'SM', 'S.M.' or 'S/M' and what it means!

[rewdco]

Originally Posted by David_Hayward

Dave Page has asked me what 'SM', or S.M.' or 'S/M' means. I thought that it would be appropriate to remind and ask for assistance.

The abbreviation stands for 'Supply-Mechanical' which is in fact a 'Demand Supply-Mechanical' or contract placed by the Ministry of Supply and also at times the Admiralty for the Royal Navy and Air Ministry for the RAF. Well, it did until after January 1941 when acquisitions were placed in theory under the M of S for all three services, plus civilian use. Essentially these are contracts for overseas supply initially to the UK, starting with S/M 2002...though there may have been a S/M 2001 not found it yet..for CMPs in July 1940 and then rising up sequentially and then jumping to S/M 6001 at some stage bypassing S/M 3001 and up, 4001 and up and 5001 and up. However we now think that S/M 5001 and up were for spare parts whilst S/M 1001 and up were for imported hard skin vehicles such as the Staghounds. Trailers were also acquired under S/M demands as well as under 'TM' demands..'Trailer Mechanical'? Likewise motorcycles and half-tracks and oddities such as the Allis-Chalmers tractors.

After having studied the Chilwell list, I have come to this conclusion:

During the 1930’s, the T contracts were for Trailers, the C contracts were for (motor)Cycles and the V contracts were all the rest… V for Vehicles? From 1940 onwards, Trucks, Tractors and Transporters were also often classified as T contracts. When a truck is called a Lorry, it sometimes has a T contract, sometimes a V contract… Towards the end of the war, there are more and more S contracts (S for Supply? Or Softskin?). I think that the person who was responsible for the allocation of these contract numbers (and prefixes) was a blonde secretary:

- “What’s this contract for Sir?”
- “It’s a contract for Tillies my girl.”
- “Tillies? Doesn’t sound like a Truck or a Motorcycle, will class it as a Vehicle…”

or:

- “This is a contract for 1000 Lorries Mildred.”
- “Excuse me Sir, are Lorries Motorcycles or Vehicles?”

Who knows more about these contract code prefixes?

Jan