Tobruk Gun Crew with Italian Breda Mounted to Chev

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

During a search of the Australian War Memorial's photography section I found a photo of a Chevrolet truck at Tobruk taken in 1941 of a Gun Crew. The photo is described as being taken of the 3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment in Action with an Italian Breda Model 35 20 mm cannon mounted on a Chevrolet 2 Ton Truck. Accession Number: 020583 Accessed 14th August 2020 from https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C4959

Is the identification of the truck as being a "2 ton" an accurate one?

Would the mounting of a Breda Model 35 be an in-field piece of fitting of what may have been a captured or abandoned weapon?

Is the arrangement of the spare tyre a special fit to this truck in order to keep the tray clear for firing the antiaircraft gun?

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I did a quick search online and I found a YouTube clip an American crew who have captured a similar cannon that they put to use in Germany. Accessed 14th August 2020 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4qBhQIwcEU

Unfortunately, the video quality is rather poor. The sound track is clear though of the cannon firing.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I was able to answer one of my own questions. According to Wiki....

In North Africa, the Commonwealth forces captured a large number of Breda Model 35s during Operation Compass, enabling the Australian 2/3 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment,[3] parts of the 4th Anti-Aircraft Brigade (which had a total of 42 Bredas in its Light Anti-Aircraft batteries during the Siege of Tobruk) and one battery of 106th (Lancashire Hussars) Regiment, RHA to be equipped with them.

Captured Bredas were used by the Long Range Desert Group and aboard a number of Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy vessels including HMAS Vendetta, HMAS Perth[4] and HMS Ladybird, and at least one Marmon-Herrington Mk II armoured car

Accessed 14th August 2020 from, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Breda_Model_35

Kind regards
Lionel

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Here is another YouTube video that shows the Italian's firing a Breda 35. Footage includes a truck mounted version. Accessed 14th August 2020 from, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na44eacc9Fo

Kind regards
Lionel