Welcome to the WWII Forums! Log in or Sign up to interact with the community.

RAF gas transporter for barrage ballons used in the desert campaign 1941

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by AnthonyJGIbbs, Nov 4, 2009.

  1. AnthonyJGIbbs

    AnthonyJGIbbs recruit

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi There,
    My name is Tony Gibbs, my Uncle Fred Pallett served in the RAF in WWII and was posted to the RAF transport division in the Middle East during 1941 to 1943. He was a driver of Truck/ Lorry which I have uploaded a photo of. It only shows the front with the registration RAF91011 and was apparently used to transport gas for barrage balloons. I am interested to know if anyone can tell me more about these trucks who made them, or to see a better picture than the one I have here. Apparently it also towed a trailer and they were huge things to drive on the unpaved desert roads.
    thanks, Tony
     

    Attached Files:

  2. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2000
    Messages:
    8,386
    Likes Received:
    890
    Location:
    Jefferson, OH
    At first I thought it was an AEC Matador or even a Leyland Hippo but the grill is different. Hopefully von Poop sees this thread.
     
  3. AnthonyJGIbbs

    AnthonyJGIbbs recruit

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    OK Thanks, I will search the two types you mention.
     
  4. applevalleyjoe

    applevalleyjoe Member

    Joined:
    Oct 1, 2009
    Messages:
    240
    Likes Received:
    19
    Hello Anthony, welcome to the forums. I see that you got immediate feedback alredy. Good luck with your hunt.
     
  5. JagdtigerI

    JagdtigerI Ace

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2008
    Messages:
    2,352
    Likes Received:
    209
    Hello Tony, welcome to the forum and good luck on your search!
     
  6. dgmitchell

    dgmitchell Ace

    Joined:
    May 9, 2008
    Messages:
    3,268
    Likes Received:
    315
    Hello Anthony and welcome! I suggest you post your query in the military vehicle section of the forum. Also, after you have made 5 or 10 posts (I forget the precise number), you should be able to send Von Poop a personal message (PM) from his profile. I suspect he will know the answer to your query.
     
  7. AnthonyJGIbbs

    AnthonyJGIbbs recruit

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    OK, thanks for the tip
     
  8. von Poop

    von Poop Waspish

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2006
    Messages:
    6,300
    Likes Received:
    1,919
    Location:
    Perfidious Albion
    Hi Tony,
    Looks like an FWD SU-COE.
    Chassis manufactured at their US Clintonville plant with bodies added by the Canadians at Wilson Motor Bodies. It was supplied as a GS/MAT truck and a tractor for semi-trailers.

    One example of the Articulated variant here:
    [​IMG]
    (Another pic there too, which the original poster has mocked up to show a trailer attached.)
    From MLU - One being restored there.

    (Was he definitely in the Middle east rather than Africa? I only ask as I've an article in the now defunct 'Wheels and Tracks' magazine that covers RAF MT in N Africa that may be of interest if he was there too)

    Cheers,
    Adam.
     
    Kai-Petri and PzJgr like this.
  9. PzJgr

    PzJgr Drill Instructor

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2000
    Messages:
    8,386
    Likes Received:
    890
    Location:
    Jefferson, OH
    Aha, Adam stikes again! :salute:
     
  10. AnthonyJGIbbs

    AnthonyJGIbbs recruit

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Wow thanks for the info, My Uncle Fred did start off in Palestine, then did many tips up to Derna and Benghazi to deliver gas for the barrage ballons, That photo looks like it has the same front grill, amazing to see a picture.

    Fred died some years ago, but his brother Charles who is 91 came to our house last week and recounted all about his experience at the battle of El Alemein, he was with in Northumberland hussars assigned as a driver working with a bofour antiaircraft gun, he had great stories to tell about life in the desert, the battle etc and he said he met up with Fred on a desert road by chance once. He he served was driving near Derna and Fred spotted his division and searched him out, they met up for a couple of hours and went ther separate ways.
     
  11. 102A/Tk

    102A/Tk recruit

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Messages:
    3
    Likes Received:
    0

Share This Page