[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Right, perhaps I can explain that when the Ministry of Supply placed OVERSEAS orders for wheeled armoured and softskin vehicles and also spare parts, they issued a Demand which was a contract, and called them 'Supply-Mechanical ....', which was shortened to 'S.M.', 'S-M' and 'S/M'. The series for softskins started with S/M 2002 although there may have been a S/M 2001...and went into the S/M 3000 series and then 6000, with spare parts in the 5000 series and armoured wheeled vehicles inthe 1000 series. Each new Demand had a sequential number. S/M 2007 to 2018 from memory were diverted ex-French orders and 2017 was for Dodge VK-62 or WK-62 trucks, either G/S or those bus bodies for the RAF. The repaint job was almost certainly done in the workshops, and this was usual.


There were also some overseas TRAILER contracts which has 'S/M' Demand numbers.