Next UCW MkIII project

[Adam Bech]

Hey! I am new here. Recently I was able to buy Carrier MkIII hull. I hope to put it on wheels and restore to running condition with time. I hope that thanks to your help I will get the knowledge that is needed for it. I would like to rebuild the vehicle in the colors of the 15th Poznanski Lancers Regiment (Polish Forces 1943-46).
For start: does anyone know where the hull serial number can be found? No plaque has been preserved ... At MkI * and MkII belonging to my colleagues, we found the numbers without major problems.
I am also looking for parts for Carrier. As you can see, I need everything ...

[Adam Bech]

Some pictures of carriers from the 15th Poznanski Lanc Regiment. Italy 1944

[Michael R.]

Welcome to the carrier forum of MLU.
I gather your welded hull MK-III is of British manufacture, going by the casting marks on the hub. Great! You will not be doing any riveting when you restore the upper armour plates.

The assorted pictures you displayed with carriers associated to the 15th Poznanski Lancers appear to be a mix of riveted hull MK-I's, in desert equipment stowage. Do their Lucas headlamps suggest British manufacture? Are you able to date the images?

The final picture appears to be a British factory production mortar carrier. I say British production based on the double bogie suspension arm design, and factory production indicated by the original MK-I hull upper protection plate bolt holes being riveted closed at the redundant accessory locations. A portion of a six-sided, 3” mortar base plate is visible, along with the factory base plate stowage rack and retaining strap.

Notice the rock placed in front of the single bogie wheel to prevent the carrier rolling forward while the service is being performed?
Field expedient?

[Petr Brezina]

Good to see you here on MLU, Adam!

[Adam Bech]

Thank you for the first answers. I dreamed about Mortar Carrier MkI or Mk II, due to the fact that such vehicles were in my regiment. A few years ago, my friend bought MkIII AOP, and later MkI* - he made me an appetite for my own vehicle. Both of his Carrier are being renovated right now. I helped him by collecting documentation. Recently another friend bought MkI* for himself. The vehicle is also already dismantled for refurbishment and we are looking for parts. My MkIII is the fourth in the "family". It will be a difficult project due to the lack of suspension and tracks as well as the drive and steering system. I know that, unfortunately, Mk III was not a carrier for the 3rd "mortar." I still have to rebuild the vehicle as a standard UC with Bren MG.The preserved equipment suggests that the vehicle left the Ford factory in this configuration (a grenade box 2 ", a box on the part to Bren, base for WS19 radio, crew weapon holders, etc.).
There are leftovers of the T 33XXXX number on the side, so I have almost 100% confidence in the manufacturer and the series. I am looking for missing numbers. I hope I find them while cleaning the hull. However, I was hoping that the number of the vehicle was mechanically marked (with a numerator), which would be visible despite the corrosion and destruction of the paint. Unfortunately, the rating plates have been broken. Only their fragments remain.

[Niels V]

Yes Adam you are correct, it was originally fitted with the bracket for the 2" mortar.

[Adam Bech]

Archival photos of 15PU were taken in the summer of 1944 in Italy.

[Adam Bech]

Renovation work is slowly moving. For now, I carefully dismantle the preserved elements and start copying and repairing them. I managed to buy a few more wheels. They are in a surprisingly good condition. Original axes have also been preserved. The wheels are dated to 1944.
Does any of you have accurate drawings of the missing elements of the front armor with their dimensions?

[Ron Pier]

Adam there is a Mk111 at the Tank Museum (about 12-15 miles from where I live) It's was configured with some experimental equipment post war. See the added shafts above the wheels. I can go there at some point and take measurements (with their permission) if you show me precisely what you need.
Out of interest, the motorcycles in the series of pictures you posted are Ariel W/NG's (usually known as Ariel 'Wings') Ron

[Lynn Eades]

Hi Adam and welcome to the forum!
I assume that this is a British MkIII carrier (the bed rails tell me it is British)
British carriers had the (brass/ bronze/ gun metal?) ID plate with its TL number (stamped into the plate), riveted to the right front guard. This is your only positive identifyer for a British carrier, unless you can find the T number painted on the hull sides.
British MkIII carriers are not common among carriers, so your is a bit rare.
Assuming it is not an AOP, The only batch of Mk.III Universals was built by Ford (Dagenham- London) and the T number range was T331701 to T334900. Apart from that batch of 3200 carriers, all the other MkIIIs appear to have been Armoured OPs.
This info from Nigel Watsons "Universal Carriers" Vol I.

Your last picture shows a mortar carrier.