Hi, Within the war diary of 529 Coy RASC (52 Division)there are a series of Daily Orders which include congratulations to drivers for presenting the best vehicle in local or REME inspections. The unit was one of the RASC companies under command of 52 Infantry Division and I believe was equipped with 3-ton load vehicles. I copied a random selection of vehicle numbers and wondered if anyone could identify the type? I was hoping they would be Austin K5 3-tonners but sadly I don't think the numbers match up. M5397800 L159493 L512101 L217051 L512048 C65943 L4880870 C936113 L238319 L199722 All help gratefully received. Regards Tom
Hi Tom, Nice to see your posts again. I am afraid only one looks to be what you are looking for:- M5397800 - Austin 3 ton 4 x 2 GS, M5394641-M5400640 L159493 - this is just listed as various L150001-L166709 L512101 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS + Open Workshop L510001-L513939 L217051 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS + Slave L216852-L217170 C65943 - Matchless 350cc solo C63586-C67585 L4880870 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS L4876349-L4886339 C936113 - Matchless 350cc solo C934001-C93859 L238319 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS + Open Workshop L238086-239017 L199722 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS L199580-L200304 Cheers Kevin
Hi Kevin, Thanks for details - as always very useful. I have a few more if you are interested. Unfortunately, I read on through the diary this evening and found a reference to: 13 Aug 44 "complete set of new vehicles taken over' and later entries show that these were still 3-tonners, despite a bout of Jeep training before departing for the continent. The last Daily Orders I copied was, as Sod's Law ensured, dated from the middle of July so that I'll have to go back to the file and see if Daily Orders after mid-August make reference to vehicle numbers as well. I was surprised to see that an infantry division RASC company would have 3-ton 4x2's so I'm thinking that the change in August would have been to 4x4's. So there is still hope of a K5!!! Additional numbers were: C936193 M5397800 L512048 L215590 L491592 L199715 L199739 L199714 C936134 Last 4 were all noted as belonging to "B" Platoon - which suggests that before Aug 44 the unit's load vehicles were Bedford 3-ton 4x2 GS. Regards Tom
Hi Tom, Thanks for the additional numbers. Please continue to post them. The majority of the extra numbers are already covered by the number ranges I posted earlier with 2 exceptions:- L215590 - Bedford 3 ton 4 x 2 GS + Open Workshop. L213102-L216201. Another Bedford I am afraid. L491592 - interestingly I have 465375-500000 as not being taken up. I have come across other "not taken up" numbers in the past though. If it is a help these are the number ranges I have for Austin 3 ton GS 4 x 4's L761100-761150 L4474235-4474235 L4891340-4892639 L5130713-5130812 L5192103-5194198 L5822868-5825367 There are others but they cover air portable, AT portees, water as well as loads of 4 x 2's. Cheers Kevin
Hi Kevin, I found a couple of vehicle numbers in the war diary for later that year (November 1944), not Austin K5's though: L5434210 L5434787 Any ideas? I'd hoped they might be air-portable K5's as 52 Division was air-portable! Regards Tom
Hi Tom, Sorry they are Fords, but at least they are 4 x 4's L5432051-5437050 Ford 3 ton 4 x 4 GS The Air-Portable number ranges I have are:- L6161001-L6164000 L6239421-L6243420 Please keep posting any numbers you find. Cheers Kevin