Cab 11/12s in old archives

Keith Webb · #1 26-07-08, 20:23

Quote:

Title
[Bulldozers clearing and trucks driving on new Darwin Road]
Subject
Australia. Army Transportation.
Subject
Earthmoving machinery. -- Roads -- Design -- and -- construction
Image number
H99.201/2009A
Format
2 photograph : gelatin silver ; 9.0 x 13.0 cm. or smaller.
Managed by
Item held by State Library of Victoria
Collection or series
IspartOf Argus newspaper collection of war photographs. World War II.
Date or place
[ca. 1942]

Keith Webb · #2 26-07-08, 20:37

This batch courtesy of the Australian War Memorial.

Quote:

ID Number: 028675
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: GERALDTON, AUSTRALIA. 1942-10. AN ANTI-TANK GUN MOUNTED ON PORTEE, READY FOR "ACTION" IN THE FIELD EXERCISES CARRIED OUT BY 2ND AND 4TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISIONS.
Copyright: Status to be assessed
Related subject: Anti tank; Artillery; Exercises and manoeuvres
Related unit: 2 Division; 4 Division
Related place: Australia: Geraldton

Quote:

ID Number: 024167
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: TRIPOLI, SYRIA. 1942-05-01. A PORTEE WITH AN ANTI-TANK GUN GOING UP TO THE FRONT DURING THE 26TH AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE MANOEUVRES.
Copyright: Status to be assessed
Related subject: Anti tank; Artillery; Exercises and manoeuvres
Related unit: 26 Brigade
Related place: Syria: Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Tripoli

Quote:

ID Number: P01393.002
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: SYRIA. MAY 1945. A 2 POUNDER ANTI-TANK GUN 9 BATTERY, 2/3RD AUSTRALIAN ANTI-TANK REGIMENT WITH CREW. ORIGINAL PRINT INSCRIBED "OUR 2 PDR ON PORTEE ON MANOEUVRES IN SYRIA MAY 1942. ROY, FRANK, LES DON AND SELF". (DONOR: C. TAPPERE)
Copyright: Status to be assessed
Related subject: 2 Pounder anti tank guns; Exercises and manoeuvres
Related unit: 2/3 Tank Attack Regiment
Related place: Syria
Related conflict: Second World War, 1939-1945

Keith Webb · #3 26-07-08, 20:55

Quote:

Title
[Scenes at convoy route staging camps]
Description
Shows soldiers having a wayside snack, from l. to r.: Cpl. A. Brotherton, Pte. F. Patrech, Pte. R. Webb, Pte. A. Charnock, Pte. F. Broadfield (all N.S.W.); soldiers cooking steak for supper over an open fire, from l. to r.: Driver, R. K. Squires, L/Cpl. W. McKennan, L/Cpl. N. E. Jones and Cpl. W. McAllister.
Subject
Australia. Army Military life.
Subject
Military trucks -- Cargo -- Australia Military camps -- Australia
Image number
H99.201/2860
Format
2 photographs : gelatin silver ; each 11.0 x 16.0 cm. approx.
Managed by
Item held by State Library of Victoria
Collection or series
IspartOf Argus newspaper collection of war photographs. World War II.
Date or place
[ca. 1943]

Keith Webb · #4 26-07-08, 21:03

Interesting to see both the missing parts as well as the censor's work on the ARN, even the bridge plate.

