Loyd carrier in North Africa?

[Fitz]

Was the Loyd carrier used at all in North Africa? What about Sicily and Italy?

[Alanmccoubrey]

I have read that the Loyd was supposed to be used in North Africa but I have never seen a photograph of one there. Given that it would have been used to tow things like 6 poundres which were being Porteed in NA I can't see any point in its having been sent to NA in the first place. The same goes for Sicily but they were probably used in Italy by such things as MG Companies for their 4.2" Mortars but again I've not seen any photographic evidence.

[sandsmodels]

according to the bible on unicarriers and other gb carirers (nigel watson) they were sent to the middle east and there is a picture in his book showing some in egypt,
there is even a middle easts towage sketch arangement.
there were definately in italy as well.

[Scruton]

I have read that the Loyd was supposed to be used in North Africa but I have never seen a photograph of one there. Given that it would have been used to tow things like 6 poundres which were being Porteed in NA I can't see any point in its having been sent to NA in the first place. The same goes for Sicily but they were probably used in Italy by such things as MG Companies for their 4.2" Mortars but again I've not seen any photographic evidence.

I was able to find a grand total of 1 shot in the IWM photo collections showing a 2nd Sherwood Foresters Loyd in Italy in 1944: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205204556 -- but that's the only shot I could find of a Loyd carrier in service with a unit serving in North Africa, Sicily, or Italy.

[Barry Marriott]

Hello all.

There is evidence of Loyd carriers being used in North Africa. The Australian War Memorial film archive has some footage taken near Alamein in July 1942 showing a Valentine-equipped regiment being moved on White tank transporters. On one of the Whites are two Loyd carriers fitted with canvas canopies. Being in a tank unit they are probably the Loyd Starting and Charging variant. This is the link to the film - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C190135 - the Loyd carriers are at the 0:05:37 mark. I made a still of the Loyds but am not sure how to post it, and also have a photo that is probably the same two Loyds, but taken from the opposite side.

Somewhere I also have another picture of a Loyd Carrier in the desert. From memory it may be a cable-laying variant. I can't recall where the picture is - possibly in a Japanese-published "Ground Power" magazine or something like that.

Hope this information helps.

Barry.

[Alanmccoubrey]

Good find Barry, as you say they are probably battery chargers and so not something that would normally appear on the wargames table.

[sandsmodels]

yes great footage, the carying of the lloyd at right angles in new to me.
ok in the desert i suppose, no lamp posts to knock over

[Fitz]

Here's a couple of stills I grabbed from the film.

As far as I'm concerned, the important thing is that I can reasonably paint the Loyd in desert colours, even if it wasn't, properly speaking, a battlefield vehicle. Not that they were ever intended to be much in harm's way in any case, as they weren't built from armour plate.

[sandsmodels]

yep reckon so

[mausmann]

Many thanx all for the info, a most interesting thread....

[Trockledockle]

Found a picture of two in a vehicle park in Alexandria docks along with Matilda’s and various cruiser tanks, artillery etc. It is in Beda Fomm by Macksey in the Pan WW2 series. It must have been taken before March 1941 as HMS York is in the background and it was sunk at Suda Bay.

[notbing2]

Interesting I've just ordered this book on eBay the first book in this series I've bought for about 30 years just for this Pic. I probably need a new hobby.
Stewart

[pete]

Hi all
Is the implication of the above that it was the universal carrier that was used to tow the 6 pounder in Italy?

Pete

[sandsmodels]

Hi all
Is the implication of the above that it was the universal carrier that was used to tow the 6 pounder in Italy?

Pete

uni carriers were used for towing guns in nwe as well quite a bit

[pete]

Thanks