Some CMP pictures from the New Zealand National Archives

[Peter Mossong]

Hi to all. I've spent the past weekend trawling through the digital photos held by our National Archives, and have managed to get quit a haul of interesting CMP photos amongst others. I'll post them as I re-size them to go here.

Tools laid out on the ground as part of a transport kit inspection, Maadi Camp, Egypt. Taken circa 1941 by an official photographer.
NZ National Archives DA-00802-F.

Next: Officer conducting transport kit inspection of army truck and driver's tools, Egypt. Taken circa 1941 by an official photographer.
NZ National Archives DA-00801-F

Last: Trucks of advance party arrive on the wharf at Alexandria, Egypt, for embarkation as the NZ Division leaves Egypt for Italy during World War II. Photograph taken in October 1943 by M D Elias.
NZ National Archives DA-03200-F

Of interest (other than the broken windscreen!) is the shipping information on that window, and various shipping info on the fender, and the air recognition roundel on the bonnet/hood. Colours most probably are Light Mud and S.C.C. 14 Blue-Black.
The unit (88 on a Red and Blue background) is the 4th Field Regiment, NZA

Cheers,
Pete M. More to come soon...

[Lynn Eades]

What does the block bolted to the front of the bumper do? (behind the pick handle)

[Peter Mossong]

Here's a couple for a change from the war in the Pacific.

Troops of 3(NZ) Division shifting a gun to be loaded on a barge, CMP in the background. 1943. Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands.
NZ National Archives WH-0196-F.


NZ CMP's on a muddy track on Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands 1943.
NZ National Archives WH-0256.

Cheers,
Pete M.

[Peter Mossong]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

What does the block bolted to the front of the bumper do? (behind the pick handle)

Hi Lynn. It is a basic brush guard to protect the radiator and nose area of the trucks. Can be seen fitted to almost all CMP and British trucks in one form or another. Often used to carry coils of wire/rope and all other sorts of 'stuff'...

Cheers,
Pete M.

[David DeWeese]

Hi Lynn,

I see what you may be referring to in the photo, and enlarged it. It looks like the shadow of the shovel and pick handle on the bumper....does look like a block, though.

Thanks, David

[Lynn Eades]

Thanks Peter and David. The big picture has shed light (and shadow) on my optical illusion.

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Peter Mossong

Here's a couple for a change from the war in the Pacific.

Troops of 3(NZ) Division shifting a gun to be loaded on a barge, CMP in the background. 1943. Vella Lavella in the Solomon Islands.
NZ National Archives WH-0196-F.


NZ CMP's on a muddy track on Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands 1943.
NZ National Archives WH-0256.

Cheers,
Pete M.

There is another CMP in the back ground. It looks like a Cab12 FGT. Straight above the right corner of the No13 cab.



The gun is a 25pdr with full canvas cover.

Regards Rick.

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Peter Mossong

Hi to all. I've spent the past weekend trawling through the digital photos held by our National Archives, and have managed to get quit a haul of interesting CMP photos amongst others. I'll post them as I re-size them to go here.

Tools laid out on the ground as part of a transport kit inspection, Maadi Camp, Egypt. Taken circa 1941 by an official photographer.
NZ National Archives DA-00802-F.

Next: Officer conducting transport kit inspection of army truck and driver's tools, Egypt. Taken circa 1941 by an official photographer.
NZ National Archives DA-00801-F

Last: Trucks of advance party arrive on the wharf at Alexandria, Egypt, for embarkation as the NZ Division leaves Egypt for Italy during World War II. Photograph taken in October 1943 by M D Elias.
NZ National Archives DA-03200-F

Of interest (other than the broken windscreen!) is the shipping information on that window, and various shipping info on the fender, and the air recognition roundel on the bonnet/hood. Colours most probably are Light Mud and S.C.C. 14 Blue-Black.
The unit (88 on a Red and Blue background) is the 4th Field Regiment, NZA

Cheers,
Pete M. More to come soon...

Nice photos. Tools in front of an Cab11 F15, and in the third photo, a Chev staff car, Stuart tanks, an OY Bedford 3 tonner and a Ford cab 12 are easily seen as are the T212 Dodges.

Regards Rick

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Peter Mossong

I've spent the past weekend trawling through the digital photos held by our National Archives

Peter, you may want to view the I.T.Y. Johnston collection which is not yet digitized. Capt. Ian Johnston served with 6 (NZ) Fd Regt in North Africa and 4 (NZ) Fd Regt in Greece and Crete. I came across one his photos in Megan Hutching's book The Desert Road:


http://natlib.govt.nz/items/23094379

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by lynx42

There is another CMP in the back ground. It looks like a Cab12 FGT. Straight above the right corner of the No13 cab.

