1944 CMP F60 LAAT + Bofors Gun

[Mark Towers]

Originally Posted by Ivor Ramsden

I've had a look through my list of British Army vehicle census numbers and I've found about 2200 Ford 30cwt LAA Tractors in 4 batches. There may be more; it was a quick look.
I'm interested in this because I'm curator of the 15th Light AA Regiment museum and to my great frustration I can't find any record of the make of the LAA tractors which they used late in the war. The Regiment used a lot of CMP vehicles from 1941 onwards and we've got several photos of 15cwt 4x2s which seem to have been the commonest type in use but I haven't found one decent photo of a CMP LAAT. Is the vehicle lurking in the background here a LAAT? The shadows on the body suggest LAAT rather than GS to me.

Hello Ivor,

I have been studying your photo for some time 👀

The shadows on the side of the body do indeed give it the impression of an LAAT. The canvas does look a little to large around the sides though? LAAT canvas was fairly short around the sides in order to allow the gunners easy access to the ammunition lockers.... But maybe the canvas in your picture was a field repair/mod perhaps ?

I can't quite see the cab properly ..... There is a large shadow or hedge or disruptive hessian camouflage at the front of the cab that gives the truck a longer appearance than an LAAT ... LAAT chassis are short .... Not as short as an F15 cwt but not as long as an F60 GS 👍

The super structure (canvas frame work) does look like an LAAT ... Especially the top side corner .... The way that it slopes upwards towards the roof top section.

If only that hansom Soldier stood slightly further to one side whilst posing for his picture lol 😃..... It will be interesting to hear other members opinions 👍

I'm jealous about your fantastic job as curator of the 15th light AA regiment 😉... What a superb job you have. I've never been to the Ilse of Man but may plan a visit sometime and a trip to your museum.

I attended the VJ weekend celebrations in Cobbaton Combat Museum in North Devon. Preston and Tim Issac have several Cmps and Bofors guns in their fantastic museum. They used to take their Ford CMP LAAT all over the country and to Normandy for the D-Day anniversarys.... Tim is very confident that British LAA units used the CMP LAAT 👍

It's such a shame that not much photographic evidence remains today.

Hope this helps your search for an answer to your question.

Keep up the good work.

Kind regards,

Mark Towers

1944 CMP F60 LAAT
1942 Canadian 40mm Bofors Gun
1940 BSA M20
1944 Military Cycle bike