Bedford MW (1939)
1939-45, 66,000 produced
The Bedford MW was a light general service truck used by the British Armed Forces during the Second World War, with 66,000 manufactured, until 1945. It was studied from 1937 as a prewar emergency production program and produced from 1939 until V-day in an early and late versions. It was one of the most common of the "15 Cwt" used on all fronts, from the French campaign in 1940 to the African, Italian, Northern Europe and Far East campaign, the last soldiering for the crown and country "east of suez" until the 1960s. It was reliable, rugged, easy to maintain, cheap to produce and proved quite adaptable.
Early Type, French campaign
Development
Bedford was a trade name for Vauxhall Motors of Luton, Bedfordshire. It applied for commercial vehicles. Vauxhall Motors was later purchased by General Motors in the 1920s, and with Chevrolet, GMC and Adam Opel AG, entered a conglomerate with a large degree of commonality in the GM group allowing for cheaper costs. By 1935 however, the British Government wearly of recent development and the sound of war boots and rise or militarism and nationalism from Europe to Asia, pushed the Ministry of Supply and War Department to invite British truck manufacturers to design and submit prototypes of light trucks for testing.
Also in 1935 the War Office issued specifications for a new 15 cwt 4x2 military truck. Manufacturers were invited to submit rapidly designs to take part in comparative trials held later that year. They were held at north Wales. One of the competitor was from Bedford Vehicles. This was a 2-ton rear wheel drive lorry. It was based on a existing commercial 2-tons truck with a modified chassis and larger tyres to increase ground clearance. This was also the smallest military truck proposed by Bedford.
Trials were mostly successful, but the commission asked for a larger radiator and the new standard tyres. Trials resumed in 1936 and led to further modification as Bedford modified the chassis, notably to increase ground clearance and provided enough space for a new and more powerful in-house engine and assorted cooling system, plus a new electric battery of 12 vs. 6 volt, and Solex carburettor instead of Zenith.
The modified vehicle went through 1937 trials as the "Bedford WD-1" sporting the new standard 15 cwt payload. It performed very well. Thus, by 1938 proposed to the war office the instllation of the final Bedford 6-cylinder, 72 bhp (54 kW) engine, which proved a game changer. It was accepted for production with very large numbers ordered 2nd May 1939. Thus, from 1939 to 1945, Bedford produced over 66,000 MWs, ordered over 30 separate contracts, in service until the late 1950s.
Design
Chassis and general design
The Bedford MW was a 15 cwt (760 kg) 4x2 truck. It lacked four wheel drive but still performed relatively well off-road due to its large military tyres and powerful engine, short wheel base, and low centre of gravity. It was also relatively light weight gave, with excellent acceleration an almost "sports car" like handling. The drivers loved it. The Bedford MW had distinctive wide bonnet, to accommodate the extra large air filter never fitted to production vehicles.
The chassis was a ladder type typical of Bedford production, with a tall bonnet, flat forward grille, removable side engine access panels with grille louvres (on the early version, cutouts in the late one), left open in North Africa. It had a limited bumper flush with the bonnet radiator, from which emerged two road lights and a horseshoe radiator grille. There were classic curved mudguards forward with as single blackout light on the right fender.
The open cab comprised two seats, one for the driver to the left, and co-driver seat to the right, with a split forward folding windshield. The access was from both open sides, with a tall transmission tunnel in between. There were at the cab back holders for individual rifles. The rear cab was large enough to accomodate the rear axle bridge. The sides were wooden panelled on a steel frame, and the back panel folded down. It had in some versions holders for jerrycans, but they were mostly carried either in the rear flatbed (with three bow frames for a tarpaulin) or cabin. In service, they were festooned with various haversacks and items.
The flatbed was not normally use to carry troops, but in that case, six men and their gear coud fit in with ease. The rest of times, they carrier their 750 Kg payload, but often more weight was carried. The bedford MW was unarmed and unarmoured of course. It was however common practice for the drive and co-driver to carry rifles at hand, and in some case close to the frontline, there was often a Bren gunner, sometimes seating as co-driver. The tall bonnet offered good protection and the fact the vehicle was very fast made for an appreciated form of protection.
Mobility
The MW was powered by a Bedford 72 bhp (54 kW) six-cylinder inline at 3.000 rpm., liquid cooled, with 210 cubic inches capacity (3.5 L), running on petrol. Ths power went through a four speed transmission (4+1). The roadwheels were of the standard military off-road 9.00-16 types with large serrations for better grip and standard hubs. Brakes were Hydraulic Lockheed. With its ratio of 2.2/1 in lenght/width it was remarkably agile and very light, so the absence of heeavy 4x4 driving gear was compensated by the engine performances and torque in particular.
Fuel capacity was 91 liter (20 gallons) for a range 430 km (268 miles). It could for without preparation: 0.70 m (27 inches). This vehicle in water tank variant had a 910 liter (200 gallons) water tank, which proved vital in North Africa. The rear compartment provided space for sterilising equipment in the racks left. The right-hand half accommodated suction hoses as well as filters, pump handles and other items of equipment.
