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Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Tilshead 1950

This interesting photo states Tillshead 1950 on the rear but I believe it to be a spelling error on the part of my father and the correct location is in fact Tilshead.

Tilshead is located on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, a well established training ground for the British armed forces and a place I know dad exercised during his army days. I also have a number of photos from Tidworth taken at about the same time and Tidworth is (or was) the main army camp on Salisbury Plain. (I'd appreciate some clarification as to the status or purpose of Tidworth and Tilshead if anybody knows)


(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)

I wish I had known this photo existed when dad was alive as I could have got some information from him. The military vehicle seems to be integral with the tented structure to its rear. I wonder if this vehicle's purpose was to deploy this structure in the field.


(Click on the photo to enlarge. High resolution versions are available)

There are a number of interesting features on this vehicle. Firstly it appears to be four wheel drive or all wheel drive as there's a differential in the front axle assembly. The radiator (It appears to be a radiator grille) is located high on the vehicle's structure with a shelf like arrangement placed above it which may be there to deflect steam from obscuring the drivers' vision if water hit the radiator. There is a lot of ground clearance on this vehicle making me believe it is designed for off-road terrain. The door mounted rear view mirrors pertrude approximately 12 inches from the side of the vehicle making me believe the load was far wider than the cab.

If anybody does know what this vehicle is, what the tented structure is or has any other information please comment this post or contact me as I'd like to do some research on this and later add the information to this post.

UPDATE (5/3/2005): Bernard tells me this vehicle is a "Mashy Wagon". It contained equipment such as drills, a lathe, benches, a generator, hand tools etc. and acted as a field workshop.

Field Workshop Vehicles Reference Material
REME Museum of Technology
The Royal Army Service Corps During WW2
Mobile Workshop Vehicles
The concept of a mobile workshop following the armies whilst on a campaign dates back at least to Roman times. By the 19th Century, in the British Army, horse drawn forge wagons provided a mobile metal working facility. Before World War 1, trailer mounted workshops drawn by steam tractors existed and soon after, motor trucks with workshop bodies appeared. Generators providing electric power for machinery were also in use by this time. By the outbreak of World War 2, most of the armies of industrial nations had complete mobile workshops capable of repairing the whole range of military equipment.
Trailer Mounted Equipment
REME has always used a number of trailer mounted workshop installations including machine shops, stores trailers and generators. Lightweight machinery trailers for use by Airborne Forces were developed in World War 2 and similar equipment has evolved since.

UPDATE (8/3/2005): Paul has posted the Mashy Wagon photo on a specialised web site seeking some clarification as to the make and model of this vehicle. The replies suggest this vehicle is a Ford WOT6 3 ton all wheel drive vehicle.
Bletchley Park Museum - Military Vehicle Group
Danish Army Vehicles - Ford WOT6
Oldtimers picture Gallery
The last 2 sites listed above include specifications and information on the Ford WOT6.