Ford GPA

[Ian Grieve]

Gentlemen

I felt it would be good to post the following on the Softskin page for broader viewing.

Posted is a message under "WW2 Military History & Equipment", "Photos needed" by Mark W. Tonner, Senior Member, Location: London, Ontario

Originally Posted by Mark W. Tonner

... well for the edification and enjoyment of MLU'ers, here is a photo of an 'Amphibian Jeep' in Canadian service and markings even........ Enjoy

From LAC: Personnel of the 17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars transferring from a "Seep" (waterized jeep) vehicle to the Chevrolet C15A truck which serves as the unit’s bus, Weener, Germany, 13 February 1946 - PA-167682

I am referring to your article above on the Canadian marked GPA in Germany. It certainly was from a batch of vehicles supplied to GB under S/M 2820 and involved 621 GPA's, with no mention of Canada. GPA "P5219935" was one of 386 vehicles allocated a "P" number. The balance 235 vehicles may have been numberless.

The Canadians had 3 GPA's overseas (REPORT NO. 141 of CANADIAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, SITUATION OF THE CANADIAN MILITARY FORCES OVERSEAS stated;

"The Amphibian Jeep (5-cwt Ford) was first considered by the Canadian Army in May 1943, but this like other amphibian vehicles was to be supplied by 21 Army Group (C.M.H.Q. file 1/Veh Amph/1: Extracts from Agenda for third meeting Cdn M.T. User Committee, 4 May 43; S.D.3, C.M.H.Q. to Trg 3, C.M.H.Q., 5 Oct 43). The first four were received in October 1944 (Historical file: Cdn Units 21 Army Group, "A" and "B" Vehicle Position States)."

Canadian records indicate they received their first GPA in May, 1943 at Hogs Back, Mooneys Bay, Ottawa. A further 20 GPA's were delivered in early 1944, whilst Canada had requested 25 GPA's in June, 1943. Delay had been bought about by very limited supply from the US. All 21 GPA's were attached to Pacific Command in British Columbia by May, 1944. It is most likely the 3 GPA's in use overseas were additional to the 21 GPA's and probably sourced from GB.

I notice the date on the photo is 13 February, 1946 and there appears to be a cover over the driving compartment. Is this photo (PA-167682) from National Archives Canada and have you been able to source other GPA photos from the archives?

It is a shame Canadian archives are so far away.

Ian

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Canadian GPAs:

I used to own a GPA that was sold out of Levy's in Weston, ON in 1957. They had 4 but they might have come surplus fom the USA.

Colin Stevens' GPA page

My GPA is featured at:
COlin Stevens' GPA

A Canadian issue GPA is shown prior to D-Day in UK (with British WD number P5219942.)



Colin Stevens
Mission, BC

[wim sikkelbein]

Can GPA P5219942



can gpa in amsterdam
photo courtesy by: Jan Roelse

[wim sikkelbein]

New information has come to light on the Canadian gpa's.
Information by Jan Roelse:

On the return list of deelen airfield 1946 there is a mention of 3 ford gpa amphibian jeeps, the Dutch army most likely used two of these until 1957-58 with the engineer bridge detachment (don't know if this is the right translation) afterwards 2 ended up in soesterberg for safe keeping and have eventual been sold to the public. One of these is thought to be in possession of a "keep them rolling" member here in Holland. One ended up with a Dutch farmer and one was used during the 1953 "watersnoodramp" here in Holland.

Wim

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Yesterday I had a look at Reg Hodgson's wonderful restored Ford GPA in Edmonton. I think it is the oldest GPA known. It is in US Army markings.



COLIN STEVENS
Mission, BC

[Ian Grieve]

Fellas

Great to talk GPA's. I have just pulled 4 rolls of microfilm from National Archives Canada (more coming) and found an amount of additional information on Canadian GPA's from 1943 to 1946.

Canadian Army Overseas disposed of one GPA through 1 Canadian COD in August, 1944, together with a number of other vehicles. Reasons given were that the vehicle was "obsolescent", that it had "considerable service", and that they were "anxious to undertake disposal".

