Vehicles used by Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade

[Rogier Peeters]

Thank you very much Bill.
Very amazing indeed!

[John A. Rippingham]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

And here is another picture showing the Prinses Irene Brigade had Bedford MW's on strength. This is an early open cabbed one, typical for the hodge-podge of hand-me-down vehicles they were equipped with.



Source: www.gemeentearchief.denhaag.nl

Hello Hanno,
The bedford shown above is the tanker that is listed. It has the pump on the front bumper, and if you look closely the curve of the rear mudguard. The tankers were produce upto 1943 ish with aeroscreens, so it may not have been an early production one.

All the best john

[Rogier Peeters]

Thanks John for identifying the Bedford!

On the Haagse Beeldbank another photo of the same vehicle has become available:

http://www.haagsebeeldbank.nl/hga:col1:dat335307

According to the Irene Brigade vehicle list, the vehicle number was L1284766, the chassis number MW19426 and the engine number 16685.

Another photo shows a 1939 or 1940 Ford which was part of the brigade HQ:

http://www.haagsebeeldbank.nl/hga:col1:dat246076

[John A. Rippingham]

Hello Rogier,
Thanks for that picture, thats much clearer, What does it say on the front below the radiator badge?

On that chassis number it would have been built 1940-41.

regards john

[Rogier Peeters]

Hello John,
assuming you are referring to the text at the top of the front, it says "Den Haag" which is dutch for The Hague.
Thanks for narrowing down the production date.

Regards,
Rogier

[John A. Rippingham]

Hello,
I came across this picture,

If they were good enough for our queen, then good enough for yours?

I've not seen these mentioned in previous posts. Bedford mw's and Austin K2's you had the cream of the crop.


http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e6...dutchirene.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hello John,

Great to have you on this forum! Thanks for ID'ing the MW water tanker and digging up that picture of the K2. Had not seen that one before.

Rgds,
Hanno

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Finally pictures of the Chevrolet CGT Portees converted to Lorries (as listed above).


"Great Britain, 1943, Prinses Irene Brigade. Dutch soldiers in training. Soldier working on repairing a truck engine"
http://proxy.handle.net/10648/ad8492...8-003048976d84 (image flipped)



"Great Britain, 1943. Netherlands Brigade Manoeuvres. Lorries too must be made invisible "
http://proxy.handle.net/10648/ad83b5...8-003048976d84

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

"Great Britain, 1943. Netherlands Brigade Manoeuvres. Lorries too must be made invisible "
http://proxy.handle.net/10648/ad83b5...8-003048976d84

Portee?? Nice find Hanno.

[Leon Hassing]

This is supposed to be a Dodge from The Princes Irene Brigade

Does anybody know if this is true?


http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...dgeWK60001.jpg

[cliff]

Nice photo of a rare Dodge WK60 workshop truck

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Leon Hassing

THis is supposed to be a Dodge from The princes Irene Brigade

Does anybody know if this is true?

Leon,

Great picture! Where did it come from and where & when was it taken?

It is a Dodge WK-60 as Cliff pointed out. The list provided by Rogier Peeters lists Dodge 3-ton trucks, and it is assumed these were D60L trucks. But since the WK-60 was classified as a 3 ton 6x4 Breakdown Gantry truck, it could have fitted this list of vehicles. Maybe Rogier will chime in later.

Anyway, the whole atmosphere points towards PIB too, I doubt if British or Canadian troops were allowed to dress up their vehicles like this one, nor would they no longer use this somewhat outdated type of vehicle.

HTH,
Hanno

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

I doubt if British or Canadian troops were allowed to dress up their vehicles like this one, nor would they no longer use this somewhat outdated type of vehicle.

hi Hanno,
I am not sure the WK-60 would have been outdated then. It was whole lot more powerful then the Retriever and its counterparts and the Austin K6 Gantry did not come along until the end of 1944, then in several contracts. There was obviously still a role for this type of vehicle for light aid. The Austin continued in service for another 15 years to.

[Rogier Peeters]

Gents,

some very interesting finds indeed. The (one) Dodge 3 ton truck in the 1943 vehicle list was indeed provided with a break down lorry body. Census number L1284786, chassis number 8300012.

