Lend Lease Records

[David Dunlop]

In the Armour Forum recently, under Andrew's very interesting thread about his M2A1 project, the subject of non International Harvester Half-Tracks in use with the Canadian Army during World War Two came up.

I had recalled coming across a Lend Lease document some time ago that summarized American goods shipped during the war under this plan. Did a little digging this morning and finally tracked it down. It was prepared in 1946 and the link to the record is as follows:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/...hip/index.html

(Hope that works)

To get to the specific half-track information in question (the 40 M3 vehicles delivered directly to Canada, along with 20 M5 Series vehicles), click on SECTION III-A Ordnance - General Supplies. Look for 'OTHER COMBAT VEHICLES' and scroll down to Page --10-- where they are identified as "Personnel, Half-Track, M3 and M5 Series.

I am guessing that items in this record declared as having been delivered to Canada, are probably those items that were shipped directly here for use. I think (somewhat confidently) that a great deal of the equipment Canada used during the war from Lend Lease sources, was shipped to England and lumped in this record under the 'British Empire' Heading. Case in point, the 12th Manitoba Dragoons picked up their Staghounds from a depot in England upon their arrival there, so their Staghounds lack the "C" prefix to the vehicle numbers.

So the mystery at the moment is where did the 40 M3 Half-Tracks go upon arrival in Canada and have any survived?

David

[David Dunlop]

I had noticed The Netherlands shows up in this report. I have not yet looked at it in detail, but did notice some naval guns and heavy artillery items listed as being delivered.

Would this have been equipment delivered prior to German occupation, to Dutch Forces in absentia, or post liberation?

David

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

I had noticed The Netherlands shows up in this report. I have not yet looked at it in detail, but did notice some naval guns and heavy artillery items listed as being delivered.

Would this have been equipment delivered prior to German occupation, to Dutch Forces in absentia, or post liberation?

When war broke out in Europe, the Netherlands East and West Indies Armies (the Dutch had large colonies in Indonesia, Surinam, Curaçao etc) were frantically rearmed. I will look up some more details.

Hanno

[Eric B]

Hello

This Lend Lease list does not reflect what was really lend-lease. It includes items which other countries bought as well.

For example, the 1/4 ton 4x4 (jeep) Canada bought all of its cars 5cwt 4x4originally directly from the US manufacture and later from the US Govt.
We were eventually forced to order through the British ordering process, but still paid cash for items, as we did with other vehicles and equipment.

We did receive indirectly some lend-lease items, which the British had received and re-issued to Canadian units.

Thanks

Eric

[Ed Storey]

What Eric is saying is that Canada was not a Lend-Lease recipient as we were paying for the equipment we were using.

[David Dunlop]

Eric and Ed.

Absolutely true about Canada's acquisition activities during World War Two.

Although this report was entitled as a Lend Lease document, when it was compiled by the US Government after the war, I suspect that was done, not to blow smoke up anyone's butt. Lend Lease was just one of about a half dozen separate US Agencies supplying goods to foreign countries under a variety of terms and conditions, which must have made for a huge duplication of bureaucracy, with it's inherent delays.

According to the introduction to the document I posted the link to, as of September 25, 1943, Lend Lease (along with all the other agencies) were consolidated into one organization, Foreign Economic Administration, which took over everything. It is basically their report which was produced in 1946. Since this agency took over all the others, it stands to reason they would have absorbed all previous records and were in the best position to produce this report. It also would make sense all previous existing records would be consolidated. Eric would be correct. This summary will include items purchased, leased, loaned and whatever during the war.

Lend Lease was such a well known term during and after the war, it does not surprise me it would be the title of choice for this document, and makes it no less interesting to read through. Just this afternoon, I was surprised to see 3.7" AA Guns on the list of provisions to the UK. Had no idea they were made in the USA at all. I think I even spotted some 25-pdr references and it seems to cover everything down to nuts, bolts and rivets.

If nothing else, this document really shows the nitty gritty scope of supply the Allies developed during the war to get the job done. It was not just trucks, tanks, planes and ammunition. It also makes me think a bit more about watching films of sinking cargo ships during the war. Lives and critical goods lost. The small stuff mattered just as much as the bigger things and bottom line I suppose is that the guys in the field were not concerned if the equipment they had was bought or rented as long as it worked and got the job done.


David