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My Jeep and it's history

Article about: Hi Jay, thanks! The Bridge Too Far quote was very apt! I thought it might be worth showing some more of the documentation I have which I mentioned in the text of my original post. Here is th

  1. #1

    Default My Jeep and it's history

    Over the past few years I have been tracing the history of my Jeep. I have been fortunate to enough to discover much about it’s past. The following account is what I have found....

    Built on May 25th 1942, by the Ford Motor Corporation USA. It was chassis number GPW 33882. The Jeep was ordered by the United States Government under contract number W -308-QM-11424 , at a cost price of $ 925. The vehicle was sent to the British Government under the Lend - Lease Agreement, on contract Supply / Mechanical 2275. Over 71,000 Jeeps were sent to equip British Forces during WW2.

    The Jeep had seen prior use with the US Forces before being given to the British. This can be deduced by the fitting of a blackout driving lamp on the drivers side wing. This Jeep was built too early to have one factory fitted. The US Army retro fitted these to their vehicles, whereas the British did not. In fact, the British often removed this lamp from their Jeeps, as can be seen here, from the welded -up holes on the wing and on the dashboard for the switch. The Jeep’s US Army service would now be impossible to trace, as all the records have been destroyed.

    However, it’s British service history has survived. The Jeep must have seen some hard use, as by 1944, it was in need of a rebuild. No doubt the frame was badly damaged as this replaced with a Willys Overland made unit, serial number MB 177600 dating from late September / early October 1942. It was at this time that the Jeep was converted for use by the Airborne forces. This meant adapting the Jeep for Airlanding by Horsa glider. Firstly the front bumper was cut down; footsteps cut off the body; grab handles taken off the body sides; bumperetts removed from the rear; Jerrycan and bracket removed off rear body; spare tyre carrier removed and new carrier fitted in front of radiator grille; shovel and axe carriers removed off body sides; steering wheel fitted with a quick release mechanism, to enable the wheel to be removed . All these modifications were needed just to get the Jeep into the glider, even then it was still a tight squeeze through the side loading door of the Mk I. Airspeed Horsa glider.

    The removed Jerrycan holder was replaced between the front seats, and straps added behind the front seats to carry a further two Jerrycans, so a total of 60 litres of fuel was carried (Airborne units were often low on fuel, as resupply could not be relied upon.) The front bumper was now strengthened and a towing eye fitted. At the rear an "A" frame towing bar was added. This would enable two Jeeps to be linked together to tow three 10 cwt. Airborne trailers or to help recovery of a disabled vehicle. The horn button was also moved onto the dashboard due to the modifications to the steering wheel. Pick and shovel carriers were added to the front bumper. Theses changes comprised the modifications for the "Basic Airborne Jeep".

    Next came alterations for different units. My Jeep was converted for use as a Wireless Jeep serving with the Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery.

    A rack was fitted to the bonnet to carry five pairs of M38 cloverleaf shell carriers. Thus a total of 15 rounds of 75mm M5A1 Pack Howitzer shells could be carried contained in cardboard tubes. The wireless set was carried in the rear of the Jeep.

    The set was the W/S No.62. Two 12 Volt wireless batteries were carried in racks on the front wings of the Jeep. A third battery was carried on the rear of the vehicle in a carrier that incorporated the radio aerial. Spare wireless valves were placed in a box next to the wireless set. A cable-reel holder was also fitted on the bonnet to carry the No.1 cable drum, which held D10 field telephone wire. Finally, a pair of rifle clips was fitted to the windscreen to hold a Lee - Enfield No.4 .303 Rifle. (Several other changes were also done by the British, which were not specific just to the Airborne forces.) A pair of side lights was fitted to the front wings to comply with road traffic regulations; a blackout cover was placed over the left headlamp; a convoy light was fitted beneath the rear body to shine upon the white painted differential cover; also a socket was fitted for the trailer blackout lighting.

    The rebuilding work was possibly done by Central Workshops REME, Chilwell, Nottinghamshire; as the remains of the rivets from one of their rebuild plates can be seen on the dashboard close to the top left corner of the glove box door. After rebuilding the Jeep was given a new War Department Census number, which can be seen painted on the offside bonnet and rear panel of the Jeep. The Jeep was allocated the number M1501181. ( All "rebuilt cars" were given numbers ranging from M1500000 to M1599999.)

    The Army classified the Jeep as "Car, 5cwt, 4x4"

    I cannot say which Airlanding Light Regiment R.A. my Jeep served with, but there were only two in Europe. 1st A/L Light that was part of 1st Airborne Division or 53rd A/L Light that served with 6th Airborne Division.

    After the War the Jeep continued in service. In January 1949 the Army changed its numbering system. All vehicles were now given civilian style number plates, so the Jeep became "23 YH 41". In November 1951 the Jeep was overhauled by the Ministry of Supply, at Army Auxiliary Workshop B269. This workshop would have been a large civilian garage. (I would be very interested to discover the location of this workshop, as many surviving Jeeps appear to have been overhauled there.) Here the Jeep was put back to conventional specifications. All the extra racks were removed and the holes welded shut. These welds are still visible, even though I have refitted the racks. The Jeep was then stripped of all paint, then repainted in the peace time colour scheme of gloss "Bronze Green". The Jeep was sold by auction at the Ministry of Supply Storage Depot Ruddington, Nottinghamshire on Thursday 4th June 1959. It was sold as Lot number 1049, which was a lot of ten Jeeps. My Jeep was described as " Condition OK, four good tyres, 9000 miles on the clock ". The entire lot of ten vehicles sold for £720. The Jeeps had to be collected from No.72 ‘B’ Vehicle Depot, Market Harborough, Leicestershire. (Now the site of Her Majesty’s Prison Gartree.)

