Vehicles used by Dutch Prinses Irene Brigade

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Rogier Peeters

In the beforementioned 'opgave auto- en motormaterieel' (Nationaal Archief Toegangsnummer 2.13.71 - Inv.No. 855) the following vehicle types are mentioned (dated 26 March 1943):
- Ford 4/6 ton

What type of vehicle could this be? Ford 60-cwt?

Image number: 73461
Collection: Nederlands Instituut voor Oorlogsdocumentatie
Caption: Den Haag. In de binnenstad.
Keywords: Civilian Population;Canadian Armed Forces;Dutch Armed Forces;Princess Irene Brigade

73461-hi.jpg

[Hanno Spoelstra]

White M3A1 Scout Car.

Image number: 140025
Collection: Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum Overloon / Liberty Park
Caption: 'Amsterdam.' Intocht Prinses Irene Brigade met Scout car.
Image Date Period: 1945

140025-hi.jpg

[Rogier Peeters]

Another picture from the NIOD beeldbank. What type of vehicle is this?

[Keith Webb]

Originally Posted by Rogier Peeters

Another picture from the NIOD beeldbank. What type of vehicle is this?

Similar to one Bevan Fenner owned here in Austrlaia - I saw it recently at Len Watkin's place.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Rogier Peeters

Another picture from the NIOD beeldbank. What type of vehicle is this?

Rogier,

It is a Ford WOA2 4x2 Heavy Utility, listed as a "Ford Utility WOA2" in the list of PIB vehicles you posted.

[Rogier Peeters]

Thank you Hanno!

[25pdrfg]

The one with the 25pdr is a Morris Commercial C8 number 5 body Quad same as mine.

[Rogier Peeters]

This week I visited the Nationaal Archief and recorded some more info from the March 1943 vehicle listing. However please note the brigade also received lots of new vehicles before the invasion of mainland Europe.

Ford 4/6 ton
The Ford 4/6 ton trucks had census numbers L1284652 - L1284657. Hanno posted a photo of the well-known L1284657, the one that's after the twin in Berlin .

Some more details about the 15 cwt trucks
The March 1943 list mentions the following 15 cwt trucks:
- truck 15 cwt 4x2 GS Ford (Platoon truck) census numbers Z1284570 - Z1284618 (Chassis numbers in the 7042xxx range)
- Fordson 15 cwt (platoon truck) 34 trucks numbered L1284700 - L1284714, L1284754 - L1284765, L1284769 - L1284771, L1284773, L1284780 - L1284782 (chassis numbers in the 5801xxx and 6144xxx range)
- Morris 15 cwt office L1284718, L1284750, L1284772
- Bedford 15 cwt (watertank) L1284766
- Bedford 15 cwt (truck) L1284744 - L1284745, chassis numbers MWD.29815 and MWD.31335

CMP trucks
The listing includes a number of lorry 30 Cwt 4x4 anti-tank portee Chevrolet, with the body work listed as ‘lorry' (probably portees converted to lorries). The census, engine and chassis numbers are as follows:
L1283906 - 3756113 - 1844031739
L1283907 - 3757924 - 1844030844
L1283908 - 3758799 - 1844031632
L1283909 - 3761417 - 1844031892
L1283910 - 3757652 - 1844031707
L1283911 - 3743653 - 1844032550
L1283912 - 3757996 - 1844030616
L1283913 - 50686 (?) - 1844031330

The chassis numbers are similar to the ones found on the 30 cwts in contract S/M 2028 as given in http://mapleleafup.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3824 .

Unidentified car
Finally, I would like to invite for opinions regarding the make and type of car in the attached picture. The photo found on the Haagse beeldbank at http://www.haagsebeeldbank.nl/hga:col1:dat254377 .

1191a01.jpg

[Bill Murray]

Hi Rogier:

Your vehicle is a Skoda, almost for sure a Popular of 1938 manufacture.
Thanks for an unusual photo, it is amazing where some of these cars ended up in 1945, 7 years and thousands of kilometers from home after a brutal war.

Bill

[Rogier Peeters]

Thank you very much Bill.
Very amazing indeed!