Dinosaurs, Places and Other Animals

Discussion in 'Vehicle Names and Census Numbers' started by KevinT, Sep 9, 2021.

  1. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    From IWM film Advanced Base. Film is dated 1943 and is an 11 reel film of combined ops with Royal Navy, Royal Marines with other services and shows the landings and setting up of coastal and AA guns.
    There are a couple AEC Matadors called BRONTOSAURUS L4133879 and H4476484, a Matador STEGOSAURUS H4184498 another Matador POLAR BEAR H4476181, and a couple of Humber 8 cwts ffw PORTISHEAD Z4380805 and CLEETHORPES Z4380806.
    Navy isn't my thing so if anyone can identify the units please let me know.
    Screenshots are for research and reference only.
    Thanks for any help or advice.

    Cheers

    Kevin Brontosaurus 1.png Brontosaurus 2.png Brontosaurus 3.png Brontosaurus 4.png Cleethorpes.png Polar Bear 1.png Polar Bear 2.png Portishead Z4380805.png Stegosaurus 1.png Stegosaurus 2.png
     
  2. Christian Fletcher

    Christian Fletcher Well-Known Member

    This is the badge of 2 Mobile Naval Base Defence Organization in Iceland May-June 1940. Actually circular with 5 bands - blue/yellow/green/red/blue. Apart from the RAF, just about every other Corps, the RN & the RM were involved setting up coastal, AA & land defences. Very few photos of any of them around so this is really interesting!
    cheers christian
     
  3. KevinT

    KevinT Senior Member

    Hi Christian,

    Although there is nothing in the text about location the film is dated 01/1943. Are you sure about the location and date? I know some of the dates on the IWM films can be a bit iffy but 3 years?

    Cheers

    Kevin
     
  4. Christian Fletcher

    Christian Fletcher Well-Known Member

    With regards to the photos. They are very early model Matadors. I don't know much about landing craft but those look like early model landing barges I think they were called. The great chunk of steel they are towing ashore is the base for a permanent AA or coastal battery so the where is important as there weren't many permanent batteries being established in the UK much after 1941. And the Bear shows that this lot - 2 MNBDO - had been associated with the early Iceland deployment - but not that they are still there. The photos could have been taken any time after they returned from Iceland.

    MNBDO is a very amorphous organisation. It was responsible for filling gaps in coastal areas by whatever means, at least in the beginning. They had a complete org, capable of erecting batteries, jetties, accommodation, etc; landing equipment & stores including coastal artillery; setting up and manning AA & coastal defences (or anything else they found necessary!). They scattered all over the world and must have had a very strong - and efficient - command structure. As far as I know they were employed in the UK throughout 1940, supporting ADGB and establishing new coastal defences. They sent contingents to the Azores, to Iceland (where this lot collecting their Polar Bear) and other places.

    1 MNBDO was sent out the the Middle East in 1941 to Greece & Crete (where they suffered very heavy casualties at Canea and Suda Bay. It set up in Syria, Sicily, Italy (Taranto). Other parts went to the Far East, ending up in Ceylon and creating 2 Brigade Groups of some sort. One of these Brigades went on to India and Burma. The AA units ending up serving with 33 Corps - marines in the jungle??

    My primary interest is in specialised armour: how it works and what it does. I get side-tracked occasionally which is why I have a little list!

    I don't know if anyone has ever investigated the MNBDO's. A pity as I think they had a very interesting time and would be a rewarding study (amongst all the other interesting things!)
    cheers
     

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