Motor lorries/trucks of WW1

[auchonvillerssomme]

Following information obtained recently, I belive the "Seabrook" to be a Romar.

Auchonvillerssom - please only post pictures that you own or have permission to post.

They are all downloaded onto my database of vehicles and hospital ships taken from a variety of sources including original photos which have previously been in my posession and I am very careful when it comes to what I use for my own purposes so -

1. tell me specifically which ones don't I have permission to post.

2. what is your specific interest and who are you representing?

If any of them are in breach of any copyright and have not been reproduced elsewhere in the public domain or I haven't previously owned and copied them I will remove them.

[Runflat]

Auchonvillerssom - The four in post 22, for example, all appeared a couple of weeks ago on a well known auction site. I purchased one of the items. I also personally know the vendor and a purchaser of at least one of the other images in that post. Unless you are the vendor, the auction site or have links with either of them I do not believe you have copied from an original image but instead have reproduced the vendor's scan, which would be well within copyright time limits. Whilst it is ok to take copies of these for private purposes, I don't believe that entitles you to reproduce them.

I'm sure you are fully aware as to whether any of the other images posted by you in this thread fall within the above description.

I'm happy to discuss further outside this thread.

[Great War Truck]

Following information obtained recently, I belive the "Seabrook" to be a Romar.

Romar? Tell me more. What information do you have?

[Runflat]

I'll send you an email - we can compare notes.

[Great War Truck]

OK. I shall sit by my computer with baited breath and unbridled anticipation.

[Great War Truck]

OK. Anticipation over. Having reviewed the evidence I remain unconvinced that it is anything other than a Seabrook. The Romar does have a number of similarities to the one in the photo i grant you but they are still two quite different trucks.

[Runflat]

Yes, a fascinating diversion. For those haven't been party to it - the two trucks would appear to use a high percentage of identical, possibly proprietory, parts. And what led to the confusion is that the Seabrook would appear to have had two designs of radiator - the one in the photograph being unknown to me but very close to the Romar design. However, there is a key difference - one was chain drive, the other wasn't. So happy to concede the point.

[Great War Truck]

Seabrook were assembled in the UK as a kit of parts from Standard in the USA. Were Romar assembled from kits provided by Maccar, in which case is it possible that both were built on a chassis sourced from a UK manufacturer? An interesting conundrum.

[BSM]

Thanks gents for adding your informative comments to the thread. Couple of nice images noted as well. From the trivia department the regos are believed to be....NA2015, the Borough of Manchester - LE9584, London - MC9098, London also. The Karrier with census No. 12197 has popped up (different images) a number of times. The motorcycle 1918, "B" , WD suffix is a good example as well. Scott, thanks also for your input re the RR example. Yes there are a number of examples at the AWM and elsewhere that require attention that's for sure. In this instance I was a bit more focussed on the rear of the vehicle and it was quick and easy to get.

Yes I was corresponding with Malcolm the author of the RR book and a very helpful chap he was. At that time "Box Cars" were not on the agenda however coming from a civilian perspective I am not surprised at the term "Military Truck" which covers a multitude of sins. Either way, Box cars are listed in British War Establishments and they are the authoritive source particularly when they are supported by War Diary entries relating to same..... Regards....Rod

[r larkin]

It is dangerous to assume that the term 'car' relates only to smaller vehicles. Some COs referred to all their vehicles as 'cars' whether they were staff cars, ambulance size, 30cwt, 3-tonners or anything in between. So, a 3-tonner with a box body could easily be referred to as a box car.

[BSM]

Roy, what you say is quite correct if one is talking about the 'loose' use of the term "Car/s" in each of the Theatres to describe practically any mechanically driven vehicle although I would reserve my judgement on the assumption that a 3 tonner would be called a 'Box Car'. Anyway in this instance I am specifically referring to what the War Department, War Establishment is listing for the Transport listed as belonging to and operated by an ASC MT Company i.e., touring cars, box cars, motorcycles, 3 ton lorries, FWDs etc, Foden Steam disinfectors etc. none of which are grouped as "Cars". Further they are described in other Unit establishments along with their Census numbers etc.along with diary entries as to issues, scarcity, use etc.....thanks & regards....Rod

[MartinWills]

There has been the odd reference in this thread to Locomobile (Riker) trucks so I wondered if anyone could add anything with regard to their WW1 usage? I have gleaned from various sources that 3 such chassis are preserved in one form or another and a fourth has very recently been discovered and identified, complete with Dunlop solid tyres but lacking engine, transmission etc etc.

