Canadian Military Pattern vehicles.

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"OLD BILL" - A CMP collector's dream machine.

September 1943 Chevrolet CMP Cab 13 when it was owned by Colin Stevens. The WD number on the door is original to this truck. This truck was made on Contract SM6050 with SCWE (Special Cold Weather Equipped) for the British Army and served overseas. It was totally rebuilt by the British Army in about 1948, had a new WWII engine put in (and the data plate was modified for the new serial number) then sold surplus with 200 miles on the new odometer. 

See the story and photos of when I acquired it in Wheels & Tracks issues 16 (before the unveiling) and issue 17 (a full page coverage). 

When I bought it, it had only about 1,200 miles on it, was up on blocks, cocooned and test run each year by Bill Legh, the Englishman who had bought it in southern England and brought it back to Canada in the late 1940s. He had the C-15 Parts and Maintenance manual MB-C2, and the tools were in the toolbox. The bows are original to this truck as are the wartime tires. The markings on the truck (including roundel on the roof of the cab) are added by me and are for my regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Italy in 1943-44.  Roundel on the cab roof, unit sign 61 on green, formation sign 1 Cdn Infantry Div (gold maple leaf on red) and unit serial 37/1.  The WD number is the original (repainted) for this actual truck.

Gary Moonie restored the cargo box for me in trade for a 2B1 cargo box to use as a pattern for restoring his prototype Ford 15 Cwt. Brian Wood later bought this truck from me as I wanted to downsize to a jeep again, and Brian later donated it, along with about half a dozen other CMPs, to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is on display in Vimy House. 

CMP PROTOTYPES AND PILOT MODELS

Prototype trucks of what became the CMP were made by Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge in Canada. Prototypes and pilot models were made in the late 1930s by Ford and Chevrolet. About late 1941 or sometime in 1942, Dodge also made a prototype CMP (or a handful of them) in Cab 13 style and I have found a photo of one of these.

I believe that PROTOTYPE refers to the first specimen made. Then the military would make PILOT models for testing. If these were successful, the military would fine tune the design, and then go into PRODUCTION. Some people, including myself, have used the term prototype loosely. If anyone can help to clarify the differences between prototype and production, I would appreciate it. 

Our best guess at this time is that about 8 Ford 'pilot' models were made. At least two and probably 3, and maybe as many as 6 or 8 Chevrolet pilot models were made. 

DND PATTERN (later known as CMP PATTERN) VEHICLES IN SERVICE

CANADIAN MILITARY PATTERN (CMP) vehicles were designed and built in Canada in World War II. At first they were built for the Canadian Army and were called DND pattern. 

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1940 DND Pattern (CMP) Cab 11 field artillery tractor.  

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Early Ford F-8 as found in Estevan, Saskatchewan on a farm in very dry country. The PASS plate holder is still fitted on the left (port) front fender. Note that the short box was extended and the gas tanks are mounted as on the Cab 12 long box version. I cannot recall at the moment if this was a Cab 11 or Cab 12 truck. Rigid mirror arm and short box suggest that it is Cab 11. Ron Hammond of Moose Jaw, Sask., has restored it with the later Cab 12 "long box". 

1941 CMP Cab 12 - F-8 8 Cwt. 4x2  Similar to Cab 11 but windshield opens, doors have hooks to lock them open for cooling, roof hatch for observer, radiator cap not exposed, alligator hood. This one was made on 11/11/41.  NOTE: The bows on the F8 & C8 are VERY different from those on the 15 Cwt trucks.

CMP Cab 13 (photo from WWII Chevrolet maintenance  manual MB-C1) built from 1942 through 1945 . This is the most famous look of the Canadian Military Pattern vehicles.

IDENTIFYING CMP MODELS

Data plates are the first thing to look for. One early models they are often on the engine cover inside the cab. On late models they are usually on top of the dash over the instruments on Chevrolets, and on the driver's door inside near the top on Fords.

If data plates are missing, Fords have year marked on 'back' of pintle hook. One can see it by climbing under the truck, and looking at the rear of the pintle hook. There is a circular hole in the mounting plates and one can usually see "FM Co 43" for example (as I recall, it is some years since I have looked). This example would be Ford Motor Company 1943. 

