Ford CMP 8cwt - made by Bedford

Kuno · #1 05-01-10, 20:14

Dear Experts;

I have a statement of a travel log of a German driver who had a Ford CMP 8cwt with him during the Desert Campaign of WW2. There are photos of the truck giving proof that it is a typical CMP...

...only, he writes that it was a Bedford product.

Question: Did Bedford also produce CMP trucks?

Would be great if somebody could definatly confirm waht I beliefe: No, they did not.

Hanno Spoelstra · #2 05-01-10, 22:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuno

Question: Did Bedford also produce CMP trucks?

Like you said: no, they did not. But Bedford was related to Chevrolet - David Hayward is the man to speak to on this subject.

But how come a German soldier thought he was driving a Bedford which in reality was a Ford?

But it reminded me of the story about the Chevrolet staff car captured at Dunkirk.

Hanno

Kuno · #3 05-01-10, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

But how come a German soldier thought he was driving a Bedford which in reality was a Ford?

Many thanks, Hanno.

I have asked myself the same question as you. The page of his "travel log" talks as well about Jerrycans of 25 liters....

I guess that soembody has faked something here

Hanno Spoelstra · #4 05-01-10, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuno

I guess that soembody has faked something here

Kuno,

Depends on when the travel log was written. If it was written anytime after the actual events, all sorts of indiscrepancies creep into recollections. Typically, after a few decades veterans recollections are worthless unless their memory is jogged by period source material.

Can you share a pic of the CMP truck?

Hanno

David_Hayward (RIP) · #5 05-01-10, 22:53

I is here!

Now, the immediate answer that I had was this might have been a CMP rebuilt by Vauxhall Motors Ltd at Hendon. This was in part of the 1925ish-on GM Ltd building that was part-leased to Frigidaire and part to Vauxhalls. The latter was turned into an export boxing plant in 1932 and from 1940 was involved in all manner of war work, including crating! In addition Vauxhalls also had a repair facility in the 'Shadow Factory' at Dunstable, where the A22 Churchills were made. Ministry of Supply code for that was 'VMD'.

However I think it more likely that this was an assembly job at one of the Ford contract plants, and time has affected the memory. Ripple Lane, Barking is a prime candidate.

Kuno · #6 06-01-10, 06:17

Colleagues; I will be able to provide some low res photos later on today.

Kuno · #7 06-01-10, 07:04

Here is what I have. These are pictures of the famous "Operation Salam":

cletrac (RIP) · #8 06-01-10, 10:10

You can tell by the folding legs on the tilt that the first picture is a wireless truck and the one in the other pics isn't. On that one they've removed the large locker in front of the box and put a spare tire there. I wonder if they left another spare in the original location? Both trucks are Fords by the way. You can tell that by the wooden plank under the fuel tanks.

Kuno · #9 06-01-10, 10:48

In fact they have used 3 Ford F8 and 3 Ford C11ADF Station wagons. None of the F8 was used as a W/T truck (although we know now that this was the original purpose of one of these trucks). The W/T equipment was installed into one of te C11ADF.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #10 06-01-10, 20:06

I have looked at the Census Numbers visible..I thought that they were 'Z 49...etc' but I don't think that this is correct. With the wireless suggstiuon I queried if they were in the batch Z 4544303 to Z 4544367 under Demand S/M 2030, assembled at Dagenham under Contract 294/V/4699, 'Truck 8 cwt 4x2 G/S' Model EC011DF. I think that these were bodied in the UK along with C.8s under demand S/M 2029, which were certainly supplied via the UK and direct to the Mid-East. There may also have been direct deliveries to the Mid-East of the F.8s.

Kuno · #11 06-01-10, 20:32

Census Numbers, as far as I can see them is: Z4523030

cletrac (RIP) · #12 06-01-10, 21:16

I'll go with Kuno on the number being Z4523030.

David_Hayward (RIP) · #13 07-01-10, 09:02

That number is just outside the allocation of (3000) F15s delivered to Egypt under S/M 2002, some of which ended up with the AIF. It appears that it must have been a S/M 2030 truck, with a Mid-East allocation number.

Kuno · #14 07-01-10, 09:14

@ David; I am confused now about the mentioning of F15 trucks. They were F8...

David_Hayward (RIP) · #15 07-01-10, 09:42

1. Demand S/M 2002 was for 3,000 F15s delivered direct to Egypt and 500 to Mombasa. Z 4520080 was issued to the AIF, and so it is assumed that the series ran Z 4520001 and up, to q maximum of 4523000.

2. There are no known (yet) Demands for Mid-East direct F8 trucks of the period, but the assumption is that these were to S/M 2030, as S/M 2029 included C8 trucks delivered, as with 2030, to England and also direct to Egypt. The number must have been in a batch after the F15 Mid-East Theatre allocation.

Kuno · #16 27-05-12, 17:47

Sorry, David - I was wrong: The nuber is 45 20030.

Would you have an information to this vehicle?

cliff · #17 27-05-12, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kuno

Sorry, David - I was wrong: The nuber is 45 20030.

Would you have an information to this vehicle?

Sorry Kuno David died some time ago and is unable to answer your post.

Kuno · #18 27-05-12, 19:45

Oh. Sorry, I did not recognize that.
May he rest in peace.