    The Jeep was registered on September 4th 1959 in Coventry, Warwickshire as YDU 907. It was first listed as being green in colour, but was later altered to lilac, then to yellow. The Jeep moved to the Doncaster area, where it was used by a quarry worker as transport to and fro from work and as a fun off - road vehicle. It was then sold, in 1967, via a newspaper advertisement to Mr Douglas Lindsay of Hadfield Woodhouse, South Yorkshire. The engine had dropped a valve, which had put a hole through one of the pistons. Price was £12.

    Mr. Lindsay towed the Jeep home to his farm behind a 1954 Morris Minor van with 800cc engine. He repaired the engine, with the intention of using the Jeep as a spare vehicle for his other Jeep, which had a home-made wooden pickup body. However, he only drove it for a total of six miles and it spent the next 20 years in a shed. The Jeep was sold together with the remains of the Jeep, DPY 422, to my late friend Mr Philip Pettle of Glapwell, Derbyshire for £2,100. I bought the Jeep in May 1988 for £3000. Since then I have rebuilt it to it’s present condition.

    The Jeep has been restored to it’s 1944 appearance. The camouflage paint work is known as "Mickey Mouse Pattern" due to the similarity of the black pattern to Mickey’s ears! The WD numbers are painted in pale blue, which was only done by the Airborne forces. This was done to make them less conspicuous than the usual white. However, the Allied star is prominently painted in white on the body sides. On the driver’s side there is a yellow line; this is to mark the centre of gravity of the Jeep to assist the glider pilots when loading the aircraft. Unit markings consist of the Pegasus sign of the 1st Airborne Division; the ‘42’ is the marking for 1st A / L Light Regt. R.A. The ‘RF’ marking is for the Captain, Troop commander, F Troop, No.3 Battery.

    The only feature that is not original is the indicator switch on the steering column. I have driven the Jeep to Arnhem for annual commemoration of the Airborne battle every year from 1994 until 2009. Sadly now increasing ferry and petrol costs have prevented me from taking the Jeep & 1944 Airborne trailer over to Holland. It is a 1000mile round trip for me and at 20 miles per gallon.....


    The Jeep is currently off the road while I rebuild the brakes. Since I wrote this article the Jeep is now in Soviet markings.

    Some pics taken over the years in Arnhem.

    British readers might recognise me with Al Murray "the Pub Landlord". on the DZ at Ginkel Heath, 9 miles from Arnhem.

    Cheers, Ade.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture My Jeep and it's history   My Jeep and it's history  

    My Jeep and it's history   My Jeep and it's history  

    My Jeep and it's history  
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  2. #2

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    The Jeep today
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture My Jeep and it's history   My Jeep and it's history  

    My Jeep and it's history  
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  3. #3

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    I really need to get my act together and sort the brakes. I want to get back on the road next year.

    For me, the history of the vehicle makes it special. I even have the original log book from 1959 and a tax disc from the 1960's when it was taken off the road.

    Cheers, Ade
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture My Jeep and it's history  
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  4. #4

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    Splendent vehicle, Ade! Thanks for sharing it's history with us.
    Maybe it's time for another jeep? A Soviet jeep?



    Regards

  5. #5

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    Hi Ingrid, I have looked at buying a wartime Soviet GAZ67b. Two comrades from our group (2nd Guards) own them and they are a lot of fun, but the price of them has gone up a lot (like all WW2 vehicles in recent years) so now I have "missed the boat" on having one I think. They handle very different to a US Jeep and drive more like a truck.

    Cheers, Ade.
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  6. #6

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    Quote by Adrian Stevenson View Post
    ... so now I have "missed the boat" on having one I think.
    You never know, Ade. There may be one standing in an old garage, waiting for its new owner.
    If you really want one that bad, I'm sure you will find one.

    I saw one during my trip to Russia. Standing beside the road, just rusting away.


    Regards

  7. #7

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    very nice jeep adrian a pure labour of love , i would love to have this as my daily driver ,thanks for sharing ,james

  8. #8

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    Here are the original documents from when the Jeep was first registered for the road in 1959.

    The tax disc is a story in itself. It was found in a box of vehicle parts bought by a friend in Yorkshire a few years ago. He thought it belonged to a Jeep he had bought. It must have come from the Mr Lindsay's Farm! We go back 25 years and he sent me the disc. What a chance find!
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture My Jeep and it's history   My Jeep and it's history  

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  9. #9

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    Hi James, back in the early 1990's I used the Jeep as an everyday vehicle and never used a car. But as fuel costs rose, and security became an issue, I stopped using it like that.

    Cheers, Ade.
    Had good advice? Saved money? Why not become a Gold Club Member, just hit the green "Join WRF Club" tab at the top of the page and help support the forum!

  10. #10

    Default Re: My Jeep and it's history

    The amount of history you have on that jewel is amazing. Thanks so much for showing your jeep. Too bad the cost of fuel and everything else has made Arnhem, a bridge too far again.

    Take care,
    Jay

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