US Trucks in Canadian Service

[gordoc]

Were any of the big cabover semitrailer tractors like those built by Autocar and Federal used by the Canadian Armed Forces?
My quest for images has thrown up plenty in US service but none so far with the Brits or Canadians.
Thanks
Gordon

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

You might argue that the Ford F60T CMP permanently-coupled tractor-trailer unit was a semi-COE, and used by the British, and Canadians?

Here is a British COE: Autocar Company ‘Tractor 4 x 4 for Mobile Oxygen’, ex USA to Demand S/M 6406 in the batch H 5877462 to 5877475. I also have shots of Studebaker and Federal tractors but they were Normal Control. The Canadians had COE Dodges but the photo in Dr Gregg's book is a rigid truck. The British of course had GMC COE rigids but the only known GMC tractors were NC units.

[gordoc]

......excellent photo.
Gordon

[Gunner]

Hi Gordoc:

The FWD COE was used in several forms including a semi tractor version used mostly by the RCE to haul flatdecks carrying bulldozers and other heavy plant equipment; and by the RCAF to haul Queen Mary type recovery trailers for downed aircraft.

We have one of the RCAF Tractors in the S&P Museum collection.

The Canadian and British FWD COE's were right hand drive built in Canada but the design was from a US parent company.

There is at least one photo in Dr Gregg's book but I don't have it or a scanner handy.

Cheers, Mike

[Lang]

David,

An Autocar identical to that in your photo - seems to be very straight - just sold to a fellow in Nerang near Brisbane. If he is a MLU member he might post a couple of photos.

Lang

[Al Nickolson]

FWD

[Al Nickolson]

Hi Guys,

My uncle Julius Nickolson was with the RCE in WW2.

Al

[Gunner]

Hi Al:

Thanks for posting those great photos of your Uncle and his tractor.

One of the greatest strengths of this forum is that we are constantly adding to the photographic record from private sources. All the books written in the immediate post war years and even up to the 1960's relied on offical photos and many of them appeared so often they became icons.

For us heavy metal fans photos like yours are refreshing. I suspect it was winter or early spring when the pictures were taken as the rad screens are at 'half staff'.

Mike