Regimental Water Cart

fv1620 · #1 30-11-05, 13:31

Anyone got a reasonable pictures/diagrams of the Regimental Water Cart or any water carrying/purifying trailers or vehicles please? The older the better. Thanks.

Les Freathy · #2 30-11-05, 16:40

Here you go old buddy
photo 1 is a 180 gall water bowser used by the british from as early as the 1938 shown here under constuction. anbody have any idea who built these for the army.

Les Freathy · #3 30-11-05, 16:41

photo 2 this a 300 gall per min water purification plant built by ECD

fv1620 · #4 30-11-05, 20:00

Les. Thank you that's interesting to see the factory. It looks as if it was in service as early as 1934 as I have a rather grainy pic in a training manual of that date. In the book also it covers the Regimental, Water, Cart but I would be intrigued to know when that went out of service.

I'm also looking for a picture of Cart, Water Barrel which started to become obsolescent in 1891. But I am not holding out much hope!

Les Freathy · #5 01-12-05, 10:41

Clive
Heres an earier photo of the 180 gall water trailer i would imagine around the 1938 period
the drawing may turn out a bit crappy but il try it
Les

Les Freathy · #6 01-12-05, 10:45

heres the drawing
just noticed i must check my typing before submiting i,m not exactly the fastest gun in the west on the keypad

fv1620 · #7 02-12-05, 00:21

Les. Yes thats a nice picture, so what nationality is that? It's quite a bit different from this 1934 UK one I'm looking at.

Les Freathy · #8 02-12-05, 00:35

Hi Clive
It is British and British built the basic design with modifications changed little durining the production run
Try and post a shot of the one in your manual ill see if i have any info on it
Les

fv1620 · #9 02-12-05, 23:54

Les. The enclosed is just refered to as Water Tanker Trailer & looks like the ones in the factory but different from the other pics you posted.

JackM · #10 03-12-05, 01:34

Clive,

Attached is a pic of a water cart built in South Australia by J.A. Lawton & Sons for the A(ustralian) I(mperial) F(orce).

The hubs are dated 1915.

The metal tank/fittings were found on a local farm and a few hours were spent deducing how the wooden frame was originally constructed. I think we managed a reasonable facsimile.

fv1620 · #11 03-12-05, 18:35

Jack, yes that's a splendid effort. It always seems a shame that there is such little interest in trailers of any era. I have a certain fascination for military tentage & it really brings to life wartime footage being able to recognise the various tentage used. As logistics & supply have more interest to me than the fighting bit. Anyway enough of my other weaknesses, I see the driver on your cart was perched up on the top, how usual was that I don't know & whether there would be as much control sat up there as on one of the horses. See below:

Cart, Water Tank, Mark VI

cliff · #12 08-12-05, 09:40

while browsing the Picture Australia web site I found this AWM photo of a water cart in the middle east 1915

cheers
Cliff

Clive Micallef · #13 23-01-06, 22:02

Hi gentlemen,

Following the correspondence regarding the Water Cart, please find enclosed the following attachment from the booklet 'Water supplies in the field. Notes for Medical Officers.' dated January 1940. Page scanned is the type of water recipients. (page 106) Also a photo of my 180 gallon water trailer. The equipment is Thompson Brothers and the trailer is Acedes. Tyres are 9.00-20. Wooden box is at front of tank. Date of delivery is 1940. This is the make like the line drawings sent in by Les.

best regards

Clive

Clive Micallef · #14 23-01-06, 22:40

Sorry the attachments did not get through. I will try something else.

Clive

Vic Eaton · #15 31-01-06, 16:36

HI ALL

I have a water trailor this one is fuel and water 180 galls fuel
and 100 galls water in galvanised tank at the rear ive seen another 180 galls in front tank gavlanised for water but large wooden rear tool box there is a hand operated pump mounted on a side rack and two more pumps one each side to pump water to a line of taps at the rear will try to put photo on and will look out for pictures of older types.

regards vic uk

Vic Eaton · #16 31-01-06, 16:38

HELLO ALL
PICTURES ONE AND TWO are of my trailor fuel and water the third is of an AMERICAN fuel trailor that was found overgrown in a hedge at MATCHING GREEN wartime airfield in ESSEX
regards vic uk .

Les Freathy · #17 05-02-06, 20:23

Hi Vick
I did not realise the 15cwt and water trailer was yours, heres acouple of photos i took a number of years ago at Duxford possibly your first year out withit as i had not come across it before then
Les

Vic Eaton · #18 06-02-06, 20:16

HI LES
That was nice of you to put those pictures on Yes that was probably the first outing with that trailor the mudguards are wrong of course they should have been curved but only one was there i did try to make one but gave up after bending the shaft on my milling machine trying to put a pressing in and so went for the ons you seein the picture on the truck we had 16x10x50 tyres but they were so heavy we went back to the orignal 900x16 sand pattern . regards vic .

Clive Micallef · #19 06-02-06, 21:59

I have been unsuccessful in sending the photos I have of Water trailers. Do you think that anyone can volunteer an Email address so that they can post my photos on the forum.

