[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Attilio:

L 4594498 to 4595497 Contract S/M 2028 'LORRY 30 CWT. 4 X 4 A/TK PORTEE' REBUILT AS C.-G.T. A/TANK PORTEE

E.g. 1844031352 ENGINE # XR 3,759,384
1844031433 ENGINE # XR3,757,180
1844031825 ENGINE NUMBER XR3,742,886 # L4595318 built NOVEMBER 21 1941
1844031840 W.D. # L4594778 ENGINE # XR3,742,962
1844032663 ENGINE # XR3,757,585

However some of these portees were indeed delivered direct to the Middle East and issued to the AIF for instance and carried Mid-East theatre census numbers E.G. L 4623008, L 4623053, L 4623061, L 4623452, L 4623541

Also known Mid-East repairs for AIF:
L4516072 L4418712 L4516466 L4514359 L4516492 L4413524 L4514782 L4514865 L4514809 L4514803 L4412964 L4412889 L4514860 L4412893 25/07/1941 L4516467

These Portees were:
1. Used as such in the UK and then rebuilt possibly end of 1943 to 17-pounder Tractors and then carried 'H' prefixes,E.g. # H 4594682 photographed in Italy [WHEELS & TRACKS] although some may have been converted to G/S trucks as happened with the # 43 Cab 6-pounder Portees on C60L chassis
2. Some were delivered to the Mid-East and then used by the British forces.
3. A number were issued to the Australian Imperial* Force and these would have been purchased by the Australian government and then shipped on to Australia in theory [cannot remember if I have any evidence of any though without looking it up]
4. 219 Chevrolet and Morris-Commercial C.8/MG or later C.8/AT portees were sold to the NZ government and shipped to NZ probably being remnants of those issued to the NZ Expeditionary Force.
5. I have yet to establish whether there were any issued to the Indian Army in North Africa.

*Aberration again, last thing at night!