New RL's!

Can anyone remember where we had to travel to to exchange our old Bedford QL's to the newer RL's?
I seem to remember that it was somewhere in Belgium, as I distinctly recall seeing signposts' pointing to Waterloo.
Attached is a photo that I took at the time, sometime in '57 or 58.
I don't remember whether we exchanged our Ford Wyllies "Jeep" then, for an Austin "Champ", but we did aquire an Austin I Tonner at that time.

Mike will know the answer to this, it would have been an RASC veh depot I'd think?

Brian, Jim

The unit must have been part of the Ordnance Depot Antwerp complex

Full details of the history of the complex can be found on the Antwerp input off the Locations Section of the main page of this site

the town of EMBLEM comes to mind,but i am probably wrong again.

I didn't think the Ordnance issued vehicles when the RASC existed JPW, but I could be wrong.

dandc

You are correct, although the complex was known as British Forces Antwerp the majority of units were in Emblem

Jim
I realise I am now treading on dangerous ground. my source was the Official History of the site which Webmaster Phil transcribed and published as I indicated in my earlier comment. The contents are slightly confusing as to who was where and when, with what title, but I agree the RASC must have issued vehicles in the very early days but you will see the overarching title Ordnance Depot Antwerp was used for a time (brings back memories of my time in Dusseldorf which was just before the units declared UDI from HQ Rhine Area.

16 Base Vehicle Depot RAOC, surely?

Dunno whether this will narrow it down a little. It's a photo of the chap who escorted us from the border to the Vehicle depot!
Perhaps his markings will mean something.

RAOC did indeed store & issue Vehiles before the 1965 merging of the RASC Stores Orginisation into the RAOC, and the formation of the RCT

Emblam Camp was the Advanced Base Ordnance Depot in the 50's early 60's

16 Base Vehicle Depot RAOC was also in Belgium at Camp C, Olen c1952 - 1960's
Other Depots were at BVD Olen, BVD Noorderwijk and BVD Tongerlo

With 17 Rear[later Base] Vehicle Depot RAOC being in Germany at Recklinghausen

See, shows what I know

That's a great photo of the RMP Guy. He looks happy with his job.

That "RMP guy", Belgian surely ?

Brum

Agree with you. If you look closely at the front mud guard there is the stylized Belgian Army lion's head shield instead of a number plate

Brings back personal memories of Lionheart 83 when I was part of a convoy from NE England bringing a WMR Centurion ARV on a low loader. As we left Zeebrugge, completely unannounced, up shot a pistol packing Belgian female MP on her motorbike who made it quite clear that she and her colleagues were going to get us across and out of Belgium as quickly as possible.

Result was blue lights flashing, whistles blowing, we hurtled down the MSR ignoring every traffic light etc till we got to Liege. Great fun, then we got to the Rhine Bridges and Exercise control said they had been blown. Half the convoy then had to cross via M2 Rigs or equivalent and our problems started!!!

yes the guy is belgian if you compare it with this photo you will see the chevrons in the same position just above the guantlets and a similar badge futher up his arm,this was taken at the same time 1957 .but can anyone identify the bike? thats what made me look at the photo being a big bike fan,its not what i first thought took me a while to figure it out.

to enlarge click on photo.

So what is the Bike then? I can't work it out.

oh dear jim have i started something,i thought i had identified the bike as a belgian sarolea 350cc 36b or 49b known as the belgian army sloper but my pal who is a bit of an expert on military motorcycles says i am wrong and that it is a 43wlc made by harley davidson and his pal at classic bikes says we are both wrong so i think its back to the drawing board,at least they all agree he is belgian army.

link to intresting army motorcycles jim.


http://www.theliberator.be/liberator7.htm