.
I found at least 3 different tank carriying vehicles in this book:
- the GMC
- a 6x4 White?
- a 4x2 White? see picture below

[nuyt]

the 6 wheeler

[nuyt]

According to Hugh Thomas (The Spanish Civil War) the Ford and GM works were seized in Barcelona, in early August 1936. After a protest by the American government, the Spanish (=Republican) government undertook compensation. But "government" was a fluid notion. The Ford works came under control of the CNT forces (page 295). There's no mention of who took over the GM, but most likely it was this force as well.

Paul Preston (Franco biographer) names military aid by the US as: "military equipment confined largely to equipment surplus to the general NATO build-up, weapons, aircraft and vehicles already used in WW2 and/or Korea (p 623).
In exchange there would be US bases at Torrejon and Rota (still there anno 2004).
Second rate stuff. But soon ther would be Chaffee tanks, halftracks, M8 armoured cars, C15TA and Walker Bulldog tanks! (Nuyt)

I am not sure if there was any military cooperation between Spain and Portugal around 1940. Franco dreamt of taking over Portugal, though some sort of friendship treaty was signed.

Most logical origin of the GM and Chevrolet 1940 trucks would be civilian imports to Barcelona or through any other factory, like Lisbon (but we also know DAF provided Spain with Trado converted trucks during the Civil War).

To take the subject somewhat further: In a book called Les Chasseurs d 'Afrique by Sicard and Vauvilier there is the following entry on page 129(There is obviously some legend that the French army took over a number of GMC 4x4 trucks (ACK353) from the fleeing Republican forces in 1939. True or not, we shall find out):

[nuyt]

the right one is a ACK353 with creative fuel system.
Enjoy
Nuyt

[nuyt]

of the T26 carrying vehicle
Nuyt

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

That photo is definitely of an ACK-353, late 1939 on production as a 1940 Model, US military production. However, note that the possibly 1941 Model has 'GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK' on the side..and the grille is different. Must check further to confirm MY.

I am sure the French GMCs were in the first batch of 2,000 [later there was one ordered for 7,000] assembled from early 1940 by GM France in Gennevilliers with 450 workers. Production was continuing until June 11 when work stopped.

[nuyt]

That French legend intrigues me.

I find it hard to believe that in early 1939 fleeing Republican forces brought in a number of modern 4x4 GMCs to the French Army.
But there might be another truth in that Spanish connection legend. Just speculating here, of course.
The French Army had ordered thousands and thousands of US trucks right? Dodges, Whites and GMCs. Who was going to produce all that? That factory in France with 450 workers? Direct shippings from the US? Or was that recovering factory in Barcelon given a role after 1939 and did they produce some trucks as well for both the Spanish market (extremely small and basically military in the recovering dictatorial country) as well as the French? Did a small number of the "French contract"come through Spain (and/or Lisbon). It must have been hard to give that factory breathing again and a role in the French production could have saved it.
Then came the war and German occupation of part of France.
Now, what I would like to know is what had happened to the French contract after june 1940? As a lawyer I would say: nothing, business as usual. Why? Well, the contract was with the French govt and a US corporation. The Vichy govt, was (how odd this may seem) LEGALLY still the only govt of France. The rebel was De Gaulle (history would prove him right though). It was the French parliament that had signed the armistice with germany with a large majority and they had appointed hte legendary and authorative Marshall Petain, hero of Verdun, as their president.
Meanwhile the US were still neutral untill dec 1941 and I cant see any reason for them to forbid or cancel the orders earlier than that. Did the French do this themselves?
France was allowed to have an army of no more than 100.00 men with few heavy weapons and would not need all those trucks.
So they became available and many were delivered to Britain for instance.
Now, I am just guessing here. Is this how it went?
Nuyt

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Nuyt, I can answer your query with certainty in part. That is that immediately after the fall of France the French Government formally assigned all contracts outstanding to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I believe that a similar arrangement applied to the Belgian and Dutch Governments thigu I have yet to see anything in files. On top of that, there were seizures on the High Seas of trucks destined for Danmark albeit that they were to be sent on to Norvege and Sverige. This latter accounted for several hundred Chevrolets and there was an almighty fuss over that created by GM in New York with the British Government! In addition I know of some Opels that were seized by the Royal Navy and then auctioned off at the quayside virtually in Southampton.

Now, that general assignment applied to trucks as well as tractors etc. in transit as well as not yet shipped. Some shipments were diverted, e.g. White and White-Ruxtell, to the Mid-East for N African assembly. Other contracts were avoided if required or delivery was taken by the NY Purchasing Commission and then sold off on the civilian market. e.g. fuel tanks for Whites.

