unexpected bonuses!

Ralph Volkert · #1 29-06-08, 16:17

it should be mentioned that the small town and area I live in has a rich history in forestry, farming and mining. There are a fair number of retirees living here who have been in the area all their lives and have the stories to prove it.

As mentionrd in another thread my carrier has now been parked at home for a few days. It of course has been irrisistable to the curious! Yesterday I had 2 gentlemen stop by to say they recognised the carrier for what it was. Both knew of others in the area. One of the gents told me about how 40 years ago he drove a carrier into the bush and ad as far as he knew it was still where he left it. I just "happened" to have a topo map of the area handy. He happily offered to put an X to mark the spot.

Now for the other bonus! He told me to get to the spot I need a boat now. When I get to the spot and start walking to get to the carrier I will know I have the right area because there is an old Ford army truck close bye. It is ugly with a snub nose and not a long truck. Hunters have used it for target practice but surprising not all the shots when though the body.

Curiousity is killing me now! Will have to go for a fishing trip next weekend and see what I can catch! Anyone care to join me? LOL!

Are stories/discoveries like this common with other owners of military equip?

chris vickery · #2 30-06-08, 04:44

Ralph,I am just down the road and always looking for an interesting field trip..

Chris

rob love · #3 30-06-08, 05:29

My first carrier purchase led to tips and stories of several more in the area. Some I did go out and find, including one tip of 2 or 3 (turned out to be 5) on the north shore of a lake. There were lots of good parts from those ones, and that story has been told before.

When I was towing my first one home, I stopped at a gas station/restaurant for a meal. When I came out there were two old guys waiting there. One had stories which rang of BS.....he told of carriers abandoned, complete with their 50 cals, at the end of the war at an old POW camp nearby. I never bothered to chase that one down....the army does not abandon either vehicles or machine guns out of convenience. But the other guys stories were more intriguing. His Dad's old logging camp had two complete carriers which were abandoned back in 49. These ones are way out of the way. I have tried a few times to make it up that way, and have confirmation that they are in the area, but somewhat hidden. Apparently they are full armor. Google earth map checks show clearcut logging operations have got to within 5 or 10 miles of them. We almost went in this year, but I was just getting over a miserable flu, so it will have to wait until either the fall or next year. The bush is extremely heavy in this area, and you can walk right by stuff and never see it.

Good luck on your search. Be sure and check around the area where the carrier is found. Often the logging camps would remove stuff that got in the way like grenade boxes or antenna brackets, and discard them in the bush, where they will still be waiting. Also, be sure to take some pictures of your finds....maybe they will get the fire going in me enough to make the daylong drive to go look for these ones.

Bob Moseley (RIP) · #4 30-06-08, 09:05

Rob - I never discount any story no matter how far fetched it may sound. All urban myths, legends, fables, folklore etc. are based somewhere on a fact. When I come across the above I chase it to resolution and then notify other interested parties of the result. Go look for the Carriers with the 50 cals.

Bob

Tony Smith · #5 30-06-08, 11:50

In this region, Logging and Mineral prospecting were big users of Surplus MV's in the late 40's, 50's and 60's. Mainly CMPs, but occaisionally others. One ex-prospector told of using a carrier in steep country to ferry tools about. It broke a track pin, and now with no brakes, steering or engine control

, it took off straight down the hill. It's still there, in quite inaccesible country. Also know of a couple of rolled Studebaker US6's, and lots of CMPs. Usually, they are in such difficult areas to retreive them to be not worth the effort. Often, they were scavenged of whatever useful parts could be carted away and left. But, it's always fun to track them down and see what's left.

Pictured are a GMC 6x6 with no wheels, bogged in a swamp, and a C60S CMP with no engine, drivetrain or axles with typical Logging modifications, rotting in the bush.

Mike K · #6 30-06-08, 11:51

Back in the 1970's , within the VMVC , rumours and half truths about a 1/2 Ton dodge command car body which was near a railway line in NSW . Well , I dug into it , asked around .. I did a favour for somebody and an old note book was dragged out with a name and town.. I drove all the way up there .. long way in a 1946 Dodge ute. Poking around the tiny town.... asking , people were unsure .. I showed the picture of the Dodge Wc 23 to people coming into the Post Office... Yes, one old guy remembered it . Walking past the post office , I spotted a green thing out the back.. There it was ... still there ! I had to pay an arm and a leg for it , negotiate with relatives and all sorts of haggling. The top bows were in the grass nearby ... BTW the town was Caragabul .... on the road to West Wyalong . The command car was purchased from Vic Drew ,Melbourne , it was used on a mail run around the district . The chassis was cut up , to make wheat bins , but the body was intact .

mike

Keith Webb · #7 30-06-08, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Moseley

Rob - I never discount any story no matter how far fetched it may sound. All urban myths, legends, fables, folklore etc. are based somewhere on a fact. When I come across the above I chase it to resolution and then notify other interested parties of the result. Go look for the Carriers with the 50 cals.

Bob

Bob you forgot to add: "Then do a border raid".

Ralph Volkert · #8 30-06-08, 14:33

Boy I never appreciated how much history is still laying out in the bush! The sad part is the people who remember them 1st hand are getting fewer and fewer.

I have found that one of the best things I like about owning a bit of history is the people who stop in and just want to talk about them. These are older people with great stories and either no one who wants to hear them any more or no one to appreciate them. I always have a pot of coffee or tea on for these guys. If they have really good stories I might even offer a beer or two

Yeo.NT · #9 30-06-08, 19:24

Couple year back OMVA magazine had a article about CMPs in various ghost towns in northern ontaro. I ended up working for the Ontario Jr. forest rangers and ended up at one these towns, found the 2 trucks that were mention in the article but also found a complete rear section of a 13 cab artillery tractor. As usual just in a area that you can't get to with out a boat.

maple_leaf_eh · #10 01-07-08, 04:21

One of my coworkers likes Land Rovers. He was telling me about an abandoned logging camp on Vancouver Island with Land Rovers - you all know the story and can probably tell it back to me without reading further. His dilemma as how to recover any foundlings and register them, because the reputed owner is still an active logging company.