BEF Vehicles

Discussion in '1940' started by JCB, Feb 18, 2011.

  1. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    EDIT-anyone looking for BEF vehicle pictures will also find many on this thread-
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/30097-bef-army-troops-vehicle-arm-service-markings-others.html

    I was wondering if you had to identify an absolutely typical BEF vehicle for each category what would it be , heres my thoughts-

    Motorcycles
    BSA m20

    Cars
    Austin Seven
    Hillman 10hp
    Humber Station Wagon

    Trucks/Lorries
    8 cwt 4x2 – Humber
    15 cwt 4x2 – Morris CS8
    30cwt 4x2- Bedford OX
    3 ton 4x2 - Bedford OY
    3 ton 6x4 - Leyland Retreiver

    Artillery tractors
    18/25 pounder – Morris Quad 4x4
    Bofors - Morris CDSW 6x4
    3.7IN AA / 7.2in- Scammel Pioneer 6x4

    Carriers
    Bren Carrier

    Armour
    Armoured cars – Morris CS9 (the only ones ?)

    PS for anyone looking for vehicle pics their's a superb selection in this thread-
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/30097-bef-army-troops-vehicle-arm-service-markings-others.html

    Craig
     
  2. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    In answer to your question, I would add a few more favourites. For starters:

    Cars
    Austin 8HP - the junior officers' run-around
    Humber Snipe - the senior officer's car

    Trucks/Lorries
    Morris Commercial PU 8 cwt - seen in large quantities with the BEF
    Bedford MWD 15 cwt - again seen in large quantities
    Morris Commercial CDF 30 cwt 6x4 - many of them with BEF but not seen much afterwards
    Guy FBAX 6x4 Wireless 6x4
    Bedford and Austin - various impressed civilian lorries eg Bedford WHG

    Artillery tractors
    Morris CDSW (the field artillery tractor as distinct from the Bofors tractor you mention)

    Carriers
    Scout

    Armoured Cars
    Guy Mk1

    Ambulances
    Austin K2
    Mann Egerton body on Bedford lorry chassis

    I am sure others will have other ideas.

    By the way, the 7.2 inch gun came after France. The lookalike with the BEF is the 8 inch.

    Andrew
     
  3. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Interesting , never knew the BEF had Guy armoured cars.

    Craig
     
  4. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    Craig

    There were six there with the so-called 'Phantom Mission'

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=45936&stc=1&d=1298039070

    Andrew
     

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  5. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Brilliant , a pic as well:)

    Craig
     
  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  7. singeager

    singeager Senior Member

  8. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    Andy

    The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location. I am a bit confused about all the missions now. I thought there was one - No 3 Air Mission that was also called the Hopkinson mission - and it had six Guy 'wheeled tanks'. I would be interested to hear it confirmed.

    Andrew
     
  9. Radek-Austin

    Radek-Austin Member

    Lorries

    Austin K30
     
  10. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Andy

    The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location. I am a bit confused about all the missions now. I thought there was one - No 3 Air Mission that was also called the Hopkinson mission - and it had six Guy 'wheeled tanks'. I would be interested to hear it confirmed.

    Andrew

    I'll post a thread with a list Andrew-There was a few.

    If that Guy 'Tank' is linked to the above two men then that building has been knocked down and replaced with a roundabout.
     
  11. lesfreathy

    lesfreathy Member

    Guy of course with the Quad artillery tractor and the general service
     

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  12. lesfreathy

    lesfreathy Member

    Many Albions went over and never came back including the civilian type model CL 125, the first shot is poor but shows how desperate it must have been to move troops one good bend and they all fly off. a small number of mobile operating vehicles were also taken to France
     

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  13. lesfreathy

    lesfreathy Member

    finally the early cabbed AEC Matador and the FWD/AEC R6T recovery tractor here giving assistance to a morris 15cwt
     

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  14. rewdco

    rewdco Senior Member

    Andy

    The picture (needless to say) came from Ebay and I don't recall any caption. Jan might be able to narrow down the location.
    Andrew

    Sorry Andrew, no idea where that could be...

    By the way, great to see that there is more and more interest in this forum! :):):)

    Jan
     
  15. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    Good pictures Les. I have searched for the identity of that Albion flatbed before, without success, so thanks for solving it for me. The mobile operating vehicle is also new to me. Did any go to France?

    I assume the Matador picture is taken in the UK from the terrain and the general look of training / testing about the picture.

    We had a big van crop up the other day when looking at ambulance vehicles on the beach at Dunkirk - to me it looked like a cross between horsebox and a furniture van. It is pictured here:

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/31091-bef-ambulance-vehicles-2.html

    I don't suppose you know what that is do you?

    Andrew
     
  16. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Armoured cars -Forgot about the Dingos , found a French web site that gives BEF numbers as 6 Guys , 12 Dingos and 38 Morris CS9's ( I think) so CS9'S in the lead.
    Guys - probably seen as many Guy quads in photos as Morris's but not so many Guy 15cwts.
    Of course all views coloured by where the photographer's were but I would say Morris 15cwt CS8'sand Bedford OY 3 tonners ( with Austins K3 close second ) seem to be most numerous vehicles.
    Craig
     
  17. lesfreathy

    lesfreathy Member

    Its a Bedford WLG type Andrew and most likely a impressed job originally a delivery van i expect converted for medical use. The Mat is in the UK but my idea here is to show the types in France or photos of models that would have gone with the BEF i think that way we can cover a lot more. Here ara some MorrisCDF 30cwt and Morris CD with a Thornycroft Tartar
    cheers
    Les
     

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  18. May1940

    May1940 Senior Member

    Les

    It's great to see the pictures whether taken in France or not. As to whether certain vehicle types actually did go to France or not, that can be answered in a number of ways.

    I have never seen your second and third pictures before. The Morris 6x4s are some of my favourites and these two pictures bring out the best in both. I have seen pictures of preserved CDFs but I guess there are no CDs left anywhere, sadly.

    Andrew
     
  19. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Going back to post #1; I would say that in terms of front line units at least, the Norton WD 16H was more numerous than the BSA KM and WM20s, as Nortons were the primary supplier to RAOC during the late 1930s.

    However, BSA were a larger company and once they started delivering during 1939, they were producing more than Norton. These machines are more likely to have been with the newly arrived divisions or with 2nd line troops and are therefore perhaps more often seen in photos from the beach areas. There are more Nortons in the 'Phony War' images.
     
  20. JCB

    JCB Senior Member

    Thats interesting , not too well up on the bikes. Its noticeable that the vehicles change as the campaign progresses ,as you say there doesn't seem to be much pre war stuff in the front line units by May. Most of the destroyed trucks inland seem to be 1939/1940 model WD Austins Bedfords Quads etc. Wheras the beach has a bit of everything.

    Going back to the Guy mk1 armoured cars another pic has appeared on this thread (posted by MorrisC8)
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/31764-markings-insignia-armour-bef-7.html
    so thats two out of the six !
    Craig
     

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