Signals Vehicles of the Second World War

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One of Canada's major contributions to the Allied cause during the Second World War was in vehicle production.

Early forces deployed to England used British produced trucks and lorries but over time these were replaced with standard Canadian Military Pattern (CMP) vehicles. There was also a move to standardize and improve the vehicles used throughout the forces for particular purposes and so vehicles used early in the war had been phased out by the time of the invasion in 1944.

Vehicles of many types of command and communication related vehicles were used by both Signals and non-signals units alike. This page addresses those deemed to be of most interest to the Signals function.

1942

In late 1942, an official list of vehicles was published in Routine Orders[1]. The list included the following:

Armoured Command Vehicles
Motorcycles, Solo, Light
Motorcycles, Solo, Heavy
Trucks, Heavy Utility Wireless
Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Wireless
Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Signals
Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Signals with Penthouse
Lorries, 3-ton, Battery Storage
Lorries, 4-ton, Z.P.I.
Lorries, 4-ton, A.P.F.
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wheel, Telephone
Lorries, Command Vehicle
Trailers, 15-cwt, 2-wheel, Generator Wireless, 2 K.W.
Trailers, 15-cwt, 2-wheel, Generator, 9 K.W.
Trailers, 2-wheel, Generator, 22 K.W.
Trailers, 4-wheel, Pigeon Loft
Trailers, Z.P.I.
Trailers, A.P.F.

The same list[1] also showed a number of vehicles that were by then obsolete and would be replaced by the type indicated:

Carriers, Cable Layer (Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Signals)
Carriers, Slave Battery (Lorries, 3-ton, G.S. (Slave Battery))
Motorcycles, Combination (Cars, 5-cwt)
Trucks, 8-cwt, Wireless (Trucks, Heavy Utility Wireless)
Trucks, 15-cwt, Wireless (Trucks, Heavy Utility Wireless)
Trucks, 15-cwt, Cable Layer, Mechanical (Trucks, 15-cwt, G.S.)
Lorries, 30-cwt, Wireless (Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Wireless)
Lorries, 30-cwt, Signals (Lorries, 3-ton, 134" Signals)

1944

A new list was issued in ????[2] and was amended by Routine Orders 4106, 4161 and, in February 1944 by Routine Order 4244[3]

For "Motorcycles, Solo, Light" read "Motorcycles, Solo"
After "Lorries, 3-ton, Command (LP)" insert "Lorries, 3-ton, Teleprinter"
For "Lorries, 3-ton, TEV (Army)" read "Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, TEV (Army)"
For "Lorries, 3-ton, TEV (Corps)" read "Lorries, 3-ton, TEV (Div or Corps)"
Delete "Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Machinery "CZ" (Radio)"
After "Trailers, 20-cwt, 2-wh, Cable Splicing" insert "Trailers, 20-cwt, 2-wh, AA Command Post"

In May 1944 a new list was published[4] and included the following:

Armoured Command Vehicles, HP
Armoured Command Vehicles, LP
Motorcycles, Solo
Trucks, Heavy, Utility, Machinery "ZL"
Trucks, 15-cwt, Wireless
Trucks, 15-cwt, Fitted for Wireless
Trucks, 15-cwt, LW (V)
Lorries, 3-ton, Command HP
Lorries, 3-ton, Command LP
Lorries, 3-ton, Teleprinter
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless R
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless I
Lorries, 3-ton, TEV Corps
Lorries, 3-ton, TEV Div
Lorries, 3-ton, Cipher Office
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals (with Penthouse)
Lorries, 3-ton, Signal Construction
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, TEV Army
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Machinery "Z"
Trailers, DF
Trailers, Pole
Trailers, Cable
Trailers, Cable Splicing
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 2 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 9 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 15 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 22 KW
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark II (T)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark II (R)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 3 Mark II

In June 1944 Routine Order 4693[5] added Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Switchboard. A further amendment was made in Routine Order 5074.

In December 1944 a new list was published[6] and included the following:

Armoured Command Vehicles, HP
Armoured Command Vehicles, LP
Motorcycles, Solo, Heavy
Motorcycles, Solo, Light
Trucks, Heavy, Utility, Machinery "ZL"
Trucks, 15-cwt, Fitted for Wireless
Trucks, 15-cwt, LW (V)
Trucks, 15-cwt, Wireless
Lorries, 3-ton, Cipher Office
Lorries, 3-ton, Command HP (H53)
Lorries, 3-ton, Command LP
Lorries, 3-ton, Machinery "Z" Mark II
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals Construction
Lorries, 3-ton, TEV Div
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless (C33)
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless I
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless R
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Machinery "Z"
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Switchboard
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Teleprinter
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, TEV
Trailers, Cable
Trailers, Cable Splicing
Trailers, DF
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 2 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 9 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 9 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 15 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 22 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 22 KW (Lister No. 4)
Trailers, Pole
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark II (T)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark II (R)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 3 Mark II
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 4 Mark V

1945

In May 1945 a new list was published[7]. The changes to Signals related vehicles were largely cosmetic except for the deletion of Trucks, 15-cwt, Fitted for Wireless.

Armoured Command Vehicles, HP
Armoured Command Vehicles, LP
Motorcycles, Solo
Trucks, Heavy, Utility, Machinery "ZL"
Trucks, 15-cwt, LW (V)
Trucks, 15-cwt, Wireless
Lorries, 3-ton, Cipher Office
Lorries, 3-ton, Command HP (H53)
Lorries, 3-ton, Command LP
Lorries, 3-ton, Machinery "Z" Mark 2
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals
Lorries, 3-ton, Signals Construction
Lorries, 3-ton, TEV Div
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless (C33)
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless I
Lorries, 3-ton, Wireless R
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Machinery "Z"
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Switchboard
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, Teleprinter
Lorries, 3-ton, 6-wh, TEV
Trailers, Cable
Trailers, Cable Splicing
Trailers, DF
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 2 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 6 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 9 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 9 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 15 KVA
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 22 KW
Trailers, Generator, Wireless, 22 KW (Lister No. 4)
Trailers, Pole
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark 2 (T)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 1 Mark 2 (R)
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 3 Mark 2
Trailers, 4-wh, AA, No. 4 Mark 5

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 2872, 11 December 1942.
  2. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 4039, ?? ????? 1944.
  3. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 4244, 3 February 1944.
  4. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 4560, 3 May 1944.
  5. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 4693, 7 June 1944.
  6. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 5356, 20 Dec 1944.
  7. Canadian Army Overseas Routine Order 5806, 16 May 1945.