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MB 11486

Information on this jeep supplied by John Edwards, Australian Military Vehicle Research, PO Box 450, FORRESTVILLE NSW 2087 (edwards@bigpond.com). A BRIEF HISTORY. The Army Rego NO. 58876. It is my pleasure to inform you that my search for your jeep (chassis) has been successful. Your Ford was registered - issued to the Australian Army in NSW, under the AA Rego no. 58876 and was a direct Australian purchase. - The recorded date in the Army record books is 1943, which is expected to reflect model type rather than its delivery date into Aust. the fact that this jeep was only one of the 13 jeeps, it is possible, although unproven that it was assembled by the Dodge dealer, Harden & Johnston Pty Ltd. these jeeps were recorded as being RECONDITIONED stock. -58876, was registered as 'Sold' to Ford Motors on Sales Docket 2600, with 19 other jeeps from 3rd Aust. Ordnance Vehicle Park (3AOVP-North Ryde). The recorded date for these sales when co-related via Army and Archive sources is the 11 OCT 1946. -This series of jeep appears to have arrived in NSW around October 1943 possibly as ex-US hand-overs. Being reconditioned i would have expected another brass plate on the glovebox lid to confirm these findings. Once assembled and tested it is believed that selected jeeps were immediately transported north to QLD via the North Ryde Ordance Depot (3AOVP). Photographic evidence shows these jeeps of similar ilk at 3AOVP backloading onto trucks in November 1943. -At present there is no evidence of this, or the other jeeps going O/S. However, jeeps did go O/S and return to 3AOVP in a very short time. So even though your jeep's final place of disposal was 3AOVP, it is more likely that this vehicle was used locally with Aust. (not sydney), but O/S service still may have occured. -In general, Vehicle Parks (eg 3AOVP) were large blocks of land with an estimated holding capacity of some 20,000 vehicles of 6x6 dimensions (eg GMC). Any vehicle like 58876 was recieved at an Ordanance Vehicle Park for one of the following reasons: -Withdrawn from service for reallocation or modification -disbandment -unserviceability, therefore disposal Although this jeep's service record ended in 1946, further usuage of these jeeps generally goes beyond the WWII years, but is limited, as their peacetime record is at best vague. From the 1st original 13 jeeps in Aust. 11 were sold pre 1950, 1 SOLD to NSW 1959, and the other was sold via domestic auction in STH AUST, 1959. -There is only one other known survivor from this series and is resident at Emu Heights NSW The original owner of this jeep had it first recorded on my books in 1984. Many Thanks to John Edwards for this most valuable information. Regards, Mick Tinnock.

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