Firstly, the Treasury Exchange Requirements Commmittee papers make very good reading as it relates to provision of imported vehicles and spare parts for them for the forces, including in Egypt, and the UK. These were initialy handled by the War Office and Air Ministry but the MofS took over that function during 1940. However the ERC also handled requests for vehicles from other departments and local authorities, including one I remember for Dodge trucks for the London County Council for salvage work. The
The MofS had to compete for essential dollars with other departments etc. on the Committee and the minutes make very interesting reading as it shows how the requests for vehicles came through the system, including certain well-placed individuals who liked to push through their demands through civil servants. "Whom you know not what you know". I was interested to note your clarifications Ted...clearly there is another element to the procurement procedures that I was not aware of.
The MofS in theory had overall responsibility for supply for vehicles and parts and machinery and this continued of course post-war (except for the Navy in theory who seem to have attempted to retain their independence). It would seem that orders by other departments had to go through committees so that they could be combined if required, and also the MofS handled disposals on paper to government departments or essential users of former service vehicles and machinery. The MofS also processed all Demands for overseas orders for the UK forces and Commonwealth forces. The payments though were handled through the agreed system via the High Commissions and the Treasury.
And I do apologise...'WD numbers' is something I tend to use in conversation with those who would not know what Census Number was...
WD series, Air Ministry series and Admiralty series!
One question keeps niggling me, and I would be interested to know the answer. Did the Scottish Office and any vehicles procured for government departments in Scotland through the Government departments carry Edinburgh registrations as against Middlesex CC ones? Also that Scottish hospitals had imported Canadian / US chassis bodied as ambulances registered in Scottish local authorities. Were m/cs therefore delivered north of the border registered accordingly?