Rod Diery · #20 10-02-06, 05:09

Quote:

Originally posted by fv1620
Anyone got a reasonable pictures/diagrams of the Regimental Water Cart or any water carrying/purifying trailers or vehicles please? The older the better. Thanks.

From the Australian War Memorial database

Quote "RAVENSHOE AREA, QLD. 1945-02-06. DRIVER G FARROW, 2/18 TRANSPORT PLATOON, 2/142 GENERAL TRANSPORT COMPANY, BOGGED CARRYING 2 TONS OF WATER IN A CHEVROLET 3 TON WATER TRUCK. HEAVY RAIN HAD MADE GROUND IN THE HQ 9 DIVISION AREA TREACHEROUS." unquote

Regards
Rod

Vic Eaton · #21 11-02-06, 21:10

HELLO ROD
Thats a good picture the old four wheel drive didnt work this time did it .Looking at some of the other pictures i didnt realise water carts went back so far .poor old horse had a struggle pulling those with water sloshing around i bet.
REGARDS VIC UK.

Hanno Spoelstra · #22 19-01-07, 10:32

Some pics of what looks like a "Trailer, 15-cwt, 2-wh, Water, 180 gall."

Can anyone positively ID this trailer?

filter dates from 1944

Vic Eaton · #23 19-01-07, 11:06

HI HANNO
My friend KEN WILLY has the identical trailor to this one you show ill try to put a picture on for you .
regards vic uk.

fv1620 · #24 19-01-07, 11:44

If anyone is interested in water supply topics, see:

http://www.hmvf.co.uk/pdf/ARMYWATERSUPPLY.pdf

sapper740 · #25 19-01-07, 17:33

Quote:

Originally posted by fv1620
Anyone got a reasonable pictures/diagrams of the Regimental Water Cart or any water carrying/purifying trailers or vehicles please? The older the better. Thanks.

Here's an interesting WW II pic Clive. It's unfortunate that it isn't higher resolution as there is a lot going on. There are at least two water purifiers pumping into temporary canvas tanks, several vehicles and an interesting mix of tentage. I don't know where or when this picture was taken.
This picture is very reminiscent of my time as a Canadian Military Engineer. Although I was an Electrical Distribution Technician we were all cross-trained in the use of other trade's kit. The "Wiffy" Techs (Water, Fuel, and Environment) used the R.O.W.P.U. ( Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit). Smaller units, such as 192 AEF (my old unit) were issued 'mini" ROWPU's that were designed to easily handle our unit's water needs. Change the vehicles and tents to more modern kit and this picture would look very familiar to any C.M.E. today.

John McGillivray · #26 20-01-07, 01:40

Riflemen J.R. Ramage and W.H. Maharg, both of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, testing a supply of fresh water which has just arrived at the front line, Bretteville-Orgueilleuse, France, 20 June 1944
Date(s): June 20, 1944 , Place of publication: Bretteville-Orgueilleuse, France
Credit: Lieut. Frank L. Dubervill / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-190900

Portable water filter is being tested by Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (R.C.A.M.C.) members, Falaise, France, 16 August 1944
Date(s): August 16, 1944 , Place of publication: Falaise, France
Credit: Lieut. Michael M. Dean / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-129196

fv1620 · #27 20-01-07, 23:10

Thank you for the continuing photos everyone, I’m glad this thread continues as it is a very important subject whatever the era of conflict. In the back of the truck are those 4-gallon “flimsies”? I have never seen the undersides or the tops before & wasn’t aware they were used for water as well as fuel. But never really thought what was used prior to the jerrican. Or are the tins of something else?

Nice also to see that jerrican with the white paint visible under the handles & on the indentation. I wonder what colour the jerrican was? I don’t know if there was a special colour to differentiate between fuel jerricans during the war. Post war British water jerricans were black with indentations picked out in white as from 1961 according to the Equipment Regulations. However the Regulations that were issued prior to this were in 1947 & 1955. Here it is stated that the paint was No.2 Camouflage Brown with detail picked out in white.

Now I have never seen a brown jerrican nor have I seen a restored vehicle in the 1947 up to 1961 period with a brown water jerrican. In fact owners get annoyed if you question why they have a black rather than a brown one. It has been suggested to me that this is an error or even a misprint. But these Regulations are consecutive with no publications or amendments in between.

So what views do people have about the colour of British & Canadian water jerricans during & just after the war?

Richard Farrant · #28 21-01-07, 01:47

Quote:

Originally posted by fv1620
In the back of the truck are those 4-gallon “flimsies”? I have never seen the undersides or the tops before & wasn’t aware they were used for water as well as fuel. But never really thought what was used prior to the jerrican. Or are the tins of something else?

Clive,

Those square tins look like they have large round lids, are they possibly for some powder or chemical to purify the water? I cannot find my WO pamphlet on the subject to check.

fv1620 · #29 21-01-07, 02:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard Farrant

Those square tins look like they have large round lids, are they possibly for some powder or chemical to purify the water? I cannot find my WO pamphlet on the subject to check.

Yes that's much more likely for Kieselguhr Powder or Clarifying Powder for the filters or Water Sterilization Powder etc