Main Variants
Bedford MWD, late type.
The production changed over time, between an early and late models, in light of early war experience. The early Bedford MW for simplification had an open cab with a folding windscreen, collapsible canvas tilt. However if OK for the summer 1939 in France and North Africa or even the Italan campaign, in 1944 NorthWest Europe that would be a liability. Some from 1943 already, it was given an "enclosed" cab. Doors were fitted either sides (the former one had none), kept the same windshield but had now a fixed canvas and perspex side screens for a full enclosure, notably in winter. The last change were the windscreen, from aero-screen to full-width, flat divided screen with wipers. As for the anecdote, the War Office designated 15 cwt vehicles such as the MW as trucks, and larger vehicles as lorries.
specifications Bedford MWD |
| Lenght | 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m) |
| Width | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Height | 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) |
| Weight | 2.1 long tons (2.1 t) |
| Crew | 2 |
| Propulsion | 6-cyl. inline Bedford OHV 210 cu in (3.5 L) petrol 72 bhp/3,000rpm |
| Suspension | Live axles on semi-elliptical multi leaf springs |
| Transmission | Wheeled 4x2, 4 forward, 1 reverse |
| Payload | 15 long cwt (760 kg) |
| Speed (road) | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
| Range | c500 km |
| Armament | None |
| Production | 65,995 |
Variants
Bedford MWD cargo truck: General Service body (6 by 6 ft/1.8 by 1.8 m) infantry battalion vehicle.
Bedford MWC: Water tank truck: New water tank replacing the flatbed*.
Bedford MWT: anti-aircraft gun tractor: Installed on the flatbed, field conversions.
Bedford MWG: QF 2-pounder or 20mm Oerlikon/Polsten portee (installed on the flatbed, facing aft)
Bedford MWR: Radio truck, new structure with bedframe and whip antennae, tapaulin cab
Bedford MWV: Royal Air Force signals van**.
*This vehicle had a 910 liter (200 gallons) water tank, which proved vital in North Africa. The rear compartment provided space for sterilising equipment in the racks left. The right-hand half accommodated suction hoses as well as filters, pump handles and other items of equipment.
**The signal truck was called "Insulated Signals Shell Body, Type E, Mk 3". The standard body was still used by the Royal Air Force, usually mounted on the Austin K9 1-tonner. The body shell was of timber construction with its sides, end and doors panelled with sheet aluminium. They were lined internally with hardwood. The roof was panelled with steel sheets, also lined internally with hardwood. Insulating material was packed between all inner linings and outer panel. The timber floor was covered with linoleum.
The Bedford MW in action
RAF Bedford MWD in North Africa (IWM)
The vehicle once delivered was pressed into the British expeditionary Corps and its first action was during the campaign of France, its baptism of fire, as the battle horse of the British army, and also equipping the Royal Air Force. Its strengths were its engine and excellent handling. Most were lost during the Dunkirk evacuation, captured by the Germans (see later). Next the vehicle was deployed in North Africa and assisted the Home Guard during the Battle of Britain. In North Africa the crews loved the openness of the early model, often seen the windshield down. Many were modified on the field as portee as the war progressed with whatever type of armament was found, mostly light AT guns (such as 25 mm French APX). They were still around at the time of El Alamein in November 1942 and Operation Torch, took part in the invasion of Sicily and campaign of Italy.
Beginning in 1943, the models are equipped with half-doors and a folding windscreen with the lat versions, and the term "MWD" became the main version, replacng the "MW" which was the family root. The vehicle was used until the end of the campaign of Italy, whereas froml June 1944 on D-Day, only late versions with close cabs were used, in all the variants described above, and some used as ad hoc AA trucks with 20 mm Oerlikon and Polsten Guns. They fulfilled all sorts of logistical missions.
They were light but too large to take place into a glider, otherwise they could have been used at Arnhem. They followed the crossing of the Rhine and final push into Germany until D-Day. After May 1945, many were distributed among former allies and libetared countries for a long postwar service. The ones freshly out of the assembly lined in Britain were shipped directly for the far east, as the surplus early types of the Mediterranean Campaign, helping in the final Burma-Malaya campaign against Japan.
The Afrika Korps used the type, both early or late (here), as is or converted with a specialized car body.
One happy user was, surprisingly, Germany. They captured many of these ubiquitous vehicle after Dunkirk, and the remainder during the british reverses in North Africa in 1941-42. Called the MW 4x2 Beutewagen it was modified heavily to become a completely separate liaison vehicle. Indeed their saving grace was that many parts through the GM group came from German motor manufacturer Adam Opel AG. If many were refurbished as general service trucks, many were also sent to specialist body builders on a standard design of cross country car body, with four doors and a rear storage area with folded tarpaulin. "Many thousands" rebuilds were completed, sent into action in Operation Barbarossa and staying on the eastern front until its collapse and retreat.
The Bedford MW was also exported postwar in large numbers. One user was Denmark. They were bought from Great Britain in 1946/47 and remained in service at until least the late 1960s, so long after replacement in the British Army.