Photos of Caravans in military service

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Owen, Sep 1, 2011.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Never been a fan of caravans but on this forum we do like to have some threads that are a bit of fun & educational at the same time.
    I've plucked 'Caravans in military service' out of the air & I'm starting the thread off with this one....

    [​IMG] RAF FIGHTER COMMAND 1940. © IWM (CH 106) IWM Non Commercial License

    April 1940
    Fighter pilots of No. 111 Squadron RAF relax with a pet dog outside outside their caravan at a dispersal at Wick, Caithness, alongside a Hawker Hurricane Mark I of the Squadron.
     
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  2. Goodygixxer

    Goodygixxer Senior Member

    Sorry but caravans are totally gay!
     
  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    I still love this one from here:

    [​IMG]

    Though they missed a trick not camouflaging the van.
     
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  4. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    James S likes this.
  5. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

  6. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Never been a fan of caravans but on this forum we do like to have some threads that are a bit of fun & educational at the same time.
    I've plucked 'Caravans in military service' out of the air & I'm starting the thread off with this one....

    [​IMG]

    What a great pic, a caravan for a dispersal hut. Love the car too.

    Got to be some Bomber Command airfield photos with caravans too.
     
    James S likes this.
  7. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Talking about caravans,there is a good display at Duxford of military caravans in the army section.One is said to be Monty's.

    The army section beyond the large dedicated hanger seems to be associated with the Cambridgeshire Regiment.Found it very interesting,it must be nearly ten years ago and we visited the place at a quiet time during the week and witnessed the off loading of a tank for that part of the museum.
     
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Talking about caravans,there is a good display at Duxford of military caravans in the army section.One is said to be Monty's.

    .
    Yup see this thread I started earlier this week.

    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/weapons-technology-equipment/38469-interior-layout-montys-mack-caravan.html

    Doing a forum search I found this one of Slim's.
    Had not seen thread before.
    http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/burma-india/38051-general-bill-slims-truck-caravan.html

    But these are military caravans for top officers, rather than civvies caravans in military use.
    I do hope our air war types can find some more photos like the first one I posted.
    I didn't expect to see the Heer using them.
    Those 4 wheeled ones Adam linked to are just like the one I've seen Dutch & German road workers use nowadays.
     
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

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  11. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Apparently when Monty used the Chateau de Creullet as his HQ in Normandy (close proximity to the Gripper Crossroads) he chose to use his caravan, reported to be requistioned from the Germans in the Western Desert for his sleeping quarters.No doubt used the chateau for messing but left any luxury bedding available, to others.
     
  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Monty's original caravan, while mounted on a Leyland retriever, was the former property of that well-known Italian, 'Electric Whiskers', and previously mounted on a Lancia. (Only fair considering Rommel mincing about in a pair of stolen ACVs).
    It became his office when he acquired a new caravan (maybe sometime at the end of the Tunisian business?, memory fails - '43 anyway).

    I've no idea why I know this.
     
  13. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Monty really did sleep in his own caravan. True he ate in the small Tac HQ Mess but liked these for work and sleep.

    Leyland Retriever 3ton 6 X 4 with Office Caravan Body.
    This was the first to be taken into use. It was an Italian body mounted on a Leyland Retriever 6 X 4 3ton chassis. It had been captured, converted and used by Montgomery’s predecessor. In NW Europe it was used as an office.

    Mack NR 10ton 6 X 4 with Sleeping Caravan Body.
    This was also a captured Italian body but mounted on a 10ton 6 X 4 Mack NR chassis. This was used in Italy before being refurbished for NW Europe. It was used as a sleeping caravan and had a fold down bed, a bath, a shower and wardrobe space.

    Fordson 7V with Map Caravan Body.
    This was purpose built for Montgomery. It was a semi trailer with ample wall space for maps, and had two small desks at the front.

    There was a mess tent for the officers, and although Montgomery was Spartan in many ways, he did not smoke or drink and was keen on fresh air, he did like some luxuries. The mess had reasonably comfortable furniture, a large table for the twenty or so officers, a white tablecloth and polished silverware. Drink and cigarettes were permitted, although smoking at breakfast was more than frowned on. Whenever possible the officers had breakfast, lunch and dinner together and the evening meal was formal, and punctual. Food was generally good and cooked by a good army cook.

    He also travelled by Rolls Royce, getting into a Humber or a Jeep on arrival or for press photos.

    Mike
     
  14. chrisgrove

    chrisgrove Senior Member

    I have seen a photo of a civilian type caravan (trailer to our friends across the pond), camouflaged, in use as , I think, a dental surgery, but as I am not very interested in making a model of it, it does not feature on my database!

    Chris
     
  15. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Is this it? I don't know. I've seen another one of Montgomery with his dogs outside his truck but I can't find it.
     

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  16. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Back to real time.

    On the BBC News today lunch time, reporting on the situation in the Ukraine is a few frames of the Russion occupation of the Ukrainian military airfield north of Sebastopol.A 300 strong unarmed Ukrainian force approached the Russian picket at the gate singing their national anthem which was the main feature of the news item.

    A quick frame followed in which I could not recognise the aircraft in the background (will look out for a repeat) but parked nearby was what looked to a very old daubed on, camouflage caravan...well worthy of a military caravan enthusiast's collection.
     
  17. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    at 1:10 on here?
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26443227
     

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  18. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    Yes there was a dental surgery trailer based on a civilian type caravan [usually towed by a Bedford QL with specialist Dental body]. It is strange that this seems to be the only official military use of a civilian type caravan.

    Here's a caravan "liberated" by some Canadians
     

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  19. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    If I May return to the "Senior Officer's Caravan" side of this thread for a while: -
    I see from the Trux section of the forum that the were two designations for caravans - Class 1 & Class 2
    It appears that class 1 were the "Specials" such as Montgomery's three caravans so I presume that all the class 2 caravans were the standard caravans built on QLT chassis.

    It seems that the class 2 caravans utilised the pressed steel sides of the QLT
    12 Corps HQ.jpg

    This [Dempsey's caravan] has been posted before - is it class 1 because it is not the standard class 2 body style or class 2 because it is based on a QLT chassis?
    Dempsey's Caravan 3.jpg

    Can anyone shed any more light on this please
    Noel
     
  20. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    If they are anything like their grandkids they're heading for Florida for the winter with that rig, :)
     

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