Strickland Carrier Serial No: VR750

[Darrin Wright]

I was very lucky with my hull (VR 731) as I found it in the Northern Territory of AU, from research that I had conducted and also a mate in the NT Museum, we know that nearly all the BGC used in the NT were disposed of in the NT.
Looking through the AWM pics, looking at pics from the NT and observing what units they had in Darwin at the time, I then researched the unit diary and, after months of research, finding the needle in the hay stack.
VR731 is a 3" mortar carrying vehicle and by chance, the unit diary writer had made mention of having 22 MG carriers and 6 mortar carriers on the unit (10/48 Inf Batt AIF) resource list.

as a suggestion: The ARN record may have the ship listed, then look at pics of BGC in the Med or Nth Africa or other associated reference material and you may find some info in the general area of this vehicle or units that may have used it.

Some of these hulls have info painted where the tracks run on the side of the hull, shipment numbers etc that may also assist. I had a UC that served in Nth Africa and was acquired by AU soldiers and shipped back to AU, it had its shipment or auction numbers painted on it. It has since been sold back to the UK for restoration.

Good luck

[Mike Cecil]

Plushy,

In Middle East images, you will be looking for a carrier with a registration of AIF-T-16594 on the front track guard - usually the right side - and rear, not '750'.

Once returned to Australia, it would have been renumbered with the hull number, the hull number having been applied to carriers as the registration number from late 1941 onwards, with most changed over in 1942.

So in images taken in Australia, you will be looking for '750' as the registration on the hull sides & rear.

Clear as mud!

MV Talabot made two trips to the Middle East with vehicles aboard. Your carrier was one of 30 on the second trip.

Mike

[Plushy]

Hi Mike and Darrin,
Thanks for the tips for what too look for in photos during my search . I have managed to find the Convoy numbers and dates for the Thermopylae and the Talabot and the Port of unloading which was Haifa in Palestine/Israel on the 22/12/41 .The Talabot then Left Haifa on the 1/1/42 on its way to Fremantle .

So to narrow the search i just need to look for Carrier images from Palestine and the Syria Lebanon region in Early 1942 .

Looks like i might have my work cut out for me ,still its all part of the fun .

James.

[Mike Cecil]

Plushy,

Interesting info about MV Talabot and the delivery into Haifa.

As an aside from the main theme of this thread, it must have been a quick trip to Fremantle and back (no record of carrying Aust equipment on the return trip to the Middle East), as the ship joined convoy MW10 (Alex to Malta) on 20 March 42 carrying military stores and food. It reached Malta, only to be lost to enemy aircraft at No.6 Berth, Grand Harbour at Malta on March 26. Some equipment was salvaged from the half-sunken wreck, the upper decks being above the water line. It received plenty of attention from the enemy thereafter, being repeatedly bombed during air raids.

I suppose it was better the enemy wasted their bombs on the wreck rather than finding some other more valuable target.

Mike

[Plushy]

Mike,
A very quick trip Talabot arrived in Fremantle on the 24/1/42 and Left again for Haifa on the 31/1/42 arriving in Haifa 23/2/42 then to Alexandria 3/3 for its final Journey . Attached is the 2nd Part of the Log book with Arrival and Departure dates .

I Found a web page which shows all the Norwegian Merchant ships involved in WW2 and also shows quite a few of the ship logs but nothing of Cargo manifests .

James.

[Darrin Wright]

Interesting departure dates for the ship and the BGC cargo.

Along my research travels, I read somewhere (may be the Vic Archives) that hull VR731 was delivered to the Army approx 1st or 2nd week of Dec 1941.

I would assume that hull VR750 would be about the same delivery time ;therefore, it must have been taken on charge and loaded for the middle east straight away.

[Plushy]

According to the AWM Carrier book Thermopylae sailed on the 22/11/41 according to the ships book it Sailed on the 22/11/41 .

With the Talabot the sailing date ship log vs AWM carrier book is 16/11 vs the 17/11 so not sure if the shipping date in the carrier book is the loading date or sailing date . .

Darrin that maybe still correct as during my search last night i found photos of Carriers Embarking at the Port of Suez so guessing its possible a few were taken off there as the Talabot docked there on the 12/12/41 but didn`t sail again until the 13/12 .

I Assume the Carriers and Trucks may have been shipped stowed on the deck making removal and loading easiest ?