ARMY OF TO-DAY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 51, 28 January 1938, Page 2

ARMY OF TO-DAY

MECHANISED CONVOY. VISIT TO THE CITY. Keen interest was shown in the visit of the’ convoy of eight army trucks and vans which visited Palmerston North yesterday the, convoy being parked in the area opposite the Police Station. Showing the latest in military transport, the display held a great attraction for returned soldiers and many times in his description of the vehicles to the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford; and members of the City Council, who were present, the commanding officer, Major G. IT. Clifton, M.C., N.Z.S.C., was interrupted momentarily to renew a former acquaintanceship, or to receive messages of goodwill for other members of the Staff Corps. Rapid progress is beiim made with the mechanisation of the Territorial Force for training in peace and on mobilisation. Each military district is receiving a pool of army type lorries, trucks, vans and motor-cycles for the use of all Territorial units for outdoor training. As a beginning, four vans, four trucks, two six-wheel-ed double-driver lorries, and two mo-tor-cycles have been provided. Except for the cycles, tlie chassis have been purchased and the bodies built in New Zealand to British Army designs, but with some local modifications, mainly required to cope with the varied duties which the same vehicle Must carry out here. The vans and the lorries formed the convoy visiting the city yesterday. _ Steel bodies, with sliding side windows. locker seats running the full length and a trapdoor in the roof are main features of the bodies of the vans, which are of a standard pattern, adapted in certain particulars. They are primarily wireless vans, and are fitted to take a full-size army aerial and a portable wireless set in a cabinet. In addition, they are ideal reconnaissance vehicles, capable of seating nine officers on cushions. These cushions make excellent beds for two duty wireless operators, and also make the van a first-rate emergency ambulance. The trapdoor in the roof allows an all-rolina view for spying out the land. It also gives a good fighting position for an anti-tank rifle or a light machine-gun. _ The latter can be used for anti-aircraft’ 1 action by putting a simple mounting in the root. Stripped of all the warlike additions, these vans are good general utility vehicles for normal army transport. The four trucks ( commonly known as “covered wagons’’ because of the canvas canopy on the body, are similar to the vans in that the truck chassis are standard commercial pattern, fitted with steel cabs. This added comfort is conspicuously absent from the British Army vehicles, which are fitted with an overhead canvas hood, small side-curtains, and sometimes a miniature racing-car windscreen. Two of the trucks are standard flattop bodies, with drop sides, but fitted, in addition, with removable seats. They will carry 20 men or two tons of stores, or two Vickers machine-guns, or two Stokes mortars, both complete with fighting crews. Under the body, on top of the chassis members, there is stowage space for loading ramps, baulks, plank 6 and other engineering gear. The other two trucks have bodies faithfully copied from the British 15cwt. truck, so called because it carries a fighting load of 15cwt. across country, under any conditions which a wheeled vehicle can cope with. The body lias been designed to get the weight right down on the chassis members, so that the back wheels are enclosed in wells. As a. result the body plan is like a dumb-bell in shape, giving endless possibilities for the meticulous packer. These trucks are the general utility fighting .transport of the modern army, replacing the limbered G.S. wagon of the war years. Each infantry platoon has one to carry its Bren or Lewis guns, ammunition, picks and shovels, and other stores. With the machine-guns, a truck takes one Vickers with crew and ammunition. The gunners have them for battery staff vehicles and other duties, and the engineers use them for section tool wagons. All have power takeoff for working pneumatic tools or power winches, both valuable equipment for modern army operations. Self-effacement is the method adopted for the protection of the vehicles, from detection from the air and resulting attack. Three colours, green, grey and brown, are used indiscriminately in irregular patches, so that from whatever angle the truck is ed all three colours are seen. The cellulose paint lias a dull mat finish, which increases the disguise by cutting down light reflection. The menace of the aerial camera, has necessitated these precautions, for cn a clear dav a good lens will register details like lorries from 15,000 feet or even 20.000 feet. . , , . _ Major Chfton has with him StaffSergeant Chetwin, Corporal Roddick and eight drivers from the Army Service Corps, while there are also with the convoy Company-Sergeant-Major Raton (of the AVellirigton Regiment) and Corporal Tolley (of the New Zealand Corps of Signallers), radio mechanician of the Post and Telegraph Department, who is in charge of the wireless equipment of the convoy for the trip. The convoy had a trouble-free run from Wellington, coming over the Paeknkariki Hill. In view of the fact that two of the vehicles are new. a 30-mile-an-hour limit had to be maintained for the lourney and a .strict time schedule adhered to. This afternoon the convoy proceeded to Wnnganui. where there is to l>e a paiade and demonstration to-night.