Quote:
Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra
You're right, even if someone had the cash, tyres and other replacement parts were very hard to come by!
The ex-Canadian Army trucks were released to civilian operators, those with public/priority functions came first.
Please bear in mind Europe was absolutely ransacked after WW2; the Gemans had taken anything of value and then the fighting damaged what was left.
My grandfather returned to Holland in 1945, after living through a Japanese internment camp in Indonesia, broke but alive! His first job was to reposess Dutch assets from Germany, ranging from machinery to an elephant (which was taken from a zoo). He was given a Captain's rank and uniform, plus a driver in a VW Beetle. But I digress..
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Hi Hanno, I'm with Keith, digress away. A Dutch friend of mine had three uncles, during the war one was in the Dutch Army, one in the Dutch resistance and the third in the German Army. All survived the war, I'm sure their histories made for interesting discussion at a family gathering.
Cheers Tim