Great War Truck Posted 30 April , 2008 Share Posted 30 April , 2008 Not sure whether anybody will be able to answer this one, but thought it would be worth a go. We picked up this postcard of a Thornycroft J Type and which has the following markings on the side, the Kings Crown (which is not very common on MT) and a white crescent above it. it also of course has the club symbol beneath it, which i think we agreed (from a previous thread) respresents that it was carrying food. Michael Young lists a number of ASC Company markings in his excellent book ASC 1902-1918. This one does not feature in the list. Is Michaels list incomplete or does anybody have any other suggestions as to what it might be? Many thanks Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted 30 April , 2008 Share Posted 30 April , 2008 GWT, there is also a list of company signs in the National Archives within Piece WO 161/13. I've struggled before now to reconcile this with Young's list - whilst there is large amount of correlation, there would also appear to be a degree of omission on both sides. I've had a look through my copy of the NA list and can't see a match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantsmil Posted 1 May , 2008 Share Posted 1 May , 2008 What are the probably colours of the club symbol? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantsmil Posted 1 May , 2008 Share Posted 1 May , 2008 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War Truck Posted 1 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 1 May , 2008 Thanks for checking Runflat. I suspect that it is just another one of the very many ASC Co markings that were used. Very interesting to see the colour version of the photo. Looks very good. What piece of software did you use for that and how long did it take to do? Thanks Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantsmil Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 The program is called Paint Shop Pro. Took about 20 minutes. Do you have any idea on the possible colour of the club shape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Gosh, I didn't realise you could tell so much about a truck from what was on the side! Here (I hope) are a couple of images from my late father-in-law's collection, in case they might be of interest to someone. He was a private in the ASC, but working with 118th Railway Company, RE(ME). The one with a man on his own has writing on the back (also scanned) identifying him as "Jack Robinson". It was taken in Rue de la Gare, Audruicq. There seems to have been a big depot at Audruicq, and I think my FIL was there for some time. The group picture below (hopefully) includes my FIL on the far left (with the little girl standing behind him). There is no writing on the back to say where it is. I notice a wine glass painted on the side of the truck - but I can't imagine that is what they were transporting! Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Wonderful pictures ,Angela - have you got any more? The second truck looks like a Locomobile but I would like to see a bigger scan - is that possible? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Hi Tony, No, I don't have any others of trucks, though I have a couple of motorcycles. I think these are the same model: "3.5HP Triumph, 3 speed gear"; I have posted one of them, with the rider identified, on the Soldiers part of the forum. I have rescanned the group shot, which is now 5MB or so - and my goodness, can you see a lot of detail when you zoom in! (I have spotted a second little girl, behind the two men on the left.) I am sure you will be able to see what brand of cigarette they are smoking, and how full the petrol tank is! Of course I can't post it here, and also cannot attach anything that big to an email sent through the Members' Profile system. If you would like to send me a PM or an email giving me your own email address (rather than putting it on the open forum), I can mail it to you. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War Truck Posted 2 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Hard to say what colour the markings would be. It is much lighter than the green paint and my best guess would be blue. However if you look at this one: It is a lot darker than the canvas, so looks to be a different colour altogether from the other photo. I will do some more research in to it. I dont think the photo on its own will give us much of a clue. The other thread had a good suggestion and i cant remember what it said. I will have to go and remind myself. Angela. Thanks for posting those other photos. Very interesting. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 I hope that didn't constitute hijacking the thread, Tim. That's the trouble with this forum - you click on an innocent-looking topic, and find something so fascinating that you get sucked in... Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minesweeper Posted 2 May , 2008 Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Angela has very kindly sent me a large scan of the mystery truck and it is NOT a Locomobile - it is Chain-drive so that certainly knocks that one on the head! Both Runflat and GWT are far more knowledgable than I am and I am certain that either of them will quickly identify it. The best that I can do is that maybe it is a Saurer! As far as the Formation marking or unit marking on the side of the Truck is concerned, then the larger photograph shows it to be similar to the cross section of Rail (for a Railway Track). Angela did say that her father-in-law was in a Railway Company and could it be that it is a cross section of a Rail as that would be an appropriate marking for such a Unit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War Truck Posted 2 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 2 May , 2008 Angela Not a problem. I am thrilled to have your input and it is not off topic as far as i am concerned. I am delighted as always to talk about any aspect of Great War Trucks and your pictures are very interesting. As you already know, the first photo was of a Belsize and i am fairly certain that the second is a Saurer. Great to see them both so many thanks for posting. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runflat Posted 3 May , 2008 Share Posted 3 May , 2008 Angela, you say that your late father-in-law was a private in the ASC, but working with 118th Railway Company, RE(ME). Young's book on the ASC says this: Even the railway world had its own dedicated labour from January 1915. Captain A H Hartshorn reported to the ASC depot in Aldershot on 6 January as the OC, and the first Railway Labour Company ASC, consisting of three officers and 210 Other Ranks, left for Le Havre on 9 January. One section of an NCO and twenty-five men remained in Le Havre and the remainder moved on to St Omer, with further sections of 1 + 25 being sent to Bailleul, Steenwerck, Caestre and Strazeele. By August 1915 the unit had grown to a strength of four officers and 505 men; and still the work level increased, so two Railway Labour Companies were formed, No.1 and No.2, in October 1915. On 29 March 1916, however, the two companies came under command of the newly-promoted Major Hartshorn, renumbered as 33 and 34 Railway Labour Companies. I guess it was with one of these companies that your FIL served. The annex to Young's book says that the National Archive has files for 33 & 34 Labour Company (Railways), ASC at Piece WO 95/4174. Sorry, I can't see the 'rail track' marking in the NA's or Young's listing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 3 May , 2008 Share Posted 3 May , 2008 Gosh, that's interesting, Runflat. I know nothing really of the details of his war service, apart from the Audruicq connection. OH, I was looking through some of his old correspondence, wondering if I shouldn't be throwing more of it away, when I came across a letter to the TocH organisation, written in the 1960s, in which my FIL said he was sorry he would be stopping his annual charity payment to them as at his advanced age he needed to conserve his financial resources. In the letter he referred to having spent several months in and around Poperinghe (can't remember the year he said; I must look it out again), which really interested me as I had only a recently been there for the first time myself, and had visited Talbot House - which I suppose he would have known well. I live quite near Kew, so must pop along one day and check out that file you mention. Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 5 May , 2008 Share Posted 5 May , 2008 I reckon the club is dark green - in a book (can't remember the name, something fairly generic) which has plenty of colour illustrations of softskin vehicles used in WW1, there's a Ford model T patrol truck with a green spade on the side. I saw photos of (presumably) the same vehicle it was based in whilst looking at photos of Ford model T patrol trucks at the IWM photo archives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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