Meanwhile, down on the farm.....

[Peter Laidler]

In the 60's, in my time as an apprentice and later into actve service, we - the Brits - still have a lot (?) of US lend lease vehicles. I remember Diamond T's, Half tracks that had a big jib on the front, used for tank engine lifts and Centurion and Conqueror barrel changes by the REME. We also had some Weasles that I saw used as hard targets too. There seemed to be plenty of DUKWS too. We had some at the RASC WaterBorne units at Palau Brani and Blakang Mati. They were slowly condemned at 40 Base as they slowly rotted out and couldn't make the swim from Singapore to Palau Brani. A couple of DUKWS were in regular use by the Aust, UK and NZ RAAOC/RNZAOC ammo techs who were slowly de-mining the Japanese submarines scuttled at the Naval Base. . The NZ ammo techs were the main participants clearing out the Japanese ammo stores in Penang. A REALLY dangerous job if ever there was one!