Dutch buy ex-Australian vehicles

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

or in protest of the vehicles supporting the Colonial Dutch against the Independence movement of the Indonesians?

Indeed the international politic climate was anti-colonial, due to which it became increasingly difficult for the Dutch government to source military equipment from other nations and defence industries. Hence buying up dump equipment and vehicles in the Netherlands and Australia as we now know.

Of course a truck is a truck, so these were sourced from civilian sources and used as-is, shiny paint, chrome trim and all. A good example is this Dodge stake bed truck pictured in 1948:

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Source: http://proxy.handle.net/10648/c45bf8...6-72c934d10deb

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another snippet of information on ths subject unearthed by Mike:

"Query on Gear Sold To Dutch" (1947, april 17). The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld. : 1872 - 1947), p. 10

Interesting to read about international trade of buying and selling incomplete vehicles, parts and the subsequent assembly. The twisting and turning of where responsibilities start and end in political sensitive situations is interesting to read. For situations like this the end-user certificate was invented.

nla.news-page000019750063-nla.news-article187272919-L5-20d1fbefd11be6a35f98e24a44ec59f4-0001.jpg
CANBERRA: Fourteen boats ranging from 120 ft. to 26 ft., as well as a-few surf boats have been sold by the Federal Government to the Netherlands East Indies Government.
The Minister for Post-War Reconstruction (Mr. Dedman) told the Leader of the Country Party (Mr. Fadden) this in the House of RcpresentaUves to-day.
The Commission, he said, had no knowledge of other vessels whicli might have been acquired by the N.E.I.! possibly through ships' brokers and agents in Australia.
Mr. Dedman had been asked by Mr. Fadden whether his attention had been drawn to a recent arUcle in "The Telegraph," Brisbane, in which n special correspondent stated that because of the Australian waterside workers' ban an their ships the Dutch were unable to obtain 1,000 motor trucks, 300 small lighters, 100 large lighters and 12 tugs which they had ' bought ' from the Disposals Commission.
Mr. Dedman said that in 1945 the Commonwealth Disposals Commission sold to the Ford Motor Company 470 unassembled chassis, less front axle assemblies, for resale to the Royal N.E.I. Army.
The Royal N.E.I, Army arranged to purchase through the American authorities sufficient Marmon Her-rington conversion kits to complete the assembly of the chassis.
The Ford Motor Company in turn arranged produce the completed trucks.
The Commission's responsibility in this matter ceased with the disposal of the 479 incomplete unassembled chassis'.
The question of delivery of motor vehicles was one between the Ford Company and"the N.E.1. authorities. Mr. Dedman said.
The Commission was not aware of any small craft purchases by the Netherlnads authorities for which deliveries could not be obtained, he said. "

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Looks like these Ford/Marmon-Herrington trucks have those typical Australian 18” wheels, so these may well be part of the batch of Ford trucks bought in Australia.

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[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Looks like these Ford/Marmon-Herrington trucks have those typical Australian 18” wheels, so these may well be part of the batch of Ford trucks bought in Australia.

The door windows have the 1/4 vent sections which indicates Ford Australia made the cabs. But the 4x4 Australian assembled trucks were usually 39 to 41 models. The cargo bodies don't look like they are Art tractors either. The late Ken Morris of Pakenham had a 1942 6x6 M-H . I've not seen a 4x4 jailbar but somebody else will chime in with more info.

[Mike Cecil]

Mike,

From post #6(my bolding):

"Mr. Dedman said that in 1945 the Commonwealth Disposals Commission sold to the Ford Motor Company 470 unassembled chassis, less front axle assemblies, for resale to the Royal N.E.I. Army.
The Royal N.E.I, Army arranged to purchase through the American authorities sufficient Marmon Her-rington conversion kits to complete the assembly of the chassis.
The Ford Motor Company in turn arranged [to] produce the completed trucks.
The Commission's responsibility in this matter ceased with the disposal of the 479 incomplete unassembled chassis'."

The Australian Army was working on a Tractor, Artillery (Aust) No.10, based on a Ford 1942 'jailbar' with a MH all wheel drive kit, but the requirement was shelved after the prototype was completed or near completion. There was also the purchase of Ford chassis for 4x2 lorries that were no longer required due to (1) the changing operational situation and (2) the move away from Modified Conventional vehicles to more rugged military pattern vehicles, which resulted in an 'over-supply' of MC types, hence the 'stock' of 470 un-used chassis.

Mike

[Mike K]

Interesting stuff. I noticed the 4x4 jailbar trucks pictured in Hanno's post appear to be RHD but I guess the Dutch weren't too fussy about minor details ! Ford must have supplied the wheels ? The chassis were sold by the CDC to Ford minus the front axles. I guess the original front axles were disposed separately ? A convoluted saga.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks Mike and Mike, interesting stuff indeed!

This thread features some details on Austrilian Ford/Marmon-Herrington trucks with the 1942 "jailbar" front end: #5 & #7 M/H (Aust) Field Artillery Tractors.

Here are some more pictures of those ex-Australian Ford/Marmon-Herrington trucks. Look at those V-profile 18" tyres: they must have been brand new when these trucks were sold off.

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Source: National Archives: http://proxy.handle.net/10648/3d74aa...d-a1441348b399 | http://proxy.handle.net/10648/80ed74...3-2197a07a02cf

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

A convoluted saga.

Indeed, the Dutch were scrounging the world market for equipment as more and more governments condemned the Dutch reluctance to stop the war on Indonesia's independence. It is interesting to see how they were able to trade with commercial companies and set up deals like the one above.

While arms deals were scrutinized, manufacturers could get export permits for regular/civilian vehicles. The Dutch authorities were not worried about details like gloss or matt paint, LHD or RHD. Many vehicles were ex-Canadian and British Army with RHD, and the drving in Indonesia was on the left anyway.

Attached are some pictures of more Ford/Marmon-Herrington 6x6 F-series trucks and Willys Civilian Jeeps. Seems the only military thing about them are their registration numbers and markings, they were used in action with gloss paint and shiny chrome as there were no resources to repaint them.

144642113_4011086452258433_7755981095590753764_n.jpg 143738185_4011084742258604_7504708152953606009_n_Ford F6-Marmon Herrington trucks.jpg 189074511_4331665060200569_7599827751171486282_n.jpg