VW in Australia, the early years. 1941-42 Australia is at war. The 6th, 7th and 9th Divisions of the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (AIF) are sent to the Middle East against the Italians and the Germans, while the 8th Division is sent to reinforce Singapore against the advancing Japanese. Australia has 250,000 men serving in the armed forces at this dark time.In North Africa the Australians are soon fighting the advancing German Afrika Korps under the command of field marshal Erwin Rommel. Four brigades of the 7th and 9th, later known as the legendary ‘Rats of Tobruk’, hold the Libyan port against Rommel’s attacking forces for six months. The 6th and 7th are relieved and shipped home to defend Australia in New Guinea, but the 9th stays. After a year of desert fighting, the British 8th Army and the Aussies win the decisive 1942 battle of El Alamein that finally ended German expansion into Africa. Rommel’s troops are eventually pushed back to Tunisia, and the experienced 9th is sent home.The diggers of the North African campaign become the first Australians to ever come into contact with the German Volkswagen, as Rommel’s forces used the Kübelwagen as light transport vehicles in the desert campaign. A number of Kübels are captured by Australian soldiers, with some of them used behind the lines by Australian field officers. Unfortunately all of them have to be left behind in the desert when the last Australian forces are withdrawn in early 1943. Australian soldiers also fought the Vichy French in Syria, but did not serve at all in Western Europe during WW2 (except for Australian airmen in the RAF). They therefore didn’t come into contact with the Volkswagen again. After the victorious African campaign (at a cost of 3,500 Australian lives), the Australian forces spend the rest of the war fighting the Japanese in Malaya, Papua and New Guinea, Bougainville, New Britain, Borneo and Tarakan. They have no further contact with the Germans. 1946 At the end of the war the Australian Army ships the first Volkswagen vehicle to Australia, a wartime Kübelwagen sourced from the British Army in Wolfsburg. The Australian Army remembered how competent the VWs were in North Africa and wanted to evaluate them for possible Australian use. After being tested in local conditions for several months, the Kübel is retained and stored for some years before being donated to the collection of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. It has since been restored, with paint scheme and accessories appropriate to the North Africa campaign. It can sometimes be seen on display in the North Africa gallery, although the AWM often rotates their huge collection. Check before you visit - awm.gov.au 1947 The Australian Scientific and Technical Mission, based at the Embassy in London, applies to the Ministry of Supply to purchase eight Volkswagens. These are intended for use by the Australian Reparations Plant and Stores Team, located in Germany. The VWs purchase price is £160 each. Six of them stay with the Reparations Team in Germany, while two are shipped out to Australia as prototypes for testing purposes at no charge. The first VW is shipped from Antwerp in March, with second one following in June, and on arrival in Melbourne they are assigned to the Department of Post-War Reconstruction. A large supply of spare parts is included at an additional cost of £340. One of the VWs is a normal 1947 Type 11 Sedan, while the other is a Type 51, a VW Sedan with Kübelwagen running gear. 1948 The British Occupying Forces are preparing to hand the Wolfsburg Motor Works back to the Germans as part of the new Federal Republic of West Germany. After considerable delay, the Australian Government appoints automotive engineer Laurence Hartnett to visit Wolfsburg to determine if any equipment can be secured for Australian use, as war reparations. Hartnett inspects the still war-damaged but recovering factory, and discovers that the desirable Kübelwagen is no longer available – the former body works (Ambi-Budd) are now in the Soviet Sector of Berlin. He examines and rejects the VW Beetle itself, but requests that the VW press shop equipment be shipped to Australia. The British Army rejects the request and the Australians get nothing. 1949 The Department of Post War Reconstruction has no further use for the two Volkswagens, so they are auctioned off by the Commonwealth Disposals Commission at Tottenham in Victoria. A large quantity of Volkswagen spares, many other motor vehicles and a wide range of miscellaneous materials is also auctioned. The VWs are advertised as 1940 models, which was not correct. One of the VWs had 10,000 miles on it and is sold for £470, while the other had just 500 miles and is sold for £580. One of the VWs has since been lost, but the other one somehow survived the years until eventually found in 1990 on Flinders Island, off Tasmania, by a dedicated group of VW enthusiasts. It was the Type 51 that was found. The decrepit and semi-complete remains were sent to storage in Sydney, and later put on display. The chassis and bodyshell were later sold and are now in Adelaide, undergoing restoration. Please post up any historical information and photos you may have or find.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 23:27:05 +0000
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