EDIT-anyone looking for BEF vehicle pictures will also find many on this thread- http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/30097-bef-army-troops-vehicle-arm-service-markings-others.html I was wondering if you had to identify an absolutely typical BEF vehicle for each category what would it be , heres my thoughts- Motorcycles BSA m20 Cars Austin Seven Hillman 10hp Humber Station Wagon Trucks/Lorries 8 cwt 4x2 – Humber 15 cwt 4x2 – Morris CS8 30cwt 4x2- Bedford OX 3 ton 4x2 - Bedford OY 3 ton 6x4 - Leyland Retreiver Artillery tractors 18/25 pounder – Morris Quad 4x4 Bofors - Morris CDSW 6x4 3.7IN AA / 7.2in- Scammel Pioneer 6x4 Carriers Bren Carrier Armour Armoured cars – Morris CS9 (the only ones ?) PS for anyone looking for vehicle pics their's a superb selection in this thread- http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/30097-bef-army-troops-vehicle-arm-service-markings-others.html Craig
In answer to your question, I would add a few more favourites. For starters: Cars Austin 8HP - the junior officers' run-around Humber Snipe - the senior officer's car Trucks/Lorries Morris Commercial PU 8 cwt - seen in large quantities with the BEF Bedford MWD 15 cwt - again seen in large quantities Morris Commercial CDF 30 cwt 6x4 - many of them with BEF but not seen much afterwards Guy FBAX 6x4 Wireless 6x4 Bedford and Austin - various impressed civilian lorries eg Bedford WHG Artillery tractors Morris CDSW (the field artillery tractor as distinct from the Bofors tractor you mention) Carriers Scout Armoured Cars Guy Mk1 Ambulances Austin K2 Mann Egerton body on Bedford lorry chassis I am sure others will have other ideas. By the way, the 7.2 inch gun came after France. The lookalike with the BEF is the 8 inch. Andrew
Craig There were six there with the so-called 'Phantom Mission' http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45936&stc=1&d=1298039070 Andrew
Craig There were six there with the so-called 'Phantom Mission' http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45936&stc=1&d=1298039070 Andrew I wonder if that belongs to this chap? http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/24602-6898432-lance-corporal-leonard-f-webber-2nd-battalion-queen-victorias.html and this chap? http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/allied-units-general/28159-no-11-military-mission-unmarked-grave-possibly-identified.html Andrew-Does the picture come with any description?
Dont forget to add the Mk1 & Mk1B Daimler Dingo to your list of armoured cars http://daimler-fighting-vehicles.co.uk/DFV-File%20Part%20Ba%20-%20History%20-%20WW2%20BEF%201939-1940.pdf
Andy The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location. I am a bit confused about all the missions now. I thought there was one - No 3 Air Mission that was also called the Hopkinson mission - and it had six Guy 'wheeled tanks'. I would be interested to hear it confirmed. Andrew
Andy The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location. I am a bit confused about all the missions now. I thought there was one - No 3 Air Mission that was also called the Hopkinson mission - and it had six Guy 'wheeled tanks'. I would be interested to hear it confirmed. Andrew I'll post a thread with a list Andrew-There was a few. If that Guy 'Tank' is linked to the above two men then that building has been knocked down and replaced with a roundabout.
Many Albions went over and never came back including the civilian type model CL 125, the first shot is poor but shows how desperate it must have been to move troops one good bend and they all fly off. a small number of mobile operating vehicles were also taken to France
finally the early cabbed AEC Matador and the FWD/AEC R6T recovery tractor here giving assistance to a morris 15cwt
Andy The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location. Andrew Sorry Andrew, no idea where that could be... By the way, great to see that there is more and more interest in this forum! Jan
Good pictures Les. I have searched for the identity of that Albion flatbed before, without success, so thanks for solving it for me. The mobile operating vehicle is also new to me. Did any go to France? I assume the Matador picture is taken in the UK from the terrain and the general look of training / testing about the picture. We had a big van crop up the other day when looking at ambulance vehicles on the beach at Dunkirk - to me it looked like a cross between horsebox and a furniture van. It is pictured here: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/31091-bef-ambulance-vehicles-2.html I don't suppose you know what that is do you? Andrew
Armoured cars -Forgot about the Dingos , found a French web site that gives BEF numbers as 6 Guys , 12 Dingos and 38 Morris CS9's ( I think) so CS9'S in the lead. Guys - probably seen as many Guy quads in photos as Morris's but not so many Guy 15cwts. Of course all views coloured by where the photographer's were but I would say Morris 15cwt CS8'sand Bedford OY 3 tonners ( with Austins K3 close second ) seem to be most numerous vehicles. Craig
Its a Bedford WLG type Andrew and most likely a impressed job originally a delivery van i expect converted for medical use. The Mat is in the UK but my idea here is to show the types in France or photos of models that would have gone with the BEF i think that way we can cover a lot more. Here ara some MorrisCDF 30cwt and Morris CD with a Thornycroft Tartar cheers Les
Les It's great to see the pictures whether taken in France or not. As to whether certain vehicle types actually did go to France or not, that can be answered in a number of ways. I have never seen your second and third pictures before. The Morris 6x4s are some of my favourites and these two pictures bring out the best in both. I have seen pictures of preserved CDFs but I guess there are no CDs left anywhere, sadly. Andrew
Going back to post #1; I would say that in terms of front line units at least, the Norton WD 16H was more numerous than the BSA KM and WM20s, as Nortons were the primary supplier to RAOC during the late 1930s. However, BSA were a larger company and once they started delivering during 1939, they were producing more than Norton. These machines are more likely to have been with the newly arrived divisions or with 2nd line troops and are therefore perhaps more often seen in photos from the beach areas. There are more Nortons in the 'Phony War' images.
Thats interesting , not too well up on the bikes. Its noticeable that the vehicles change as the campaign progresses ,as you say there doesn't seem to be much pre war stuff in the front line units by May. Most of the destroyed trucks inland seem to be 1939/1940 model WD Austins Bedfords Quads etc. Wheras the beach has a bit of everything. Going back to the Guy mk1 armoured cars another pic has appeared on this thread (posted by MorrisC8) http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/31764-markings-insignia-armour-bef-7.html so thats two out of the six ! Craig