David Hayward how is your memory

[Max Hedges]

David a brief histry of the C30

order for contract 2003 was made June 1940 to suply 1500 chev 30 cwt trucks to England
production started in September 1940 by GM
the order arrived in England to be reasembled late 1940
this truck was sent to North Africa with the British army
latter transfered to the Australian army
when the Australians returned to Australia they brought their trucks back with them
this C30 still has the numbers 30565 painted on the mud guards which I believe were stenceled on when the truck left for Australia

David thanks again

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

As to when assembly was undertaken, I would suggest 'during December 1940' was the absolute earliest, with 'during and from January 1941' more likely, spreading to May 1941. Shipment would then have been undertaken in say spring 1941. Don't forget that these huge supplies coincided with the Southampton CMD having been bombed, thus requiring temporary alternative assembly facilities for the Canadian 1st and especially 2nd Division vehicles. In many respects I can see that, on reflection, shipping British-order vehicles straight off to Alexandria and perhaps even West Africa was an answer to a problem of what to do with them in the light of the German invasion apparently having been postponed.

As you say, when the AIF returned to Australia, vehicles had been purchased by payments made through the High Commission in London. It made complete sense all round to ship them via Suez for further service. Ultimately survivors wre then demobbed.

[Col Tigwell]

That has got to be worth at least two sponge cakes Max, though David better come down and eat them here before they get stale.

When I joined the air force in 1957,CMP abounded mainly as water atnkers and aircraft refuelers.

If we had known the interest and values they would bring later, you and I should have bought the lot.

Of course it is always nice to be wise in hindsight.

Regards

Col

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

CT, it does seem that very few relativeloy CMPs were retained by the Ministry of Supply for the post-war British forces but there is ample photographic evidence that demobbed CMPs were widely used into the 1960s by all manner of users. But so many it seems had been reconfigured by the post-war rebuilders.

As an off[-topic subject, an English guy who did some work for us on our house around 1987 swore that he served in Vietnam, It seems that he and his mate were in the nUS and as a result of a bet he volunteered for the US Army, ending up as a helicopter pilot. I gather that there were very few British-born servicemen that served but that included men who had emigrated to Australia.

[Max Hedges]

When we picked the C30 up it was fitted with front axle from another two wheel drive truck which was done at times to save fuel by reducing the weight of the vehicle. We have fitted a front diff from another chev, but I doubt if we will ever find a cab 11 diff.

Col we should buy Dave one of those Aussie survival packs for his long journey to Yass to eat the sponge cakes. Mind you fresh sponge cakes don't last long with me around here, so he'd have to be quick.

Max