BEF Vehicles

Discussion in '1940' started by JCB, Feb 18, 2011.

  1. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    Can anyone identify this vehicle? It is destined for the Army troops markings thread.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=46760&stc=1&d=1299110308

    Andrew
     

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  2. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Not easy ! first thoughts a Fordson 7V but body looks a bit big. Truck behind looks like a ERF.

    Edit - yes fairly sure Fordson 7v the rear hubs and door / wings look right. Also fairly sure truck behind is ERF first BEF one I've seen.
     
  3. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Bedford ID Plate.
    TRUCK 3 TON 4-WHLD. GS BODY MARK.
    Vauxhall Motors LTD. 1939
    Luton England
    Contract No V.3731
    WD No Wt
    I bought this Bedford 3 ton plate. it came from the Stalingrad area and i think it is from a BEF Veh that was left in 1940. Any info on the V3731 Contract number might help. Truck has been hit as the Bronze/brass plate is bent and might have been in or near a fire or could be the red/yellow type paint on it, + still has Gray paint on. . Looks like its done a few miles British use then German use then back to the UK.
     

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  4. rewdco

    rewdco Senior Member

    Any info on the V3731 Contract number might help.

    Keith,

    The census numbers that were allotted for this contract (V3731, Bedford Lorry 3 ton 4x2 G/S OY) were L201246 until L201605. This information comes from the Chilwell list. These census numbers are RASC numbers, and unlike the pre 1940 RAOC numbers they don't tell anything about the issue date.

    But I do know that the split up system (different census numbers for RASC and RAOC vehicles) was started at the end of 1939 (when the RASC 4 wheeled vehicles started with the census number 150001) and lasted until approximately December '41 - January '42 (RASC census numbers were almost reaching 1000000 by then, but the 300000 and 400000 blocks had not been used by the RASC).

    So "early 1940" is very plausible for census numbers L201246 until L201605!

    Hope this information is useful,

    Jan
     
  5. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Keith,

    The census numbers that were allotted for this contract (V3731, Bedford Lorry 3 ton 4x2 G/S OY) were L201246 until L201605. This information comes from the Chilwell list. These census numbers are RASC numbers, and unlike the pre 1940 RAOC numbers they don't tell anything about the issue date.

    But I do know that the split up system (different census numbers for RASC and RAOC vehicles) was started at the end of 1939 (when the RASC 4 wheeled vehicles started with the census number 150001) and lasted until approximately December '41 - January '42 (RASC census numbers were almost reaching 1000000 by then, but the 300000 and 400000 blocks had not been used by the RASC).

    So "early 1940" is very plausible for census numbers L201246 until L201605!

    Hope this information is useful,

    Jan

    Thanks Jan for the help,
    i am glad its X RASC. Just a few photos of
    Bedford trucks used after the BEF left them. whole units had Bedfords issued to them as well as Morris trucks. Photos from my collection/book.
     

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  6. tommy40

    tommy40 Member

    Another metal plate, found on Dunkirk's area in the 90's, which still have his original paint.
    I have never tried to get informations about such plates and pieces of trucks and cars are nice...
     

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  7. rewdco

    rewdco Senior Member

    Tommy,

    V3428 is a 1939 contract for 400 Morris Commercial Trucks, 15cwt 4x2 G/S. Allotted census numbers Z397221 until Z397620.

    Jan
     
  8. morrisc8

    morrisc8 Under the Bed

    Morris 15cwt 4x2 GS. Original photo from my collection and one other Morris ID plate that i have 1940.
     

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  9. tommy40

    tommy40 Member

    Thanks rewdco for your help. Sometimes there are no numbers on plates...
     

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  10. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Tommy, un-stamped, incomplete or plain wrongly-stamped plates are a recurring problem for vehicle restorers and it was particularly common during the hectic days of 1940 production.

    It's clear from the surviving records that the factories were producing flat-out and didn't wait for the allocation of new contracts, they knew that they were going to be paid. Add to this, vehicles which had to go back down the line for rectification and it's not surprising that things got mixed up.

    What a shame that these plates don't all include chassis number and WD number - that would really be helpful to us.

    Your plates show a typically aged Khaki Green No.3 finish.

    Rich
     
  11. tommy40

    tommy40 Member

    Here again two plates found by digging, bought from french sellers.
    The Morris commercial plate was found in St Valery (somme 1940) area and the small one come from hill 112 area (normandy 1944)...
     

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  12. rewdco

    rewdco Senior Member

    Just had another look at my Chilwell list, because the census numbers were not always allotted all at once during the early contracts. And indeed, I found some more blocks of numbers:

    Contract V3428 (Morris Commercial Truck 15cwt 4x2 G/S):
    - census numbers Z397221 until 397620
    - census numbers Z3912451 until 3913350

    Contract V3594 (Morris Commercial Lorry 30cwt 6x4 office and Morris Commercial Lorry 30cwt 6x4 G/S):
    - census numbers L167556 until 167606
    - census numbers L168052 until 168092
    - census numbers L168377 until 168413
    These are early 1940 RASC numbers.

    Contract V3731 (Bedford 3 ton 4x2 G/S and Bedford 3 ton 4x2 Open W/Shop):
    - census numbers L201246 until 201605
    - census numbers L205527 until 206549
    - census numbers L206751 until 207292
    These are also early 1940 RASC numbers, although the plate is still "1939".

    Jan
     
  13. tommy40

    tommy40 Member

    A bedford item found on Dunkirk's beaches...without its enamel badge.
     

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  14. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Suppose their's a remote possibility these may be same cracking Triumph T100'S. 'captured' one has no. plate missing from frame, British parade one has census no. written on no. plate.
     

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  15. 4/7 RDG

    4/7 RDG Member

    The Austin ambulance is interesting - any idea what the initials are above and below the red cross marking? I can't make them out at that resolution, even with my new glasses . . .
     
  16. 4/7 RDG

    4/7 RDG Member

    Had another look and it seems to be "R.A.O.B." and G.L.E." - the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes and Grand Lodge of England. After some research I read that they funded and provided numerous ambulance vehicles in WW1, so I guess the same kind of fund-raising resulted in Austin ambulances in WW2.

    The WD number on the nearest vehicle (A24401) is the very first number in the first batch of Austin K2/Y vehicles under Army contract V.3622 placed on 30 November 1939, so presumably it was the first production vehicle - wow!

    The Triumph seems to be still in its civy paintwork/chrome finish . . . .
     
  17. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    That's interesting the first of the first K2'S , and means any BEF pics with K2's are post 30 Nov 1939.
    Suppose the 'captured' Triumph T100 must be civvy as it wouldn't survive in chrome finish until May 1940 ?
     
  18. Radek-Austin

    Radek-Austin Member

    Can somebody help me with identification of my K30 Austil lable?
     

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  19. Radek-Austin

    Radek-Austin Member

    And one picture of cleaned lable
     

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  20. rewdco

    rewdco Senior Member

    Can somebody help me with identification of my K30 Austil lable?

    Hello Radek,

    Contract V3729 (Austin Lorry 30cwt 4x2 office G/S):
    - census numbers L4156868 until 4157867
    These are early 1940 numbers.

    Jan
     

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