G518 "Ben Hur" 1-Ton Trailer

[rob love]

There was one here in Manitoba still in DND service in the 80s. It had a welding unit in it. The welder engine had problems because of lack of use. The welder and the trailer went to CADC as seperate units if I recall, and I think the trailer is still owned by a friend North of Winnipeg.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

The British Chilwell Census lists a contract S/M 6288 of 1 ton 2 wheel GS trailers by Willys. See the attached picture from David Hayward's book on Pearson's of Liverpool. It seems they were used primarily with the F60B 40-mm SP Bofors as stated by Tony above.

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The text is not entirely correct: 1-ton trailers were not used with Jeeps, nor was the "F60B converted to SP units and the trailers re-allocated for further use" - the F60B was a SP unit from the onset.

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F60B with 1-ton "Ben Hur" trailer, as assembled by Pearson's from Liverpool.

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[Matthew P]

Thanks! The wood trailers are indeed the same as the metal ones. There were 30 manufacturers of these trailers in the US with many small coach and trailer companies having contracts for only about a thousand. Many of the companies made wood body ones. There are some parts that are singular to one type or the other, but many other parts are interchangeable and the same parts catalog covers both types.

I also forgot I had this image from IWM in the collection already:
https://g518parts.com/wp-content/gal...H_028473_1.jpg

Caption reads "No. 14 Power Trailer" and was dated 31.3.43

Matt

large_H_028473_1.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Thanks Matt.

Has anybody seen any more WW2 photos of Ben Hur trailers in Commonwealth use?

I plan to use a Ben Hur trailer during the XXX Corps event this year. Would be interested to see some more examples.

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

A column of Dodge D15's with Ben Hur trailers in Normandy:

Image description: Second World War (1939-1945) - World War II (WWII or WW2): Normandy (France) September 28, 1944:

From the beach, trucks driven by French volunteers transport food directly from LCT boats from Great Britain to Paris.

4897126.jpg

Source: https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/n.../asset/4897126

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Photo via Simon Sage: "Bedford MW 15cwt towing what looks like a US Ben Hur trailer."

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[Hanno Spoelstra]

LAE, NEW GUINEA. 1944-08-27.

PERSONNEL OF THE AUSTRALIAN COMFORTS FUND HEADQUARTERS LOADING COMFORTS IN TO A JEEP AND TRAILER FOR DELIVERY TO THE UNITS IN THE AREA.

IDENTIFIED PERSONNEL ARE:- V92214 PRIVATE F.H. DAY (1); SX31108 CORPORAL F.S. PATTON (2); VX1444 SERGEANT D.V. NOONAN (3); MAJOR F.H. BUSS, HONARARY COMMISSIONER (4).

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Source: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C65971