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David Hayward how is your memory
mine not good
David We are taking the C30 cab 11 we have to Corowa and would like to type up some of its history. the british number is still there after all these years 4449550 and was contracr number 2003 is there any other info you have I could add Max |
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Demand S/M 2003 was placed around 25th June 1940..I seem to recall and was initially for 1,500 30-cwt. Fords for Bombay and 1,500 Chevrolets for England. By 28th August this had changed and 2003 became 1,200 30-cwt. Fords for Egypt and 300 for Mombasa, with 1,500 Chevrolets for England. The English-assembled Chevrolet C30 lorries were all 1941 Models. Census Numbers were L 4448758 to 4450257. They were assembled probably by Lep Transport Ltd in Chiswick, London W.4 although it si possible that some were assembled by General Motors Ltd at Cuerden Mill, Bamber Bridge, near Preston, Lancashire. There is a photo of in the Imperial War Museum, photo KID 2505.
Because of the Mid-East policies under Churchill, the AIF and NZEF in England were shipped out to Egypt in December 1940 I think, and vehicles followed, including ex-Canadian orders assembled here. Vehicles were also shipped out from English-assembled stocks which joined those shipped direct to Alexandria and assembled there. Loans of vehicles were then made to the AIF, NZEF and Indian Army..and I also query SADF? Those vehicles issued to the AIF and NZEF were then sold subsequently to the respective Dominion Governments and carried their Census Numbers. Subsequently the survivors were shipped back to Australia and New Zealand. Unless Shane Lovell has anything to add, from the books that he photos, I cannot say much more for the moment. |
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thanks for that David
was S/M 2003 the second order for cmps to be shiped to England from Canada Max |
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C30
David a brief histry of the C30
order for contract 2003 was made June 1940 to suply 1500 chev 30 cwt trucks to England production started in September 1940 by GM the order arrived in England to be reasembled late 1940 this truck was sent to North Africa with the British army latter transfered to the Australian army when the Australians returned to Australia they brought their trucks back with them this C30 still has the numbers 30565 painted on the mud guards which I believe were stenceled on when the truck left for Australia David thanks again |
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Assembly
As to when assembly was undertaken, I would suggest 'during December 1940' was the absolute earliest, with 'during and from January 1941' more likely, spreading to May 1941. Shipment would then have been undertaken in say spring 1941. Don't forget that these huge supplies coincided with the Southampton CMD having been bombed, thus requiring temporary alternative assembly facilities for the Canadian 1st and especially 2nd Division vehicles. In many respects I can see that, on reflection, shipping British-order vehicles straight off to Alexandria and perhaps even West Africa was an answer to a problem of what to do with them in the light of the German invasion apparently having been postponed.
As you say, when the AIF returned to Australia, vehicles had been purchased by payments made through the High Commission in London. It made complete sense all round to ship them via Suez for further service. Ultimately survivors wre then demobbed. Last edited by David_Hayward (RIP); 11-03-09 at 09:35. |
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That has got to be worth at least two sponge cakes Max, though David better come down and eat them here before they get stale.
When I joined the air force in 1957,CMP abounded mainly as water atnkers and aircraft refuelers. If we had known the interest and values they would bring later, you and I should have bought the lot. Of course it is always nice to be wise in hindsight. Regards Col
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Vietnam Vet and proud of it. |
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Post-war
CT, it does seem that very few relativeloy CMPs were retained by the Ministry of Supply for the post-war British forces but there is ample photographic evidence that demobbed CMPs were widely used into the 1960s by all manner of users. But so many it seems had been reconfigured by the post-war rebuilders.
As an off[-topic subject, an English guy who did some work for us on our house around 1987 swore that he served in Vietnam, It seems that he and his mate were in the nUS and as a result of a bet he volunteered for the US Army, ending up as a helicopter pilot. I gather that there were very few British-born servicemen that served but that included men who had emigrated to Australia. |
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When we picked the C30 up it was fitted with front axle from another two wheel drive truck which was done at times to save fuel by reducing the weight of the vehicle. We have fitted a front diff from another chev, but I doubt if we will ever find a cab 11 diff.
Col we should buy Dave one of those Aussie survival packs for his long journey to Yass to eat the sponge cakes. Mind you fresh sponge cakes don't last long with me around here, so he'd have to be quick. Max |
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