Morris-Commercial C8 Gun Tractor body id please?

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Chris Collins

Mike, i saw two very sad looking C8s when picking up my Tilly, where are the other ones?

yes ..... .............

Sorry ..two were owned by a VMVC member in Melbourne , A. Browne , he had plans but eventually sold them to Bruce Wiltshire ? some years ago . I helped move one of them to Yarra Glen . Andrew had found a NOS engine and a few bits at Hughes Coburg , Hughes had bought the surplus C8's and sold them after the war . Bruce drove down and picked them up ..so they ended up in Southern NSW . I have a detailed official drawing of the C8 Portee, Rob Van Meel kindly posted it to me years ago !

Just remembered . Another C8 2 Pounder portee was in Kilmore wreckers , it was upside down in the grass , we stopped and took a pic of it . I think it was scrapped and off to China . The owner of the yard was a well known alcoholic and not to be messed with !

[Rob van Meel]

Is it possible to scan me the page with the Dodge reference from the 6th airborne division book, please?

In the meantime some more details on the Morris-Commercials at 'Arnhem":

In total four troops of four 17-pndrs. each went to ‘Arnhem’. Transport for the Morris-Commercial C8-AT and the 17-pndr QF Anti-tank guns was by Hamilcar gliders flying from Tarrant Rushton. Tow aircraft were all Halifax serving with RAF 298 and 644 squadron.

On September 17, 1st Airlanding A/T Bty took D and P Troop (four 17-pounder AT guns each) in the following eight Hamilcar gliders with allocated chalk numbers 314 to and incl. 321.

On September 18, 2 A/T Bty (Oban) (4th Airlanding Brigade) took F and X troop (also 17-pndr) with allocated Hamilcar gliders with chalk No’s. 901 to and incl. 908.

Halifax pilot Aircraft letter Chalk ATD ATA
Letter number
F/O Northmore A-U 314 10.43 15.25
S/Ldr Norman U-N 315 10.43 15.47
P/O Berry T-K 316 10.44 15.43
F/O Archibald U-Z 317 10.45 15.47
F/O McGillivray A-K 318 10.45 15.40
P/O McGonville P-A 319 10.46 15.37
S/Ldr Imber T-G 320 10.47 15.58
S/Ldr Egerton U-X 321 10.48 15.53

W/Cdr Pope U-O 901 11.21 14.55
F/Lt Barren A-J 902 11.22 16.43
P/O Shapley U-F 903 11.23 12.25*
F/Lt Stark A-D 904 11.23 16.43
W/O Davis T-W 905 11.24 16.46
F/O Smith R.A. A-C 906 11.25 16.31
F/O Bretherton U-T 907 11.25 16.49
F/O Edick T-J 908 11.26 16.49
* glider landed at Chilbolton 12.02
ATA: Actual Time of Departure ATA: Actual Time of Arrival


Of those sixteen 17-pndrs + Tractor that left the UK, one was lost over the North Sea.
Four othersdid not see action: two had to make an emergency landing (one in the South of the Netherlands and one in Belgium). And two Hamilcars crashed on landing.
So only eleven 17- pndrs went into action. Some were abandoned on the 19th of September when 10 + 156 Para withdrew out of the Johannahoeve area North of Wolfheze.
Supposedly seven 17-pndrs were used in and around the village of Oosterbeek.