Post by welbike on Dec 4, 2007 15:06:34 GMT 1
Well Rolf, to answer you question, most of these trucks were used by the Germans!!
In short, the history is as follows, In 1939 the French government place a lot of orders with US truck builders, also with the White Motor Company, amongst other types they ordered 1500 pieces of the model 704 S (the S stands for Special, as this model was never built for the US market) so duly they arrived in France, in knocked down state, and a lot of them were assembled, then the war broke out, and the last shipment was diverted to GB, who also used these trucks!! the French used them a lot, but not long, as in June 1940 they surrendered to the Germans, who naturally used the White trucks, and sent most of them of to Russia, have a lot of pictures from the Eastern front.
Mine stayed in France, and was also used by the Germans, the German number plate was still on the back, but painted over with French police markings, who used the truck till the late 70's when it was scrapped, years later I found it, and restored it to it's present condition.
Holes for the Notek lights were still visible, as holes for the spare tyre, which the Germans usually placed on the roof of the cab.
All in all a nice looking truck, with an interesting history, and the only restored survivor in the world!!
Alex Schmidt
In short, the history is as follows, In 1939 the French government place a lot of orders with US truck builders, also with the White Motor Company, amongst other types they ordered 1500 pieces of the model 704 S (the S stands for Special, as this model was never built for the US market) so duly they arrived in France, in knocked down state, and a lot of them were assembled, then the war broke out, and the last shipment was diverted to GB, who also used these trucks!! the French used them a lot, but not long, as in June 1940 they surrendered to the Germans, who naturally used the White trucks, and sent most of them of to Russia, have a lot of pictures from the Eastern front.
Mine stayed in France, and was also used by the Germans, the German number plate was still on the back, but painted over with French police markings, who used the truck till the late 70's when it was scrapped, years later I found it, and restored it to it's present condition.
Holes for the Notek lights were still visible, as holes for the spare tyre, which the Germans usually placed on the roof of the cab.
All in all a nice looking truck, with an interesting history, and the only restored survivor in the world!!
Alex Schmidt
