Sudan Defence Force Motor Machine Gun Companies

Joe Moro

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In the process of doing a scenario set in the early days of the East African Campaign.

Does anyone one know what armoured cars the SDF Motor Machine Gun Companies used in early 1940?

This is what i have:
Each company was comprised of up to 7 Armoured Cars, 6 unarmoured vans carrying a bren gun, and enough trucks carrying two platoons of infantry (60 men)

Does anybody have any more info or a possible Table of Organization and Equipment (TOE)

Thanks in advance
 

Alan Hume

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going by Wikipedia, it says they had HOMEMADE armoured cars

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan_Defence_Force
The Sudan Defence Force fought during the East African Campaign on the "Northern Front" under the command of Lieutenant-General William Platt. In October 1940, three motor machine-gun companies from the SDF were part of Gazelle Force, a mobile reconnaissance and fighting force commanded by Colonel Frank Messervy.[12] The Frontier battalion from the SDF was part of Gideon Force commanded by Major Orde Wingate. In January 1941, during the British and Commonwealth offensive into the AOI, the SDF took part in the successful invasion of Eritrea. During this invasion, the SDF contributed machine gun companies, howitzer batteries, and other forces (including some homemade armoured cars).

Mark Bevis, in British and Commonwealth armies 1939-43 list the SUDANESE HOME DEFENCE FORCES 1939 - SEPTEMBER 1940, SUDAN
just as

6 Sudanese Motor MG Companies each: Coy HQ (1xA/Car w/Boys, MG)
2 Platoons each 3 x A/C
2 Platoons each 4 x trucks w/AALMG
2 Platoons each 3 rifle secs, 2 trucks

I don't know if you can work out from that what kind of A/C it would be or indeed if it would be homemade
 

Alan Hume

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looking again at Wikipedia it might have been a Marmon Herrington Armoured Car
(the Mk II was armed with a Boys and an LMG)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmon-Herrington_Armoured_Car

The first version, the "South African Reconnaissance Vehicle" Mk I, entered service in 1940. It was a long wheelbase four wheeled chassis with drive to only one axle. It was armed with two Vickers machine guns: one in a cylindrical turret and the other in the left hand side of the hull.[5] There were two large access doors in the rear. It saw a brief action against the Italian forces in the Western Desert and thereafter relegated to training use.
The Mk II had a shorter wheelbase than the Mark I and four wheel drive by using a kit from Marmon-Herrington that offered a front-driven axle. It was known in British service as Armoured Car, Marmon-Herrington Mk II. The Mark I continued in production (until the end of 1940) while supply of parts from the United States was resolved.[6] Mark II, "Middle East Model" denoted the vehicles serving with British forces in the North African campaign. This variant was fitted with a Boys anti-tank rifle and a single coaxial Bren light machine gun. A second model intended for sub-Saharan deployments was armed with twin Vickers machine guns.
 

Joe Moro

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looking again at Wikipedia it might have been a Marmon Herrington Armoured Car
(the Mk II was armed with a Boys and an LMG)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmon-Herrington_Armoured_Car

The first version, the "South African Reconnaissance Vehicle" Mk I, entered service in 1940. It was a long wheelbase four wheeled chassis with drive to only one axle. It was armed with two Vickers machine guns: one in a cylindrical turret and the other in the left hand side of the hull.[5] There were two large access doors in the rear. It saw a brief action against the Italian forces in the Western Desert and thereafter relegated to training use.
The Mk II had a shorter wheelbase than the Mark I and four wheel drive by using a kit from Marmon-Herrington that offered a front-driven axle. It was known in British service as Armoured Car, Marmon-Herrington Mk II. The Mark I continued in production (until the end of 1940) while supply of parts from the United States was resolved.[6] Mark II, "Middle East Model" denoted the vehicles serving with British forces in the North African campaign. This variant was fitted with a Boys anti-tank rifle and a single coaxial Bren light machine gun. A second model intended for sub-Saharan deployments was armed with twin Vickers machine guns.
Hi Alan

thank for the info. From my readings a number of sources mentioned the SDF had to do with old equipment, thus eaning towards old card dating back to old RAF types from the 1920's or 30's modified to suit local conditions. The Harrington's were "new"models and the Sudan was a backwater and probably didnt get any new equipment until 1941...will dig further
 

Alan Hume

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Hi Alan

thank for the info. From my readings a number of sources mentioned the SDF had to do with old equipment, thus eaning towards old card dating back to old RAF types from the 1920's or 30's modified to suit local conditions. The Harrington's were "new"models and the Sudan was a backwater and probably didnt get any new equipment until 1941...will dig further
okay, sorry I wasn't much help
 

Joe Moro

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okay, sorry I wasn't much help
Hi Alan

all help is appreciated.

Had a look at the British official history:
The Mediterranean and Middle East. Volume I, The early successes against Italy : to May 1941

the authors in page 169 mentioned that in 1940 the SDF had locally produced Armoured Cars:
"In June 1940 it comprised twenty-one companies, or 4,500 men in all, the most modernized units being five (later six) Motor Machine-Gun Companies—small mobile units consisting of light machine-guns carried in vans and trucks—and a number of locally constructed armoured cars."

now i need to translate that in ASL terms!

cheers
 

Alan Hume

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Glad you've narrowed it down at least

Good luck with the scenario:)
 
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