An Italian WWII Carrier
 

Hi everyone ! I’m Italian and this is my first post here. Please excuse my English. Correct me if necessary.

I'd like to invite opinions on the carrier in the attached photo. The photo was taken on 21st april 1945 in Bologna, Italy, when the city was liberated.

This vehicle belongs to “Goito” Battalion, a unit composed by Bersaglieri (Sharpshooters) of Italian Co-belligerent Combat Group Legnano, assigned to US Second Corps. Each infantry battalion of an Italian Combat Group had a Carrier Platoon which fielded thirteen Universal Carriers and a Support Company with four Mortar Carriers (MK I and MK II). At regimental level there was a Mortar Company with eight Mortar Carriers.

I’m writing a book on Italian Co-belligerent forces, so I tried to ID this vehicle correctly, examining some details which I put in evidence in the negative. I came to a conclusion but I’m not sure.

Thanks in advance for any help You can provide.

Luigi

Hello, it's me again.

Could anyone please identify this other carrier in service with Italian Combat Group Legnano?

I notice marker lights directly fixed to the armour, a peculiar feature of MK II Mortar Carriers.

Am I wrong?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Luigi

Looks like british made Mk.II mortar carrier.

Thank You very much, Petr. :thup2:
This is indeed a valuable information for my purposes.

My interest in Carriers grew considerably when i started working on my book.
At first glance, I was in doubt whether it was a Mk 2 or a Mk 3 because I couldn't see if the armour was riveted.
Only the position of marker lights led me to suppose that it could be a mk 2 mortar carrier but I needed a more qualified opinion.

Luigi

I’d say Mk2 also, I am sure I can see the intake ducts behind the divers head in the first images. Interesting that they got Gucci Mk2 carriers, usually the brits would palm off the more worn kit to allied units. The Russians got most of the RSF’s Mk1 carriers for example.

It depends Richie, for example Czechoslovaks got the newest available kit (including Mk.IIIs) when were sent across the Channel.

On your first carrier, if the original WD numbers are being displayed, it appears your research is accurate with it belonging to the Wolseley built No. 1 MK-II Universal Carrier, 3" mortar stowage. (T228315) Reference: Watson, UC Vol II, page 291.

Other visual observation support the belief it is a riveted hull British production UC:
a rivet shows on the gunner loophole plate, viewers right side, just below the swinging mantlet. The four fastener heads on the mantlet "door" are British manufacture. The headlamp is British.

Where the four fastener heads on the mantlet "door" also appear on the updated riveted hull MK-I* (Canada) carriers, the gunner side only MK-I* complete headlamp assembly was installed on a support bracket during the update. While that headlamp may have been replaced in service, IMHO the three of you are correct that the carrier is British manufacture.

Thank you so much Richard and Michael.

Most of the images and movies depicting Carriers (Universal and Mortar) in italian co-belligerent units show Mk1s. Mk2s are rarest but also appear, mostly in service with Legnano Combat Group. For some reason the WD number is displayed on the lower hull of these carriers.

Unfortunately I do not have Nigel's beautiful books and for my research I had to rely on a list of british WD numbers found on the net.

Encouraged by Michael's post I tried to read the WD number of the second carrier better, working on the original photo. It seems that the first digits are 2-2-8 and therefore also the second carrier could be a Wolseley MK2 Mortar. This is what i obtained from the original photo: