Hello guys I recently found this first aid case for vehicles. Normally they are marked AFV (armoured fighting vehicles) But this one is marked MT vehicles. Does anyone knows what vehicles they mean by that? It's a pre 1940 dated case btw... Thanx a lot
As Kiwi REd One says, effectively it means 'softskins' as opposed to armour although, during WWII, MT strictly means Mechanical Transport (i.e. as opposed to horse drawn) Yours pedantically. Andrew PS I'm sure someone else will add another layer of complexity to this!
Complexity or pedantry? I believe it was Mechanized Transport. And yes, with an American 'z' as opposed to Mechanised. Post war 'mechanized' became associated with tracked vehicles, 'motor' with wheeled.
I did say "complexity"! OK, well, my 1938 British Army manual of driving and maintenance specifically refers to mechanical transport (mechanical wheeled to be exact), hence the RASC Mechanical Transport company. On a separate note, I am familiar with the late 20s British experiments with mechanised force, and note that David Fletcher (who surely ought to know) has it spelt thus. Isn’t it marvellous how such a simple thing can potentially become so complex, hence my initial remark. Kind regards Andrew
And therein lies evidence of how compartmentalised the British Army was; one part working to a completely different agenda to another! Often battalions in the same brigade barely communicated. The idea that RASC should bother to consult with another corps or branch - or vice versa - is hardly surprising. I have no original RASC documentation, so I concede that they may well have used MT as Mechanical Transport. All the documents I have: RAC, formational commands, WO and MoS show Mechanized Transport. However, I will also concede I have not done a line by line scrutiny to check this is 100% so. Nevertheless, I suspect we have cleared up the initial question posed.
Good effort! Knock off early today son. Effort? What effort? Round the parade square another 10 times at the double for you son!!! And when you've done that, make sure all those MT over there are unloaded properly, are completely MT, cleaned and polished and ready for inspection.
Thanx for the identification, I have posted another item I found in the same house. Also an untouched item that was left behind by the british army in may 1940...
Guys, The September 1944 Field Service Pocket Book on official abbreviations says that 'Mechanical Transport' is to be abbreviated as 'MT", so it looks like Andrew is right. But it then goes on by saying that 'mechanic, mechanical or mechanized' should be abbreviated as 'mech', thereby implying some sort of synonymity between these three words - in which case Mark is also right in a way, let's 'by association'. See here: New Resource - Field Service Pocket Book - Abbreviations Michel P.S. How many words could there be with 3 'y' in them, like 'synonymity' - supposing that this latter word even exists?
Not proof, but some circumstantial evidence. The R.A.S.C. M.T. Inspection Branch (M.T.I.B.) referred to "Inspectors, Mechanical Transport". Lt. Col Bowden seems to have been the originator of the 'Task System' of vehicle maintenance.