Quote:
Originally Posted by Lang
Wonder why half the trucks have a left headlight and half have a right. Probably some dreamworld instruction which said to remove a headlight to reduce the chance of being spotted at night! They obviously didn't do a good job and failed to say which light. I wonder how many head on collisions they had when oncoming drivers had to decide whether a truck had his centre light on or was actually in the middle of the road with his outside light on?
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Good question Lang-
As I understand the reason for a single headlight dates to early in the war when Blackout night driving was the rule. Pattern 13 CMPs were supplied with a single headlight equipped with a black out cover. If vehicle was in British control area (Drive on the left) the headlight was installed in the left side headlight position, as I understand it to provide the minimal lighting to see the left verge of the road. When operating in a US Army area of control (drive on the right) the light would be installed in the right hand position again to give the drive the best light to keep to the right verge. At some point the Pattern 13 were supplied with two head lights. These were switch individually wired so that the one with black out cover had to be turned on first, and then the second switch turned on the clear light.
Once black out rules were lifted then I assume some of the earlier CMPs had a second head light installed. I have heard that once on the continent the rule was drive on the right. Some units may have changed over single head light to the right while others may have left it in the left position and removed the black out covers and kept the headlight in the right position the better to light the entire road.
Just to confuse things of about the clear headlight, they started black out headlights with covers with the swing cover door to make the lights more convertible.
My late `45 HUP has the two headlights and two switches with a blackout headlight mounted in the right position. Having driven my HUP on many blackout trail rides I have tried both sides for the black out head light and given the choice I sure the drivers mounted the black out headlight on the driver’s side. From personal experience I can tell you that when driving with black out lights they drove with the window shield either part open or full open the better to see the road. In tight/narrow road condition black out road speeds are low rarely out of second gear.
There is some great information about driving under blackout conditions I believe in the New Zealand archives, I try and find the link to it. Some really wonderful descriptions of blackout convoys in North Africa.