[r larkin]

18 Auxiliary Omnibus Coy was issued with Locomobiles that had been captured by the Navy en-route to Germany and were used in support of the fourth Army on the Western Front. 814 MT Coy ASC, 260 Coy, 265 Coy & 344 Coy all used Locomobiles on the Western Front.

It's likely other companies used them as well but not all companies recorded the makes of lorry they used.

The LAMT companies more than likely used them at some point as they had huge numbers of different makes.

[Great War Truck]

There has been the odd reference in this thread to Locomobile (Riker) trucks so I wondered if anyone could add anything with regard to their WW1 usage? I have gleaned from various sources that 3 such chassis are preserved in one form or another and a fourth has very recently been discovered and identified, complete with Dunlop solid tyres but lacking engine, transmission etc etc.

Yes, it was found under a demolished shed and sold on E Pay for £102. The concern was raised that it might have gone for scrap, but i think the new owner may attempt to do something with it. he would be very lucky to find an original drive train for it, but may be able to do something with a modern one. An awful lot of work though.

[LizzieL]

Hi,

I don't know whether this is of interest. It's a picture of my grandfather (on the left) with the Karrier truck he drove. He was in 20th aux petrol co MT ASC. I have recently found out through a link provided by a kind contributor to a genealogy forum that this corps was formed in Sept 1915 and was based in the Rheims area.

[kenf48]

As no-one else has said it...great picture lots of interesting detail

thanks for posting

only problem is that as you maxed out the size so perhaps folk don't realise how much detail on first glance (98kb of a 100kb limit-phew!)

Ken

[LizzieL]

I'm glad you like it. My brother scanned the original at such high resolution, that it took me several attempts to get below 100kb - I'm not very good at this digital photo editing - I was so worried I'd delete the whole file.

As no-one else has said it...great picture lots of interesting detail

thanks for posting

only problem is that as you maxed out the size so perhaps folk don't realise how much detail on first glance (98kb of a 100kb limit-phew!)

Ken

[Great War Truck]

Sorry, i have only just seen this. But what a fabulous image. As it has a hard roof i assume that it was taken in on the subsidy scheme and had previously been in civilian service.

As he was in a petrol Co do you know if they were using just the two gallon petrol tins or were they using petrol tankers?

Thanks

Tim

[LizzieL]

I'm afraid I don't know any details, I was only 7 when my grandfather died, so all I knew was that he drove lorries in France and sent that photo to his mother.

[RobL]

Great photograph - what on earth is the 'thing' between the W and D?

[Great War Truck]

I cant make it out. Looks like Brian the snail from Magic Roundabout.

[Great War Truck]

On second thoughts, i think it is a rabbit.

[Guest lynx42]

Here is a list of some of the makes and numbers of 3 ton lorries in service at the armistice. This does not include impressed vehicles.

AEC (Y-Type) 5819

Commer (RC) 2303

Daimler (CB,CC,Y,) 4745

Dennis, allmost 3500 supplied.

Karrier (WDS) 1557

Leyland (RAF Type) 4721

Maudsley 1547

Thornycroft (J) 5000 supplied

Other makes (Halford, Halley, Wolseley ect.) were numbered in hundreds rather than thousands.

Interestingly enough the majority were of AEC and Daimler manufacture, these two makes sharing many components, Leyland coming third in the list. This was by virtue of AEC's moving production line, the only truck maker at that time to have such a facility, some AEC Y chassis were supplied to Daimler for them to fit their own mechanical components and radiator.

The total number of trucks of all makes held by the British army at the Armistice was 66,352. The number of trucks lost during the war is not known but the number of vehicles acquired and those remaining (where records exist) suggests an attrition rate of about 20%.

What about the 6,000 Albion A10's supplied to the services during WWI?

Regards Rick

[phil@basildon]

What about the 6,000 Albion A10's supplied to the services during WWI?

Regards Rick

I've checked the list again and Albion has been omitted. This is a list of vehicles remaining in service at the armistice not the numbers produced so given that there was a 20% attrition rate there would be about 4,800 Albions remaining.

[BSM]

What about the 6,000 Albion A10's supplied to the services during WWI?

Regards Rick

G'day Rick. Good to see that you resurrected an old thread via your favourite Albion subject. Having done so I thought it a good opportunity to modify an observation I made on the previous page. The Box Car travelling through the Australian Lines was captioned at the AWM and elsewhere as an RR. I was able to subsequently access a better image and I believe the vehicle is in fact a Daimler. The census number is M^314. Regards, Rod.