Early models:
Cab 11 (1940 model) - Fixed windshield, no roof hatch, small hinged panel to access engine from outside. Suicide doors (hinged at back). Cramped cab. Headlights standing separate and on fenders (giving them the nickname "Monkey Face" down in southern regions of the world.
Cab 12 (1941 model)- The Cab 12 is basically the same as Cab 11 but had minor modifications done in response apparently to user feedback (aka complaints), especially from the North African desert. As per Cab 11 but windshield opens a few inches as a single unit, some models have a roof hatch. Large hooks on doors so they can be propped open about 6". "Alligator hood" - better engine access. Vents incorporated on each side of radiator grill to provide moving (not necessarily cooler!) air to the cab when driving. 
Cab 13 (1942-1945 model)- Total design change. Much roomier. Reverse slope windshield, doors hinged at front, headlights buried inside cowl. Some later models (1944-5) had round roof 'hatch' of canvas for observer. Early models of Chevs had "cluster" instruments and later models had separate round instruments.

8 Cwt (1/2 ton) - Tires 9.00x13 or 9.25x16 on HU 4x4 models. 101" WB. No step under door to get into cab.
15 Cwt (3/4 ton) - Tires 9.00x16. 101" wheelbase.
30 Cwt - 10.50x16 tires. 134" WB
60 Cwt (3 ton) - 10.50x20 tires. 134" or 158" WB

"Z" was letter code at beginning of DND or WD number painted on the door. This was for trucks 8 Cwt or 15 Cwt. "L" was for Lorry which was the category for 3 Ton (60 Cwt). There are many other letter prefix codes but those are the most common. 

This page is not the complete story. I have created a bit of an overview and have put in photos and information that you will basically not find elsewhere. 

 Initially these vehicles were based closely upon British War Department vehicles, but eventually Canadian designers convinced the authorities to allow them to use North American production techniques and design.

After the British lost most of the vehicles at Dunkirk in 1940, they suddenly needed more vehicles and so ordered thousands from Canada. What had been known as Department of National Defence (DND)  Pattern now became international in distribution and so now became known as Canadian Military Pattern - CMP.

  These two images MAY be slow to load. Be patient, they are worth the wait! Types of bodies for CMP 15 Cwt trucks. Two sections from the late Dr. Bill Gregg's SUPERB book "Canadian Military Vehicle Profile Series" This was Volume 2 of his trilogy on CMP vehicles. The RCA Museum in Shilo, Manitoba is selling the remaining stock of his books. These books are well worth buying.

Other countries also ordered Canadian made vehicles. During the war, these included the UK,  Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, and the USSR (after they changed sides in June 1941 when their ally Hitler turned on them).

The US military used CMPs in the Philippines when the Japanese invaded. These vehicles had been diverted from delivery to the Canadian troops in Hong Kong who had surrendered after bitter fighting in late December 1941.

By the time of the final battles in North Africa in 1942-43, over 80% of the soft skin vehicles used there by the British and Commonwealth Forces were Canadian made!

Dutch cartoon by Nieuwenhuys of CMP in Holland in 1945. From "daag The Canadian Army in Holland" It shows a CMP Cab 13 15 Cwt.

After WWII, Canada selected the 15,000 best vehicles and brought them back to Canada. Those that were left in Europe or elsewhere were sold off surplus or given to other countries. 

As well, after WWII the United Nations stepped in to help the devastated nations rebuild and supplied thousands of surplus military vehicles (including many Canadian examples) to countries such as Czechoslovakia and Poland. 

As part of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), Canada gave several divisions worth of artillery and vehicles to allies such as Belgium and Italy.

Those 15,000 excellent condition vehicles, and the spare parts, were mostly sent back overseas once again.

UNFORTUNATELY the result of this is that MOST Canadians have never seen a CMP vehicle and would not recognize one. Many assume they are a British truck. Ironically the CMP vehicles are more common and better known in places such as Myanmar (Burma), Australia ("Blitzes"), New Zealand (Puddle Jumpers or PJs), Argentina (camiones Canadensis), the UK, Holland, Norway, Belgium etc.

"AS FOUND" CMPs

PRESERVED CMPs

Very few have been fully restored in Canada. On problem is that tires and parts are VERY hard to find. Most CMPs found in Canada have been worn out and butchered on farms, logging camps and mine sites. 

Some of the better collections in Canadian museums include the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, and the RCA Museum in CFB Shilo, Manitoba. CMPs can also be seen in the Ashton Garrison Museum in Victoria BC and other places. 

In memory of my good friend Peter J. Ford. Click on the thumbnail images to see the full size. 

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Some links to other sites about CMPs...

Rod Diery's web site (Australia)  http://www.users.bigpond.com/ROD_DIERY/cmp.html

 Philip Waterman, Temple, New Hampshire, USA -    http://www.canadianmilitarypattern.com Phil has an ex-BBC HUP and a 60 Cwt.

Eric Delcommenne in Belgium  http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Pit/8092/index.htm

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