Under New Management

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Here is another picture I just found on the website: www.theoldhometown.com

Great link, thanks!

This picture shows a German Mercedes Benz truck which has been taken over by the Allies. It is used to bring back some of the church bells the Germans had taken away to be recycled to keep their war machine going.

[Rich Payne]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

This picture shows a German Mercedes Benz truck which has been taken over by the Allies. It is used to bring back some of the church bells the Germans had taken away to be recycled to keep their war machine going.

Hanno, have you seen the recent news about the theft of the bell from Susteren ? It was removed from it's original tower by the Germans for scrap but then not taken away but was never re-hung and has now been stolen from the square.

Koperdieven hebben vrijdagmiddag op klaarlichte dag een loodzware 14e eeuwse kerkklok gestolen in Susteren (Limburg). Dat liet het kerkbestuur van de Amelbergaparochie zaterdag weten.

De klok hing tot in de Tweede Wereldoorlog in de huidige Amelbergabasiliek. De Duitsers sloopten toen de klok uit de toren om ze om te smelten tot kanonnen, maar spaarden deze omdat die al zo oud was. Sinds 1997 stond de klok op een sokkel voor de basiliek op het Salvatorplein. De dieven laadden de klok vrijdagmiddag met een kraantje op een open vrachtwagentje...

Apologies for pasting Dutch news !

Rich

[Radek]

Originally Posted by Keith Brooker

Attachment 19638

Attachment 19639

Attachment 19640
A mixed lot of Ex British trucks used by a German Amb unit with there drivers, German Morris on fire and Bedford MWs in German use with a German cross on the wing.

1944 Morris C8 GS
Humber Staff Car

Hi Keith,
do you have any photos with Austin Lorries and cars.
http://www.hmvf.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=8269.0

Thanks Radek

[Bill Murray]

Regarding Alex's link, I truly enjoyed the one on Eindhoven.

Nothing to do with military history as such, but when I was posted to Sweden with Volvo in 1974, I was the International Training Manager for their Spare Parts Division.
When Volvo purchased DAF Cars, there was the inevitable "Reduction in Force" that had to take place.

I still to this day do not know why I got the task/job, but in any case, I was assigned to travel to Eindhoven many, many times to assess their spare parts operations and to make recommendations to Volvo management as to how to integrate the Volvo/Daf operations.

In spite of my favourable assessment of their spare parts operations as to efficiency, profitability etc., which was mirrored by my counterparts on the Sales and Marketing side, I eventually was given the task of personally giving redundancy notices to quite a few Dutchmen whose carrying out of their duties was beyond reproach in my opinion.

To return to the link, it was a "Painful Pleasure" to see again so many venues in that city that I spent rather a lot of time in in the mid 1970's on a mission I did not at all enjoy.

As a side note, through the visits and contacts I made, I got a lot of original materiel about DAF military vehicles. A bit of a pity as I felt sometimes like a Trojan Horse.

Bill

[sapper740]

This picture came from the estate of an Australian veteran, there was scant info with the pic other than it was taken in Borneo. A rare picture for this thread as most show German, U.S. or Commonwealth troops enjoying each others kit. Derek.

[Keith Brooker]

Hi Dave,
If this is the photo, i have tried to enlarge it. I think the truck on the right is a Morris the one on the left CMP truck ? .
The photos are from my collection.

bedford mw 1940 ww2 tyre.jpg large.jpg

1944 Morris C8 GS.
1938 Humber used as a Staff car in WW2

[Keith Brooker]

This might be a better photo dave. Hard to tell has a GS body and a canvas roof over the cab..
bedford mw 1940 ww2 tyre large.jpg

Morris C8 GS.
1938 Humber used as a Staff car in WW2

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Picture of captured 60-cwt in North Africa, recently sold on Ebay:

[Bill Murray]

I thought you might enjoy this photo I am importing from the WAF, courtesy of Jason.

A very clear photo of what I take to be a Morris CS8 that has been rebodied (umbauwagen) by the Germans and a very tidy conversion at that.

Note that they have covered over the angled portion of the cowl and installed rectangular windscreens unlike what the Brits did with vehicles fitted with windscreens and doors where the windscreens followed the angle of the cowl.
Bill

[sapper740]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
A very clear photo of what I take to be a Morris CS8 that has been rebodied (umbauwagen) by the Germans and a very tidy conversion at that.

Excellent picture Bill, I'm hoping that the Morris wasn't acquired via the bullet hole in the windshield!
While we're on the subject of "Under new Management", here's an interesting twist that I don't think has been seen on this forum before. This picture shows a group of G.I.s driving a Gaz 64, reportedly in Italy as stated in the caption. I'm not convinced this picture was taken in Italy as it would be rare to see a Communist vehicle in a Fascist country, no?

[Jan Mostek]

I am almost sure I have seen the above picture of GIs in GAZ with comments that the picture was taken in Korea which would be more likely.

Jan Mostek

[Noel Burgess]

From "PhotosNormandie" here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/photosnormandie/426572487/
this is quoted as a requisitioned 1939 Fiat Topolino

Noel

[Bill Murray]

Noel:

If the photo was taken in Normandy, it is almost 100% going to be a Simca 5 or Cinq which was a license built Fiat. NSU did the same thing in Germany.

There were detail differences but not a whole lot.

Sapper:

I am with Jan. It almost cannot be Italy as no Soviet forces were fighting very near there. It could still be Europe somewhere 1945 but I also think I saw that photo in a Korean war publication.

Bill

[sapper740]

Originally Posted by Bill Murray

I am with Jan. It almost cannot be Italy as no Soviet forces were fighting very near there. It could still be Europe somewhere 1945 but I also think I saw that photo in a Korean war publication.

Bill and Jan, those were my thoughts exactly when I first saw the caption under the picture, thoughts which I echoed in my post. However, it isn't out of the realm of possibility if one considers that the Gaz could have been acquired from Yugoslavia. Tito and the anti-fascist forces were closely allied to the Soviets and were perhaps receiving aid in the form of vehicles from Russia. Italy and Yugoslavia share a border so, who knows? I agree with both of you that it is more likely a picture from Korea but haven't completely ruled out Italy. Derek.