C8AX Tac Sign

[Ausmick]

Richard, that was good reading and the possibilities are now becoming endless. I have sent some information off to the RN history section dealing with MONAB in Australia and hope some light will come from this. Some of these bases were in Australia for years after the war and could have even picked this truck up then.

I found the picture I was trying to find that had a number with RN on it and it was on a thread from here:

http://www.mapleleafup.org/forums/sh...1&postcount=36

[hrpearce]

Hi Ausmick,
Thats my blitz and everything makes sence except that "RN" number.
When I went to the War Memorial in Canberra and looked up the ARNs in the volumes of the AWM126 the ARN becide the bonet matched the engine and chassis numbers on the truck.
The RN number however belongs to a F15A that went to New Guinea (?spelling). As Euan pointed out the bumper is drilled for a Chev and has no spare holes so how this number ended up on my truck is a mystery.

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by hrpearce

The RN number however belongs to a F15A that went to New Guinea (?spelling). As Euan pointed out the bumper is drilled for a Chev and has no spare holes so how this number ended up on my truck is a mystery.

Robert,

The fact that your "RN number" has the letters after the number, points to a British Royal Navy serial number. ( The RAF prefixed letters to numbers, and RN suffixed them). The number being same as a F15A in New Guinea is probably a coincidence. My feeling is that Mick's RN number, if it proves to be Royal Navy, was mistakenly painted with the letters first. What is needed is some archive photos of the MONAB airfields showing vehicles and any markings on them.

All fascinating and leads to all sorts of other things when you start searching.

[Richard Farrant]

...........just found some more links to MONAB's in Australia, with some photos showing vehicles, a quite a few British ones, marked with RN serials, inc. Bedford QL tankers and GS cargo types, Fordson WOT6 GS cargo, Austin K6 radar scanner, Fordson WOT2 GS. If you go to the following link, which shows a selection of photos, click on "Nowra image 17", this shows a row of Fordson WOT6 GS trucks and a jeep all with RN serials.
http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive....S/M1_Album.htm

It is quite possible that vehicles needed to be supplemented for a number of reasons and were obtained by "local" resources.

[Ausmick]

There are a few Royal Navy vehicles with the RN as a prefix before the numbers.

So far I look like having a truck that was shipped from Canada to New Zealand in a crate. Built there, then sent off to the Solomon Islands with the 2NZEF-IP and more then likely used in a Headquarters unit of some sort (102). Then, somehow along the line, end up being painted a different shade of green with RN68022 painted upon it. Now looks like it had service in the Royal Navy before or on arrival in Australia.

All I wanted was a nice easy truck with a tray!.......but if I am about to unload a fair bit of money on the old girl in the next few years, I’d rather get its history right (or as close as I can). Thanks for all the help so far. Looks like I could spend longer doing the research then the restoration!!!!!

[Ausmick]

Richard,

Something that you said made me have another look at the cowls where the lettering and numbers were. I don't think, with the size of the white numbering/letters that were on their, that the RN number could have been written 68022RN, as on the smaller C8AX cowl it doesn't look like the room was available. Maybe the next best thing was the RN under the number, but more practical was what has happened with the RN above it?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Ausmick

Maybe the next best thing was the RN under the number, but more practical was what has happened with the RN above it?

Mick,

That would make sense. Looking at the other vehicles brought over from UK on the website photos, they all have 5 figure numbers, so it does fit in. Just how it got there is the mystery.