Marmon Herrington LP2 & LP2A Gun Tractors

[Jared Archibald]

G'day everyone,

I have been doing research recently on the military buildup in the Northern Territory prior to WW2.
This started with an artillery unit called the Darwin Detachment in the mid 1930s which installed and manned a number of 6 inch naval guns to protect the harbour.
In the late 1930s, the Darwin Mobile Force moved to Darwin and with them came four 18 pounder guns. Later again, with more troop movements, the Darwin Infantry Battalion was formed which included an artillery unit equipped with both 18 pounders and 4.5 inch howitzers.

I had always assumed that these guns were pulled by the standard type Marmon Herrington gun tractor (No.3 & 3A), and the few photos I have seen seem to bear this out (although now I am not so sure and these pics could be from later in the war).

The reason for this is that I have just read in Mike Cecil's booklet Field Artillery 1939-45 (of the Aust. Mil. Equipment Profiles - pg 24) that there was a second design of gun tractor - the LP2 & LP2A - that were built in limited numbers and only issued to the Darwin Mobile Force and units in the 7 Military District (Northern Territory). He states no other info about these two models apart from being built on a 30 cwt 134 inch Ford wheelbase chassis.

Does anyone know anything about these models of MH gun tractor, and what sets them apart from the No.3 and 3As?

Does anyone have any photos of these types?

Please share your knowledge as this has me stumped.

Jared - in hot & humid Humpty Doo

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Jared,

Boy, that book is a long time ago!

Firstly, to amplify on the statement I made that 'all the local pattern field artillery tractors were based upon a 30cwt 134 inch wheel base Ford chassis', the contract docs and other official sources show that the conversions to MH All Wheel Drive were carried out by Ford on both 30cwt and 3 ton chassis, and that the vehicles that resulted were all classed as 3 ton once the conversion was completed. (There was little difference between the 30cwt and 3 ton bare chassis anyway).

The LP2 (from the 1939 Mech Pamphlet): was 'specially designed for 7MD. Ford 134 inch wheel base lengthened to 135 inch by the addition of the MH front wheel drive attachment. Fitted with power tyre pump but has no winch. Two ammunition boxes from No.4 Artillery Trailers are incorporated in the body, and a removable section of the floor allows for conversion to a load carrier.'

The LP2A: 'as for the LP2, with the exception that a power winch is fitted, and no tyre pump. Intended for towing ammunition trailers.' (ie instead of a limber and field artillery piece, the tractor supposedly towed two ammunition limbers).

Regards

Mike C

[cliff]

you mean like the photo below Mike...ooop's now where did that other trailer come from

captioned Nazareth Palestine 1941 - courtesy AWM

[Mike Cecil]

Hey, Cliff, it's 0430: why are you not in bed and catching zzzzzzs????

Yep: that's an LP3/3A with ... errrrr, a 'Limber Too Far' (with apologies to Cornelius Ryan).

Mike C

[cliff]

Originally Posted by Mike Cecil

Hey, Cliff, it's 0430: why are you not in bed and catching zzzzzzs????

Yep: that's an LP3/3A with ... errrrr, a 'Limber Too Far' (with apologies to Cornelius Ryan).

Mike C

Nope only 3:30am in Queensland Mike. I get up early to take our 2 Assistant dogs for a walk if it is not raining but have to have my fix first LOL!