I Would be interested in the source of the photo also.

Hope this helps & kind regards,
Rogier

[Leon Hassing]

Gentlemen,

I am glad you like the picture,
It is a Picture taken from a picture that hangs in the smal PIB museum at the oirschot army base.
The sign next to it said it was taken during the liberation of Den Haag.

@Rogier, Thanks for this info, it is good to know the cencus number when I am going to make a model of this truck.

Al the best
Leon

[Leon Hassing]

Gentlemen,
here are another two Picturs teken in the museum in Oirschot.
One is I think a Ford Thee car.
the other is a Fiat 626 used as a radio truck.

Hope you find these equaly interesting.

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...7/DSC07160.jpg

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u...7/DSC07159.jpg

All the best

Leon

[Rogier Peeters]

Very interesting finds Leon.

Kind regards,
Rogier

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Quote from Pete Ashby re. the WK-60:

This is very interesting as I assumed that WK60's were by this time limited standard in terms of issue to front line units in NWE. My Farther's unit had one which did sterling service in N Africa, Sicily, Italy, Yugoslavia and then on into Austria at the end of war.

I wonder if what we are seeing here is the same supply issues that saw 11 and 12 cab CMP's in NWE with the Free Czech and Polish forces?

Around the end of 1943 Canadian and British forces in the UK were ordered to turn in all their older CMP's and were reissued with new 13 cab variants for the coming invasion. The best of the 11 and 12 cab trucks were refurbished and re issued to free forces I suspect this is what happened to the WK60 shown in the photo.
Of particular interest is the fact that both the frame and census number appear in the records, I have passed this information on to my son who keeps a data base of all known WK60's. I'll let you know if anything comes of it.

[Peter Hommes]

What ever make they are (Which of cause if is of interest) the pictures are great to see thanks Hanno, We still have to make an appointment for the battles dresses.

Peter
http://www.milmarket.org

[Peter Hommes]

two picture of something else they used too.



Peter
http://www.milmarket.org

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Guy Armoured Car in service with the Dutch Princess Irene Brigade. Somewhere in England, 1941.

And oh, the guy in the turret is Saint Nicolas and his mate.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another picture of a Bedford MW during the liberation of The Hague:

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Not vehicles, but soldiers. There is a Canadian connection though, as this picture shows Prinses Irene Brigade troops marching during their training in Stratford, Ontario, in February 1941.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

As far as I know, nine Chevrolet and one Ford AT gun tractors were shipped to England.

This Chevrolet model 1939 (1-Ton) Anti-Tank Artillery Tractor Type PAG-C-1139 was given the census number "L1284691" in England. It was photographed during a 1940 exercise of the Princess Irene Brigade.

The second picture shows the same or another Chevrolet PAG Trekker.

[chrisgrove]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Guy Armoured Car in service with the Dutch Princess Irene Brigade. Somewhere in England, 1941.

And oh, the guy in the turret is Saint Nicolas and his mate.

Attachment 86779

Nice to see Zwarte Piet again. He seems to have become a fraction unfashionable!
Chris

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by chrisgrove

Nice to see Zwarte Piet again. He seems to have become a fraction unfashionable!
Chris

Is the Driver and person walking behind in similar attire?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by chrisgrove

Nice to see Zwarte Piet again. He seems to have become a fraction unfashionable!

Well yes, let's say that back in those days it wasn't objectionable to dress up like that.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here's another one of the PAG-trekkers in the background.

Would be interested to know what vehicle is in the foreground.

"Princess Irene Brigade. A driver belonging to the first detachment of Dutch troops destined for the Dutch East Indies repairs a tire of a car in the camp of the Princess Irene Brigade in Wolverhampton. February 1942"


http://proxy.handle.net/10648/ad8393...8-003048976d84

[David Dunlop]

Is that a mechanical signal arm beside the upper door hinge, Hanno?

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Is that a mechanical signal arm beside the upper door hinge, Hanno?

Yes, I'd say so David.

I guess this is one of the Dutch Army vehicles which were brought over to England in 1940.