Chevrolet CGT retrofitted with GS body in period?

[Alex van de Wetering]

I came across this in an IWM film, this afternoon.

Census number with CH-prefix and rear tow hitch with winch roller removed....swan neck fuel filler.....and possibly 20inch wheels and no cab rear wall. To me this looks like a CGT with the beetle back replaced with a British GS body, or am I missing something? The box on the right looks a lot like a box used on Morris Commercials.

source: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1060007176

IWM WPN 203, around the 5:34 mark.

So, if you have an ex-Danish Gun tractor without the body.......

[Niels V]

Now that was interesting

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Alex van de Wetering

Census number with CH-prefix and rear tow hitch with winch roller removed....swan neck fuel filler.....and possibly 20inch wheels and no cab rear wall. To me this looks like a CGT with the beetle back replaced with a British GS body, or am I missing something? The box on the right looks a lot like a box used on Morris Commercials.

(C)H4217218 is one of at least two CGTs which were converted to carry a compressor in 1944 - see CGT chassis with full cab?

Great to see footage of it in action! According to the description: "British 51st Highland Division infantry (XXX Corps) move past a knocked-out Sherman Firefly tank on the outskirts of Goch."

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Hanno Spoelstra

(C)H4217218 is one of at least two CGTs which were converted to carry a compressor in 1944 -

Great to see footage of it in action! According to the description: "British 51st Highland Division infantry (XXX Corps) move past a knocked-out Sherman Firefly tank on the outskirts of Goch."

Attachment 130229

Hanno, what a coincidence!!!; so, it's the very same vehicle; excellent. One curious thing is that the census number shows a different font and location, so presumably the vehicle was repainted after the pics in the UK were taken (?).
I do wonder if the description of the IWM fully covers what we see in video, as I tend to think that at least the CGT Compressor, and maybe also the jeep, is still in Canadian service....Is that a Canadian maple leaf Formation sign in the low right corner?

[David Dunlop]

That large circular object angled upwards in Photo 3 almost looks like a spray nozzle. Could that possibly be a Smoke Screen Generator assembly, rather than a basic air compressor?

David

[Jordan Baker]

Found these pictures online while searching for WW2 British air compressors. Seems the British mounted one in the back of the Morris CS8 truck. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the same air compressor bodies just mounted on a CMP cab/chassis.

It also appears the IWM Duxford has an original Morris CS8 compressor truck in its collection.

[David Dunlop]

Ah! Twin cylinder heads! Makes sense now. Thanks for the photos, Jordan.

I assume the original winch drive setup on the Gun Tractors was adapted to power the compressor.

David

[Alex van de Wetering]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Seems the British mounted one in the back of the Morris CS8 truck. I wouldn’t be surprised if these are the same air compressor bodies just mounted on a CMP cab/chassis.

My thought exactly Jordan. The bodies do look slightly different (hinging sides on CS8 vs one-piece sides on CGT), but this could be an early vs late feature of the British body. The small toolbox on the right rear under the body also looks identical to the one mounted on the Morris, as does the box normally mounted on the left hand side of the Morris as I mentioned earlier, placed on the right hand side on the CMP.