Australian Army Vehicles - Indonesian Confrontation 1963-66

[Phoenix]

Fantastic photos, and information there Stuart. When I get to it, they would make a great page on REMLR, however I would need to know the Copyright of the photos, or at least the source.

[Diana Alan]

One and the same Diana. They are known as Brockhouse FV2401 1 Ton 2 WH GS Cargo Trailer although a couple of different manufacturers produced them including Sankey. I suspect that Corio Engineering built them under a licencing agreement. I wonder if they were identical to the British version or modified for Australian conditions?

I know that at least some Aussie ones had square guards.

[aussiegregmac]

The later versions of the Brockhouse went to square guards with Inter hubs and wheels.
I have an earlier (but identical) one requiring restoration thats got rounded guards and
Blitz hubs and wheels.
Greg Mac

[Tommy]

The later versions of the Brockhouse went to square guards with Inter hubs and wheels.
I have an earlier (but identical) one requiring restoration thats got rounded guards and
Blitz hubs and wheels.
Greg Mac

Very interesting Greg  . Is your Brockhouse Australian made? I was unaware that these trailers were manufactured with 'Blitz' hubs and wheels . I thought the hubs and wheels came directly from the Humber FV1600 as shown in the two photos below. Are yours like these?

[Tommy]

In 1964, the 111th Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) Battery was sent from Adelaide to RAAF Base Butterworth Malaysia to defend the airfield during the Indonesian Confrontation. At the time, the Battery was using the Bofors 40mm No.12 gun. The No.12 was different in that it was a convertion from existing manual operated Mk 3 Bofors guns by adding powered traverse and elevation and a gyro stabilised sight. The Mk3 Inters would have been an ideal 'Gun Tractor' especially in the damp and muddy tropical conditions.

111th LAA spent the next two years on duty at Butterworth until replaced by 110th Light Anti Aircraft (LAA) Battery in 1966. Most of the following photos are from 110th and 111th time at RAAF Base Butterworth 1964-66.

The No.12 Bofors Anti Aircraft gun -

 

   



I believe this is the British army Bofors No.12 as it has the magazine storage bins to the rear of the gun rather than up high on the right side. Both the Australian and British armies had their own anti aircraft batterys at Butterworth during the Confrontation.

[Tommy]

The Bofors No.12 in tow -

 

   

   

[Ellard]

Hi there Tommy

Amazing research buddy......well done.

Ps - will be back over your way next couple of weeks  will drop in if your around.

Wayne

[aussiegregmac]

G'day Tommy,  great photos thanks.
My Brockhouse has definitely got Blitz hubs and wheels.  I've got a Blitz as well.
Radio Van, so this trailer is gonna tow my Generators and tables, tents etc.

No plates so I can't tell the origin.  Didn't even know what it was for a while till I found
a few photos on the net.

I've seen a Humber and it's not the same as them.
Greg Mac.

[Tommy]

Hi there Tommy

Amazing research buddy......well done.

Ps - will be back over your way next couple of weeks  will drop in if your around.

Wayne

Wayne

PM sent.

I had little knowledge of the Indonesian Confrontation until I came across some photos on the net showing Inters towing the old WW2 Bofors. I looked further into this part of military history only to find that it was the first deployment of the International Mk3. I felt that this needed some recognition and archiving on the forum.

[Tommy]

G'day Tommy,  great photos thanks.
My Brockhouse has definitely got Blitz hubs and wheels.  I've got a Blitz as well.
Radio Van, so this trailer is gonna tow my Generators and tables, tents etc.

No plates so I can't tell the origin.  Didn't even know what it was for a while till I found
a few photos on the net.

I've seen a Humber and it's not the same as them.
Greg Mac.

Greg

I suppose the question should be asked...was the 'Blitz' hubs and wheels a genuine service modification or installed during the trailers manufacture. The trailer comes from the mid 1950 period so it may be a case of the manufacturer utilizing N.O.S Blitz parts left over from the war. Someone out there may know the answer.

[Ausfree]

I find the photo's of the Bofors very interesting, brings back memories of my time when I served in 113 Light Anti aircraft Battery (a CMF unit) in the mid to late 1960's. Our Bofor's were the Mk12's with the gun No. 2 (the Layer) controlling both the traverse and elevation, as our Bofors were also powered. I only remember a gunsight called a "Peanut" sight because of the shape of the graticules in the viewfinder which corresponded with the targets speed. All the Layer had to do was line up the target on the correct graticule, the targets speed was indicated to him by the Gun No. 1.(the Sargent). I do not remember Gyro controlled gunsights, but then again the regular army may have been supplied with these.

I remember all to well the "Indonesian confrontation" and the possible threat to Australia, when I first joined 113 Battery in 1964.

We also used the Inter Mk3's as a gun tower but in my opinion they were not as good as the earlier GMC's and Studebakers.

[Ausfree]

Tommy, that picture of a Bofor with the magazine storage bins at the rear, that you think is an English version?, could it be a Naval version converted to fire on land, it seems to have shielding around the front. I am not familiar with that version.

Just as an aside, I see the third piccy from the top has an apparatus fitted over the barrel to make the gun recoil as the gun detachment is training and they are using plastic blanks. I used to hate them things as they certainly built up crap from the plastic inside the barrel and it was a real bugger to clean out.

[Richard Farrant]

I believe this is the British army Bofors No.12 as it has the magazine storage bins to the rear of the gun rather than up high on the right side. Both the Australian and British armies had their own anti aircraft batterys at Butterworth during the Confrontation.

Hi Tommy,
This last photo is a British L/70, these entered service in 1951. The No.12 shown in previous photos was referred to as the Bristol Bofors as it was a conversion of the WW2 Bofors giving it electric control, by the Bristol Aircraft Company.

Good photos, look forward to seeing more.

regards, Richard

[Tommy]

Tommy, that picture of a Bofor with the magazine storage bins at the rear, that you think is an English version?, could it be a Naval version converted to fire on land, it seems to have shielding around the front. I am not familiar with that version.

Just as an aside, I see the third piccy from the top has an apparatus fitted over the barrel to make the gun recoil as the gun detachment is training and they are using plastic blanks. I used to hate them things as they certainly built up crap from the plastic inside the barrel and it was a real bugger to clean out.

Thanks for that bit of info Ausfree. That device had me stumped. I have seen similar setups on .50 cal machine guns and thought that it may have been some kind of strengthening device to keep the barrel from flexing. I was way off the mark

[Tommy]

I believe this is the British army Bofors No.12 as it has the magazine storage bins to the rear of the gun rather than up high on the right side. Both the Australian and British armies had their own anti aircraft batterys at Butterworth during the Confrontation.

Hi Tommy,
This last photo is a British L/70, these entered service in 1951. The No.12 shown in previous photos was referred to as the Bristol Bofors as it was a conversion of the WW2 Bofors giving it electric control, by the Bristol Aircraft Company.

Good photos, look forward to seeing more.

regards, Richard

Thanks for the correction Richard . I notice that the Bristol Bofors have an auxiliary/genset motor to the rear of the gunners platform to power the electrics. What was used on the L/70 as the photo show very little room on the platform to store an auxiliary/genset motor?

I also note that there are two spare barrels sitting in readiness behind the gun. Would they have been for different ammunition or did the barrels have a very short lifespan?