In addition, a quantity of GMCs and Chevrolets arrived at La Rochelle all crated up, rather than in Port de Paris and these were intended for the French forces still fighting after the fall of Paris. However after the surrender the Germans found these CKD units and then had them shipped to Antwerpen/Anvers for assembly. I cannot comment on anything other than the Chevrolets and GMCs but these were indeed assembled in Antwerpen/Anvers for the Low Countries, and indeed some crated vehicles wre damaged on the dockside by the Luftwaffe. GM France assembled all GM vehicles. The official history states that Gennevilliers Plant was requisitioned by the military authorities soon after war was declared and then released many of the workmen from the Army so that urgent assembly of the 2,000 GMC trucks could commence. The order managed to get through to France 'early in 1940' and 450 men worked 12-hour shifts 7 days per week assembling trucks, with 60 per day being produced on June 11. Orders for 7,000 Chevrolet and GMC trucks and 480 Detroit-Diesel generator sets never reached France, and the trucks and 'much of the Diesel material were later transferred to the British Army'.

Gennevilliers was evacuated June 11, and then all men aged between 18 and 48 were ordered to make their way to a predermined rendezvous at Marcilly-en-Villette. All through the last night of June 10 & 11, the employees worked to assemble as many of the last 250 GMC trucks with which to move equipment out of danger.

In addition to the GM contracts there were of course the Ford ones. Dagemham assembled the Models E01Y, E01T, E018T, and 01A from diverted US Ford components.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have retrieved my Xerox copy of NATIONAL ARCHIVES file CAB115/738 relating to the assignment of French contracts. Apart from White and White-Ruxtell there were 50 Lima Reclamation Works crawler cranes. I also see that Caterpillar tractors included D-6, D-4, D-6 and D-8 models, plus R. le Tonneau P.69, G, X; Rome Plow Company Harrows, Rogers Brothers Corporation trailers; La Plant - Choate -156 Leghdopod and trail builders [!] and a Ditcher company truck-mounted ditcher.

WHITE: 50? x 760

WHITE-RUXTELL:
10? x 920
300 x 922

GMC:
1,500 x ACK-353
1,000 x ACKW-353
1,850 x AC-504
10 x AFW-809

CHEVROLET:
2,650 x 6 X 4 Houlder-Thornton

DODGE:
1,500 x T-203

MACK:
150 x EXBX...100 with Mack axles and 50 with Timken axles
? x NR

I have most of the Census Numbers for the above plus all the British S/M Demands which were issued on assignment of the French contracts. I have a feeling that the Assignment was dated 26 June 1940, and I have seen a copy of it but cannot confirm yet.

I have no evidence of any connection between GM in France and Spain, especially as the Barcelona operation was effectively hamstrung by exchange control problems and thus never did get going after the technical re-opening in early 1939. The official history from 1944 states that the GM Plant in Port-de-Paris was run under military augis and was charged with assembling all of the 2,000 GMCs. This raises the query as to what did happen to those trucks that were delivered to French North Africa? Did Vichy 'sell' any to the Spanish Government? The big problem would have been lack of spare parts..the British had to spend millions of dollars on parts for the ex-French contracts in addition to the 'gift' of the trucks themselves.

[nuyt]

David, which French government assigned the contracts to Britain?
Vichy, les legalistes, or De Gaulle, the one recognised by Britain?
If it was De Gaulle, then I think this was a brillant act of piracy by the British!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

..the French Government* through the Anglo-French Purchasing Commission in New York City. It also related to Canadian orders although the only possible evidence I have is some Chevrolets, Normal Control and COE that ended up on the civilian register. The jury is out on whether the 1939 and 1940 Model Chevrolet NC and COE CHASSIS and CHASSIS-CABS sourced from the US were diverted from Antwerpen/Anvers or Gennevilliers, or were prize seizures being destined for Kobenhaven.

*Therefore was it not the final act of the Daladier administration? As you know Churchill had a few days previously offered a union with France in perpetuity.

