C15TA: deployment in combat

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"During the Battle of the Scheldt several innovative weapons, tools and tactics were specifically developed and implemented.

One of the more general innovations, was the first deployment of the Canadian made C15 Armoured Truck as a Armoured Personnel Carrier. Basically designed to replace the US made White Scout Car, an alternative role as APC was also foreseen. The first trucks had arrived from Canada only a few weeks before. Fresh from the factory, totally 30 were available for the offensive to get onto Zuid-Beveland the end of October.

In the night October 23, 1944, C Coy Essex Scottish mounted several C15 trucks and formed an ad-hoc Jock Force, that included a troop of tanks of the Fort Garry Horse and Armoured Reconnaissance cars from the 14th Hussars. The action of the force failed miserably. One German anti-tank gun outside of Rilland, hit two tanks and two Daimler cars from appr. 3.000 meters on the elevated dyke road. The 'poor bloody infantry' of the Essex debussed and did it in the end on the slow, but effective old fashioned way. The C15TA armoured truck was not to blame and saw effective use later in the campaign."


Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in South-Beveland. The back of these trucks was roofless. Only a tarp protected the passengers:



Traveling on top of the dykes towards the next canal. ...hurry up and wait... 6 Pdr A/T gun towed by a carrier follows suit..



The Kreekramdam, were the C15TA Armoured truck was first deployed on October 24, 1944:


Source: https://bftours.nl/ | https://www.facebook.com/share/p/gv1pnAQSmCJznL1w/ |

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here is the original caption and source of that well known photo:

"Infantrymen of The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry in General Motors C15TA armoured trucks, Krabbendijke, Netherlands, 27 October 1944."
Credit: Lieut. Ken Bell / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-137145 (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redire...05115&lang=eng)

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"Lance-Corporal J.C. O'Connor of the 2nd Provost Company directing traffic on the Beveland Causeway"

Date(s): 27 Ot. 1944
Place: Krabbendijke, Netherlands
Credit: Ken Bell/Canada. Dept. of National Defence/Library and Archives Canada/PA-138419

[Hanno Spoelstra]

I will continue this thread with photos of the C15TA in use during WW2.

See some in the thread: Canadian Motor Battalion using C15TA

Armoured truck of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division crossing the Guillotiers Bridge over the Rhone River during Operation Goldflake.
13 February 1945
PHOTO: BARRY G. GILROY, DND, LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA PA-142073

[Hanno Spoelstra]

C15TA during the Battle of Groningen, 14-18 April 1945.


Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/17750...-andere-tijden

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Two stills of a C15TA Ambulance near Apeldoorn. These are screenshots from this footage: The liberation of the Dutch area of Apeldoorn in 1945 in color

[Barry Churcher]

Hanno, here is a C15TA with urban camouflage.
Barry

[Ed Storey]

I find it interesting to see just how oblivious the civilian population is to the whole military operation that is being conducted in their vacinity. They are very happy to be liberated, but seem to have forgotten that there is still a war on. The German POWs seem pretty lucky as most don't appear to be guarded and they are not being harried by the local population. It is hard to believe that we are coming onto 80 years that that footage was filmed.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Look at the practical addition - to me this looks like a typical Canadian vehicle during the closing stages of WW2

C15TA during the liberation of the town of Hoogeveen, 11 April 1945:


Source: https://hoogeveenschecourant.nl/hoog...-26368617.html

[Ed Storey]

What a fantasitc image. If I were the proud owner of a C15TA, I would configure mine to look exactly like the vehicle in that photograph! Right down to the star and chalked writing.

[David Herbert]

You could dress your kids up in period costume too !

David

[Jakko Westerbeke]

Originally Posted by David Herbert

You could dress your kids up in period costume too !

They’ll be thrilled to be made to wear shorts in winter

[Ed Storey]

Wearing shorts in winter is an everyday occurance here in Canada!

I'd just like to have the civilian clothing in my collection as it is even rarer than the uniforms. Especially garments that were captured in a wartime photograph with Allied troops.

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Jakko Westerbeke

They’ll be thrilled to be made to wear shorts in winter

Ah, that would match quite well with the flip flops some wear in public every day

Nice picture Hanno.....never seen that one before!

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

What a fantasitc image. If I were the proud owner of a C15TA, I would configure mine to look exactly like the vehicle in that photograph! Right down to the star and chalked writing.

