What vehicle could this be?

Photo below is of members of 8th Rifle Brigade. I have no idea however, when or where it was taken. Identification of the vehicle (lorry?) they are sitting on might help.

 

The photo has an early war feel to it. The soldier on the right looks as if he has his respirator case slung round his neck, which I think was the norm for 1939/1940. They are all wearing ponchos and there might be a poncho fanatic out there who can tell you the date that that sort was on issue. You also need a truck roof fanatic - believe me, there will be one! Best.

 

The chap with the pipe has the pre-war style of toe-plate (which wouldn't rule out BEF) and looks to have the pre / early-war pattern of 25 hobnails per boot.

The full steel cab with rain gutter looks civilian to me. Very difficult to pin down.

 

My first thought was full steel cab too but then I thought it could have a fabric center section as well, like a Model A.

 

SMLE rifles too

 

The 'ponchos' could be gas capes as anti-gas eyeshields are also being worn. The suspected civilian vehicle could point to it having been impressed. Both facts lean towards the early war period but not conclusively.

 

Isn't there at least one No.4 mk1 to the left of the picture? Don't when these were introduced?

 

Yes that's the one. Certainly not an expert on this, but I was mainly looking at the longish protruding barrel end with what seems like the front sight part thing... That wasn't there on a MkIII, or was it?!

 

I sure didn't notice that one but it looks like a No.4 to me.

 

Are you? Barrel in front of sighting thing seems much shorter than in Dave55's photo. Maybe too short to fit bayonet? Knowing the vehicle would help...

 

You still may be right. I wasn't sure either and was about to edit my post because I thought I saw a sling swivel near the muzzle and I thought the Mk III had them but my Lithgow Mk III doesn't have a swivel up there and there is no provision for one either.

P14 Enfield has a stacking swivel right behind the muzzle though. EDIT: Foreshortened due to angle

 

Hopefully it's not a daft question but how are you certain its 8th Rifle Brigade?

 

It certainly isn't a daft question, and I must admit, it could also be 2nd London Rifle Brigade (which in late 1940 or in January 1941 had its name changed to 8th Rifle Brigade).

I know this, because I got the photo through a relative of the man in the middle, who was a member of 8th Rifle Brigade. I try to find out a bit more about him and about this and another photo, before adding an item on him to Biographies - 8th Rifle Brigade