Hey guys I recently cleaned up a house In Northern France (area of Hondschoote). One of the items I found is this grouping of a canvas sheet and leather sheets. I'm certain that those items are related. The canvas sheet is approximately 3 on 3 metres. It's water resistant (like the ponchos), and quite heavy. It's marked BMB Ltd 1939 W/|\D FRONT. Some parts of this canvas sheet are in green leather. The same leather as the leather sheets... The leather sheets (2 pieces) are in green leather. On the back of 1 of them I can read Connolly London (On internet I read they made also seats for spitfires). On one of the leather sheets There is a back in canvas with a kind of pouch (map case??) in it. So i'm certain that the large canvas sheet is functionally related with the leather sheets. Is there somebody who recognizes this? or could give his opinion on this items.
Connolly were major suppliers of upholstery leather during the 'coachbuilt' era. That style of WD marking looks pre-war or could even date back to WW1. I'd suggest a post under the pre-war section of the HMVF forum. Pre WW2 vehicles It looks more likely to be something to do with one of those truly open WW1 lorry cabs than anything common from WW2.
I think it would also be a worthwhile exercise to find out who lived in this house, during and after the war. It might just reveal some answers as to how these items came to be in that house along with those you mentioned here. barn found british kitbag BEF 1940 ww2
Rich Payne: The canvas sheet is dated 1939 under the broad arrow. So its late pre-war... In the house, built in the mid '20s, there lived a family of carpenters and masons. The last relative died a few months ago... I will repost it in the other section...
I don't think that too much weight should be placed on the previous occupants of the house. The civilian population of what De Gaulle referred to as the 'Fatal Avenue', that broad swathe of France and Flanders that has been so fought-over have had a thousand years or more practice at scavenging from passing armies, especially the defeated ones. They have of course also lost much to those same armies. With so much hardship clearly inevitable during the future, people grabbed hold of anything that looked as if it might come in handy.
Just a thought but BMB are Briggs Motor Bodies who I believe were the 'in-house' coachbuilders for Fords at Dagenham. They made helmet shells and liners at the time but if it's vehicle based then a Ford connection might be possible. I'll ask a friend with a 1940 Ford 8cwt.
Have you thought about contacting Connolly Hides?? - Story - Connolly England info@connollyengland.com +44 (0)20 7952 6708 TD edited to add: Also Contact - UK Hide
General opinion in the vehicle world seems to be that it is a 15cwt tilt (bache) I see that over on HMVF, Ben has suggested that the original mesh 'windows' might have been patched using WD seat backs or bases. I'm trying to find out if it could be from a Ford WOT2.
ok yes I placed it on hmvf. They thought about a connection with Ford vehicles... Thanx for your opinions.