Archival records are always interesting, and often conflicting. As much as I am certain Canadians had GPA's into 1946 (from records), other records state they had gone by 30 September, 1944.

The mission is to keep researching.

Is there a date on the GPA in Amsterdam?

Thanks Wim for your advice. I must catch up with Jan.

Ian

PS.........Colin......Great to see your pic in Army Motors the other day. I can now link a face with a name.

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

GPA with British WD number (P = Amphibian) in Canadian (?) service in England just before D-Day as the men include the Canadian Prime Minister MacKenzie King (in suit) and Gen Keller (far right), GOC 3 CID. It may however be with a British Beach Commando assigned to work with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division for D-Day.

Re: Photo in Army Motors - Spoken like a policeman! I'm the more taller one of the two by the way
;-)

Reg Hodgson's GPA is painted in US markings and I suspect that is what he found. He is a very meticulous restorer.

I know that 4 Ford GPAs were surplus in Levy's yard in Weston (part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada) in the mid-1950s but these could have come from US sources. I have photos of all 4 because I used to own one of them and previous owner had taken photos.

Colin Stevens' web page on GPA 4545

[Kym Loechel]

Just to let you know I recently saw two GPA's in Mildura in the Riverland of Victoria.. Australia..
Both were in pretty poor nick but the guy who took me to see them had owned one of them for many years using it every day around his fruit Block..
I toyed with making an offer on them but I have too many projects now.. Both the guys who owned them called them "Amfib's" as if it was local slang for them..
Next time I'm close I will take some pics and post them..

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Kym
Now you are in the MLU family, grab what you can and if you don't want it as a project there are plenty that do, especially with rarer vehicles like GPAs. At least in our hands they are "saved" from the scrappie or dis-interested family members.
Bob
(BTW no glasses yet)

[John McGillivray]

This is from CMHQ Report 141 para 95:

“The Amphibian Jeep (5-cwt Ford) was first considered by the Canadian Army in May 1943, but this like other amphibian vehicles was to be supplied by 21 Army Group (C.M.H.Q. file 1/Veh Amph/1: Extracts from Agenda for third meeting Cdn M.T. User Committee, 4 May 43; S.D.3, C.M.H.Q. to Trg 3, C.M.H.Q., 5 Oct 43). The first four were received in October 1944 (Historical file: Cdn Units 21 Army Group, "A" and "B" Vehicle Position States).”

In Appendix “C” it shows the Canadian Army in NWE holding three “Cars 5-cwt Amphibious (Ford)” at the end of December 1944.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/dhh/downloads/cmhq/cmhq141.pdf

[Colin Macgregor Stevens]

Apparently some GPAs were used (along with DUKWs) in WWII at the Combined Operations School at Courtenay, BC. When I lived up there I found a DUKW (since gone and since sunk in the Fraser River apparently) but no GPAs.


COLIN

[Ian Grieve]

John

I had Appendix "C" in mind, and other references, when I mentioned conflicting records. Again, I am quite sure there were 3 GPA's overseas with the Canadians as referenced in the document. Photos possibly support this situation also.

Another official record for vehicles with Canadian Army Overseas had no GPA's listed at 31 December, 1944.

In another series of reports, Major-General P J Montague (in-charge of Administration) reported on vehicles held by Canadian Units (obviously overseas) at the following dates;

Date Number of Cars, 5 cwt Amphibian (GPA’s)
February 28, 1943 No listing
June 30, 1943 No listing
August 31, 1943 1
November 30, 1943 3
December 31, 1943 3
January 31, 1944 3
February 29, 1944 3
April 30, 1944 1
May 31, 1944 1
September 30, 1944 1

This information conflicts with the official report.

Homeland Canada had 21 GPA's at that date in Pacific Command.

The GPA approved for disposal by 1 COD on 29 August 1944 may well have been the September 30, 1944 GPA above.

