More About the French M.T.
Page 13
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
From Our Paris Correspondent.
There is an organization attached to . the French Army which, if • it found it necessary to advertise, would 'doubtless word its advertisements as follows :—" Lorry contractors to the French Army. All kinds of convoys, complete with drivers and spares, supplied on the shortest notice."
Two Main M.T. Depots.
It was through the courtesy of the French War Department that I was able to visit this organization, which acts as intermediary between the motor lorry factories and the armies in the field. There are, indeed, two such establishments in France, one being in the neighbourhood of Paris and the other in the Lyons district--the two automobile centres of the country. Commercial motor users will readily appreciate the fact that it is not possible in any big army organization for lorries ordered at the various factories to be delivered direct to the armies hi the field. Instead, there are two central organizations which take delivery of lorries, test them, equip them, supply drivers for them, officer them, and send them into the field. The one near • Paris handles all the metropolitan makes, as well as the American machines, while the one in the Lyons neighbourhood fakes all the product of the Lyons factories, the few 'makes in the south and south-west, as well as a, proportion of the product of the Italian factories.
Complete Convoys Equipped and Passed on Daily.
Quite by chance, though it could
A batch -cif COtlin:Iii-spoutes not have been more effective if it had been premeditated, a very fine convoy of standardized motor ambulances was standing outside the Central Automobile Supply Depot on the day I visited it. The convoy was complete in every respect ; it had a workshop attached to it, the necessary spares for a long campaign, a driver had been appointed to each vehicle, and the convoy was efficiently officered. The following morning that convoy moved away to the Front, and its place in the grounds was taken by a row of similar chassis. Near by, 20 Peugeot
lorries were being served out with tools. Twenty-four hours later that convoy also moved away to the Front, and was replaced in the grounds by a group of 30 hornets.
Fr_ench M.T. Makes Its Own Accessories.
When the motor transport section of the French Army places a contract with the factories, it is usually for bare chassis. The reason is that not many French makers produce their own bodies, and it is simpler for the motor service to deal direct with the bodymaker than to allow the chassis builder to art as an intermediary. Even when the lorry comes back from the bodymakei• it' is not complete, for the Amy department finds that it can fit out and supply accessories much cheaper than it can obtain themfrom an outsideThe lamp andheadligtit brackets are produced and fitted in the Army shops ; the spare petrol can carrier is another Army product ; toolboxes and spare parts boxes are produced by military labour ; all accessories are bought direct from the manufacturers, and not through an intermediary.; also, most of the spare parts are made by the Army, instead of being produced in the lorry works.
Economical Methods.
Under the commercial system of estimating and bookkeeping adopted, soldier-mechanics' time is counted at the standard rate paid in the district. It is on this basis that cost is found to be lower than if these various parts are supplied
by the car manufacturer or the bodymaker. Although chassis vary in design, the equipment can be very extensively standardized ; thus a uniform type of spare petrol can carrier has been adopted. This „provides for a couple of 11-gallon galvanized-iron cans carried on a special platform under the body overhang, at the forward end.
Toolsets Only Issued to Drivers; No Spares.
Tools and spare parts have been standardized. For every type of lorry there is a standard toolboard, on which the tools are exposed so that they ..can be verified instantly, and are readily available for use. This simplifies inspection and makes it possible for the officer in charge to ascertain without any loss of time whether each man has his full kit of tools. It is the practice to give to the individual drivers as few tools as possible, and no spares whatsoever. He has all that is necessary to keep his lorry in condition, but not enough to encourage him to do any repair work or tinkering.
Complete Organization and Thorough Attention to Detail.
Spares are supplied not to individual lorries, but to convoys, the mechanic in charge of the convoy repair shop being responsible for them. All the spares are packed in specially-constructed cases with hinged lids and locks, these cases being so fitted that the contents are visible at a glance, and yet so secured that they cannot be damaged or misplaced, no matter in what position the case may be placed. Within each lid there is a list of the contents. The mechanic in charge has a duplicate of this list, together with the number of the box, in his parts book, and can tell exactly where each part can be found and what parts he has in stock. The supply of parts sent out with the convoys is very complete, there being practically everything but the chassis frame members and cylinder castings. The quantities are very judiciously decided on, there being several sets of parts likely to break or subject to wear, and only one of such units as front axle, steering gearbox, or gear set. The method of carrying the boxes is by means of a couple of shafts fitting within inverted -1.3 pieces bolted to the sides. When changing quarters the boxes are all packed inside the travelling workshop ; when a fixed position has been secured, they are taken out and stored in any suitable place.
The French Army find that it is to their advantage to make many of their own spare parts. Frequently, castings and forgings are obtained from tke lorry factory and machined by military labour.