Vickers Utility Tractors in the Netherlands East Indies

[wim sikkelbein]

another one fresh off the "keep them rolling" mailing list

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by wim sikkelbein

another one fresh off the "keep them rolling" mailing list

Excellent Wim, thanks!

Here´s another one, this time a Belgian Army Vickers Utility Tractor, with other weaponry being turned in to the German captors, 29 May 1940.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Utility Tractor 1932 Personnel Carrier

39.jpg 40.jpg

Caption: "photograph captioned 1934 Belgium Familleureux. The sides seem to hinge and drop down to provide leg rests for the passengers who are carried on the two sides. This vehicle was used by the Dutch Army to tow a 47mm anti tank gun, the crew riding on the tractor"

Source: http://tankdevelopment.blogspot.co.u...l-carrier.html

David Reasoner: "The KNIL in the Netherlands East Indies ordered 80 of these tractors from Familleureux in Belgium. Unfortunately, the German invasion and occupation of Belgium meant that only 20 or 21 of the order were actually delivered, the remainder being confiscated by the Germans. The KNIL used them for towing both the 47mm Boehler antitank gun and the Rheinmetall 2cm Flak30 antiaircraft gun."

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Survivor for sale on Milweb (no interest with the seller).

Could this be one of the tractors originally ordered by the Dutch?

Vickers Utility Tractor Schlepper VA601B
Found at a collection in a barn in Germany.
He had bought it in the sixties at a scrap dealer near Monte Casino, famous for its Battle around the monastry.
It is a Vickers Utility Tractor, only about 300 ever made.
Ordered by the Belgian army and the Dutch army just before WW2.
They all were confiscated by the German army and used by them throughout WW2.
There are 4 known of existence in the world and this should then be number 5.
These museums have an example in their collection: Museum Bronbeek, Arnhem (KNIL-versie met een 20-mm luchtafweerkanon) Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en de Krijgsgeschiedenis, Brussel Musée des Blindés de Saumur, Parijs Museo di Guerra per la pace “Diego de Henriquez”, Triëst.

img_1.jpg img_2.jpg img_3.jpg img_4.jpg