Canadian White M3A1 Scout Car Wireless Equipment

[David Dunlop]

Canada used the White M3A1 Scout Car in several functions during World War Two, until it was largely replaced by the C15TA, late in the war.

Was the White Scout Car ever equipped with any of the Wireless Set No. 9 series of wireless sets, either on it’s own, or in combination with another wireless set?

If so, do installation instructions for a No. 9-Set in a White M3A1 survive anywhere, and what Regiments were most likely to have used such a vehicle?

David

[David Dunlop]

Well, I got a bit of a lead on this today. Seems the 1st Canadian Air Support Signals Unit had a number of White Scout Cars with the No. 9 Mk I Wireless System installed and a least one of these vehicles had the No. 9 swapped for a Wireless Set No. 52 before the war ended.

Now to find out more information about this particular unit.

David

[Tim Bell]

Phantom GHQ Liaison Regt had WSC with WS9 (latterly WS52) fitted across rear panel. Though not a Canadian unit, they were attached to Canadian 1st Army in NWE.

Tim

[Tim Bell]

I have my WSC loosely fitted out to represent a Patrol from A squadron attached to British 2nd Army - I have my WS9 fitted across the rear... this is based on a couple of photos which show a WS52, but the War Diaries record the use of the Canadian WS9 and it seems logical to me that the WS52 would have been a simple swap-out leaving all the kit in place.

My main concession has been to leave the wheel arch bins in place (mine are original in situ), whereas the photos clearly show these have been replaced with lower level tables.

There is a WSC radio pamphlet about as a reprint on Ebay from time to time - it is for the WS19... but it is a good guide to the correct terminology, and am sure that things like charging board, batteries, generator and mounts etc are pretty much the same... an image of the front cover of the Pamphlet is here...

http://www.hinsie.nl/Documents.htm

Hunting for "White Scout Car" will get you nowhere... you need to use "Truck, 15cwt 4x4".. though I have also found documentation for the C15TA when searching with this.

Hope this helps

Tim

[David Dunlop]

Tim.

Thanks for the information. I am trying to get a handle on all this information for a friend out in Edmonton. He has restored a WSC as issued to the Canadian Army during the war and has had a 52-Set sitting on a shelf for years trying to find installation information for it, as related to the WSC.

We have only recently realized that with the exception of the late war C15TA, no installation instructions for the 52-Set in any vehicle, seem to have been issued. As an evolution of the Wireless Set No. 9 Mk I Cdn, the 52-Set was intended as a direct swapout in any vehicle already equipped with the No. 9 Mk I installation. Battery and aerial leads would be disconnected from the No. 9 Mk I and the set removed. The 52-Set carrier would mount right into the same hole pattern and was then connected up to the battery and aerial and away they went. There is actually a section in the 52-Set Manual that explains this concept. It would be quite normal, therefore to see a 52-Set installed in a vehicle but aerial setup and Remote receiver kit would all be No. 9 equipment.

So now the current quest for No.9 Set Installation information.

Would you mind, Tim, if I put my friend in touch with you via email? Your insights would be a great assistance for him with his WSC. You can send me a PM with your contact info and I will email him, and copy you in as a means of introduction.

Best regards,

David

[Bob Ascah]

Coming late to the conversation.
- 1 ASSU was the only Canadian unit to have White M3 Scout Cars fitted with a WS No.9. Phantom which had patrols with the Canadians, was a British unit. The ASSUs (1 Canadian and 2 British) were Army level Signals units responsible for handling air requests/taskings between brigade, division, corps, army and to the rear wings and groups.
- The War Establishment was 30 Trucks 15cwt Wireless and 8 Trucks 15cwt Armoured. Each had a WS No.9 set with a crew of four and was referred to as a tentacle. 1 ASSU received their M3s in mid April. The War Diary indicates that the unit did a mock-up for the No.9 installation after which the vehicles went to 4 Armoured Brigade Workshop for modifications. There is no mention of the installation design. The one photo I've seen of a 1 ASSU M3 showed a Base Aerial Assembly on a short post fitted to rear bow on the outside of the canvas. This would suggest that the set was installed across the back wall as seen in some Phantom photos. As communications on the move wasn't a requirement for a tentacle, I surmise that the antennae were mounted on masts at the HQ location.
- When the M3s were replaced by CT15As in the winter, the vehicles went to an RAF MSSU (most likely 84 Group's No. 308) for fitting of the WS No.9, two 1143 air sets and a WS No.22. Again, no diagrams have come to light.
Bob