Good Evening to all - New to the forum and very impressed with all the research and knowledge...something that I would dearly love to tap into. For nigh on ten years, I have been logging tracked vehicle WD Census numbers in order to try an recreate the former Central Ordnance Index Card Lists that - I presume - has long since been destroyed. The WD Census numbers I am interested in are those known as the 'T Series' for all tracked vehicles. These were then translated into the ZA & ZR series in 1949. With the above in mind, I would be delighted to hear from anyone who discovers lists of such numbers in the War Diaries of the Recce Regts. In particular, I am intersted in the initial Carrier alloctions to the early regts/sqns. Some of these I am currently uploading to my spread sheets from the listings held by the Bovy Tank Museum. Once I have finished, I will post here on WW2T if people are interested in such details... Many thanks to all in anticipation Roddy de Normann
Roddy, Hello and welcome to the forum. It sounds like a mammoth task that you have embarked upon. I do have some of my Late Father's 4th Recce Reg Diaries and will try to look at vehicle dispositions. I have seen lists of the vehicles allocated but I do not think any references accompanied them, but I will start looking through them and if i have any luck i will post them for you. Regards Tom
Good luck with your research Roddy. It's difficult to comprehend what a physically enormous archive the central register of vehicle allocations must have been (presumably at Chilwell ?) I can imagine that they were glad to draw a line under it all in 1948 / 49 and dispose of everything once the 'Key card' system was in place. I'm always interested to see census number records. If you come across any motorcycle related stuff, please feel free to post that as well !
Roddy, I have searched through all of the diaries in my possession (1944 and 1945) and have found the following pages that I think will interest you. Unfortunately not many tracked vehicles for you. Regards Tom
Tom I note with interst that there is a single Daimler scout car mentioned in there. if you come accross any others please let me know. ive spent the last two years typing up and cross referencing the Dingo war time cencus and post war key card records to accertain as much as possible about the history of individual cars. thanks singe Home
Singe, There are a few mentions of other vehicles in the text of some pages, but nothing to identify. Usually mentions battle casualties with just the number of vehcles damaged or destroyed. Regards Tom
Singe, I have only found this one page with mention of a Daimler Scout car with a reference number ( 206197). BLR? I take it that this means Beyond Local repair? I hope that it is of use to you. They also used 3 German 8 wheel Armoured cars which were also SOS. After reading the diaries it appears that there was a distinct lack of spare parts for servicing and the roads, that existed, were in such bad condition that the wear and tear on long patrols really took a toll. Regards Tom
Smudger my eagle eyes had already spotted that one in the 4th Recce thread. But thanks for pointing bit out. Theres another two there if you look closely enough! singe
Singe, Glad you found the Diaries of use. I have just had my eyes tested and so I have no excuse now! Regards Tom
Rich - Since starting to use this site, I have seen your keen interest in motor-cycles. On may occaisions I have indeed come across listings of vehicles other than tracked. I have always thought I should note these but never have...now I will ! Roddy
Tom - Extrordinary...I am currently plugging exactly the same numbers for 4 Recce into my database. I picked these up several months ago and have only just got around to them ! I am also slowly working my way through the Tank Museum serials books. The Carrier serials include any number of Recce Units - squadrons, battalions and regiments - all as they came on stream. Once I have finished, I would be happy to let others see the consolidated lists... Thanks again for posting the pics Roddy
Tom - Extrordinary...I am currently plugging exactly the same numbers for 4 Recce into my database. I picked these up several months ago and have only just got around to them ! I am also slowly working my way through the Tank Museum serials books. The Carrier serials include any number of Recce Units - squadrons, battalions and regiments - all as they came on stream. Once I have finished, I would be happy to let others see the consolidated lists... Thanks again for posting the pics Roddy Roddy, My father mentioned that four of the self propelled 75mm's that they used were named after the 4 Musketeers, I presume that these were White halftracks as a book I have shows 4th Recce with these. Have you come across any references to named self propelled half tracks? Regards Tom
Tom - Can not say I have. The expert on veh names is one Kevin Tucker. He is often to be found on Missing-Lynx or MLU. Roddy
Im meeting one of the gunners who served on these very half track vehicles today for lunch (on me). He says he has a lot of information and records as he runs what remains of the 46th recce regimental association. Will let you know how i get on........... singe