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Nuyt, consider these points please..
1. The file shows that shipments to the UK and N Africa commenced early July 1940 and took some months to be completed. In that time the Royal Navy could have and would have seized all shipments, which appear to have been in Dutch or Belgian ships as well judging by names, and diverted them to British ports. That would have caused an enormous outcry of course, given the animosity that had was building up steam amongst the French in Britain, but Churchill would have dismissed the furore. I have to add here that these contracts amounted to millions of dollars [I have seen some figures in the files] for which the Republic de France paid. The Assignment also included Curtiss P.40 Warhawk aircraft, plus Brewster Buffalos and probably some others I cannot recall. In addition French financing of the Alison engine project and Detroit-Diesel engines for tanks was also transferred, so the agreement was alot larger than might first meet the eye.
2. De Gaulle believed that he and his cohorts were the legitimate French government-in-exile and French assets in the UK were accounted to them by the British, A famous example is those British-gauge Wagons-Lits railway cars that had been stranded in England, and when the British Army used them in Kent a rent had to be paid to the De Gaulle administration. Whether you consider De Gaulle's assumption in such circumstances 'piracy' is open to individual sentiments.
3. The Assignment was recognised as legitimate by the US and Canadian Governments. Let us be honest here and say that the USG especially stood to gain as these contracts could have been cancelled and the momentum that was gained by military production was then carried-over to USG contracts. The files makes it clear that cancellation was an option and was sparingly carried out.

[nuyt]

If the assignment was an act of the Daladier govt than all legal matters seem clear and I can understand it was recognised as legitimate by US and other govts.

Of course I have no individual sentiment to accuse the British (or the Free/Fighting French) of piracy. I was only joking and referring to the purely fictitious (and now eliminated) possiblilty of a Charles entering the rooms of say, a Winston, who would say: Ah, there you are, Charles, my dear friend, now be a good chap and sign here, ...ah, good man! Send in the Navy, lads!

I think it goes to show De Gaulles bravado to have the guts to ask the British to pay rent for using French stranded railcars in their own country. It takes courage and a little bluff to lead your country through the eye of a needle and he did it (just like your chap Winston).

Going back to the Spanish legends: what intrigues me more in the French Contract story is that at least three types (White 920, White 760 and ACX 504) seem to have been in Spanish service as well around 1942. Coincidence?

Nuyt

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Nuyt, you might like to ponder on the legitimitacy of prize seizures in international waters by the Royal Navy of legitimate deliveries of vehicles intended for Danmark, albeit under German subjugation, that themselves were intended for Norge [again under subjugation] and neutral Sverige. The vehicles being owned at the time by neutral USA. This legitimacy point was discussed at length it seems on both sides of the Atlantic, but the ultimate point was that they had been lawfully seized and the value went into the coffers of the Trading With The Enemy Act trustees.

I would be interested to know what arrangements were made about assignment of Low Countries' contracts, if there were any outstanding. Clearly those GM vehicles that were assembled in Antwerpen/Anvers that were destined for the NEI either arrived in Batavia or were seized by the Wehrmacht. The domestic vehicles were a nice present for the Germans...Bart Vanderveen recalled how his father's Chevrolet sedan was seized. On reflection the illegal confiscation of thousands of vehicles from the occupied countries in 1940 by the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, SS, was indeed pure piracy.

Final thought: I really am interested to establish whether the Spanish did indeed acquire ex-French vehicles in N Africa. Is there any possibility that any vehicles were driven over the border by French forces to escape the German onslaught? I know that the French did 'invade' Switzerland for a short time in June 1940 because a section of the Army erroneously thought that the plan to cross the border had been put into effect. However they retreated back across the frontier.

[nuyt]

I have no evidence of any connection between GM in France and Spain, especially as the Barcelona operation was effectively hamstrung by exchange control problems and thus never did get going after the technical re-opening in early 1939. The official history from 1944 states that the GM Plant in Port-de-Paris was run under military augis and was charged with assembling all of the 2,000 GMCs. This raises the query as to what did happen to those trucks that were delivered to French North Africa? Did Vichy 'sell' any to the Spanish Government? The big problem would have been lack of spare parts..the British had to spend millions of dollars on parts for the ex-French contracts in addition to the 'gift' of the trucks themselves.

The GMC's in Vichy Africa were all used by the French forces themselves, at least this is what I understand from the various French publications I have. It is unlikely they sold them to Spain.
First you would have to prove anyway that these types had already been delivered to France BEFORE the Fall of France (were they?).
Another possiblity of course would be that the Germans (under a military aid programme called Baer) provided the Spanish with captured trucks from France (there is no evidence of that at the moment).

Another question, did the Vichy govt try in any way to obtain material that was assigned to the allies after June 1940? Did they protest at the reassignment? After all, the official representative in the US must still have been the French Ambassador. At least in the beginning he must have been Vichy aligned, especially as the US were a neutral country where there would have been little pressure (not even from De Gaulle at that stage probably).

