General Bill Slims Truck / Caravan CMP

[Keith Brooker]

Has any one any more info / photos off General Bill Slims HQ truck, it was built by Indian Station workshops at Dimapur, OC Col Wallace Station workshops. Did it survive the war ?. Original photos from my collection.
Keith

[Keith Brooker]

This is the Officers bus [ cooks tours ] that went with Gen Bill Slims HQ truck. Has 999 number. First 2 photos are from my collection.
Keith

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Keith Brooker

Has any one any more info / photos off General Bill Slims HQ truck, it was built by Indian Station workshops at Dimapur, OC Col Wallace Station workshops. Did it survive the war ?

Keith,

Thanks for sharing, always interesting to see these local Indian adaptations.

The chassis is a 3-ton Ford F60H with 6x4 drive line - the rearmost axle is non-driven.

Did it survive? No idea, have not seen any reports of such a vehicle in a museum in India.

Regards,
Hanno

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

It seems that there were at least four F.60H Demands for India:

S/M 2140
S/M 2141
S/M 2253
S/M 2254

As you know the Canadian Government (DND) cancelled F.60H orders so that there were no # 13 Cab chassis ordered and none were ordered by the British either so that makes it an Indian-only model!

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

It seems that there were at least four F.60H Demands for India:

S/M 2140
S/M 2141
S/M 2253
S/M 2254

As you know the Canadian Government (DND) cancelled F.60H orders so that there were no # 13 Cab chassis ordered and none were ordered by the British either so that makes it an Indian-only model!

David , I don't understand your statement that the #13 F60H chassis were cancelled and that it is therefore an "Indian-only model". Do you mean that no cab #13 F60H chassis were supplied outside of India?

Whilst not common, there are a few here in Australia. I know of 3.

Regards Rick.

[Keith Brooker]

Photo of the cab, i have put it in B&W. Army No /|\ 145151
Keith

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Rick is of course correct! There were some ordered by the Ministry of Supply for Australia but I cannot see any known Demand numbers. The '1942' deliveries file does not mention any so I can only surmise that the orders had been cancelled by then. The earliest known C.60X Demand for Australia was S/M 2510 so this seems to be the first-known replacement order. 60 were delivered by end 1942.

A little history:

On 14 August 1941, Ford F.60H 6 x 4 production to Canadian orders ended. A heavier truck was required and London was notified by telegram on 25 August. The Master General of the Ordnance sent a Telegram on 25 August 1941 from Ottawa to London stating that the situation with regard to the 6 x 4 chassis had been thoroughly reviewed. 1,058 chassis had been ordered to cover home and overseas requirements but in view of the results to date it had been decided to cancel 55 and divert 362 to India leaving a balance of 641 available of which approximately 534 had been or were to be shipped to the U.K. The ‘Summary of Establishments and Requirements of Vehicles in the U.K.’ as at Midnight 24 July 1941 showed total establishment 6 x 4 of 754. Some of these establishments were still provisional and no purchases had been made against them however using those figures as a basis it was suggested that London allocate the 524 to best advantage and purchase other requirements from the R.A.O.C.. If required Ottawa could ship most of the 117 remaining in Canada. It was believed that the 6 x 4 chassis was suitable for stores, workshop, S.B.G. special bodies, machinery except R.E., X-Ray, and bus if G.V.W. was scaled down to a maximum of 16,000 lbs. It was unsuitable for breakdown, derrick, F.B.E. machinery, R.E. photo, mechanical printing, recorders, plotters, pontoon, pontoon trestle, half pontoon bay.

The F.60H does not appear to have been acquired for U.K. forces, and thus are not mentioned in the 1944 Census Number listing. However, they were evidently used in the Middle East, and thus would have acquired Mid-East allocated numbers. In addition, Australia and India received numbers to Ministry of Supply contracts from at least 1942, and there is evidence that Australia purchased quantities direct from Canada, and were very successful as wreckers. Although the Canadian lorries did not continue in production, overseas orders maintained production long enough for the # 13 Cab to be used, with the forward-sloping front screen. In total 4,123 F60H lorries were produced. This included a quantity of open-cabbed versions, with either the # 42 or # 43 Cabs depending on whether #12 or #13 closed Cabs were used at the time.

Thus I should have said 'India and Australia-only' and appreciate being corrected.