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This is a subject not yet covered in this forum.
A few years ago I was given photos of a funeral cortege in Pune. It was with military honors, the coffin was placed on a gun carriage towed by a military truck. This was my friend’s grandfather, an army doctor who died in 1942. That photo, a copy of which he gave me, was the first of several military vehicle photos in India in my collection. And then the collection grew.
There is the usual array of tanks, trucks, and cars, most of them have the arrow symbol on the number plate, and the oldest such photos were taken before 1920’s. Most photos come from albums of Britishers, their families cleaning out their attics and hence their legacies. Many photos have details written behind them. There are few military photos of Americans too, mostly in Calcutta, some in Karachi. But most are Britishers and the photos are taken in the north west mountainous regions. Many passes are named, and there are many strange looking armored cars. The army had cantonments all over India, Bangalore, Poona, Aurangabad, some photos are from these places as well.
E-Bay is a major source. Many times collections are split, depending on the winning bid, so if someone out there has bagged photos which I missed, and the other way round, they can contact me and I would exchange copies, meaning get copies printed and give in exchange. Lets see how this develops.
In the photo above, armored cars are at Toi Khula Scout Post, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) which is now in Pakistan
In the photo below trucks are in a convoy in the same north west frontier region, desolate but there was a lot of tribal, rebellion and criminal activity going on. Some tribals are seen in the photo. A very restless area, and still very unchanged today with their regional turmoil.
More to follow.
Cheers harit
Crossley armoured cars were a favourite, wonder if any survive here?
There were about 6 armoured silver ghosts as well. At least one has been rebodied and features in a prominent collection .
Does any one know if others were also subject to a body change?
During the first war I believe french cars were also popular here as military vehicles, as were half track trucks . Any pictures?
Great thread ! I am sharing a picture, hoping it is not part of a major collectors treasure trove :D.
This picture is from Mathura (Muttra), part of a greeting card.
here it is with the place and year mentioned
Super thread! Sharing some more from across the forum.
Travancore says:
Quote:
The Bahawalpur "military Vehicle" is a 19.6 H.P. six-wheeler Crossley specially designed (by Barker) as a hunting wagon. It originally wore a mottled design paint.
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Dodge WC52 -
Link 
Courtesy Predatorwheelz - Dodge 3/4th Ton
R-R armoured cars, Calcutta Presidency Battalion Auxiliary Force
Quote:
Originally Posted by harit
(Post 3682932)
This is a subject not yet covered in this forum.
A few years ago I was given photos of a funeral.........very restless area, and still very unchanged today with their regional turmoil.
More to follow.
Cheers harit
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Hello Harit,
What a fabulous thread to initiate! My generation remembers seeing some of these vehicles as schoolboys - e.g. the Dodge Power wagon - as private vehicles (often converted to shooting brakes) with owners who purchased them at army auctions and used them subsequently for years. A tribute to their durability and robustness!
Here is another lot of pics.
Here a lot of Brits are seen, no evidence that this is in India other than the lot of other pics is. Nice trucks, seem to be from different eras, the one on the right is older.
This is an armoured car in acrion. On the back of the photo it says
" Peshawar Riots 1931".
Google it to see that they happened. Apparently a civil disobedience riot involving Abdul Gaffar.
At the northwest frontier border. Did they have passports? It appears that this border was respected, limit of British India is clearly marked.
A convoy of military vehicles of around the same time. Back of photo says
" Outside Karnal (80 miles from Delhi) Grand Trunk Road".
Karnal is in Haryana. Three armoured cars in convoy.
Cheers harit
Harit, delightful thread to have started. This thread, I am sure, will run for many years. I am amazed at how these photos of say 1931 seem from a different world altogether when in fact it is not so long ago - both my parents and in-laws were school going children in 1931 and three of them are still with us to pull my ears! How our world has changed. Please share some more from your collection. The one you have called the Dodge Power Wagon I recall seeing as a child doing utility runs in the cantonment areas in the mid-1960s. Regards, Narayan
More info from the net -
We have known about Crossley producing military vehicles. But did not know there were India specific vehicles
The
Crossley IGL (Indian Government Lorry)
Quote:
In 1923 the Government of India, then still under British rule, issued a specification for a basic but rugged goods vehicle with a cargo capacity of 30 cwt (1500kg).To meet this Crossley designed a vehicle that they designated as the Indian Government Lorry or IGL. (After further versions appeared, the original became known as the IGL1.)
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Second vehicle was the
The Crossley IGL Armoured Car 
Quote:
In 1923 Crossley supplied a number of chassis to Vickers at Crayford to be fitted with armoured car superstructure. Completed vehicles were sold to India (approx 100), Britain, South Africa (2), Canada, Argentina (six supplied in 1927) and Japan (12 supplied in 1925).
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Note the solid tyres
Cheers
KPS
This one appears on the front page of book, ARMY IN INDIA & FRONTIER WARFARE by Tim Moreman:
While being on the subject of FRONTIER BRITISH INDIA. This one caught my attention. OT but interesting.
Regards-Sonu
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