Another pic from the Wonder Book of Soldiers. The wheels on the Carden Loyds identify them as Mark Vs, as used for recce by the Experimental Mechanised Force
I have been intrigued to find 153 records listed in the Beamish Musem's People's Collection catalogue under the heading development of tanks buily by Vickers Armstrong Ltd. The photographs have not yet been digitised but the captions are very interesting and relate mainly to interwar types, It may be these are all very well known photographs or it could be they haven't really been seen before. They could conceivably be from the Company's (Vickers Armstrong's) own records or possibly from some king of directory or catalogue, but it looks to be a single source.. Everything is there - Vickers Carden Lloyd, Mediums 1-3, the Independent, Citroen Kegresse and much more.
The captions are obviously well informed so without seeing antything I wonder if they might be from Vickers Armstrong's contemporary sales material.
I am enquiring aboout the origins of the photographs and if it would be possible to visit and see them.The hope of course would be to move them up the prioirity list for digitising, so they can be generally avaialable.
7 comments:
What a great photo!
The beret, cap badge and overalls mark these guys out as Royal Tank Corps. I know they were using 'two armoured carriers' as a recce section in the Medium Battalion HQs in 1938, so possibly these were in use before the Scout Carriers came into service.
Reg Numbers MK8369-8376 bore the serial numbers T249-256 on the sides and are listed as Carden-Loyd Mk V* Wheel-cum-Track. Eight is a convenient number for two per battalion HQ, as there were originally only four battalions (2, 3, 4 & 5). I'm guessing the new home battalions created in '34 (1st Light), '37 (7) and '38 (8) onwards got newer equipment.
I'm not 100% on this, but I don't believe British vehicles were camouflaged before the Munich Crisis. In the '30s they usually appear in the standard dark green semi-gloss of peace time.
They are using Mk. III respirators which are the same vintage as the carrier... clearly they weren't allowed new ones for exercises.
Okay that's probably enough trivia...
Thanks Jim that's all very interesting. Apart from the David Fletcher books which I have had for years this is all quite new to me. When you quote the reg and serial numbers saying what vehicles are listed for them, could I ask what source you are using? I have been looking for this kind of information without being able to find it.
Thanks
Clive
Very interesting post. As a Canadian Army buff I'm sentimental to the C-L because it was the basis of what would become the Canadian Armoured Corps. A handful made it to Canada in the 1930s and were used for training, though oddly, this post describes their use by an infantry regiment, the RCR.
http://regimentalrogue.tripod.com/blog/index.blog?start=1380686459
Cheers,
Michael
Though it predates the interwar period I am also interested in the Canadian autocar MG Carrier.
Another great post,photo and comments.
Alan
Fascinating stuff and some well informed commentary there from Jim.
I tried painting up some Vickers lights for the BEF and found myself rather underwhelmed by the colour scheme.
@Clive - Cheers! It was an opportunity to indulge my inner geek. :-)
MAFVA compiled a Pdf list from a Pre-1948 vehicle census. It's not complete but very useful despite that.
http://www.mafva.net/other%20pages/PRE48CENSUS[1].doc
It auto downloads when you put the address in the bar, but my antivirus software hasn't thrown up any issues.
Their resources page is also useful, but the focus is more WWII-Modern: http://www.mafva.net/resources.htm
@Conrad - It's camouflage, it's meant to be underwhelming. ;-)
Some of the Caunter camo schemes for the Western Desert might be more striking though.
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