Overvalwagens!
Artillery Tractors, wheeled
Motorized artillery formations within K.N.I.L. appeared as early as the WW1 period and several civilian
trucks were converted for use as artillery tractors. The Bofors 105mm Howitzers K.N.I.L. acquired in the
mid-1920s were initially towed by Morris-Commercial D-type 6-wheelers. By the beginning of the 1930s
these were obsolete and K.N.I.L. started looking around for a better prime mover. In 1932 they opted for a
GMC T-series 6x4 truck with the brandnew Timken-Detroit rear axles. Soon several dozen T-18's were
delivered to the K.N.I.L. Arsenal, where they were bodied either as artillery tractors or as ammunition
trucks. The trucks would remain on strength until 1942, though by that date they had been replaced as
artillery tractors by an advanced Canadian GMC 4x4 model, called Maple Leaf.
Read an interesting and detailed account
of the organisation of
K.N.I.L. Artillery and K.N.I.L. A.A. Artillery
by Stellan Bojerud
In 1916 6 pieces of K.N.I.L.'s 75mm Krupp guns were
prepared for motor traction. The first K.N.I.L. artillery
tractors in the early days of motorization were Wichita's
and Garfords, soon to be replaced by White and
Fageol trucks. This truck, presumably a White, is
towing such a Krupp 1903 75mm field gun. In the
distance the battery staff can be seen, including staff
car and motorcycle with side-car.
When the Bofors 10,5cm
Howitzers were acquired in the
mid-1920s, K.N.I.L. opted for a
heavy tractor and chose the
Morris-Commercial D 6x4
truck, that was also used by
the contemporary Dutch Army.
The Morris's soon proved
inadequate and K.N.I.L.
acquired these GMC's by
1932. The GMC artillery
tractors were used by both the
Bofors 105mm Howitzer
Battalion as well as the 1st
Field artillery. The latter was
equipped with the Krupp 75mm
1903 field gun. (picture: Ons
Leger, Indie-nummer, 1940)
GMC towing Krupp 75mm field gun. The GMC was
a 6x4 vehicle, meaning that both rear axles were
powered but not the front wheels. This significantly
improved terrain capabilities, though not as much
as with a 6x6 vehicle (which was not available at
the time) (picture: Stabelan Magazine)
GMC towing Bofors
105mm howitzer.
The Bofors had
hard rubber tyres,
unsuited for high
speeds (picture:
Stabelan magazine)
Another shot of the same
vehicle type. Each artillery
battery was also equipped with
a Caterpillar tractor, that was
used to move the guns around
in all terrain types once on
location (picture Stabelan
magazine).
Testing a new artillery tractor for K.N.I.L.
By the end of the 1930s K.N.I.L. Command decided that a
more modern all-terrain vehicle was needed to tow the
various artillery pieces. On top of that, defence
preparations led to the purchase of huge amounts of
material, including an extra 16 10,5cm howitzers, 30 heavy
(12cm) mortars and large numbers of Bofors 40mm and
80mm anti-aircraft artillery. All these new guns (except for
some batches of non-mobile AA-guns) would require
up-to-date towing vehicles.
A substantial number of potential vehicles was considered:
Scammel Pioneer, Krupp L2H43, Warford, Saurer M4, Alvis
Straussler, Mercedes-Benz LG65-3, CKD Praga RV,
Steyr-Daimler-Puch and others.
Three wheeled artillery tractors were actually tested, all
commercially available models: the heavy duty 4x4 Maple
Leaf (Canadian GMC) and 6x6 Ford (converted to
all-wheel drive by the DAF Trado system) and a 4x4
Ford/Marmon-Herrington.
The Maple Leaf (picture top right) came out slightly better
than the other two and a large order was placed with
General Motors. Most vehicles were to be 4x4, but some
(notably for towing the heavier gun types) were to be
converted to 6x6, using the DAF Trado system (3rd
picture). The latter type would end up looking like the Ford
Trado that was tested by K.N.I.L. (picture right centre),
though without the front support wheels and support
wheels behind the front axle.
