stolen jeep

[Ken Hughes]

In our latest returned service review news paper there is a letter to the editor from some one called jack from Timaru NZ
who was in A squadron 18th Armoured, they were at a rest area in Mussolinis holiday casa at Rimini.
Jeep stealing was prevalent at the time and Jack was a driver for a major Dickinson,he parked his jeep behind a three tonner and a fifteen cwt and removed the rotor.
The cook called Jack to pick up Dicko,he got up and went down stairs to find his jeep gone,he had to pick up major Dickinson in the fifteen cwt and was told he would be on a charge if he did not get his jeep back the next morning.
Jack and a mate went for a walk that night and a Canadian stopped and asked where the Poles were camped,they told him and he went on,they could not believe that he parked the jeep on the road just ahead of him,running with headlights on.
they got in and took off with the jeep back to their own billets
only to find the jeep was a Canadian generals one,off came the stars on he front and the radio was buried ,the maple leaf was painted over and replaced with a silver fern plus 91.
they got to bed about 2.30in the morning and when the officer noticed the jeep where it came from Jack replied
no questions no pack drill even though Tiny Freyberg asked for any information to go to him immediately.
they were not at Rimini long before returning to action
Jack says he felt sorry for the Canadian who lost his vehicle but it was him or me. so there you are,i wonder if the Canadian jeep driver is still with us, as now all has been revealed!!

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

The 'key' to jeeps in Italy was the rotor. Every soldier who may require a jeep carried a spare in their pocket...

[colin jones]

The best thing is to leave the rotor in place but with a bit of tape between the contactor. Might look ok but she no go!

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

On Remembrance Day 2007 (Nov. 11) I spotted a couple of fellow Seaforths and as they were both UN veterans, I invited them to drive a restored UNFICYP M38A1CDN2 jeep in the parade.

One commented how he carried an ignition switch handle in his pocket. They would steal a UN jeep, do wheelies in the rock gardens created by another contingent (Poles?) and then abandon the jeep at the scene of the crime.

A veteran whose name I do not recall told me that the Seafoth Highlanders had a stolen jeep in WWII abd painted it the same number as a legitimate one, being careful never to have the two side by side.



Colin Stevens