AEC Matador gun tractor

[Mike Cecil]

Hi Rick,

Not Melbourne: Sydney, cnr Park & Elizabeth Streets, looking south east past the Hyde Park Oberlisk with Hyde Park's Anzac Memorial in the background. The corner now boasts a Starbucks at the base of a high-rise block in the position of the T&G building. You cannot get that same view now: the trees have all grown so much.

The guns are also interesting: these are 3-inch 20cwt AA guns on their mobile platforms, which were the predecessors of the 3.7-inch HAA guns. The lead gun appears to have a camouflage patter on the mudguard, which placed the parade into 1942 at least.

The Matadors appear to have the importation diamond still on the front left, and a Brit number I cannot read on the door, with the ARN of a 5-digit number on the front right.

On enlarging the image, it looks to me more like a trick of the light, Rick - they both appear to be the same colour. With the import 'diamond' still on them, this would be the colour they emerged from the AEC factory.

Mike