Quote:

Title
... TROOPS ON THE MOVE NORTH FROM A TRANSIT CAMP IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA TO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA (ALICE SPRINGS). ...
Description
Shows troops taking train to Central Australia; Maj. J. M. Post, (C.O. of Transit Camp) talking to Maj. J. S. Crawford and Lt. Mathews; troops originally from Darwin rugged up against the cold; Gnr. G. D. Fry, Gnr. C. V. Hill (both from Northern Territory), Gnr. R. A. Marshall and Gnr. A. Haddad (both from Vic.) discussing trip; Gnrs. Jones and Hynes helping each other with their heavy packs; troops moving onto trains with their full kits; troops lining up to board train; boarding train at Transit Camp; troops fastening down trucks on board train; troops playing two-up during a break while trains engine is filled with water.
Subject
Australia. Army Transportation.
Subject
World War, 1939-1945 -- Transportation -- Australia Railroads -- Australia -- Trains Military trucks -- Australia Soldiers -- Australia -- Recreation
Image number
H99.201/2975
Format
12 photographs : gelatin silver ; each 17.0 x 22.0 cm. approx.
Managed by
Item held by State Library of Victoria
Collection or series
IspartOf Argus newspaper collection of war photographs. World War II.
Date or place
[ca. 1943]

David_Hayward (RIP) · #5 27-07-08, 00:50

Excellent shots...thank you!

Tony Wheeler · #6 01-08-12, 17:50

As promised I've dug up some cab 12 portee pics I saved a while back, and I've even managed to locate the source again! It's an official account of NZ portee crews in action at Sidi Rezegh on 23/11/41, entitled "Guns against Tanks", with accompanying photographs. I've posted the link rather than the photos, as I found it to be a "must read". As well as describing in detail the various tactics employed when fighting tanks "en portee", it's a remarkable story of courage under fire against overwhelming odds, which I think you'll agree makes for compelling reading.

It also attests to the effectiveness of these highly mobile fighting vehicles in the hands of determined and skilful crews, even against massed tank attack. Despite constantly moving position in order to confuse enemy gunners, the two surviving portees of L Troop fired almost 700 rounds in 3 hours, accounting for an estimated 24 enemy tanks, as well as numerous M/T attempting to alight infantry and deploy mortars. In company with a battery of 25pdrs firing over open sights, their actions held the enemy at bay until nightfall, enabling the battalion to disengage and retire with "surprisingly few casualties" and rejoin their brigade. Reporting on this action, Brigadier Barrowclough wrote: ‘It will be appreciated that this small force had been hotly attacked by an enemy column which had already proved itself strong enough to defeat and overthrow the whole of the 5th South African Brigade Group."

In a similar engagement at Sidi Rezegh two days earlier, a troop of British portees fought off an attack by 60 enemy tanks. For his actions on that day, which included fighting the last remaining 2pdr on a burning portee until fatally shot, troop commander 2nd Lt. George Ward Gunn was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His citation concludes: "But for his very gallant action the enemy tanks would undoubtedly have overrun the position."

As suggested, given the role these vehicles and their crews played, you'd think they'd rate more than the occasional background appearance in official photographs.

Relevant links are:

Guns against Tanks: http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/schol...-t1-g1-t1.html

George Ward Gunn VC, details and citation: http://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-d...0GEORGE%20WARD

I do have a few other cab 12 portee pics which I'll post in due course. After that I'll move on to my favourite CMP variant - the magnificent cab 12 FAT! I'd like to revive this highly worthwhile thread - if nothing else, it will help me organize my gigabytes of randomly saved images!

Tony Wheeler · #7 04-08-12, 09:26

Some good pics on this NZ site including this superb cab 12 C60S "straight off the showroom floor" as it were:

http://mp.natlib.govt.nz/detail/?id=...c+Archive&l=en

A feature of this site is the excellent range of search categories which amongst others includes "Vehicles, Military", and also the "View Archived Image on NDHA" link (at the bottom of the image description) which allows you to zoom in on the original high resolution image. Try using the zoom tool on this cab 12 image - you'll be amazed at the detail visible.

Tony Wheeler · #8 04-08-12, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

I do have a few other cab 12 portee pics which I'll post in due course.

As promised, here's one from the NZ natlib site, with a link to the image server so you can check out the zoom feature. Click on the main image to zoom in on a particular area, and click on the small image to centre on a particular point. Check out the RHF mudguard for an interesting if rather brutal mod.

imageserver3.2 - Copy.jpg

http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/vi...&change_lng=en