Fantastic Wartime archive

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:06 pm

David Fletcher the Librarian at the Bovington Tank Museum will probably hate me for this. He has been kind enough to send me contact prints of the photos of Dodges on Chilsilhurst Common. OH BOY!!!! There are photos of what must be every American Lend Lease vehicle ever! Including Gordon's sno blower. There are Dodge D15 water bowsers, with kit laidout. Dodge panel vans !/2 ton dodges 3/4 ton dodges,

Forward control dodges , plus Daiamond T International chevorlet, I'm getting writers cramp. the web site is http://www.tankmuseum.org

Ugg · Post by **Ugg** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:03 pm

Tony:

What do ya mean by "CONTACT PRINTS"?

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 7:16 pm

Basically just small 35 mm prints taken straight from negatives onto paper. Don't get em when using Digital. Bear in mind the originals are probably 1942 . I been upto the common for a poke about but more research yet.

theres a nice VC comand car an VC ambulance. and a bit of a weirdo a vehicle described as Dodge 15 cwt (3/4 ton) Van it's a panel van but looks like a VC, I'll try to scan and post photo, but with my record don't hold breath

Mike W. · Post by **Mike W.** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:14 pm

Is there a way for us to view the pictures on the museum site?

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:20 pm

Hi Mike, Idon't know, I will ask David the librarian and see what he says. I know he reckons there are about 21.000 phots in total and about 14 years work to scan them. I have some prints coming but they will take about three weeks. I have also sent Gordon a scan of the little prints I don't knoe if he can do anything with them. It's a real pain knowing the photos are there and how useful they would be but not able to get hold of them.

Post by **Gordon_M** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:16 pm

I need to leap in, having just had a look at some of the images Tony sent. I'm not posting them because they are copyright and basically they are very small grainy images so no big deal.

Most of the Dodges on there are quite common, 3/4 ton and 1/2 ton WC trucks, so no surprises there.

The forward control truck (that's cabover to you lot) is a WK60 6 x 4 workshop truck with a Welles-Thornton rear bogie - a real American (chassis) Canadian (rear bogie) British (body) hybrid.

The civilian sheetmetal trucks are Canadian Dodge D15 (Dodge, 15 hundredweight) 4 x2 cargo and water tankers. First time I've seen the tanker with hood frame and canvas on though.

Send me some more Tony and I'll tell you if there are any oddballs in there.

G

Czechsix · Post by **Czechsix** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 3:23 am

I don't suppose you happened to spot any photos of WC's with RAF markings in there, did you?

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:55 am

Pity about the quality I know. I have ordered photos of the WC. the e mail adress for David fletcher the historian is historian@tankmuseum.org I have asked him about posting he is happpy for the pictures to be used on sites like this provided the Tank Museum is credited, fair enough they hold them. about 21,000 I'm told.
for RAF stuff try the museum at Hendon, West London http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk and the Imperial War Museum air museum at Duxford. http://duxford.iwm.org.uk

Czechsix · Post by **Czechsix** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:16 pm

Thank you Tony, I'll check those sources.

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 6:26 pm

Hi chris re an RAF Dodges. RAF vehicles were normally painted in distinct blue clour called RAF Blue. The original story behind this is that when RAF came into being the only type of material for there uniform was blue. This blue was the same shade as the ointment used at the time to treat pubic lice. The reslut is that from then on the RAF are known as the Crabs or Crab Air. If your father was a US citizen at the time he would have been pressured into the USAf when they came over. Try the Lashden air warfare museum at Headcorn airfeild http://www.headcornaerodrome.co.uk also http://www.tigerclub.co.uk/museum.html also duxford has the USAF museum in europe. A superb place the entrance has glass panels engraved with a picture of every one and type of US aircraft lost in Europe. As an aside After the War the Metropolitain Police, responsobile for London got some ex RAF vans still blue for thier serious crime squad. It is still known as the Flying Squad, or the Sweeny from rhymeing slng Sweeny Todd

Czechsix · Post by **Czechsix** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:05 pm

Thanks - interesting stuff Tony.

My father was a Czech navigator/pilot, flew in the 311th and 544 PRU - I was curious about the WC's in RAF service after seeing one in "Dark Blue World". That particular truck was OD, but then again, it was only a movie.

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:32 pm

The Headquartes of the Free Chezq forces in UK during WW2 was Moreton Hall Moreton Morrel Warwickshire After WW2 Warwickshire Council took it over as an agricultural college, it still is. I was a student there 25 years ago.

Czechsix · Post by **Czechsix** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:24 am

Small, small world it is.

Nice bit of history there Tony.

My father had at least 4 courier flights, ferrying diplomatic documents during the Yalta Conference. Who knows....you might have been walking the same halls he trod in years past.

Tony B · Post by **Tony B** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:40 am

Got an e mail I'll scan some photos.

Czechsix · Post by **Czechsix** » Sun Apr 30, 2006 5:59 pm

Sure do....love to see what it looks like.

czechsix AT cox DOT com will get to me.

Fantastic Wartime archive

Fantastic Wartime archive

Not quite...