Ed, if you and I pool our pocket change, we might be able to pick one up. I'll set an alert on FB Marketplace for vintage armoured trucks, and see what hits we get.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

Look at the practical addition - to me this looks like a typical Canadian vehicle during the closing stages of WW2

Bruno Bobak spotted one, too:

[Ed Storey]

Some nice First Canadian Army markings on that Bobak example.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another C15TA Ambulance: "Parade in Eelde of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division; a.o. Lord Strathcona's Horse Sherman Firefly; Westmister Regt. (engine) Can. universal carrier + .50 Browning"


Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/en/imagebank...1-13a195a25a28


"The entry of the Allies. A British armoured car on the Nieuwe Laagzijde in Schagen". May 1945

Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/en/imagebank...a-25e048497516


"Postcard with photo of the entry of Canadian troops into Amsterdam. Left girl with bow tie. In the centre is a Truck, 15 Cwt, Armoured with trailer with tacsign 50."
8 May 1945.

Source: https://beeldbankwo2.nl/en/imagebank...c-3fe2537acab8

[Ed Storey]

Yes the 50 Arm of Service marking indicates an Engineer Field Company.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Another photo of a C15TA Ambulance (not C15TAA) crossing a temporary bridge in Hoogeveen, The Netherlands. Date 11 april 1945.


Source: https://hoogeveen2000.com/overigen/g...11-april-1945/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

C15TA with a snow plough, must have been a post-war conversion:

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Here are a number of photos of C15TA Armoured Trucks taken at the town of Utrecht, The Netherlands. They are all taking part in the Memorial D-Day Parade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in Utrecht, The Netherlands, 6 June 1945.

Most of the vehicles in this parade have been cleaned up and/or repainted during the month since the fighting ceased. There are some interesting details to be seen.


The truck on the right seems to have a raised canvas roof.

Source: https://hetutrechtsarchief.nl/beeld/...534701000AF959


Two photos of what seem to be the same trucks.
Note the wire frame rack over the driver's position on the C15TA on the left.
The items on the left front fender look like chore horses under a canvas cover. So are these Signals trucks?
And notice the headlights are not the standard items.

Source: https://hetutrechtsarchief.nl/beeld/...1E37423D0EAC12 | https://hetutrechtsarchief.nl/beeld/...72E9A36D8EC969


Another one with a roof rack.
Both trucks have one headlight fitted with a black-out shield.
No census numbers visible, possibly they were repainted.

Source: https://hetutrechtsarchief.nl/beeld/...3AFDAA7073D591

[Jordan Baker]

Your first picture, the C15TA on the left has an uncovered Chorehorse on the left fender.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Your first picture, the C15TA on the left has an uncovered Chorehorse on the left fender.

Thanks Jordan!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Some more photos showing that markings were not always done as per instructions.


Location: Wormerveer, the Netherlands
No date given.
Note the marking on the side of the hood and the registration number on the front of the nose:



Location: Leidscheweg street, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Date: May 1945.
Note the lack of markings and registration number. This C15TA seems to be towing a British 10-cwt trailer:

Source: http://www.faase.nl/utrecht.faase.nl/1940/wo2.htm?2


Location: Molendijk street, Oud-Beijerland, The Netherlands.
Date: 8 or 9 May 1945.
Again, note the lack of registration number and the placement of the formation signs.

Source: https://www.omroephw.nl/2025/04/maan...waard-actueel/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

"Tac HQ drivers on a smoke break."
Photo: 1CACR Archive, courtesy Deborah Allen, estate of Rowland Marshall. Photos taken by Cpl. Grant Herbison, May 1945 in Peheim, Germany.

Bill Miller informed me that the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment used 4 C15TA trucks: one for each fighting Squadron and two for the LAD. The Squadron ones were wireless equipped and as noted were used as communications relay stations.


Source: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C5tkXy1wA/

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

C15TA during the Battle of Groningen, 14-18 April 1945.
Source: https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/17750...-andere-tijden

Then & (sort of) Now photo of this location. With thanks to Klaas Doornbos for pinpointing this location to me: the building with the arched gateway is the Willem Lodewijk Gymnasium in the "Oosterstraat" street in Groningen.

Eighty years later, using American technology, I found out that a German-built van has taken the place of the Canadian truck