British Vehicle New Guinea

[Mike Cecil]

The AEC Matador belongs to a battery of 2/2 Aust Hvy AA Regiment. Used for towing 3.7-inch HAA gun. Two of the regiment's batteries were moved to New Guinea in June 1942 - one to Port Moresby (2/4 Bty), the other to Milne Bay (2/6 Bty). HQ and 2/5 Bty stayed in Australia until later. In April 1943, 2/5 Bty moved to Oro Bay, NG.

The Unit sign in the image is 56 on red/blue AoS colours. The unit sign is the composite type combining the Unit and Formation signs onto the one plate.

The tractor was taken on charge in the Middle East from British stocks, when 2 Hvy AA Regt (later became 2/2 Aust Hvy AA Regt, and finally, 2/2 Aust Composite AA Regt) deployed to that area in Feb 1941 as part of 1 Aust Corps. The regiment returned to Australia in March 1942, before deploying to NG as mentioned above.

Australia did not deploy 5.5 inch guns to Malaya in 1941 - possibly the British did? The first 5.5 BL Howitzers arrived in Australia in mid-1942, and were not deployed overseas during their many years in service.

Mike