Well spotted Rick! Overflow tank makes it Chev FAT, presumably brought back from Middle East. Looks like they've "tropicalized" it by cutting out the roof!

[Mike K]

The Tripoli pic, the wireless vehicle in the foreground would be a F8 or C8 because of the gap between the tool locker and the cab . The T212 Dodges don't have the gap . I cannot make out the wireless set . Is it a No. 11 ?

[lynx42]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

The Tripoli pic, the wireless vehicle in the foreground would be a F8 or C8 because of the gap between the tool locker and the cab . The T212 Dodges don't have the gap . I cannot make out the wireless set . Is it a No. 11 ?

I think it is a No.11, Mike as you can see the frame and it has the holder for the Hp/LP power supply.
Regards Rick.

[cletrac (RIP)]

That's definitely an 11 set and the charging switchboard is the right size to be the No 1. Nice find on that pic!
The power supplies are both in place to the right of the set.

[Peter Mossong]

Originally Posted by Tony Wheeler

Peter, you may want to view the I.T.Y. Johnston collection which is not yet digitized. Capt. Ian Johnston served with 6 (NZ) Fd Regt in North Africa and 4 (NZ) Fd Regt in Greece and Crete. I came across one his photos in Megan Hutching's book The Desert Road:


http://natlib.govt.nz/items/23094379

Attachment 82010

Hi Tony. I found one digitised image from that set from the parade for Winston

25 pounders of NZ Division passing in review before Prime Minister of Great Britain in Tripoli, World War II - Photograph taken by H Paton
Reference: DA-02890-F

Of interest is the varied camouflage of the guns, and what appears to be the 'Caunter' scheme still on the first Quad!

Cheers,
Pete M.

[Peter Mossong]

Hi to all. Some more Kiwi CMP's for your files.

Firstly, something for almost every section of the forum!
DA-01495: General view of Major General Bernard Freyberg reviewing the Mechanized Brigade at Helwan, Egypt. Taken on 26 September 1941 by an official photographer. 23 on Brown square on front row of CMP's was 26th Infantry Battalion in September 1941. Most of the vehicles in this photo appear to be either brand new, or in the case of the carriers, freshly painted!

I've also uploaded a large format (14meg) copy of this to my Dropbox public folder at https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...DA-01495-F.tif

DA-02182: Troops in truck fully equipped and ready for action as New Zealanders move forward for advance from Egypt into Libya during World War II. Taken on 22 November 1941 by an official photographer.
39 on Red/Green square was NZ Reserve MT Company.

DA-02862cu: A NZ truck passes through typical open county of the Azizia region, Libya, during World War II. Photograph taken on 8 February 1943 by H Paton.
96 on Red/Blue Square was No.7 Anti-Tank Regiment in 1943. I can't ID the emblem on the left fender.

DA-03038: Convoy passing through fields of daisies on the plains of Tunisia during World War II. Photograph taken circa May 1943 by M D Elias.
78 on Blue square was 6th Field Company, NZ Divisional Engineers in 1943.

[Peter Mossong]

DA-03038-Fcu: A close-up of the preceding photo.

DA-04907: Vehicles of the 2nd New Zealand Division near a railway crossing on one of the roads leading to the forward areas of the Italian Front, during World War II. Photograph taken circa 24 December 1943 by George Frederick Kaye.

Ford CMP appears to have a spare leaf spring slung across the front! 88 on Red/Blue square was 4th Field Regiment in 1943.
The ambulance (Ford WOT??) was 4th Field Ambulance (99 on Black square).

More to come tomorrow, then later cabs and quads!


Pete M.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Peter,

Thanks for these very interesting pictures!

I came across this picture of a NZ CMP in service during the Korean war, not sure if it fits in here but worth saving I guess.



"1950 - Countries unite to restore peace to Korean Peninsula. UN Photo/Leo Morel

After North Korean troops invaded the Republic of Korea in June 1950, igniting the Korean War, the United Nations Security Council recommended that Member States assist in repelling the attack and in restoring peace and security to the Korean Peninsula. In July, on further recommendation by the Council, troop-contributing countries made their forces available to a unified command led by the United States and authorized to fly the UN flag, even though it was not a UN peacekeeping operation. Fighting continued until July 1953 when an armistice was signed. Shown, members of a voluntary contingent from New Zealand pull a truck from the mud during a training exercise."

