Early CMPs in NW Europe

[Alex van de Wetering]

Two more early FAT's filmed in Leeuwarden, two in Sneek
And a 15cwt in Heerenveen.

It could be that some of the footage shows the very same vehicle, but it's hard to tell. One of the FAT's in Leewarden seems to be missing the front bumper.

Alex

Source:
Leeuwarden:https://www.archieven.nl/nl/zoeken?m...rden&miview=ff
Sneek:https://www.archieven.nl/nl/zoeken?m...neek&miview=ff
Heerenveen: https://www.archieven.nl/nl/zoeken?m...true&miview=ff

[Harlé Sylvain]

Hello
Nice pictures of the FAt with an amazing load on the roof!

Thank's to share them
Sylvain

[Rich Payne]

Round about 0.42

http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/647

[Alex van de Wetering]

Sword1.jpg

Lovely find Rich! I took the liberty of making a screen dump.

Interesting bit of footage that clearly shows the traffic jam at the beach due to the blocked beach exits! Also a glimpse of a rare HUA C8A.


Alex

[Rich Payne]

I can't really claim the credit for finding the film, Alex. It was discovered by Tom O'Brien over on WW2t. He came up with it as part of his ongoing research to determine if the much-maligned Austin K5 really was responsible for the failure of Market - Garden as alleged by Chester Wilmot based on half a line in a 21st Army Group report. It seems increasingly unlikely but particularly U.S. publications have made much use of the allegation.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

He came up with it as part of his ongoing research to determine if the much-maligned Austin K5 really was responsible for the failure of Market - Garden as alleged by Chester Wilmot based on half a line in a 21st Army Group report. It seems increasingly unlikely but particularly U.S. publications have made much use of the allegation.

Enlighten us, please. Is that the story about the problem with a batch of trucks with bad valves?

Thanks,
Hanno

[Rich Payne]

One of the sources refers to piston problems. Tom has been through almost all of the 21st Army Group REME diaires though and can find no reference to anything. If it happened it would seem to have been detected before they got to France and plenty of Austin 'Screamers' seem to have made their way from Normandy to the Baltic.

The trouble is that the absence of proof doesn't mean it didn't happen, but it does seem to have been blown out of proportion...and a 3-ton 4x4 was never likely to have been a major LoC RASC tool anyway.