Australian CMP Derrick at Balikpapan

[Larry Hayward]

In late 1945 my Dad who was in the RAF in Australia, was posted to Balikpapan, SE Borneo with about thirty other men to look after the airfield which was being used as a staging post for transports flying to and from Indonesia and Australia. When he arrived he was amazed to find the whole area littered with vehicles that had been abandoned following the US & Australian landing of 1st July 1945. While most of the men soon had a personal Jeep for themselves my dad saw a CMP 3 ton derrick equipped truck - either a Chevrolet C60S 4x4 134 inch wb Derrick or the Ford F60S equivalent- and he claimed it as its own! It was lying on its side for some reason but once righted it was fine and was put to use changing engines on C-47s and on construction projects using surrendered Japanese Naval personnel. I can't imagine it was used by the US Army so I presume that it was used by the 7th Australian Division- but does anyone know which unit within the 7th would have used such a vehicle? Would this CMP be an Australian version of the C60S Derrick used by the British & Canadian Armies in NW Europe? My Dad also suggested that some engine parts from Japanese trucks that they found, could also be used on his CMP. Was there anything that would match a Chevrolet C60S say from a Toyota KB? There were also Japanese tanks of the Ha-Go variety abandoned at Balikpapan but my Dad was warned that there could be booby-traps in them so he left them alone. Finally does anyone know which Japanese units resisted the Allied landing as I have not been able to find any references to these units or their equipment?

[Tony Smith]

...always reminds me of Ten-Ton Ted from Teddington from the Benny Hill Show .

There are still examples of these trucks still to be found as Ian Fawbert has discovered. Advise me, the time has come

The following picture comes from the AWM website and is captioned as being in Queensland, 1945. Handy bit of gear!

[Larry Hayward]

Thanks Tony for your reply.

However the type of derrick in your photo is not the same as the one my Dad had. The truck he used had an 'A' frame on the rear end of the body, which had legs that could be let down to support the truck when it was lifting. The winch was at the front of the body behind the cab.

Has anyone got a photo of such a vehicle in Australian Army service? I have seen one photo that matches, on page 71 of 'Canada's Fighting Vehicles Europe 1943-45 written by WA Gregg of the Canadian Military History Society.

[Larry Hayward]

Relating to this old post does anyone have details of the units in the 7th Australian Division at the time of the landings at Balikpapan in July 1945, especially the Engineers or REME units that may have used these 'A' frame CMP Derricks, mentioned above.

NB - Sorry if it should be Royal Australian Engineers etc - I have no knowledge of the Australian Army!

Finally - This Japanese Type 94 tank in use with the Japanese Navy was captured at Balikpapan and is of the type that my father saw abandoned near Balikpapan. It still exists in Australia in the AWM I think.

[cliff]

I came up with the following 3 photos from the AWM data banks. All are RAAF vehicles and not army.

Also you must not forget the reverse lend lease that went on as well. If the US forces did not have a derrick type vehicle for the unloading of things like stores carried ashore by DUKW's it stands to reason that they would have got one from the first availiable source...the AIF or RAAF. Being the US forces once it had done it's job it would just be forgotten about.

The only way I can see parts from Jap vehicles being interchangeable is if they were Chevs or Fords either captured at Singapore or elsewhere or appropriated from civilian places. Don't forget GM had a plant in Java which may have meant new engines being transplanted into jap trucks.

Photo 3: while this photo shows a derrick truck I don't think it is a CMP as it has heavy type spoked back wheels.

Cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

The following two are the originals of what you posted before. One showing the derrick erected the other showing it stowed.

Hanno email to your home email has been sent.

cheers
Cliff

[Max Hedges]

AEME
2/117 Aust Bde Workshop
2/124 " " "
2/125 " " "
2/47 LAD
2/51 LAD
2/52 LAD
2/53 LAD
2/54 LAD
2/55 LAD
2/56 LAD
2/59 LAD
315 LAD
There is a list of units that went to Balikpapan with the 7th div in the book on the Final Campaigns by Gavin Long. I could copy the rest and send them to you if that helps.
Max

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by cliff
photo 2

GONA looks like it's a goner

[phoenix]

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
GONA looks like it's a goner

G NA maybe, the O is a roundel

[Keith Webb]

This one I photographed at Hugh Davis' place recently - it's a Chev version and was built for the RAAF.