Women at War, Netflix - Lorries?

[JohnC]

Does anyone know the source of the seven lorries featured in the current Netflix series ‘Women at War’? Original or very good repro?

Thanks in advance, John

[Chasemuseum]

Would expect that they are all modern reproduction. For the story line they are the product of a small engineering workshop/factory that produced lorries specifically to order. So this avoided any need to match the lorries to any actual WW1 French Army designs or general design specifications.

I am fairly ignorant as to how the French auto industry was structured prior to WW1. Britain had about 30 makers of lorries and these generally were whole vehicle makers who produced unique vehicles including the manufacture of the engines and transmissions. The United States by comparison had about 230 to 250 companies building trucks, but most of these purchased the engines, transmissions, and chassis rails from major suppliers, then built "their" model of truck. This allowed the manufacturers to operate from smaller less sophisticated factories. It also assisted maintenance workshops (service garages) as a lot of expense components were common to numerous makers. This was part of the rational of the US Army "Liberty" truck design. This better suited the USA manufacturing industry and then gave the US Army essentially a single model (there was actually more than one model) to deal with in the logistical stream. This was a huge improvement compared to the BEF, who by the end of the war were using lorries from many different makers, with no interchangeability of parts. My understanding is that the BEF ended up with multiple service depots across northern France dedicated to the individual maker / models of trucks. This was supported from the central depot at Slough in England, where everything that had become useless could be dumped and cannibalized to recover usable vehicles. The depot was sold after the war with all the trucks at Slough and at the European depots as a single job lot, the buyers made a fortune and after the Slough depot was cleared they re-established it as the Slough Industrial Estate". 

 

As a TV series, Women at War appears to have used some good material giving an authentic period look. This is let down by some absolutely terrible writing by individuals totally ignorant of military history.  The story is set in the opening months of the war, while it was still a war of movement and before trenches became a significant feature. Then they introduce the use of gas as a critical part of the story line.  Despite gas not being used until spring of 1915 when the Western Front had degenerated into trenches from Switzerland to the North Sea. I could carry on with rants about inconsistencies in the story lines but it would just be boring. The purpose of fiction is to entertain. "Never mind the quality, feel the width" 

Cheers

[JohnC]

Having watched another episode more carefully then I agree that they must surely be repro. If only because I can’t imagine there to be seven identical and roadworthy survivors. I would say that even with the liberties taken with historical accuracy I do find it to be a very watchable programme, not least because it deals with a time, place and tactical situation other than the ubiquitous mud’n’trenches scenario.

[Chasemuseum]

English language films have always tended to focus on the mud and trenches, as the bulk of the BEF service was in the trenches of the Western Front. To the film's credit, War Horse starts in the war of movement phase of the Western Front. 

Several films to consider

The girl and the General - (Italian Front)

Many wars ago - (Italian Front)

The Great War - (Italian Front)

Gallipoli - Australian - Dardanelles campaign

Light Horsemen - Australian - Palestine campaign