If he had any Talleyrand blood or Machiavellian virtues though he surely found the right moment to switch sides.

Nuyt

[nuyt]

Nuyt, you might like to ponder on the legitimitacy of prize seizures in international waters by the Royal Navy of legitimate deliveries of vehicles intended for Danmark, albeit under German subjugation, that themselves were intended for Norge [again under subjugation] and neutral Sverige. The vehicles being owned at the time by neutral USA. This legitimacy point was discussed at length it seems on both sides of the Atlantic, but the ultimate point was that they had been lawfully seized and the value went into the coffers of the Trading With The Enemy Act trustees.

I was referring to the peculiar French circumstances: having two governments. In the case of Denmark and Norway, Hollan detc, there was eiter no government left or the whole legit govt had gone into exile to London. The French were the big exception.

I would be interested to know what arrangements were made about assignment of Low Countries' contracts, if there were any outstanding. Clearly those GM vehicles that were assembled in Antwerpen/Anvers that were destined for the NEI either arrived in Batavia or were seized by the Wehrmacht. The domestic vehicles were a nice present for the Germans...Bart Vanderveen recalled how his father's Chevrolet sedan was seized. On reflection the illegal confiscation of thousands of vehicles from the occupied countries in 1940 by the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffe, SS, was indeed pure piracy.

I will never use the p-word again on this forum.

Nuyt

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Nuy, I have no evidence, and neither have I heard of anything until now, about Vichy objections to the British 'acquisition' of French contracts. That said it is very possible! I find the ill-fated Naval assault on Dakar rather fascinating.

I think that I may have misdirected myself! The diverted 1940 Model Chevrolet WE or WF COE trucks, at least, and probably the N.C. chassis were in fact destined for Antwerpen/Anvers, and landed at La Rochelle instead. The intention was this 'booty' would be used fy the Free French forces although the whole caboodle was seuzed by the Wehrmacht on June 22.

I found this information in my thesis:

Despite French and Belgian orders for Fords, Chevrolets and GMCs being diverted to the U.K., there had already been considerable deliveries to the Belgian, Dutch and French forces in 1939 and 1940, and there were also CKD packs that arrived at La Rochelle which were intended for the French forces [possibly for assembly in Gennevilliers originally], though the Germans seized the port on 22 June and the crated components were confiscated. With the invasion of the Soviet Union in mind, the German forces required every vehicle possible including former civilian vehicles. G.M. and Ford in Antwerp were required to become involved in programmes. In August 1940, G.M. Antwerp started assembly of stocks of CKD packs, which totalled 1,308 Chevrolet trucks and 156 cars, broken down again as 72 ‘light delivery’ chassis, 1,128 1½-ton WA and WB trucks virtually identical to those being handled by Limited, and 108 heavy-duty C.O.E. WF chassis. The cars were: 106 Chevrolet, 22 Buicks, 21 Pontiacs and 7 Oldsmobiles; all for the Wehrmacht. The assembly of the packs followed these from La Rochelle in the New Year, which probably consisted of Chevrolets and GMCs.

So, Belgian orders were diverted, p-word'ed by the Free French and then again by the Germans!

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

GMC:
1,500 x ACK-353
1,000 x ACKWX-353
1,850 x AC-504
10 x AFW-809

Note the correct designation of the ACKW chassis.

23 x AFWX-354...these were to Dds 1624 [Diverted Shipments] plus a further quantity of AFWX-354, all of which were used initially as Searchlight trucks to S/M 2016. I have often wondered whether these were being shipped to France and then diverted, with the later S/M 2016 Demand covering ASSIGNED trucks. In addition to these there may also have been an order for AFKWX-353 COE trucks.

[nuyt]

look like rheinmetall 37mm to me, Stellan (but these had also been sold to the Sovyets prior to 1940).

greetings
Nuyt

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

GMC: 23 x AFWX-354...Dds 1624 [Diverted Shipments]
WHITE: 19 x Model 920 Transporter 18-ton 6 x 4 to French Contract F57(69)?
PACKARD: Car
FORD: Car
2 x 25 cwt Tractor Petrol
Tractor

I have no proof yet that any Macks or Whites/White-Ruxtells actually arrived in France. Bart Vanderveen does not unequivocally confirm that any Macks arrived in France in his book and suggests that all were diverted. Perhaps someone has written a book about WW2 Spanish vehicles? This is really intriguing!!