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-----Original Message-----
From: Tim Bell <tcb@hasher.demon.co.uk>
... Date: Monday, February 14, 2000 5:52 AM
Subject: [MV] Caution Left Hand Drive Stencilling
...
>I have a 1956 photo of a British RAF Vehicle in Germany with "Caution Right
>Hand Drive" stencilled on the back (In English and German).
>
>I also presume this was because in Germany (and the rest of Continental
>Europe) they drive on the Right.
>
>So my question - Were any Right Hand Drive vehicles during WW2 stencilled
>"Caution Right Hand Drive" when being operated in Continental Europe. Or
was
>this practice only adopted after WW2.
===============================================
****** Response by Colin Stevens in Canada:
I cannot recall seeing any photographic or instructional examples of
"Caution Right Hand Drive" in use in Europe during WWII though it may exist.
I have a cartoon showing a Canadian soldier driving a right hand drive CMP
in North West Europe on the left side with his neck twisted like a spiral
and I experienced similar stress driving my C15 (now in the Canadian War
Museum) in Vancouver, BC, Canada traffic! One definitely wants a co-driver
as I am sure all drivers of left hand drive US trucks such as Mack, FWD,
CCKW and WC Dodges in the UK can tell you!
In Canada is was fairly common to paint a large sign on the centre rear of
the CMP - a white rectange (About 2 feet wide x 1 foot high) with
stencilled red letters (about 1" high) stating (from memory)
CAUTION
RIGHT HAND
DRIVE
NO SIGNALS
This was in use as early as 1949 in Canada as evidenced by a photo form 8CH
archives (page 336 WE STAND ON GUARD - An illustrated History fo the
Canadian Army 1992) and the fact that it has been found on the rear of
CMPs with post-war markings. It MAY have been in use during the war in
Canada but I cannot recall an example off hand. The CMPs remained in
Canadian use until about the mid-1950s, with a few soldiering on a little
longer (the last may have been the Cab 13 15 Cwt Mach KL welder (missing
the welder unit) at CFB Chilliwack that is now in the CWM and which was
still in a compound at Chilliwack when I last saw it c. 1970).
Roy Wellburn in Williams Lake BC still has this marking on one or two of his
CMPs.
It does make me wonder if the prototype Land Rover (which had the driver's
position in the centre and was apparently built on the chassis of a CANADIAN
Willys W-LU 440-M-PERS-1 -- i.e. Willys MB on Canadian contract -- as it has
the lifting rings on the frame) had a warning painted on the back:
CAUTION
CENTRE
DRIVE
:-)
Colin Macgregor Stevens
MVPA Member 954 (since 1977)
& member B Coy 1 Canadian Parachute Battalion (Living History)
Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada
E-mail: colin@pacdat.net
Personal web site: http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net
1944 Willys MB
1942 BSA airborne bicycles (2)
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