Combined Operations School in Courtenay received their first GPA in late June 1943, whilst another 5 vehicles were allocated to the school before May 31, 1944.

Great to see history coming together.

Ian

[Hanno Spoelstra]

First time I see a GPA in RAF service!

TAF/84 denotes No 84 Group, they were attached to 1 Canadian Army. They must have picked up the GPA somewhere as they went along as I cannot imagine they were issued one officially.

"Ford GPA 'RAF 143054' of the Tactical Air Force in The Hague, The Netherlands, 8 May 1945"


Vervaardiger: Bijleveld, R.Th.
Identificatienr. HGA001321157
Datering: ex. 8-5-1945
Source: https://haagsgemeentearchief.nl/medi...9-7b1735241da9

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Cross reference to Vehicle Census Numbers: Ford GPA?

[Ian Grieve]

Would that be May 8, or August 5?

Possibly a Victory/Celebration Parade?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Ian Grieve

Would that be May 8, or August 5?

Possibly a Victory/Celebration Parade?

8th of May as I wrote. On that day the Western part of the Netherlands was liberated. The German army had laid down their arms and all sort of Allied units drove into their territory to show the population they were liberated from their oppressors and to reinstate civil government.

[Mike K]

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...%20jeep%20sale

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...%20jeep%20sale

Sydney's first civilian amphibious jeep took the water In Rose Bay this week. The owner, Mr. John Crouch, a
Sydney motor salesman, drove it Into the Harbor from a bus stop. Mr. Crouch's jeep, named the Cygnet, does 8
miles an hour In water, up to AS on land. Steering wheel works the rudder. Mr. Crouch bought the Cygnet at
a Melbourne Disposals Commisuloin sale, will use it just fer fun. Top picture shows: Wheels were switched 'IT,
rudder, which works automatically with the steering on land, took charge, the propellor turned, and the jeep
cruised off at a steady seven knots nut into the deep., l^iwer Picture; Harbor cruise uver. the jeep returned to
land, running up to the roadway at Rose Bay. The children stood hy and wondered what they'll he doing neit.

[Mike K]

Deniliquin in NSW is where a bunch of surplus GPAs were bought and many were chopped and sold to farmers . This newspaper report indicates they held a rally at Deniliquin , beating Corowa by many years. And a GPA in flood rescue work Brisbane post war.

[Mike K]

//////////////////////////////

[Mike K]

GPA sales.......................

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Deniliquin in NSW is where a bunch of surplus GPAs were bought and many were chopped and sold to farmers . This newspaper report indicates they held a rally at Deniliquin , beating Corowa by many years. And a GPA in flood rescue work Brisbane post war.

Hello Mike, interesting newspaper clippings.

Do you know how many GPAs were supplied to the Australian DoD?

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Hello Mike, interesting newspaper clippings.

Do you know how many GPAs were supplied to the Australian DoD?

Hanno

Not sure myself, the figure is pretty well published .Us attendees at the first or second Corowa were given a little booklet that outlined the GPA history in Australia, still have my copy.

I do recall speaking to an old chap on the phone , he was at Deniliquin and he had a WOt2 I was interested in buying. Anyway, he told me about his adventures driving GPA's from Bandiana to Deniliquin just after the war, he said a business had purchased a large bulk lot of GPA's and he drove many of them . Most of these Deniliquin GPAs had the bow chopped off and were sold to farmers as farm hacks

[ozm29c]

The GPA I restored many years ago was from Deniliquin. It was employed as a mobile post hole digging machine.

[Mike K]

GPA fatality at Bairnsdale Vic.

[Mike Cecil]

Hanno,

There are 161 in the Aust Army vehicle registers. One of these was transferred to the RAAF.

The number disposed of/left in Australia by USAFIA, if any, has not been established.

Mike

[Mike K]

Adelaide GPA and in Tasmania 1944

[Mike K]

A few of the many newspaper articles:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/a...m=Ben%20Carlin

[Mike K]

We are a tad too late for this one