British Empire Staff Cars

[Bill Murray]

Got these from Bart many years ago.

Staff car so,rotate it

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by Bill Murray
rotate it

Done. Great stuff, keep it coming.

[Bill Murray]

Here are five more. I have about 10 more such but they are sort of different views of the same type vehicles.

This one is fun I think as it represents the difference between what the Flag Rank Officers got to ride around in (and not a few Government Types) and what the typical transport was for Subaltern lower ranking Officers. Can you imagine riding around on rough terrain with those cramped quarters and tiny wheels/tyres. As someone mentioned on the It's a Guy thing thread, the Brits seemed determined to produce vehicles that must have been extremely uncomfortable to drive or sit in.

As near as I can tell, the larger cars are Hillmans, all photos recieved from Bart Vanderveen. The Austin 7 pictured here is courtesy of Mike Conniford.

Readmy next post for the history of some of these photos.

[Bill Murray]

In the spirit of Les' RAF thread, perhaps there is some interest in Staff Cars used by all British Empire forces during the war.
I would lnclude not only vehicles specifically purchased by the forces for this purpose but also impressed, confiscated and captured vehicles.
I will start with a 1940 Buick used by a three star general, photo from the AWM.
Regards
Bil

[Bill Murray]

And here a row of what seem to be 1941 Plymouth sedans also Aussie and from AWM
Regards
Bill

[Les Freathy]

hello Bill
I had a gut feeling you were about to start a theme on cars, i have seen a lot of the images you have placed on the sites and gather its one of your pet subjects. hers my starting contribution
photo 1 the faithful Humber Snipe heavy saloon forget the snipe for the moment ill have to reduce it and send it later
Try this one, is this a before and after for these desert hot rodders

[Les Freathy]

over to you Bill i think its a chevy but you will confirm
les

[Bill Murray]

Hi Les:
Caught me out you did, as Yoda would say.

Yes, passenger cars are a particular passion of mine, of any nation during the 1930-1945 period. Unfortunately, most of my Empire photos are in my "hard copy" collection of photos, books, pamphlets etc. so I will scan them in as I find time. Most of the rest are on my PC but are of Axis and other Allied countries.

To your photos, the first two are respectively a 1938 Ford Deluxe or a 1939 Standard and the second is a 1940 model so they are not the same vehicles.

The Chev is most likely a 1942 model or a 1941 stripped of it's chromium decor.

Here is another AWM Chev I think a 1939 model.
Regards

Damn, posted the wrong photo.
Bill

[Bill Murray]

This is the one I wanted, so everyone gets a bonus photo.
Bill
Edit: It is a 1940 model.
Bill

[Les Freathy]

Bill
Glad i am not the only one who cocks it up thats both of us in the space of 30mins bonus photos a cracker

[Bill Murray]

Hi Les:
I do that often. I have several thousand photos downloaded to my 'puter hard drive, actually two sets on two computers, and I never got straight on how to "file" them. In this case, I had two files, Chevaus and Chevroletaus, both files numbered sequentially and if I don't write down the exact file name this happens.
Here is a Humber for you, also AWM sourced.
Regards
Bill

[Les Freathy]

Bill
this photo of a humber will suffice for now untill i sort the other one out
two computers? i have enough trouble sorting out one you are probably like me raised on cogs and belts if it didn,t go round it didn,t work all this pressing buttons is often alian still cant compain when there are forums like M.L.U

[David_Hayward (RIP)]

I wonder if the Chevy, M 462 etc. [Mid-East sequuence] is from S/M 2221: 1503 Model Master Deluxe Sedan AG? This contract is the only British one I know of for Chevy sedans, and the Census Numbers are not known which suggests it could be an overseas theatre allocation.

[cliff]

Here are 3 pictures of an Allied Traffic Control unit Ford in Townsville 1944.

Photos are from the AWM data base. What year Ford is this?

cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

Giarabub, Libya. 1941-03. From AWM data banks

cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

This was dated 1945. It will be somewhere in Australia and the photo came from one of the official Photo sites that are shown on Pictures Australia web site

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/index.html

what vehicle type is it please?

cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

The art of camoflage. A Heavy Recon Station Wagon in Malaya dated March 1941.

From the AWM data Banks.

[cliff]

This one marked as 'Sentry Duty 1941'. Probably somewhere in Australia again. Note the camo paint job.

Picture from Pictures Australia web site

http://www.pictureaustralia.org/index.html

cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

Titled 'EL GAZALA, LIBYA. 1942' another from the AWM data banks

cheers
Cliff

[cliff]

Another from the AWM data banks
'CEYLON. 1942 '

cheers
Cliff

[Bill Murray]

Hi Cliff:

Thanks for the additions.
1941 Ford
Probably an Olds 1939 or 1940
1941 Olds
?
1940 Ford
Opel Admiral (Nice shot!!)
Daimler or Lanchester mid late 1930/s
Regards
Bill

[Les Freathy]

Morning Cliff
Hows the weather down there warmer than here i,ll bet thats a good selection of cars the one with the female hanging on for dear life is that a wedding car prehaps she is the bride, or maybe security in drag. The fella with the bayonet seems to be making his point to
Heres another for the thread Montys Humber Snipe near Augusta Sicily, Briadier Currie standing

[cliff]

Les the weather is hot here but it is also raining at long last. I do have another 20 odd staff car photos mainly from the AWM.

thanks for sharing yours

Cheers
Cliff

[Bill Murray]

Just for a change of pace, some beute staff vehicles ex
Empire.
A Ford from ebay courtesy of Lehesten.
Bill

[Bill Murray]

And a Humber looks like NA
Bill

[Bill Murray]

How about a Jaguar. Looks like it is on the coast, it is WM so could be ex Dunkirk. Possibly a private higher officers former car.
Bill

[Les Freathy]

evning Bill
here,s one for you the only ones i think i have right are two Renault Sedans the others i,ll leave to you
cheers Les

[Bill Murray]

Hi Les:
Renault, Fiat, Renault, Steyr 220 is my judgement plus a bunch of what seem to be Autocar tractors.
Any idea of locale or time frame??
Would seem to be an allied vehicle park.
Regards
Bill

[servicepub (RIP)]

From the Cdn Archives. 1St Cdn Division on exercise. The car is captioned as an O.P. vehicle.

[gordon]

I've seen that Jaguar pic before, and when I saw it the caption said something like it was a civilian vehicle left on the Channel Islands (Jersey?) and grabbed by the occupiers as officer transport.

Gordon