Lorry, 3-ton, Anti-Tank Portee

[Attilio]

To David_Hayward

Have you any data on the number of Bedford QL and Austin K5 converted to 6 pounder portee?

Thanks
Attilio

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I have census numbers for British trucks and will post them here as soon as possible.

[Attilio]

Thanks for your attention!

Attilio

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

1. CHEVROLET : L 5216042 to L 5216554 contract S/M 2613 'Lorry 3ton A/Tank Portee' # 43 cab: but rebuilt as G/S trucks e.g. L 5216493 (CMP C.60L 8443)

2. BEDFORD: L 4698419 to L 4699544 contract CM4919: 'Lorry 3ton A/Tank Portee'

3. AUSTIN: L 4696419 to L 4698418 contract V4866 and
L 5130692 to L 5130712 contract V5119: both 'Lorry 3ton A/Tank Portee'

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by David_Hayward

2. BEDFORD: L 4698419 to L 4699544
3. AUSTIN: L 4698419 to L 4698418

Oops! Was L4698419 an Austin or Bedford?

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Correction made!! Well done that man!!! I will see if I can dig out the IWM photo of the GS rebuild of the C60L. Intersting that there was sequencing of numbers...was it deliberate?

[servicepub (RIP)]

One of the few canadian-made 6-pdr portees, shown here in small town Ontario on a War Savings Bond drive.

http://www.servicepub.com/images/6pdr-portee.jpg

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

Pre-rebuild!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

From track-link.net:

[Les Freathy]

Hope i can help with this one as Portees is a favourite subject of mine in the form of collecting info and modelling

the QL photo offers a number in Davids contract details for CM4919

Ihope the rest will post OK as it is text info from a US model mag from i think the 1970s

[Les Freathy]

Just for good measure here,s a couple of CMP 6pdr portees the first could be either Aus or New Zealand


The second offers a good overhead view of the layout

[Les Freathy]

Of course as most of us are aware many of the portees were converted back to the cargo role and some even survived into preservation as seen here at a Southsea rally a few years back

[Les Freathy]

Found some more items on the Austin k5 portee as follows

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward (RIP)

Pre-rebuild!

Another Chevrolet C60L Portee before conversion to GS truck:

[Hanno Spoelstra]

A bit of a riddle here:

https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/beelden/d...6-e09b0e66a820

It shows a Portee repurposed as a GS truck during the liberation of Leiden, May 1945.

But this is a Ford, and as far as I can tell from David’s listing above only Chevrolets were built as Portees? It is not a converted F60B, as it has a Cab 13 (see the man standing on the left side of the truck).

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Posting a cross reference to Help needed with Cab 43 6 pdr Gun Portee.

Originally Posted by servicepub (RIP)

One of the few canadian-made 6-pdr portees, shown here in small town Ontario on a War Savings Bond drive.

http://www.servicepub.com/images/6pdr-portee.jpg

With Clive Law resting in peace, chances are we'll never see any more of this photo archive.

I think this picture posted in the thread linked above shows the subject Portee during a war savings bond drive. It is a Ford as well.

[Alex van de Wetering]

It shows a Portee repurposed as a GS truck during the liberation of Leiden, May 1945.

I bought this picture a few years ago. It was supposedly taken in Leiden 1945 as well......and I think it shows the very same Ford Portee, Hanno!

It seems the Bedfords and Austins were often refitted with a newly made GS body, but this Ford just retains the Portee body, just with the blast shield and canopy removed!

By the way....when did they start adding lifting rings on the hubs in production???

Alex

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here is another Ford Portee in Dordrecht 1945

source: http://beeldbank.regionaalarchiefdordrecht.nl/

Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Alex, thanks for the pictures!

The lifting slings were typical of 1944-45 production - that's strange, as these Portees were supposed to be built for the war in North Africa. Hmmm.... CMPs - never a dull moment, eh?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

But this is a Ford, and as far as I can tell from David’s listing above only Chevrolets were built as Portees?

MLU comes to the rescue, the thread Is this a common book? contains a picture of some sort of Ford Canada catalogue, including a picture of 1942-1943 C298Q 3-ton 6-Pounder Anti-Tank Portee.

Now to find the contract number(s)....

[Alex van de Wetering]

The lifting slings were typical of 1944-45 production - that's strange, as these Portees were supposed to be built for the war in North Africa. Hmmm.... CMPs - never a dull moment, eh?

Exactly! What about colours of the one in Leiden.....just speculating, door in SCC15, body SCC2, front hub and rear wheel Light Stone? That factory pic in your last post also shows a nice mix of production colours!

Alex

[Hanno Spoelstra]

One more picture:

[Alex van de Wetering]

Attached are some more late-war ex-portee pictures.....all Bedford QL's; at least 2 different ones, possibly 3. Pictures also show other interesting vehicles, including a Dodge D15 Water tanker and Ford WOA2

source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/nl/

[Alex van de Wetering]

Austin K5 ex-portee in Anrhem 1945.....screen shot from a movie.

source: https://www.geldersarchief.nl/bronne...564&miview=ldt

[Bryan L]

And today's quandary is, how did this one end up with the RAF?

[Alex van de Wetering]

Here is another ex-portee in service with the Forestry corps.

Bedford QL? or Austin K5?

picture supposedly taken in The Netherlands
source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/