[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Shane, you may have found the basis for the payment system! It would appear that S/M orders from Canada say were paid for by the Ministry of Supply to the High Commission in London, and then if the orders were consigned to Australia, say again, then the Australian High Commission paid the M of S in Sterling. However what the papers do not say is that Canada had to be paid in Dollars. May I ask for an official reference please from the Archives for my records? You may a first class researcher and I am truly indebted for your work.

ADDED: after a cup of tea I had time to take in all this new information. The first thought is that Canada was paid in Dollars as was the US for cash purchases, before Defence Aid and Lend-Lease. Now, those Dollars had to be conjured out of the Treasury's coffers, which I have investigated. Apart from the huge grant, and loans that Canada made to the UK to in effect purchase goods and more importantly foodstuffs from Canada, there were also tthe essential sales of vehicles etc. to Canadian forces in the U.K. Thus can I say to all MLU readers that this information amplifies my earlier postings that the War Office tried to sell British trucks to equip the 1st Canadian Division when first landed, and after Dunkirk kept trying to supply just as the CMDs were busy assembling new DND-pattern [CMP] trucks. Then of course as you all now the W.O. clamoured for every available vehicle from Canada including asking for preference over Canadian supply also post-Dunkirk. This was ostensibly for the Z + 27 programme for the invasion of Europe in December 1941 to spring 1942. However the Mid-East crisis and then the invasion of Greece intervened. The information from Shane would seem to confirm that [assuming the NZ and Indian Governments applied the same systems], the British Government consisting of War office, M. of Supply, Treasury et al were only too happy to 'sell'/issue/lend vehicles to the AIF, NZEF and IA in the Mid-East because ultimately there was a settlement in Sterling in London which could be converted to Dollars or more correctly used to purchase vehicles and supplies to 'sell' to Canada! My query therefore rests on whether the British W.O. markings not only assisted with ordering of spare parts to Contract, but also marked them as purchased from the W.O.? Until the arrangements that Shane listed above were implemented perhaops the vehicles had to carry British W.O. numbers until such time as they were paid for. The census numbers were then used as an i.d. for accounting purposes.

I shall have to rewrite my texts now in the light of this startling new evidence that seemingly fits in with what we already know.