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Military Vehicle The Ward Le France

Military Vehicle The Ward Le France

Following the Japanese attack on the US Fleet at anchorage in Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, America entered the Second World War. The effect was almost immediate as the great industrial might of the country shifted into producing tanks, guns and planes for the battles which lay ahead. America’s entry into the war also gave Britain, which had been standing alone against Germany for 18 months, a much-needed Ally. Earlier in 1941 America had passed the lend Lease Act which in effect supplied Britain with trucks and tanks following Winston Churchill’s impassioned speech: “Give us the tools and we will finish the job…”, broadcast in February that year.

Recovery Vehicles

The British army began receiving trucks needed to transport supplies and ammunition along with other specialised vehicles such as recovery trucks. A number of American truck manufacturers such as Ward La France already had a pre-war reputation for providing specialist 6X6 trucks fitted with cranes which could be used for recovery work. Manufacturers such as this and Kenworth increased their production of vehicles of all types including recovery trucks which would be needed to tow abandoned vehicles back to base for repair.

From 1943 onwards this output included a series of recovery trucks, one of which was called the M1A1 ‘Wrecker’, being standardised for the vital role of retrieving tanks and other damaged heavy equipment such as artillery from the battlefield. Naturally the ‘Wrecker’ was added to the inventory of vehicles being supplied to the British army, eventually entering service with the Light Aid Detachments of the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and would be used in Italy and the Middle East.

Features and Fittings

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The M1A1 had a number of identifying features, which set it apart from other similar vehicles, such as ‘squared’ mudguards and lacking full doors leading to the term ‘open’ cab, and the roof of which was fitted with a folding canvas cover. Some vehicles had a race ring fitted above the cab to permit a .50 inch calibre machine gun to be mounted for self-defence. Between the two manufacturers Ward La France and Kenworth built 3,735 M1A1s, producing 3,425 and 310 respectively, but some sources put this figure much higher. It was operated by a two-man crew, driver and co-driver, and the vehicle was equipped with all the tools necessary to undertake repairs in the field or to tow badly damaged vehicles back to a base workshop where there were the facilities to deal with them.

Some ‘Wreckers’ towed trailer workshops for repairs in the field complete with all the tools essential for maintenance including cutting and welding equipment. In addition to the rear-mounted crane which had a 9.75 ton rating, winches were fitted front and rear. The front winch had a rating of 13 US tons while the rear winch had a rating of 22 US tons, making it suitable to recover most armoured vehicles and field guns.

The M1A1 ‘Wrecker’ was fitted with a powerful 8.2 litre six-cylinder Continental Model 22R petrol engine which gave 145bhp at 2,400RPM to provide roads speeds up to 70km/h. Its massive weight of 15,900kg helped with tackling heavy loads but it came at a price with the fuel capacity of only 378 litres allowing an operational road range of only 400km. The transmission was five-speed Fuller 5A620 and the 6X6 drive featured double-tyres on the two sets of rear wheels as standard. The overall length of the M1A1 was 7.92m (wheelbase being 4.57m), 3.10m in height and 2.51m in width.

Wartime Duties and Re-enactment

Because of its role the ‘Wrecker’ can be configured neatly and easily into a range of diorama settings depicting campaigns such as Normandy, Arnhem, Battle of the Bulge and even the last stages of the war in May 1945. The vehicle was used in the clear-up process after the war and some were even sent to the Channel Islands to help in the removal of heavy artillery batteries, a task which was well within its capabilities.

Today the M1A1 is a popular vehicle with military vehicle owners who often display them at various gatherings around the country. Some are shown in basic form while others are shown complete with towed field workshop trailers and extra items, which is most helpful to modellers.

In fact, the vehicle is a popular model kit and produced in a range of scales to suit all capabilities and can be adapted in different ways by adding extra personal kit, tyres and tools. It is the attention to detail which helps and recording it on camera can be put to use when building the ‘Wrecker’ either as a stand-alone model or as part of a diorama. GM

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