This Ford/Daf vehicle was similar in concept to the many
Trado-converted Fords and Chevrolets used by the
contemporary Dutch Army as artillery tractors. Many were
sold to the Dutch civilian market, as the last picture shows:
a 1939 model Ford with Trado rear bogies and front
support wheels. This particular truck was used by a Dutch
oil exploration company in Persia. (first 3 pictures and info
from various pre-war editions of the Indisch Militair
Tijdschrift, last picture from Vanderveen:American Trucks
of the late 30's).
The K.N.I.L. Maple Leaf is still a mysterious vehicle. It
was slightly different from the one on this
picture:"Truck, 30-cwt, 4x4, Gun Tractor (Maple Leaf)
6-cyl., 80 bhp, 4F1Rx2, wb 134 in" (Bart Vanderveen).
This was a similar vehicle delivered to Australia. The
K.N.I.L. vehicle has been identified by David Hayward,
GM Historian, as a 1940 Maple Leaf 134 3/4 inch
wheelbase Model 1662 2 1/2 ton capacity
Another rare picture of the Maple Leaf tractor, this time from
Geeft Acht Magazine, 1941. The first truck is indeed the Maple
Leaf bodied as an artillery tractor twoing a 75mm Krupp field
gun. The gun is not converted for high-speeds and the unit
can be identified as AIIVeld or the second Field artillery
battalion from Bandoeng. Note also the second vehicle.
Another Maple Leaf 4x4 that seemed to be bodied as an ammo
truck. It is probably towing the Krupp's limber.
Photographic and film evidence show that units
equipped with the Maple Leaf were the Howitzer
Battalion (AIHw) and the First Field Artillery
Battalion (AIVd), all with 4x4 trucks.
A 1941 propaganda film on the newly equipped
K.N.I.L. shows a pair of Bofors 40mm AA guns
towed by 4x4 Maple Leafs. The 1940 picture on
the left (source: Australian War Memorial) shows
the cowl of a Maple Leaf next to some K.N.I.L.
Mountain artillery troops at Batoedjadjar. The
picture is possible proof that also one or even both
by then motorized mountain artillery battalions had
received the Maple Leafs. In all, given the
purchase of above mentioned new artillery, K.N.I.L.
might have needed up to 100 Maple Leafs)
This picture from a 1941 K.N.I.L.
demonstration to the press, shows a
Maple Leaf towing a Bofors 40mm AA
gun. The full film item shows two
sections of two Maple Leafs and
Bofors plus two Chevrolet supply
trucks each deploying in a field. This
shots clearly gives away the front
wheel drive axle.
Another shot from a film, this
shows a Maple Leaf at a little
later stage. The crew wear the
K.N.I.L. steel helmet with
leather neck protection. Note
also the rear wheel mudguard,
a simple bent steel plate. This
feature was probably a later
modification as it does not
show on the other pictures that
were taken earlier.
And two more pictures of
the Maple Leaf deploying
with a Krupp 75mm field
gun and towing a Bofors
105mm howitzer
respectively. The crew
seats in the body are now
well visible.
When war came nearer many civilian vehicles were requisitioned by K.N.I.L. while other military
trucks were used as tractors during parades or for deploying ad hoc artillery units.
The complete battery of heavy AA guns (105mm
Bofors) during a 1941 parade. Normally assigned
a fixed location, the guns are probably just towed
through the streets of Soerabaja for propaganda
reasons. Towing vehicles are 1940 model
Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton trucks, as imported and
assembled by GM locally (picture from JJ Nortier,
De Japanse aanval op Java).
K.N.I.L. parade in Bandoeng, probably 1940.
Bofors 40mm AA guns towed by again 1940
model Chevrolets. Probably just for the
occasion (picture from Tanda Mata KNIL)
Same story here, this time september 1941. IN
1940 and 1941 several huge military parades were
held to boost morale and impress the local
population as well as any foreign observers.
Everything that could ride or could be towed would
be mobilised for the occasion. Many vehicles would
pass the main parade ground more than
once...(picture from Orient Magazine)