Source: http://www.un.org/apps/news/UN70anni...p#.V0sN0vmLSM8

[Peter Mossong]

Hi Hanno. Thanks for posting that photo, now added to my files.

I have one from the National Archives that I was going to post later, but will now add it to your post.

114/223/01-G: Chevrolet trucks of the NZ Army ready to be loaded on the Ganges for shipment to Korea. Newspaper photo taken in Wellington, 1950

Note: NZ 'K' Force logo on the doors. There appear to be several body types in the shot, GS and Radio?
The last vehicles in the queue look to be NZ Local Pattern Carriers, based on the Indian Pattern Carriers that were used by us in Korea.

Cheers,
Pete M.

[Peter Mossong]

'Wash Day' A fact of life in the mud of Italy!

DA-05423: "NZers wash down some of the Div transport in the streams near Alife, as women continue with their washing of the household linen." Photograph taken by George Kaye, 12 January 1944.

DA-05145: Drivers of New Zealand Division vehicles washing their trucks in a stream near the town of Alife in Italy during World War II. Photograph taken on 12 January 1944 by George Frederick Kaye.

Fom the same sequence of photos...DA-05424: Drivers of New Zealand Division vehicles using a stream to wash their trucks, near the town of Alife in the Volturno Valley, Italy. Photograph taken circa 12 January 1944 by George Frederick Kaye.
"New Zealanders on the Volturno. Picture taken with a New Zealand unit in the Volturno area, 5th Army front. This stream gives drivers of NZ Div vehicles the opportunity to give their vehicles a much needed washdown. The stream is near the town of Alife, Italy, S.W. of Piedemonte."

DA-05644: R F Skews (Napier) and J Ball (Raurimu) use the Volturno River in Italy to wash their trucks after the recent heavy rain. Photograph taken circa 24 April 1944 by George Robert Bull.
On door:
SPEED LIMIT 35MPH
TYRE PRESS
F.22 R.28

DA-05646: New Zealanders wash their truck in the Volturno River in Italy during World War II. Photograph taken circa 24 April 1944 by George Robert Bull.
On tailgate: CAUTION RH DRIVE

Pete M.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Via Dave Hardway: F30 Ford Wireless Truck

[dcrfan]

Love to see some of those photos colourised. The one with Freyburg inspecting, I can just hear him 'Well chaps thats quite a collection of trucks you have and hardly one the same as the other. Bet they will confuse the hell out of chaps on the interweb next century'.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Some more here: https://rnzaoc.com/2020/05/01/centra...vehicle-depot/

"3/4 front view of NZ Army Ford truck. Air Force Museum of New Zealand"

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Some more here: https://rnzaoc.com/2020/05/01/centra...vehicle-depot/

Some caption howlers there. C8AX is not a 15cwt, CCW353 is not a 6x6, Chevrolet Wreckers don't have Ford badges on the grille!

Besides that, some nice pics.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

C8AX is not a 15cwt

IIRC the C8AX was reclassified as a 15-cwt after WW2

There are some more interesting reads on the same website: https://rnzaoc.com/2018/12/10/nz-div...ark-1941-1945/ | https://rnzaoc.com/tag/binned-stores-trucks/



And: https://rnzaoc.com/2021/02/09/rnzaoc...31-march-1959/



And: https://rnzaoc.com/2021/10/

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

And: https://rnzaoc.com/2021/10/
Attachment 128579

Ex- 2Pdr Portee with VERY curious cab. But what's behind it?

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Ex- 2Pdr Portee with VERY curious cab. But what's behind it?

From https://rnzaoc.com/2021/10/:

"A plan was formulated to transport 17000 rounds of unstable 3.7-inch ammunition from its storage area at the Liverpool range across the valley approximately 1.4 kilometres to the demolition area at Seddon Range, where the explosive content would be destroyed, and recoverable components such as the brass casings recovered and sold as scrap.
Due to the detonation of the ammunition and its storage containers and the likelihood of an explosion, a modified armoured truck and trailer was constructed to facilitate the transportation."

[Rob Beale]

The portee has an armoured cab back and side it seems.

The trailer is an LP2 lower hull, with a blast shield made from rivetted plate, likely taken from a Mk I universal carrier.
See the wheel spokes and the dished plate with the sprocket bolted on the rear hub.