CCKW 353 Use by Polish Forces in WW2

[riverman2767]

This is my first post so I'm hoping for some beginners luck... I am currently restoring a 353 LWB A2 open cab (manufacured late 1944) and although there is a lot of work to do - I'm about to tackle the rats nest of original wartime wiring, I have been thinking ahea about how to finish the rig.

My uncle was a Pole who served in the ETO and I would dearly love to find some evidence (perferably photographic) of open cab GMCs in Polish colours. I've trawled the 'net but only found one poor photo which gave me hope but little else. I know that closed cabs were used by the Poles in Italy and logic suggests they would at least have had some in the ETO.

Any help from the assemble wisdom of the forum would be gratefully received.

[Degsy]

An elderly gentleman came to talk about my 352 open cab at a show, he was very taken with the truck and had a very interesting story to tell. H e was Polish, had been captured by the Russians, taken to Siberia and then when Churchill did the deal with Stalin had been released to travel to the Middle East. A great many Poles died on this journey and this guy was hospitalised when he reached Egypt as his weight was less than six stone, his normal weight being fourteen stone plus. After his discharge from hospital he fought in Italy with the Free Polish Forces. He said that they had used trucks identical to mine (more likely 353's as he was Infantry).
As he was very emotional with the memories that seeing and touching the truck had obviously brought back to him I didn't question him but some time later his wife who was English came to speak to me and said how much it had meant to him to see and touch the old truck.
I know this is not the photo evidence you want but might I suggest you ask your question on the HMVF forum as I'm pretty sure there are one or two Polish members on there who may be able to help you.

[riverman2767]

Degsy,
Thanks for the information - experiences like that are always humbling when you actually meet those that went through such hardships. I'm just in the throes of joining the hmfv forum and will certainly ask the question. I have trawled through some of the GMC Forum posts and there are references to other nations using GMC including Polish forces so I am more comfortable that I am on (relatively) safe historical ground. I have found some Polish divisional markings and insignia so the pieces are coming together - standing by for further information from forum-land!

Yours aye

riverman

[jakub]

Hello, I had more or less same problem to find open cab pictures with Polish divisional markings. There are few albums with pictures with vehicles of Second Corp in Italy, however there are always closed cab, but I've managed to locate some info about Carpatian Uhlan Regiment which suposedly used open cabs. Anyway I used this regiment markings for mine GMC, see here http://www.cckw.org/cckw_353.htm.
Of course the nicest would be markings from General Maczek's 1-st Armoured Division but them for sure were useing british trucks.

If you need more info you can mail me anytime